“Brother, the woman you are looking for doesn’t exist”

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–– Joe Shoko

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

I have been a Christian now for 10 years, 5 of which have been spent on the mission field preaching, teaching, pastoring, discipling and observing. Apart from the rampant charismaticism we see these days, there is not a more perplexing and bewildering issue as single Christian men looking for a marriage partner. 

Marriage was instituted by and is a gift from God. It was God Himself who said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” (Genesis 2:18-24). When we read the Bible we quickly observe that God’s intention was that mankind even after the fall was not meant to be alone. The most famous Apostle, Paul, makes this clear in his first letter to the Corinthians where he points out that each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband (1 Corinthians 7:2). For many single Christian men, searching for a woman is an arduous task, not a joyful, hopeful exercise.   This is because I believe that the woman they are looking for doesn’t exist. There are three possible reasons I would say so. 

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Take Note Before You Vote

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–– Malamulo Chindongo

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

In a few days, South Africans will head to the polls to cast their votes in the National elections; making a mark on that ballot paper, for the political party they believe should run the affairs of the country at the national and provincial level. How should Christians be thinking amidst the many discussions regarding the upcoming elections?

What we will consider here does not apply to the elections in South Africa alone but to all other nations considering elections as well. God’s people must carefully explore our role in the way national leaders are appointed and how we can relate with them. Some of our frustration with our political leaders stems from the fact that we ask from them that which only God can supply. Christians ought to relate to the civil government biblically. If we can apply biblical principles and instructions we will do our souls a great deal of service and escape unnecessary grievances against our politicians. We must change, from being those who are antagonistic toward civil government to those who love and “seek the prosperity” of our nations. (Jeremiah 29:7).

In spite of all the evil we see in politics and with our politicians, we must bring to remembrance these three facts about civil government, especially as we go to the ballot in the coming days:

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Potholes and Pitfalls: When Christians Stumble

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–– Tim Cantrell

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Potholes have been a way of life on roads in Africa for a long time; with South Africa now attributing 25% of all road accidents in the country to poor road conditions.  Fail to spot a pothole and you’ll pay for it in lost time and replacing that tyre!  How much more crucial then in our spiritual lives that we learn to spot potholes and pitfalls, where eternal souls are at stake and everlasting consequences await us?

Jesus warned His disciples often about stumbling blocks to be avoided in the minefield of this enemy-occupied territory, a Satanic system of darkness and deception.  Jesus said, “Woe to the world because of its stumbling blocks!  For it is inevitable that stumbling blocks come; but woe to that man through whom the stumbling block comes!” (Matt. 18:7).  Believers toy with temptation and stumble into sin because they don’t see the stumbling blocks.  Our Lord plainly shows that Heaven and Hell are at stake, as He urgently pleads with us about this life-or-death struggle against sin (Matt. 18:8-10).

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Mercy or Murder? Thoughts on Euthanasia

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Should doctors or family members be allowed to help a person die if they have a painful or terminal illness? Some first-world countries would answer yes, as euthanasia is legal in a handful of nations like the Netherlands, Portugal, Australia, Ecuador, and Spain. In 2024, eight South African doctors published their opinions in a national medical journal in hopes of persuading the nation’s High Court to legalize euthanasia. Should more societies follow suit? 

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Sounding the Alarm on South Africa’s Gender Benders

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–– Mark Christopher

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

The past 10 years have seen an inordinate amount of time and energy spent by the media, politicians, and educators on promoting transgenderism or Gender Identity Disorder (GID). Transgenderism is defined as “a feeling that your biological/genetic/physiological gender does not match the gender you identify with and/or perceive yourself to be.” In other words, it is wholly based on a feeling. According to Statista two per cent of South Africans identify as being transgender, gender fluid, non-binary, or asexual. All new terms in this brave new world. 

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Review: Father of Faith Missions

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Robert Dann, Authentic Media, 606 pages, 5 of 5 stars | Full Summary HERE.

Father of Faith Missions is the story of Anthony Norris Groves and his life as missionary in Persia and India.

What makes the book so spectacular is the way Dann unpacks dozens of themes around the life of Groves: suffering, apologetics, the life of George Muller, child raising, money, church planting, language study, Islam and so forth.

Groves was a man ahead of his time. He never served under a church denomination, never was promised a salary and never received a formal theological education. He lacked much. What he did have, as he liked to say, was the promises of God.

Groves was born in 1795 in the south of England. He married at age twenty-one and soon opened a surgery as a qualified dentist. Converted just before age 30, Groves wrote a little 28-page booklet just one year later. Christian Devotedness would prove to be one of the most influential Christian books of the 19th century. Continue reading →

Does Systemic Racism Exist in Africa?

