22 minute read
Salvation Prayer
PRAYER OF SALVATION
The prayer of salvation/ sinner’s prayer is not a magic formula. Its meaning is deeper than reciting mere words. The Bible teaches us in Rom 10:9-10 that “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord’, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the death, you will be saved. For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved”. In other words it is an open confession of our belief in the life, death, resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ. Moreover this confession is the activity of the heart spilling over through the mouth. This is what the Apostle Paul means when he said “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile” Romans 1:16. Jesus Himself says in Revelation 3:20 “Listen! I am standing and knocking at your door. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in and we will eat together.” Maybe you are paging through this magazine because someone invited you to check it out or you just stumbled upon it as you surfed the internet. I do believe it is not a co-incidence. If something in this publication resonates with your spirit and inspires you do not hesitate to invite Jesus into your world as he knocks on the door of your heart. There is nothing more amazing than to fellowship with the King of kings. Below is an example of a prayer to except Jesus’ invitation to a relationship with God. You can also pray by yourself using your own words. There is no special formula as long as you pray from your heart. Prayer: Dear Lord I believe that you died on the cross for me to save me. You did for me what I could not do for myself. From this day forward, help me to live every day for you and in a way that pleases you. Thank you for not giving up on me when I gave up on myself. Thank you that You know the plans You have for me, to prosper me and not to harm me. Instruct me and teach me in the way that I should go. Counsel me and watch over me. In Jesus Name Amen
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Andries Bernardus Pelser (59), also known as Tonnie, and his lovely wife Deborah Ann Pelser (54), known as Debbie, were both born and raised in Pretoria. Andries met Deborah during her senior year of high school, and the rest, as he puts it, is “history.” “I was in my senior year of high school when we met, but we did not begin dating until early the next year,” Debbie explains. I immediately recognized Andries as a gentleman and a guy you don’t meet every day, but I was far from considering marriage at the time. My desire of becoming a computer programmer and earning a lot of money remained strong in my mind. I had no idea Andries and I would marry less than two years later.” The Pelsers are married for 34 years and are the parents of two beautiful daughters, both married as well. Alicia-Charnè and her husband Rudi have two daughters (3 and 1 years old); while Chanel and her husband Charles have a one-yearold daughter as well. “In fact, both girls were pregnant concurrently, and their babies were born six days apart. With our daughters, sons-in-law, and granddaughters, we count ourselves truly blessed.” Playing with her pals was Debbie’s favorite pastime as a child; Andries, on the other hand, started selling newspapers, and other stuff, at a young age for pocket money. As children, their parents instilled in them a high degree of integrity and taught them the importance of making wise decisions. Because of their parents’ exemplary lifestyle, their children, grandchildren, staff members, and ministry partners can learn from them. Despite their academic qualifications, the Pelsers have been called and ordained as Evangelists. As explained by Andries: “As Evangelists, we are called and equipped by God in a unique way to spread the Gospel. When it comes to accomplishing His purposes, God often chooses the most unlikely of candidates. One can see this by looking at the qualifications of His disciples in the Bible. In order to prove that it is not you, but rather God, who is looking for people who are available, he will do the impossible through you.” They are motivated not only by a strong desire to see the Gospel spread through evangelizing, but also by a keen sense of business expertise and experience. We invite you to join us as we learn from the Pelsers’ business and ministry experiences. If you have a strong desire to be a witness for God or even start your own business, this is the place to be.
Preaching the Good News in India
A NEW DAWN
Andries is the majority shareholder in Edutel Holdings. Edutel is an abbreviation for Education Telemation, which means education offered via various modes of delivery.
More than two decades ago when technology began to play a role in education and training, we came up with this name. I spent several years as the area manager at Lyceum College. God endowed me with the ability to discover business prospects, and at the time, my employer benefited from those efforts. One day, I spoke to a lawyer who described how value is created in a business, and I realized that the gift I have might be used to start my own business. This marked the beginning of a new day.
HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR COMPANY’S WORKPLACE CULTURE?
