Devign Innovation

The @ELIM Student Ministry was founded by Pastor Christiaan Broodryk in 1995.  Back then the ministry was known as the “Pinkster Studente Vereening (PSV)” or the Pentecostal Student Association (PSA). At the very first meeting of the PSA there were 5 people in attendance, including Pastor Broodryk and Pastor [Dr.] Willie Booysen’s son Conrad.

In 1997, Pastor Johan Nell became the assistant Pastor of Elim Full Gospel Church and in so doing had the portfolio of being Pastor in charge of the student ministry.

In the middle of 2000, Pastor Nell accepted a call to another church in the city and Dr. Willie Booysen’s son, Conrad, joined as his full time assistant at the end of that same year. Part of Conrad's portfolio is the student ministry, of which there are hundreds in attendance on Sunday evenings.

Due to the growing numbers of students attending the Elim Student Ministry (this name was adopted as the sole identity of the ministry in 2000), the need for a council to lead the ministry arose. This council was established on an informal basis at the end of 2001 and performed the requisite management functions until it was convened as the official council of the ministry in 2004. Towards the end of 2004 Richard Tukakhomo was appointed as Chairperson of the student ministry and Jabu Seepie was appointed as Vice-Chairperson of the ministry a short while later. 

In 2008, Jabu Seepie stepped down after four years of dedicated and committed service to pursue other avenues of his broader ministry.  Esau Tlhoaele was appointed in his place as the new Vice-Chairperson.  And, as of the end of 2009, Richard Tukakhomo stepped down after many years of loyal and excellent service to and ministry through @ELIM, to be replaced by Esau as the new Chairperson.  Philane (PH) Motibane and Michael Lehabe were appointed as the new Vice-Chairpersons, with each covering their own specific portfolios of responsibility.   

Also in 2004 another name was adopted for the Elim Student Ministry and it was renamed the @ELIM Student Ministry as it is still known today. @ELIM now has a broad and fully functioning student council that coordinates the numerous ministries and outreach programmes currently on offer. Today @ELIM is a vibrant ministry catering to the needs of students in the age-group bracket 18 to 25 and is a multi-cultural ministry.

Furthermore, the @ELIM Student Ministry does not aim to recruit you for the Full Gospel Church. We have made a promise to God that we will minister to you, nurture you and care for you no matter the denomination you are from. Once your complete your studies, we hope that you return home or to your home church equipped to be a valuable and responsible member of your church body. It is true, however, that some do join the Full Gospel Church but when this does occur we usually instruct these individuals to properly pray about the issue and receive proper and clear word from the Lord in this regard and to clear it with their home church. @ELIM is interested in building the Kingdom of God, not the Kingdom of Elim.