Since 2015
Rutherford attended Teen Mission Bible School in Malawi and in Florida graduating with a Diploma in Bible. He also studied at Andersonville Baptist Seminary in Georgia, graduating with a B.A. in Theology. He went on to teach at Baptist Theological Seminary of Malawi for five years, specializing in Church History and Evangelism. Rutherford has served as the National Coordinator for Teen Missions and led numerous youth teams from the US to Malawi, Mozambique and Tanzania. He planted the Cornerstone Baptist Church in Lilongwe where he became a pastor. In 2006, he felt led to start Grace Christian Fellowship Church. In August 2008, he was ordained as a Bishop of Grace Christian Fellowship Church of Malawi at SengaBay. Currently he serves as Bishop of Africa for Grace Christial Fellowship Churches.
Rutherford and his late wife Tsahai, founded Africa Hope Ministries along with Grace Christian Fellowship Churches. Together they started Elizabeth House of Hope in Nsaru which provides safe accomodation for 48 young girls attending secondary education. Currently he is remarried to Siphathisiwe Hlabangana. She has joined him in running the ministry.
Rutherford lives in Area 25 of Lilongwe which provides easy access to the villages. He has two children - Chris, who is pursuing a Masters in Professional Architecture with the University of Houston, Texas; and Chikondi, who is studying Business Communication at university, in Malawi.
Siphathisiwe, who was born and raised in Zimbabwe and graduated from Bible Missionary Work Training Center in Zimbabwe. She attended Truman and Wright Colleges in Illinois, graduating from nursing school in 2006. At Africa Hope Ministries, she works alongside Rutherford, coordinating the Discipleship Feeding Program and theTailoring Vocational School.
Africa Hope Ministries is currently running the Discipleship Feeding Program with 130 children, providing secured accomodation to 48 girls and training tailors.
With New International since 2000
