Introduction
On 1 August 2026, the first of the eighth month of this year, I believe, a new season begins in which we people are even more effective than in the past.
Not that we have not already made a big difference in the past 48 years that we have been in full-time service to King Jesus within His Ekklesia/Church! No, I always say, because I KNOW BETTER today, I DO BETTER!
Yes, I have served the Lord fully and as best I could and done things every day during these 48 years.
But over the years, I have repeatedly discovered, through good things that have happened, but especially through bitterly bad things that have happened, that how I do things, what I believe in the matter, and how I tell people this, was not always wise and the best way in which I could do it.
Moreover, the Lord has been so faithful and has taught and guided me as He promised in His Word. I have experienced how He guides and teaches me every day through His Word and His Spirit, and also in my time with other believers within the worldwide Ekklesia or Body of Jesus.
Thus, through all my mistakes over the years, I have discovered that there are better ways and there are even more Biblical ways, more within “the will of the Lord” ways of doing and thinking.
Therefore, my motto in this new season: BECAUSE I KNOW BETTER, I DO BETTER!
Apart from the fact that I am convinced that we will especially serve believers around the world better and more effectively in this new season, we will also manage the economy of this ministry better!
My own story in this regard
Up until the end of October 1993, after about 15 years as a Dutch Reformed pastor and teacher in the largest Afrikaans church denomination at that stage – things had changed radically in the meantime – I, like any other pastor and spiritual leader in any of the other churches, received a fixed salary (or as we called it in Afrikaans, :”traktament”.)
After the Lord challenged us as a family to be baptized biblically as believers for the first time, on October 10, 1993, He led us to resign as NG pastors. But He also said: In the world, the principle applies: Whose bread one eats, whose word one speaks. This will never be the case in your life and ministry in the future! I am your total Provider, and I will use My people (the believers) to be the channels through which they “give to Me and My work,” to give you what you need!
The Bible passage that the Lord especially used to teach us this over the years was 2Cor 9, and especially verses 6 to 8, which in the Afrikaans 83 translation is translated as follows:
“Remember this: whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and whoever sows bountifully will also reap bountifully.
Each one should give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.
And God is able to make all things abundantly available to you, so that in all things, always having all that you need, you may have all you need for every good work.”
Just hear how beautifully it is translated in THE VOICE:
"But I will say this to encourage your generosity: the one who plants little harvests little, and the one who plants plenty harvests plenty. Giving grows out of the heart—otherwise, you've reluctantly grumbled "yes" because you felt you had to or because you couldn't say "no," but this isn't the way God wants it. For we know that "God loves a cheerful giver." God is ready to overwhelm you with more blessings than you could ever imagine so that you'll always be taken care of in every way and you'll have more than enough to share."
Let me be honest: This new phase of ministry in our life as a family since October 1993 has been the most exciting part of our ministry in the service of the King, but it has also been the most challenging part, and especially for one reason: To discover how one, as one of God’s Ephesians 4:11 to 16 gifts to the Lord’s Body, makes sense and works economically and financially! How do you make your finances work in a responsible way?
It touches on practical matters such as: We have the same financial needs as any other family – and sometimes even more money, because we sometimes have to go overseas, and have huge expenses for travel expenses and computer and internet costs.
And of course, the fact that the Lord uses His people to make sure that we can have enough! How does that work? Especially when 95% of His children HAVE NO IDEA of what we need, because they are even just busy every day with what they need!
And on top of that, we have to do what we do within a torn and fragmented Ekklesia or Body of Jesus!
Did you know that there are currently more than 30 000 different churches and church denominations in South Africa alone? And each of these 30 000 believes they are right and do things right as the Bible teaches us! That is why they each try to persuade the believers around them to join them and to give financially “to the Lord” right there!
How will God's people know to also give to us, who can and may no longer be part of this “torn and shattered picture of the Body”?
Do you understand now why I said this part was the most challenging part of the new path we have been walking since 1993?
How do we deal with money in ministry?
As I have already said, “our” verses in this regard are 2 Cor 9:6 to 8.
We have therefore chosen in faith to believe that God will always be our total Provider. Of course He will use people as His channels of provision.
Since October 1993, because money can also be a way to manipulate spiritual leaders to do and say what you want them to do, God has challenged us not to ask for or accept a monthly salary or anything similar for anything we do.
Therefore, we have chosen to do everything in the ministry “for free” as much as possible, but also so that believers have the opportunity to give or donate VOLUNTARILY.
People could give what they choose to give (as 2 Cor. 9:7 says), or if they cannot give, still feel welcome to freely receive what we serve.
Here is why we do it this way:
For example, Jesus said the following about prayer ministry: “You received it free, give it free” (Matt. 10:7-8). The early church repeated this by making it clear that Christians may not charge any fees for prayer. (Read, for example, in the Didache 11:12; Irenaeus, Against Heresies, Book 2, Ch. 32, Sect. 4).
We also read how Peter rebuked Simon for trying to buy the power of the Spirit (Acts 8). James commanded not to allow favouritism or favouritism among certain groups of people based on wealth or poverty (James 2), and the apostle Paul often refused or forsook financial support from those who were too poor and had too little, so that the gospel would never be hindered.
But that was only one side of the equation.
AT THE SAME TIME, Scripture also teaches that those who labour to TEACH others in the Word should be supported financially and economically.
Jesus himself said, “The labourer is worthy of his wages” (Luke 10:7), and Paul wrote, “Those who preach the gospel should earn their living by the gospel” (1 Cor. 9:14). He also said that elders who labour in preaching and teaching “are worthy of double honour” (1 Tim. 5:17–18). And the biblical context confirms that this was specifically about financial support.
The apostles taught the Lord's Church that there are kingdom principles such as giving honour where people deserve it, and to sow and reap, which also apply to full-time teachers and ministers within the Lord's congregation. But they also warned strongly against manipulation and even against false prophets and false teachers who exploited people financially.
Paul summarized it this way:
2 Cor 9:6-7 - “Remember this: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly; and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. Each one should give as he has decided IN HIS OWN HEART, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.”
So our personal conclusion in this regard was the following: We never ask for a required fee, but we are open to accepting voluntary offerings and donations, so that we can eat and continue the work of the ministry that God has given us.
When we are invited to speak, we greatly appreciate it if rooms or travel expenses can be provided, but we do not demand it. We do not charge any fees for preaching or teaching. Even with our online ministry for the past 26 years every week, we have done it all for FREE until now.
We have strived until now to love and treat everyone the same. It is important that by what we do and how we do it, we never harm the Lord and His honour, and that we do it in faith and live holy in all areas before God.
Because ultimately, we also stand before our King and Lord in this matter, and we must give an account to Him in this regard.
May the Lord also give you in you and where you give, bless, and remember, it is always an honor and privilege to serve you and minister the Word to you!
So, thank you for the opportunity!