ANDRIES Edutel’s culture is predominantly Christian. We make it abundantly and unapologetically clear that we are founded on Christian values and conduct ourselves and our organization accordingly. It is customary to open meetings with a prayer, asking God the Holy Spirit to guide us and assist us in making the best decisions for our business. DEBBIE The word of God says in Matthew 6:33, Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be given unto you. We are firm believers in God prospering His children and turning His favor toward them, which is why our company is founded on Christian principles that prioritize honesty and integrity. Additionally, you will not hear bad language used in the organization; we promote mutual respect and do not allow harsh language. Both my husband (as CEO) and our General Manager, Oscar Bashing (a pastor), adhere to our principles to the letter. We are confident that if we remain in God’s will, we shall enjoy His blessings.
WHAT WOULD YOU SAY WAS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE IN YOUR JOURNEY AS CEO AND HOW DID YOU OVERCOME IT?
People responding to salvation call in Tanzania
I believe that one of the most difficult tasks facing any CEO is to surround himself or herself with the right people who share the company’s vision and work to make it a reality. The same holds true for your clients. As a Christian, people often perceive you to be weak because you treat others with love. “Do not mistake my kindness for a sign of weakness,” as someone once said. It is thus crucial to always bear in mind that it is about the organization and not about a specific individual. Therefore, the business must always survive and be profitable at all times. Our business practices have always been guided by Christian principles. We will not participate in any illegal activity.
YOU ARE PASSIONATE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE. HOW DO YOU IMPLEMENT THAT PASSION IN ORDER TO CONTRIBUTE TO THE SOCIAL WELFARE OF OUR COUNTRY?
ANDRIES Edutel Holdings (Pty) Ltd consists of four SETA accredited companies and one Private Higher Education Institution. Being involved with SETA has everything to do with skills development and training, and it focuses on the unemployed youth and learnerships to a considerable extent. We’ve taught thousands of unemployed learners over the years and witnessed a significant increase in full-time employment as a result of the new skills they acquired. We are a level one contributor to Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment and are actively involved in reaching out to the less fortunate through our association with the Johannesburg Dream Center, which is led by my eldest daughter Alicia. The Johannesburg Dream Center assists the poor by providing food, clothing, and training in order to empower them and lift them out of poverty. DEBBIE Apart from my work with our company, which is involved in education and training, as well as the upskilling of the unemployed through learnerships, I am also a director at the Johannesburg Dream Center, which was formed by our eldest daughter, Alicia-Charnè. This charity’s mission is to alleviate poverty by satisfying the urgent needs of the poor through grocery parcels and then empowering them through the provision of skills, resumes, interview skills, and interview attire, as well as inspiring them to work toward a higher quality of life.
NEWBORN MINISTRIES: HANDPICKED TO MAKE AN IMPACT LOCALLY AND GLOBALLY THROUGH EVANGELISM
ANDRIES Edutel is the basis from which we operate our International Ministry. We believe that God created our organization to not only meet our immediate needs, but also to make a difference locally and globally. Our BEE partner, Oscar Bashing, is also a pastor, and our third director, Jolene Pillay, is a born-again Christian with a heart for the less fortunate. We think that God hand-picked this team to assist us in realizing the dreams and desires He put in our hearts. As already mentioned, our ministry is called Newborn Ministries which is an evangelistic ministry focussing on leading people to God. The ministry is modelled after that of the late Pastor Reinhardt Bonnke and was birthed out of a prophetic word we received approximately 17 years ago. A divine invitation came my way to spend a few days with Pastor Bonnke in Florida, and I then travelled with him to Benin, where hundreds of thousands of people had gathered on an open piece of ground to hear the Gospel message. Thousands of people were saved, and amazing signs and wonders took place. Daniel Kolenda, the current president of Christ for All Nations, was still Pastor Bonnke’s understudy at the time. After returning from this lifechanging event, offers to conduct crusades and power conferences in various regions of the world began arriving via email in a supernatural manner. At one point, we travelled to seven different nations every year, holding open-air crusades in the nights and power conferences in the mornings to equip church leaders in proclaiming the Good News and developing leadership abilities. We have organized over 150 such open-air events and conferences to date, which are sometimes attended by dignitaries such as members of parliament. We have preached to over a million people