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Dis-Chem, the second-largest retail pharmacy chain in South Africa, has faced significant criticism over the past two years over a leaked memo that prohibited any further hiring and promotion of white people. Is this an example of racism or systemic racism and what’s the difference?

Systemic racism refers to laws and policies in a society that discriminate against people based on their race. The Cambridge Dictionary defines systemic racism as “policies and practices that exist throughout a whole society…that result in and support a continued unfair advantage to some people and unfair or harmful treatment of others based on race.”  

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How Early Should Parents Start Teaching Their Children?

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Listen to our discussion about training children here: Youtube – Spotify – Apple Podcasts

“Train up a child in the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.” – Proverbs 22:6 

Proverbs 22:6 has two main points: a command and a consequence. The command comes first because if we obey it, we’ll reap good consequences. If we disobey, the consequences are awful. 

The Command to Train Your Child

Here is Solomon’s command: “Train up a child in the way he should go.” He’s talking to educators and teachers, mostly parents. This is somewhat unique because Proverbs is not directed to parents. Primarily, it is written to youth. Proverbs 1:4 states that the purpose of the book is “to give…knowledge and discretion to youth.” Young people naturally struggle to make wise decisions, so God gave the book of Proverbs to help them. 

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A Bright Light: Uganda Stands Against LGBTQ Imperialism

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–– Evan Cantrell

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Uganda’s Constitutional Court Upholds Anti-Homosexuality Act of 2023

“What is liberty without wisdom and without virtue? It is the greatest of all possible evils; for it is folly, vice, and madness, without tuition or restraint.” – Edmond Burke. 

This June, our continent will see its first-ever “Africa Pride” event, a virtual event celebrating homosexuality across Africa. The event is organised by “Reverend” Troy Perry, an American activist, in protest against the criminalisation of homosexual behaviour in Africa. This announcement comes as a bill has been introduced in Botswana’s parliament which would amend the constitution to incorporate specific protection for “intersex persons”, a move which has been widely condemned by Christians in the southern African nation. 

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Should Christians Have More Kids?

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Galatians 6:7 teaches an important principle: you will always harvest what you plant. This concept is especially pertinent regarding the falling birth rates worldwide, including in Africa. 

When a society ignores God’s directive to be fruitful and multiply, its death rate will surpass its fertility rate and that nation will begin to die. For example, researchers estimate that the population of Japan–currently at 125 million–will more than halve to 53 million by the end of the century. Russia, Ukraine, and Italy face a similar problem. These nations thought they were smarter than God and now they are reaping the consequences. 

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The Greatest Missionary Biography

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The podcast edition of this article can be found here: Youtube – Spotify – Apple Podcasts

I believe Robert Dann’s Father of Faith Missions is the greatest missionary biography in print.

When it comes to missionary bios, the devotional warmth is superior in Hudson Taylor, the heights of adventure more spectacular in John Paton, the range of emotions broader in The Three Mrs. Judsons, and the team dynamic more pronounced in William Carey. The queue is long for great missionary biographies.

But when I add up all the factors that make a missionary biography great, the story of Groves stands alone on top.

You most likely have never heard of Anthony Norris Groves. Don’t let that deter you. In the early 19th century, Groves left his dental practice in England and travelled with his family 5,000 miles over mountains and deserts, a trip where horses and humans died, to set up shop in the heart of Islam–Baghdad, Iraq. He established the first Protestant mission to Arabic-speaking Muslims.

What are the ingredients of a great missionary biography and why should Christians today read about the life of this great man?

Just as the tilting of a diamond brings swarms of refracted light, reading Groves’s biography gives the reader a kaleidoscope of major themes in missions. Here are ten of them.

  1. Missions and Family

The lessons this book teaches about home life, marriage and children are legion.

Groves was patient with his wife, Mary, who originally resisted tooth-and-nail a move to missions on the other side of the world. Only death awaited her. She knew it and she was right. He didn’t force her. He wooed and persuaded her until she wanted to go for Jesus’ sake.

