Rev. Dr. Themba Mafico THM, MA, PHD (HARV)

Founder

The Rev. Dr. Themba Mafico founded the Mafico Leadership Renewal Institute, a nonprofit collaborative institute devoted to revitalizing people suffering from burnout, stress, and diseases like high blood pressure, diabetes, and related debilitating issues caused and also controlled by lifestyle.
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While studying the Bible, Dr. Mafico noticed that the word " rest " appeared so often. An in-depth study revealed that rest is required for every creature because it promotes and sustains good health. Even God rested to be refreshed (Gen 3:1-3; cf. Exod. 31:17). Jesus also retreated from caring for the people in order to rest (Mark 6:31ff. and passim). Thus, resting (Sabbath) is one of the greatest biblical requirements for humanity.

Dr. Mafico earned the Th.M. (HDS), M.A., and Ph.D. (GSAS). becoming the first black and non-Westerner to graduate from Harvard University with a doctoral degree in Old Testament/Hebrew Bible. For Mafico’s detailed biography, please click here.

Dr. Mafico is a spiritual leader who is passionate about motivating people to observe the spirituality of rest. Those who practice rest as worship or as a sacred rite allow the body to rejuvenate and heal itself from opportunistic diseases.

Dr. Mafico is well-trained in interpreting the Bible, and he makes it come alive, ushering fresh insights for practical use in life. Using a comparative method, Dr. Mafico captivates his audiences by revealing parallels between African and Israelite religiocultural practices.

His expertise in the Old Testament, African religioculture and Christianity sets him apart from his peers as a scholar, spiritual resource person, pastoral advisor, teacher, motivator and mentor.

To reconnect with self, i.e., to discover who you are, your needs, and your uniqueness, Dr. Mafico encourages people to participate in pilgrimages to other lands to see life from a different perspective. He urges those suffering from fatigue, burnout, stress, anxiety, and spiritual vacuum to join him on international pilgrimages to experience an immersion in different cultures, an experience that is relaxing and refreshing physically and spiritually. Personal testimonials reveal that pilgrimages have impacted many pastors, seminarians, and lay people.

Dr. Darryl Ann Lai Fang MA, MS in HRM, DMin​

Associate Director

Dr. Darryl Ann Lai Fang has a passion for excellence and a proven track record of transforming good organizations into great ones. She serves as the Director of Transformation Support at the United Negro College Fund, Institute for Capacity Building (UNCF ICB). She is responsible for designing and executing strategic support for HBCUs to improve their student and institutional outcomes. As Darryl Ann is a United States military veteran who served in the Air Force during Desert Storm and Desert Shield, she understands the value of discipline, hard work, and operating as an extraordinary team member. She leverages each of these qualities when propelling institutions toward transformational change.

Darryl Ann accepted Jesus Christ as her savior in 1991 at O’Fallon Christian Church in O’Fallon, Illinois, under the tutelage of Bishop Gregory Wells. Darryl Ann was licensed as a minister by Pastor Paul Hobson of United in Christ Christian Church in 2013. In 2015, she continued her ministerial responsibilities at her new church home, Spread the Word (STW) Christian Ministries. Her activities at STW include serving as co-navigator over the Church Life ministry, navigator of the Specialty Ministry, and JUDAH Warriors dance ministry leader. Her favorite Bible verse is Acts 17:28, “In Him, we live, and move, and have our being.” In February 2020, Darryl Ann was ordained as an Elder of the gospel at STW under Bishop John S. Battle, III. 

Darryl Ann is honored and humbled to use the gifts God has given her to serve others. She served on the board of the diPA Center, Inc., a minority-serving performing arts center. She recently stepped down as the board chair of The Mafico Institute, which provides biblical lessons on rest, spiritual renewal, and self-care, with programming for pastors, clergy members, individual worshippers, and whole congregations. 

Education is critical to Darryl Ann. She has earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Management, a Master of Science degree in Human Resource Management, and a Doctorate of Ministry from the Interdenominational Theological Center (ITC). She is also a certified Six Sigma Green Belt, specializing in process improvements. Darryl Ann loves to share her life’s lessons with her four children, Xavier Adams, Alexzandrea Adams, Alexis Adams, and Jeffrey Blackwood, II.

After more than 30 years of salvation, Darryl Ann has finally realized the simplicity of her relationship with God. To Darryl Ann, her relationship is grounded in her unconditional love for God and His people. She enjoys sharing her love of God with anyone and everyone. She hopes to use God’s Word to support the broken-hearted, marginalized or otherwise disenchanted. She is passionate about the emotional, psychological, and spiritual well-being of Black women. Through her service and ministry, Dr. Darryl Ann is committed to mentoring young women to believe they are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:13-14).

Tyler Metcalfe

Tech Project Manager

Tyler Metcalfe is a UGA graduate of political science and journalism currently working as a technology project manager in the Atlanta area. He is an enthusiastic adopter of new teachings and passionate about achieving results!