on the ground and witnessing hundreds of thousands of people saved, new churches planted, and existing churches grow in membership. We have witnessed the lame walk, the deaf hear, the blind see and many other supernatural signs and wonders. We preach, and God performs the miracles. At one of our crusades in Buwengi, Uganda, God performed such awesome miracles and signs and wonders that the Town Council decided to rename the crusade ground Andries Pelser Play Ground. On most crusades, we’re joined by a group of people, including our camera lady, and numerous speakers who talk at the power conferences. It’s worth noting that once a person has seen God’s hand move during a crusade, it becomes an addiction. We’ve discovered that once individuals participate in these events, they want to participate in them again and again and again. God using ordinary people to do extraordinary things for His Kingdom. Since the beginning of the ministry I have released four publications which includes two books and several tracts and guides. Additionally, God has provided us with a weekly television program that has aired on LTV in Uganda for over a decade and must have touched a large number of people. Several programs have also been broadcast on Isaac TV in the 10/40 nations as well. Every crusade is filmed and broadcast on television. God spoke to Debbie and me about the importance of witnessing several years ago. It is God’s children who bear witness that serve as one of the most powerful vehicles for the spread of the Gospel. God inspired us to create a token with a cross on it and the phrase “I believe, ask me why?” We noted that one of the challenges many of God’s children face is figuring out how to start a conversation about Jesus and how to share their testimony, both of which should come naturally to those who love him. It is much simpler to testify when you are wearing the token because all you have to do is wait for someone to inquire and then give your testimony. Witnessing Week is being held during Pentecost week to coincide with the vision. Witnessing Week began in 2018 with the participation of churches and pastors from 18 nations. It expanded to 27 nations in 2019 and to more than 50 countries in 2020. Covid-19 restrained our growth in 2021, but we’re all fired up for 2022. Additionally, we held two worldwide Witnessing Week conferences, which drew pastors from diverse countries. This new endeavour, which is inspired by the Holy Spirit, is sending out a powerful testimony, and we are trusting that God will bless it and allow it to grow into a global enterprise. Participants’ testimonies confirm that people were saved, healed, inspired, and delivered. DEBBIE We prayed long and hard before taking the leap of faith to start our own business, promising the Lord that this business would invest in His Kingdom. He had given us prophecies that reinforced our mission to proclaim the Good News to the nations, and He was beginning to open doors in areas we had never imagined visiting. He (the Lord) was also preparing the way by exposing Andries to mass crusades through Reinhardt Bonnke, so that when we began the Ministry, all of the necessary skills were already in place. As Andries aready mentioned, Edutel became the main base from which we operate our Ministry, and God has blessed our business in order to provide the support necessary to conduct the major crusades and projects that we organize nationally and globally. God has also blessed us with a few loyal financial supporters and excellent born-again Christian directors at Edutel who share the vision of sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ to all nations
WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE ARE IMPORTANT QUALITIES OF CHURCH LEADERS AND PASTORS?
ANDRIES You must not fear man but God and be committed to finishing strong. Prov 14:27 reads, “The fear of the Lord is a fountain of life, so that one may avoid the snares of death” and Prov 29:25 reads “The fear of man brings a snare, but whoever trusts in and puts his confidence in the Lord will be exalted and safe.“ It is not about how you start the race, but how you finish it! DEBBIE Given that neither my husband nor I received formal training in ministry but received a great deal of instruction from God and seen Him open doors we could never have imagined, I think that everyone who is called will be equipped. All you need to do is spend time in His Word and be willing and ready. Additionally, you must be prepared to serve as an example. For example, we deal with pastors in Africa who believe that one cannot be reborn and continue to consume alcohol. When the Lord instructed my husband to abstain from alcohol, we were perplexed because Jesus had converted water into wine, but once we began our outreaches in Africa and were acquainted with numerous African pastors, we learned why God did not want him to consume any alcohol. If he wishes to influence any pastors in Africa, he must abstain from any traces of alcohol. We also have a great deal to do with the homeless who have turned to alcohol and show up at our open-air crusades. If they believe he, (Andries) drinks, this may inspire them to continue drinking, despite the fact that drinking is what is bringing their demise.
