Missionary Minds

When we look at the text of Scripture, there isn't a single verse that explicitly rebukes polygamy. Does this mean that one can be a Christian and a polygamist?

Christmas is a month away, and already the range of emotions, sentiments, and opinions about celebrating Christmas are filling the conversations and plans of some Christians across Africa. A few months later, the Easter celebrations will re-ignite these discussions all over again. Then, forty days later, an Ascension Day Church service will be kept in some scattered Churches across our continent....

Is there a correlation between broken homes and poverty? Do the two go hand in hand? Can the strengthening of the home decrease poverty in a society? The answer to all of these questions is yes. In 2014, the Institute for Family Studies ranked countries by how likely children are to live with two parents, from 94 percent of children in Jordan to just 36 percent in South Africa. None of the top 20...

It is true that husbands must teach their wives. It is also true that husbands mustn’t use the Bible as a crowbar to force his wife to comply, as Amnon forced Tamar to follow his plan. The time for a man to persuade his wife about the virtues of missions is not when they’re ready to sail. The time begins after that missionary’s sermon.

When we consider a question like this, our first question should be: “Is this union honoring to God?” This is not the same question as: “Is this union honoring to my parents?” The two are often the same, but not always.

Should Christians use dating apps?  One study claims that 1 in 3 South Africans uses online dating and that only 11% do it to find a marriage partner, while 48% do it for fun, 41% to find friends, and 13% for sex.  Our Police Minister Bheke Cele has recently warned of the increasing use of dating apps for kidnapping.  Yet global revenue from dating apps for 2023 will add up to US$8.7 billion, from...

Proverbs 22:7 declares the following truism: “The rich rules over the poor, And the borrower becomes the lender’s slave.” This truism extends to individuals and governments alike. Last week’s mid-term budget speech on November 1st by the minister of finance was a good reminder of the peril of falling prey to the pernicious consequences of the debt cycle whereby more is spent than one has money for...

If you think the transgender debate hasn’t reached Africa, think again. Trans ideology has been gaining ground in Africa for decades. Take, for example, Caster Semenya, a South African middle-distance runner and two-time women’s Olympic gold medal winner in the 800 meters. Semenya doesn’t just win races. Semenya dominates, the media describing the races as “coasting to victory” and “winning easily...

Missionary newsletters (sometimes called Updates or Prayer Letters) help missionaries communicate with their sending churches and individuals supporters back home. The purpose of these letters is to inform Christians about the details of the ministry so that they can pray for and support the missionary responsibly.

The thinking goes, since my child is suffering, his sin is less severe. Sickness. Divorce. Poverty. Learning disabilities. Let us be patient with them. But challenges like these can shield a child from biblical discipline from his parents, which is a recipe for disaster. Listen to this episode to learn six key excuses to why parents don't discipline children.

Apartheid is an Afrikaans word meaning separation. It refers to a system of segregation based on race, popularized by the white South African government from 1948 to 1994. Though South Africa officially abolished apartheid nearly 30 years ago, many outside the country may be surprised to know that the word “apartheid” is still plastered on countless billboards throughout the largest cities in the...

The final instalment from the 4-part mini-series on lobola. Enjoy.

In July of 2023, Ghana’s parliament voted to abolish the death penalty. Africa still has 30 countries that have the death sentence in their legal system, though it is rarely used in over half of these. Fourteen countries in Africa regularly use the death penalty: Nigeria, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Somalia, Uganda, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, South Sudan, Sudan, Egypt, and Libya. In 26 Af...

In August of 2023, three women in The Gambia were ordered to pay a fine or face jail time for practicing female circumcision. They were charged under the country's Women’s Amendment Act of 2015, which outlaws female circumcision. Despite this law, at least half of the women in The Gambia have undergone this procedure, often performed by older women in the community. According to the World Heal...

Many Christian men and women have died early. They were great. They were young. The examples in Scripture and Church History are endless. Abel obeyed God but was murdered by his brother. Stephen was stoned mid-sermon. Our Lord was crucified at 33. Most of the apostles died soon after the death of their Savior. In this episode we discuss some principles in thinking around this question.

"...Some view  lobola  as nothing different than purchasing a car or cell phone. In modern society, because money has replaced cows regarding the payment of lobola, some say it makes the woman feel as though she is being purchased." "The groom often feels bitterness toward his bride or her parents because of the excessive bride price fees. Or there might be bitterness within the wif...

In order to observe the National Day of Prayer, fasting, repentance, and reconciliation in a reverential manner, all activities of an entertainment nature are postponed. At the same time, bars and food outlets remain closed between 6 AM to 6 PM. For many the question that lingers in their minds is: “Is this a political game or a genuine desire to call on God?” Here are a few questions about prayer...

Reformation Sunday warns us that we fight many of the same battles today as the reformers did a half-millennium ago. For example, Thesis 86 says, “Why does the pope, whose wealth today is greater than the wealth of the richest Crassus, build the basilica of St. Peter with the money of poor believers rather than with his own money?” In today’s Africa, this could easily say: “Why does Makandiwa, Chr...

The command for Christians to make disciples is so well-known that few people may actually give thought to how a missionary should actually go about doing it when they are in the field. Listen to Boti Paul share some helpful insights on the process of making disciple-making disciples.

"How else is the man to prove that he can provide for his future wife than to give a payment up front? If talk is cheap, and if there are doubts about the man’s commitment, it seems wise to expect the man to pay up, thus proving he can work hard, save and attain a goal he has set out to achieve."

By Tim Cantrell: Right now in South Africa is one of those rare moments of national unity where black and white, rich and poor are all sporting their Springbok colours as we cheer on our rugby team’s heroic attempt at another world cup. When we begin each game singing our national anthem (originally a Xhosa Christian revival hymn), it climaxes with that rallying cry: “Let us live and strive for fr...

"...Congressman James also recognized that while the story of South Africa is one of hope, he believes the ANC (that is, the ruling African National Congress) is no longer the party of Nelson Mandela. This is because the party is “motivated by perpetuating a system of elite capture built on corruption and increasing government dependence through its national democratic revolution.” Mr. James...

In this episode Boti Paul discusses the issue of lobola as he lays the foundations for the discussion on whether or not a Christian should practice lobola.

Turn on the news and you will be inundated with headlines about wars and rumours of wars. According to WiseVoter.com, there are 32 countries currently involved in conflicts of various kinds, wreaking havoc on their economies and their populace. Some of the African nations that bear the misery of making this list are Algeria, Benin, and Burkina Faso among others which are all enduring terrorist ins...

Last Saturday, October 7th, marked the beginning of a new war in Israel. Hamas terrorists from Gaza used drones to drop bombs on border posts, neutralising the first line of defence. That was followed by over 2200 rockets that were fired into Israel, overwhelming Israel’s Iron Dome defence system, some rockets hitting Tel Aviv. The third phase of the attack was thousands of terrorists who breached...