FROM DOOM TO DIALOGUE: navigating freedom of faith in South Africa
A video is currently circulating that raises alarm over potential state regulation of Christianity in South Africa—sparking concern that this could mark the beginning of religious restrictions and even persecution. Here’s a grounded summary of what’s happening, followed by a Christian lens to help discern the moment.
ISRAEL’S CLAIM TO INNOCENCE: unmasking the theology of self-defence.
For most pro-Israel supporters, every heartbreaking statistic—bombed hospitals, starving children, community displacement and mass graves—is met with one universal refrain – a question disguised as an answer: “Doesn’t Israel have the right to defend itself?” When engaging the topic of self-defence, three distinct yet interwoven frameworks must be held together in thoughtful unity. Each offers a lens—legal, moral, and spiritual—that, when integrated, can guide us beyond reaction toward discernment. To separate them is to risk distortion; to unite them is to pursue justice with integrity.
MARTYRDOM AND MYTHMAKING: a Christian response to the Charlie Kirk video
A powerful AI-generated video circulating on social media depicts Charlie Kirk standing alongside Paul, Peter, Andrew, Stephen, and other early church martyrs, portraying him as a fellow martyr and brother in Christ. For over four decades, I’ve walked alongside the persecuted church. For me, martyrdom is sacred. Purified from politics and personal convictions. The truth that martyrs proclaim makes them more loving and gentle, not more self-assured and aggressive. I carry a deep burden to protect the integrity of what it means to be a martyr for Christ. I therefore ask that you, as reader, read this with discernment and with the humility that a true witness demands.
RESURRECTION IN RUINS: a Christian response to Syria’s elections
On Monday, 15 September 2025, Syria will hold its first election since the fall of Assad. The elections may not offer direct representation for believers, but they do offer a chance to reclaim moral imagination. To insist that peace is not the absence of conflict, but the presence of dignity. And to remind Syria—and the world—that the Church, though bruised, is not broken. In this fragile moment, the Church’s role may be less about power and more about presence: a quiet but resilient sign of hope in a land aching for renewal.
TO CARE IS NOT TO HATE: My statement of faith
After more than 700 days of war and nearly 70,000 lives lost, silence is no longer neutrality—it is complicity. To remain quiet in the face of relentless bombardment, starvation, and displacement is to abandon the gospel’s call to justice. It is a betrayal of Christ. It is time for Christ-followers to stand up and to speak out—not with opinionated loyalty or biased convictions, but with the courage of the cross. This is my statement of faith – and I encourage you to do the same.
A MILLION JEWISH CONVERTS: the truth behind the “Jewish awakening”
On August 28, 2025, Joel Rosenberg and Dr. Erez Soref discussed a global Jewish awakening, citing growth from 2,000 converts in 1967 to over 1 million Messianic believers today. While the numbers inspire celebration, they also demand discernment, inviting deeper reflection on the complex spiritual landscape within the Jewish faith tradition. Can these numbers be trusted or is there an agenda behind the report?
RELIGION IN DECLINE: caught between belonging and becoming:
OVERVIEW Between 2010 and 2020, religious affiliation declined by at least 5 percentage points in 35 countries according to a recent Pew Research Center study.[1] It dropped considerably more in countries such as Australia (17%), Chile (17%), Uruguay (16%) and the United States (13%). This trend reflects a broader global phenomenon known as the secular transition—a…