What started as a faint whisper eventually became a booming command. Nothing I did could silence the voice of the Lord telling me to do something about the image that was serried in my memory. The image of an emaciated, unkempt, fly swarmed African child on the cover of a Christian organization’s magazine. This image of pain and suffering has become all too familiar across the world. An image that strips people of dignity, self-respect, and hope. As a researcher, I was keenly aware of the impact images have on the mental health, well-being, and narrative of individuals as well as groups of people, namely, the marginalized.
Being led by the prompting of the Holy Spirit, Affirm ministries was born to share the love of Christ with regard for the dignity of those who are being ministered to and to counter the negative narrative created by decades of less than favorable images of God’s creation.
Dignity and respect must precede evangelism. Period. We affirm the sacred dignity of every human being—an inherent and equal worth that is not earned, not granted, and never diminished. Dignity demands that every person be seen, heard, and treated with honor, compassion, and fairness, regardless of race, gender, status, or circumstance. Evangelizing with Dignity constrains us to uphold the right of each individual to live fully as God created them. As the moral foundation of human rights and ethical conduct, human dignity stands as a great equalizer—rejecting racism and refusing to perpetuate the legacy of colonization. In practice and in principle, dignity requires care that is sensitive, justice that is impartial, and communities that nurture self-worth, because to honor humanity is to honor the image of God in us all.
is our sacred calling. Education is the key that unlocks the doors of freedom, justice, and truth—doors long closed, yet never sealed. Through knowledge, minds are awakened; through learning, lives are transformed. We teach so that people may know who they are in Christ, rooted in His truth and strengthened by the indomitable spirit He placed within them—a spirit proven by those who have scaled impossible heights through education. Knowledge is power. Education is freedom. And at the center of it all stands an unshakable truth: God is love.
is our holy mandate. God’s love is greater than any power on earth—it cannot be silenced, it cannot be diminished, and it cannot be weakened. Unconditional and unchanging, His love extends to all of creation, withholding nothing and excluding no one. Every person is worthy of God’s perfect love. From the highest mountain to the lowest valley, the truth of John 3:16 resounds, declaring that no life is forgotten, no soul is beyond reach, and no heart is beyond redemption. Wherever people are found, there the transforming love of God is already reaching.