After Mary died, Groves endured years of sorrow and depression. Upon remarriage, he allowed his second wife to teach daily because that’s where she was gifted, though she left the organizing of the home to their lifelong nanny, a decision which would bear sour fruit in the future. Continue reading →

KICKING THE CAN DOWN THE ROAD: WHY GOVERNMENTS SHOULD NOT RELY ON NATIONAL DEBT TO FUND EXPENDITURE

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–– Warrick Jubber

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Hezekiah was a faithful king and one of the best to rule over Judah. 2 Kings 18:3 records that, “He did what was right in the sight of Yahweh, according to all that David his father had done.” Nevertheless, he foolishly let an envoy from Babylon explore his kingdom and even the treasuries of Jerusalem. Isaiah confronted him with the consequence of a future Babylonian invasion that would include the capture and captivity of his sons. Isaiah 39:8 records that Hezekiah responded with the words, “‘The word of Yahweh which you have spoken is good.’ For he said, ‘For there will be peace and truth in my days.’” Hezekiah was relieved that he and his generation wouldn’t suffer the Babylonian invasion. As we would say, he kicked the can down the road and left his sons and their generation to deal with the consequences of his folly. 

This seems to be the attitude of many governments around the world, especially in Africa, as they recklessly spend on government projects that leave future generations to deal with the consequences.

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Can Education Be Neutral? An Argument for Christian Schools

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Satan has always tried to wrest the role of education from parents and place it into the hands of the State. In a 1933 speech, Adolph Hitler said: “When an opponent declares, ‘I will not come over to your side,’ I calmly say, ‘Your child belongs to us already.’”

Recently South African political leader Julius Malema encouraged a gathering of low-income men and women to bear more children. If you can’t afford them, he said, there’s nothing to worry about. That’s why government exists. He promised his political party would take care of their children by doubling the child-support grants.

When it comes to Africa’s educational problems, the solution is not more government intervention but less, and not less Christian influence but more. 

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Empty Hands on Empty Heads? A Case for the Formal Ordination of Elders

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Podcast edition of this article can be found here: Apple Podcasts – Spotify – Youtube

The Indian natives begged their mentor to change his mind. He did.

Born in 1790, Karl Rhenius was a German missionary of the Church Missionary Society (CMS). Joseph Wolff, the famed “missionary to the world”, called Rhenius “the greatest missionary that has ever appeared in the Protestant Church.”

Rhenius served as a missionary in India for 48 years with no break for furlough. He helped establish over one hundred local Christian schools and was instrumental in thousands of Hindus coming to Christ. He succeeded in Bible translation work and spoke Tamil fluently. His friends saw him as cheerful, tough, intelligent, and totally consecrated to Christ.

His strategy was simple. Send out trained Indian disciples to preach and distribute literature. If they found interest in the village, they’d start a small elementary school. As schools grew, conversions followed and the new Christians were gathered into local fellowships.

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Review: Engenas Lekganyane and the Early ZCC

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Barry Morton, Booksmango, 242 pages, 3 of 5 stars

The Zion Christian Church (ZCC) is the African and ecclesiastical version of the Freemasons—shrouded in mystery and secret rituals. What’s so special about the tea they’re brewing? Why is the water they splash on faces so magical? What makes their uniforms blessed? The answers are difficult to find.

Despite its twelve million members and place as southern Africa’s largest African Initiated Church, the ZCC is nearly empty of any historical or theological literature.

This book is so helpful because it pulls back the curtain on this Christian cult that dots the south of Africa. A main reason I strongly recommend Barry Morton’s book on the ZCC is that there is no other work like it. There’s simply not a lot of literature from which to choose. Continue reading →

A Christian View on Plagiarism and ChatGPT

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Recently the University of Fort Hare in South Africa has been ensnared in controversy. One of its professors has been charged with ignoring the plagiarism of nine postgraduate students under his supervision. This comes over two decades after another infamous plagiarism case in South Africa, where a doctoral thesis was submitted to the University of Witwatersrand, having been copied word-for-word from another student’s post-graduate thesis. Upon discovery, the professor was fired from the university and his PhD was invalidated, a reminder that plagiarism remains one of academia’s most serious offences. 

Plagiarism is the practice of taking someone else’s ideas or work and passing them off as one’s own. For centuries this has been a worldwide problem and today’s Africa is no exception. 

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Will Your Vote “Fix the Country”?

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–– Andrew Zekveld

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

I still remember one of the more tense political engagements of my earlier years as a pastor. It was in the days leading up to a national election in the country of South Africa. The parties involved in that particular political fight were not political—instead, it was a husband and his wife, each roping the pastor in for self-vindication. One spouse argued that a Christian’s vote should be determined by moral issues while the other argued for economic and political freedoms and improved service delivery.

What should the determining factors be in influencing a Christian’s political vote?

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Choose Your Love: Steps for Young Men in Finding a Wife

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Podcast edition here:  YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

For centuries breeders have tried to predict the fastest racehorses. Secretariat, a thoroughbred that won the 9th American Triple Crown, is considered by many to be the greatest racehorse of all time. He set and still holds the fastest time in all three Triple Crown races. The average thoroughbred’s heart weighs almost 4 kg. Secretariat’s heart weighed nearly three times that. For some years now, yearlings have been selected on the basis of heart size, as judged by ultrasound measurements.  

