HISTORY

In the year 2004 Agape Gospel Mission launched the Agape Association of Bible Schools (AABS) in Accra, Ghana. The Lord gave us a vision to expand the training of pastors and church leaders in such a way that it would reach many more men and women in many more places than could possibly be trained at a campus-based Bible college alone. We envisioned this training would increase exponentially if it were made available “on-site”, that is, in the local churches and communities across Africa and beyond. 

At the start AABS offered a curriculum of 48 theological courses, a packet of documents containing guidance to begin and operate a Bible school, and numerous additional resources for AABS member schools. This package of resources has at times been referred to as “a Bible school in a box.” In October 2004 AABS organized its first annual Bible school equipping conference in Accra, Ghana with 25 Bible school directors in attendance.

 

In early 2011, Agape Gospel Mission felt led by God to transfer AABS to a larger organization that could further develop it.   Eastern Mennonite Missions (EMM), an evangelical mission society with headquarters in Pennsylvania, USA embraced the opportunity.   JC Ebersole continued to serve as the Executive Director of AABS. 

Following this transfer, the AABS ministry became incorporated with the government of Ghana and the name of the Association was changed to Africa Association of Bible Schools, although the AABS acronym remained the same. This new name reflected the vision to expand across the African continent.   In 2011 AABS began offering a 62-course curriculum for Bible schools.   By 2013 there were hundreds of member Bible Schools in ten countries equipping leaders to disciple the nations while building the local church.

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In 2017 AABS formed a board of directors in the USA and transitioned from EMM. In 2018 a West Africa Region Director was appointed to oversee the national directors who were being placed in West Africa, and expand AABS to all sixteen countries of this region.

 

AABS joined the Hopewell Network of Churches in 2021.  Through the Network, AABS resourced Bible schools in Haiti, Mexico, Costa Rica, and India.  Expanding beyond Africa led to an additional name in 2023, All-nations Association of Bible Schools.  We are excited to see the additional countries, both within and beyond Africa, that God leads us into.   

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In February 2023, a Region Director was appointed to place and oversee national directors in the ten countries of the Southern Africa region.  To God be the glory.

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