WHAT IS YOUR PROCESS FOR PREPARING A SERMON?
ANDRIES I read extensively and am constantly conducting study on subjects that God places on my heart. Each message is inspired by the Holy Spirit and focuses on how the Word pertains to our life. God sows the seed of the topic or theme in my
heart and the Holy Spirit guides me in writing the message. Debbie is in charge of quality control, as I am Afrikaans speaking. She doublechecks the grammar, yet it frequently happens that while I am on the pulpit, the Holy Spirit guides me in an unexpected way with amazing results. DEBBIE I believe that I am not called to preach but to assist my husband in his calling to proclaim the Good News to the poor and the lost, as well as to serve as an intercessor for the ministry.
CAN YOU TELL US MORE ABOUT YOUR OWN SPIRITUAL JOURNEY?
ANDRIES As previously stated, I made my first public commitment to Jesus while attending Sunday school when I was approximately 9 years old. From my earliest days in the church, I was involved as a Sunday School Teacher, leader of the junior and senior church youth organizations, and then as an elder working in a variety of leadership roles and teaching at our church’s Bible school. I used to be a member of the praise and worship team at the church until recently. My wife and I visited TB Joshua’s ministry approximately 14 years ago and had a supernatural touch of the Holy Spirit as a result of witnessing God at work. We went as a group of South Africans and witnessed for the first time individuals being raised from wheelchairs, deaf people hearing, and incredible signs and wonders unfolding. This occurred early in our ministry’s development, and it had a profound effect on us. We feel that God utilized all of these events to gradually prepare us for the ministry in which we now find ourselves. To Him be all the glory! DEBBIE I don’t recall a specific date (most likely due to a bad memory), but I began performing well academically in high school and recall learning on the bus ride to school while we were writing tests and exams. I also remember praying that God would be with me during the test or exam, and then praying and thanking God for being with me on the bus ride home from school. I believe that during those years, I came very close to God. Many years later, while we were members of an interdenominational cell group, we began receiving prophecies from various individuals who were all saying the same thing. The prophecies were recorded, and when we listened to them years later, it became clear that they were referring to a Ministry to which God had called us. Through one of the prophecies that mentioned Reinhardt Bonnke (whom I knew nothing about), I went on the internet and Googled him and ended up adding my husband to his mailing list because I knew that God would not mention a specific person (whom we knew nothing about) unless there was a purpose for it. The prophecies had spoken of a great calling. Too
Andries & Debbie on the sports ground named after Ev Andries Pelser in Buwenge, Uganda.
large for us, but sufficient for God. By adding my husband to his mailing list, an invitation was sent inviting 50 international evangelists to meet with Reinhardt Bonnke face to face. My husband presented me with the invitation, and I immediately advised him to submit an application. He was hesitant to apply because he had only received prophecies of being called to be an evangelist but had not yet begun evangelizing on a large scale. He had visited Uganda a few times prior to that but had only preached to small groups. However, God began nagging him with the invitation. He decided one morning to call a pastor friend in Uganda and ask if he could possibly organize a small gathering in Uganda to which he could spread the Good News. He intended to call him that morning but never did. That same afternoon, Pastor Jonah from Uganda called and asked if Andries would be interested in participating in a crusade in Uganda. He immediately recognized and responded positively to God’s hand in all of this. The ball had begun to roll. Arrangements were made and Andries provided the necessary funds, and before we knew it, we were sitting on the Ugandan crusade field. We were simply anticipating a small crowd. Perhaps a couple of hundred, but the field quickly filled up, as did our excitement. God’s word to us was coming to fruition! What happened next could never have been predicted. When my husband took the stage to deliver the message, it was as if the Holy Spirit had taken over. His voice possessed a strength I had never witnessed or heard before, and I recall thinking to myself: Wow! This is my husband, isn’t it? When he spoke, he spoke with authority, and I knew immediately that we were in the Lord’s will. The rest of the story is history. We had been invited by Reinhardt Bonnke to spend time with him during his two-day face-to-face meeting in Orlando, Florida, USA. An invitation was extended to the 50 evangelists present at this meeting to attend any of Reinhardt’s crusades. Reinhardt Bonnke was inspiring a new generation of evangelists to think larger. My husband accepted the offer and ended up bringing Pastor Jonah, from Uganda, with him. They were shown the ropes of organizing a mass outdoor crusade at the crusade they attended in Nigeria, which drew over 500 000 people. This laid the groundwork for the crusades we conduct. Until Covid-19 put a temporary stop to international crusades, we held outdoor mass crusades in approximately seven countries each year.
