As early as 1963 land purchase negotiations were underway so that churches of Christ in Southern Africa would have a facility to train men in Swaziland to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. Eighty hectares, portion 14 of farm 300, in the Manzini district of Swaziland was purchased for this purpose.
In 1967 the first class began, marking the official beginning of the Church of Christ Bible School in Swaziland which was later registered as Manzini Bible School. Students who were able to preach well were assigned congregations to work with, but the work was done primarily on weekends. In this way, students learned both the theory and the practice of preaching. The Montgomery Boulevard Church of Christ in Albuquerque, New Mexico, U.S.A. undertook the oversight and financial responsibility for the growth and development of the school.
In the mid 1980s the students were involved in tent meetings and homestead evangelism during school holidays. Most of the evangelism was done in rural communities among the poorer members of society where church contributions were inadequate to meet the needs of the preachers working in those communities. It became apparent that preachers needed additional skills in order for them to earn a living. This need saw the beginning of the ‘Vocational Project’ in which students were taught mechanical and office skills. Unfortunately, vocational training was not available for very long since it was difficult to procure qualified personnel who would ensure that students received adequate training and certification. In 1992 the vocational project was discontinued.
1997 saw the initiation of the ‘Tree of Life Project.’ The purpose of the project was to bring financial stability to the school through the production and marketing of macadamia nuts. Students were very helpful in the development of this project but it grew to a point where daily hands-on devotion was required. The production increases annually and promises to continue for many years.
In the year 2005 a self-study revealed areas in which development and improvement were necessary and possible. Those developments and improvements were steadily instituted. One consequence of the self-study was a name change in 2007, from Manzini Bible School to African Christian College. The college continues to be a progressive institution enacting necessary changes to empower its students.
At present African Christian College grants a Bachelor of Theology (BTh) degree with majors in ministry, leadership, and counselling.
