The friendliness and discipline he encountered in the church is what fascinated him already as a child. And that is exactly what Duncan Burton Mfune stood for as a District Apostle. He passed away yesterday, at the age of 88.
He was eleven years old when he started to accompany a New Apostolic friend to church on Wednesday evenings. He also liked the singing and the black suits. Much to the dismay of Father Mfune, who kept an eye on the boy and punished him. That is why it took so long until he could finally be sealed with 18.
“My joy was immeasurable when I was able to bestow the Holy Spirit on my mother in 1982,” he reported. Duncan Mfune was ordained a Sub-Deacon in 1959. There were further intermediate stages, and in 1975 he was ordained an Apostle. “Later, my father also became a child of God, which made me very happy.”
An expert in his field
As District Apostle he took over an already flourishing district in 1989. “The church in Zambia was built on a firm foundation of love, faith, and hope.” But his focus was not only on the spiritual dimension. He also had an eye on the organisational matters: “By establishing clear structures and guidelines, each group of our members was motivated and dedicated to the objectives of congregations.”
He knew how to continue this course. On finishing school, he studied Public Administration in Birmingham (England), among other places. He later held management positions in local government, where he organised the community from a social, financial, and structural aspect.
A man of character
“Total dedication and commitment, born out of love for God’s work and his people,”
Duncan Mfune said in an interview when asked about the principles he was guided by. “This also includes a fighting spirit, a willingness to make sacrifices, the ability to take criticism, and the fundamental willingness to work with anyone.”
The success was evident: during his time in office, the number of members in Zambia doubled to around one million. The Church set up its own humanitarian aid agency and became involved in an AIDS prevention programme. He remained modest. “We know that we are not doing enough. That is why we are trying to develop more effective concepts in cooperation with governmental and non-governmental organisations.”
A man with a heart
Promoting the “spirit of unity in diversity” was a particular concern of District Apostle Mfune. No easy undertaking in a country with more than seventy ethnic groups, which play a major role especially in rural areas. All the more so as “there are members in every ethnic group who always try to exploit ethnic differences”.
Developing this unity was first and foremost a labour of love, he wrote. His engaging personality also helped him in this. “He had a winning personality. He was relaxed, cheerful, pleasant, and likeable,” a companion reports. “If you were standing next to him, you had won a ticket to conversation rich in content, deep, explanatory, and enlightening.”
Duncan B. Mfune died on the morning of 10 April 2025 at the CFB Medical Centre in Lusaka, where he had been receiving treatment for a fortnight. He was optimistic about the future of those entrusted to his care: “The sky’s the limit.”