The Rafiki Foundation
?Rafiki? is a Swahili word that means ?friend?. For over 25 years Rafiki has been just that - a friend to Africa. Rafiki has been a friend through its mission which is to help Africans know God and to help raise their standard of living. To accomplish this mission Rafiki works with African partner church denominations to establish one Rafiki Training Village in each of Africa?s ten poorest countries. Located in Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Liberia, Malawi, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, and Zambia, these Villages fulfill this mission through five programs: ChildCare, Education, Bible Study, Widows and Advanced Learning Institutes. Through these programs Rafiki cares for hundreds of orphans, markets handmade crafts from thousands of widows, develops and distributes Christian classical curriculum and Bible class materials for its schools and church partners, and provides post high school education in teacher training, business, music, and art. Through this work, Rafiki hopes to reach millions of Africans with God?s word and better education.
The mission of The Rafiki Foundation is to help Africans know God and raise their standard of living with excellence and integrity.
III. We believe
that God is one God who exists eternally in three persons, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (1),
each holy and loving. God created everything that exists (2), upholds it by His power, and
rules sovereignly over it (3). In relation to the creation, God?s knowledge is exhaustive (omniscience)
(4), His power unlimited (omnipotence) (5), and He is present everywhere
(omnipresence) (6).
(1) 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Peter 1:2
(2) Genesis 1:1; Colossians 1:16-17
(3) Psalm 50:10; Proverb 21:1; Daniel 4:35; Isaiah 40:6-31; Acts 2:23; 4:27-28;
2 Thessalonians 2:11; Hebrews 1:3
(4) Psalm 139:1-6, 15-18; Hebrews 4:13
(5) Job 42:1-2; Psalm 115:3; Matthew 19:26
(6) Psalm 139:7-10; Jeremiah 23:23-24
III. We believe
that Christ was the incarnate second person of the godhead, conceived by the Holy Ghost
and born of the virgin Mary, fully human (7) and fully divine (8) in one person. He died, rose
from the dead, ascended to heaven (9) from whence He will return bodily and in glory (10).
(7) Matthew 1:18-21; Galatians 4:4; Romans 1:3-4
(8) John 1:1-2; Philippians 2:6-11; Titus 2:13; Hebrews 1:8-9
(9) Acts 2:33-36; Ephesians 1:20-22; Hebrews 1:3
(10) Matthew 24:30-31; Acts 1:10-11; Philippians 3:20-21; 1 Thessalonians 3:13; 4:15-16
III. We believe
that all human life has worth and dignity because all people are made in God?s image (11).
As such, they have been created to know and serve Him, but this image is now marred by
sin. In our fallen condition, we are in rebellion against God, His truth, and His law (12). We
are alienated from Him and under His judgment (13).
(11) Genesis 1:26-27; James 3:9
(12) Romans 1:18; 3:10-20; 8:7
(13) Acts 17:31; Romans 2:5-8; Hebrews 9:27
IIV. We believe
that God the Holy Spirit inspired the Bible, giving us truth that is entirely free of error. It is an
authoritative disclosure of God?s character, will, and ways. It is by this Word that He instructs,
corrects, guides, and nourishes believers (14).
(14) Psalm 119:89, 160; John 17:17; 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:19-21
IIV. We believe
that in His death, Jesus justified us when He was judged for our sin and we were credited
with His righteousness (15). In this way He effected our reconciliation with the Father (16).
His death is the only means of salvation (17), provided solely by God?s grace (18), and its
benefits are received by faith alone, and those who are thus justified will never be separated
from the love of God in Christ Jesus (19).
(15) Romans 3:25; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Galatians 3:13
(16) 2 Corinthians 5:19; Romans 5:8-10
(17) Matthew 10:32-33; John 5:24; Acts 4:12; 17:30-31
(18) Romans 3:24; 4:1-5; 11:6; Ephesians 2:8-10
(19) Galatians 2:16; Ephesians 2:8; Hebrews 11:6
IVI. We believe
that as God calls His people to a knowledge of Himself through the gospel, the Holy Spirit
imparts to them a saving understanding of Christ?s death (20) and resurrection, giving spiritual
life in place of spiritual death (21). The Holy Spirit then begins their sanctification, working
in them His holy will, and giving them works to do as they serve others and take the gospel
to the nations (22).
(20) John 15:26; 16:7-11
(21) John 3:3-8; James 1:18; 1 Peter 1:3, 23
(22) Philippians 2:12-13; Matthew 28:18-20; Romans 13:8; Galatians 5:13, 16-23
VII. We believe
that the Kingdom of God inaugurated at Christ?s first coming will be consummated at His second
coming (23) when the dead will be raised. At the final judgment, believers and unbelievers
will be separated forever. At that time, evil will be eradicated, Satan will be punished,
unbelievers will enter into an eternal, conscious separation from God but the people of God
will serve joyfully in His presence forever in the new heavens and earth (24).
(23) Revelation 19:20-21; 20:10, 14-15; 21:4
(24) Matthew 25:34-40; Romans 14:10-12; Jude 6; Revelation 22:1-5