We can also predict the weather. The old adage is often true. “Red sky at night, sailor’s delight. Red sky in morning, sailors take warning.” Jesus said a similar thing in Matthew 16:2-3: “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ And in the morning, ‘It will be stormy today, for the sky is read and threatening.’”

But forecasting the weather and fast racehorses seems somewhat trivial compared to predicting who will make a godly wife. Every Christian man wants to wed a virtuous woman, but how can he know? Is it possible for a man to predict who will be a godly wife?

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Illegal Immigration: Is it ever right to do wrong?

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–– Mark Christopher

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

The issue of illegal immigration is a persistent problem affecting many nations around the world at the present moment. South Africa has long been impacted by an unknown number of illegal aliens from neighbouring countries. Most of these are understandably seeking a better life. The estimates on the number of illegal immigrants in South Africa range from 5 to 10 million people. 

This large influx of people has led to periodic episodes of xenophobic violence as some South Africans feel threatened by those they consider stealing their jobs and opportunities for a better life. Violence against those who have illegally entered South Africa’s borders only exacerbates the problem without offering a positive corrective.

The question before every blood-bought believer in Christ is how should Christians biblically view illegal immigration and immigrants.

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Marching to Zion? An Overview of Southern Africa’s Largest AIC Church

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

The Zion Christian Church (ZCC) has been in the international news recently. On Thursday, 28 March 2024, a small town in Limpopo South Africa was the scene of a horrific bus crash that took the lives of at least forty-five people. The bus was travelling from Botswana on the way to an Easter gathering as part of the annual ZCC festivities. 

The driver lost control and the bus careened off a bridge and fell 50 meters below where it burst into flames. Everyone on board was killed, except for an 8-year-old child who remains in serious but stable condition. 

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A Survey of Slavery and Salvation

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–– Gideon Mpeni

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Africa is a beautiful continent. Yet, beneath the edges of this amazing tapestry are dark threads of various evils. From Cape to Cairo, we hear various cries of desperation and one of those African cries is heard from the closed doors in Oman from a woman as she suffers the trauma of severe burns inflicted by her so-called bosses. Her name is Blessing, she was among those women lured with offers of domestic work, only to be trapped in a cycle of exploitation, and thrown into the dungeon of despair. 

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A Biblical Guide to Voting

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–– David de Bruyn

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

This year sees a number of crucial elections around the world: Taiwan, Pakistan, Russia, the United States, and South Africa among others. All in all, at least 64 countries will vote for government, including 18 African countries. 

When Christians vote, they are exercising a right given to citizens of a democratic state: they are requesting certain persons to be their government. And since Christians answer to God first, their vote must represent a request for a government that obeys God’s mandate for human government.

The Bible lays certain obligations on all human governments. Any political party that refuses or neglects to do these things is disobeying God, and a vote to support them is essentially a Christian ignoring his or her Father’s explicit will for human government. 

So what does God expect from human government?

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How to Serve Before Kings in an Age of Unemployment

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–– Titus Cantrell

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

South Africa is facing a dire shortage of skilled workers, according to a recent article published by Antony Sguazzin on Bloomberg. As businesses attempt to start or expand operations in what Sguazzin calls “Africa’s most industrialised economy,” there are certain job openings that employers simply cannot find qualified candidates for. Most of these are in the areas of engineering, science, information technology, and management. 

Sguazzin writes, “This skills shortage has been identified by the South African presidency as the second biggest impediment to economic growth, after crippling power outages.” The Department of Home Affairs releases an annual list of these “critical skills” designed to expedite the visa process for foreigners who can fill these gaps. However, Sguazzin points out that less than 50% of these critical skills visas are approved, and applications have declined significantly over the last decade.

While this skill shortage presents a major challenge to South African businesses, Christian young people should also view it as an opportunity and a guide for their education and career choices. 

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Institutionalised Envy: How the 10th Commandment Can Make or Break a Country

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–– Tim Cantrell

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Institutionalised Envy: How the 10th Commandment Can Make or Break a Country

As we in South Africa approach a major election, it is crucial for Christian voters not to be naïve or ignorant, but to recognise that all political systems are not created equal.  Every form of government is fallen, but not in the same way or to the same extent.  

Constitutional democracy and a free market are rooted in many biblical principles, when rightly applied. Socialism (and its end goal, communism) is rooted in envy, greed and covetousness.  It has bred all kinds of theft and trampling over private property rights (as enshrined in the 8th commandment against stealing) and discourages a biblical work ethic.  As Margaret Thatcher famously said:  “The problem with socialism is that you eventually run out of other people’s money.”