WHAT WERE THE IMPLICATIONS OF COVID-19 ON YOUR BUSINESS AND CHURCH?
ANDRIES I’m not sure anyone was unaffected by Covid-19. From a ministry standpoint, Covid-19 compelled us to use the internet to preach the Gospel. We were unable to travel abroad due to border closures and different Covid-19 waves, but now that we are vaccinated, the doors are opening again, and we believe that we will resume conducting open-air events in 2022. At the moment, we are coordinating crusades for 2022 with pastors in Burundi, Uganda, Pakistan, Nepal, and Brazil, and we are trusting God for another International Witnessing Week conference in March or April 2022. DEBBIE On the business side, we were severely impacted during the first five weeks of total lockdown, but we eventually put systems in place that allowed us to do more online and less in the classroom setting. In March 2020, we had just concluded an international Witnessing Week Conference here in Roodepoort at the Maranatha Retreat and Conference Centre, and we were extremely grateful to the Lord that all Pastors from various parts of the world who attended returned home unharmed by Covid-19. Our final candidate departed for Brazil on the evening of 16 March 2020, just days before we entered total lockdown. Due to the closure of South Africa’s borders, as well as the borders of a number of other countries, we were forced to rely on online meetings and messages. As you might imagine, it is simply not the same. We are, however, arranging crusades for 2022, beginning in late February, and trusting God that the borders of South Africa and the countries to which we have been summoned will remain open.
Delegates at Witnessing Week praying for different countries of the world
HOW DO YOU JUGGLE YOUR TIME AS A FAMILY MAN, BUSINESS OWNER AND PASTOR?
ANDRIES We were told years ago in a prophetic word that God would create the time and that we must confess that what we are experiencing is supernatural. Many will argue that this is impossible. You cannot conduct business, family, and ministry while being so frequently absent from South Africa. I am convinced that God’s provision of a wife to walk the walk alongside me, as well as business partners to strengthen my hands when I am not in the office, contributes significantly to my ability to manage all three. DEBBIE While it is a little easier now that our children are married and out of the house, arrangements must still be made to ensure that everything runs smoothly at our house and offices. Both of us bring our computers, and in between conferences and crusades, we continue to work on our office work. God stated that He would make the time, and He always does, even if it requires some effort on our part.
DO YOU HAVE ANY WORD OF ADVICE FOR SOMEONE READING YOUR STORY THAT IS CURRENTLY STRUGGLING TO MAKE ENDS MEET?
ANDRIES Those who put their trust in God shall not be disappointed. I believe that if we do what we can, God will do what we cannot. God promises in His word that we will provide and if we trust him, do our part, God will not fail you. DEBBIE Don’t stop tithing no matter how bad your circumstances. Proverbs 3:9-10 says, “Honour the Lord with your wealth, with the first fruits of all your crops; then your barns will be filled to overflowing, and your vats will brim over with new wine.” This principle is repeated in Malachi 3:10. We have experienced this principle in our own business – you cannot out give God! God will always make a way where there seems to be no way! 1 Corinthians 9:22 “By all possible means, let us save some”.