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How to Teach Your Children Hard Work

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Listen to the audio version of this article here: Spotify – Apple Podcasts – Youtube

Child labour is bad. Hardworking children are good.

Child labour is the illegal employment of children in business in order to exploit them. Many of the countries most guilty for child labour are found in Africa. Christians should rightly reject the exploitation of children for financial gain as evil. But every parent should teach their children a Protestant work ethic in hopes of equipping them for a productive life in adulthood.

How may parents succeed in teaching their children to work hard? Here are five principles.

First, wait to have children after marriage. Many children learn hard work from their mothers but mothers cannot be everywhere at once. Single mothers that work full-time jobs lack the vigilance and time to oversee and correct the lazy trends in their children. Fatherless homes are without the male intensity necessary for a disciplined family structure.

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A Biblical Perspective on Witchcraft

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Witch hunting is a serious problem in Africa. If locals suppose their neighbour is a witch or engaged in witchcraft, they may injure that person, or even kill them.

Traditional African View on Witchcraft

According to Samuel Waje Kunhiyop, the common traditional African view is that since God does not allow or ordain evil and there is evil in the world, it must come from demons.

Witchcraft, then, is the cause of most suffering in the world. If someone is hit by a car while walking to work and dies, or if a child falls out of a tree at school and is killed, in the African mind, the explanation is often witchcraft.

Why some people are more affected by witchcraft than others may be owing to their neighbour or enemy placing a curse on them. Perhaps a witch doctor is involved.

A common proof of such witchcraft is the thousands of stories that have been passed down from generation to generation. It is debatable if these stories are true. What is not disputable, however, is that the belief in these stories is true. Christians must be careful to address these issues seriously, as many people wholeheartedly accept the holistic activity of the demonic world.

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How Should Adulterers Be Punished?

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Answering 439 Bible Contradictions: #12

Answer: In the Old Testament (OT), God enacted the death penalty for adultery among his people, provided it followed due process. The New Testament (NT) calls adultery a sin but not necessarily a crime and urges the church to excommunicate its members that refuse to forsake it.

Problem: Leviticus 20:10 clearly demands the death penalty for adultery, while Jesus in John 8 lets the adulterous women go free.

Explanation: Leviticus 20:10 states that the punishment for adultery is death. “If a man commits adultery with the wife of his neighbour, both the adulterer and the adulteress shall surely be put to death.” The penalty is emphatic. Literally, “dying he shall die.” There is no doubt. If a person has sexual intercourse with someone else’s spouse, he must be put to death (Dt. 22:22-24). Continue reading →

Should Churches Use Anointing Oil?

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Should Churches Use Anointing Oil?

Selling sacred oils has become big business in Africa. Not uncommon are stories of pastors who bring children back from the dead by anointing the deceased with oil.

Pentecostal churches from around the continent have flooded the market with their holy anointing oils, promising fortune and healing to those who buy their products. Not surprisingly, churches that promote sacred oil are often entangled in a host of other sins.

In the world of Prosperity Churches, nothing is free. There is always a price to pay. For example, Mathius Bhebhe, a so-called prophet at Waters of Revelation Ministries in Zimbabwe, said:

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A Guide to Government and Godliness

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–– Jonathan Klimek

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

A Guide to Government and Godliness

This year in South Africa the National Elections will take place on the 29th of May. You may ask: “How does God view elections? Should we vote? Which party do we choose—the “lesser of many evils”? 

It is important that we as Christians consider our role within the political sphere of our Country. Our faith is not confined to the pews of our church; rather, it should infiltrate every facet of our lives, including our engagement with our Country and its politics.

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Are the Two Creation Accounts Contradictory?

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Answering 439 Bible Contradictions: #11

Answer: No. Genesis 1 and 2 are complementary. Though animals and mankind were created from the ground, God made Adam subsequent to the animals and uniquely in His image, thus giving Adam dominion over the earth.

Problem: Genesis 1:25-27 describes God creating of all animal life before mankind, while Genesis 2:18-22 teaches that God created humans first, then animals.

Explanation: The creation account in Genesis 2 is not contradictory to the creation account in Genesis 1. It’s simply more detailed. Genesis 1 uses a wide-angled lens to overview the creation of the world in six, literal, 24-hour days. Genesis 2 zooms in to give more details about the creation of man and the Garden of Eden. In Genesis 1, you’re looking at creation atop New York City’s Empire State Building. In Genesis 2, you’re observing the sixth day of creation from the sidewalk. Continue reading →