MergonAdmin, Author at Mergon

September 15, 2022September 4, 2023

Seeing South Africa through a lens of hope

In January 2022 Mergon Foundation’s communications manager Ilse Burger and her husband embarked on a six-month adventure where they traversed 14000 kilometres, six provinces and countless challenging roads, recording inspiring testimonials of beneficiaries from Mergon Foundation’s various partnering organisations in South Africa. It was a unique opportunity to capture the ‘untold stories of unknown people’ whose lives have been transformed by the gospel. 12 of these stories have since been edited and packaged as radio stories (4-5 minutes long) called ‘Stories of Hope’ and are scheduled to start airing on various community radio stations across the country and further afield.

Over four decades, the Mergon Foundation has had the opportunity to partner with over 150 Christian ministries across Africa and the Middle East. It has always been a desire to capture some of the untold stories that live among these ministry partners – testimonies and stories of God’s transformative work in and through people.

Sharing a similar passion for storytelling as Ilse, well-known television and radio personality Lindie Strydom infused this project with her infectious energy from the get-go, and kindly agreed to be the “voice” of Stories of Hope. While the Burgers were on the road visiting ministries, recording stories and editing the raw material, Lindie was busy recording the intros to set the scene and lead listeners into each person’s unique story. As a pilot radio project for the Mergon Foundation, the learnings we gained from Lindie were invaluable.

Every story is worth telling

The ultimate purpose of the radio project is to inspire hope in people’s hearts, to give exposure to these phenomenal ministry partners and to remind listeners that God is moving – often in the most unlikely places.

So many people think their life story is insignificant and not worth sharing, but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Every story is worth telling because every life holds a different ‘piece’ of God. Stories have a way of turning numbers into names and building bridges of compassion, of igniting hope and moving people to action. There’s always someone out there who needs to hear what you have experienced personally – maybe simply to encourage them with the knowing that they’re not alone in what they’re going through.

The power of storytelling

What’s interesting about hearing good stories is that it effectively causes two changes in our brain. Firstly, it causes neurological changes. Our neural activity increases fivefold when we listen to stories (as opposed to hearing straight facts). That’s because we’re using our motor cortexes, emotions, and visual processing. We’re literally using more of our brains and immersing ourselves in the story, which means we’re more likely to retain it later. Secondly, hearing good stories causes chemical changes. Our brains release oxytocin, which is the bonding hormone that causes us to really care about the people involved in the story. We are therefore not only hearing about a person’s experience, but actually “living it” alongside them. The more of someone’s story we share, the more oxytocin our brains release, the more likely we are to internalise that story and retain it as meaningful.

We found this to be so true during our Stories of Hope travels. Though it was tough to witness the poverty and brokenness in most areas we visited – from the Western and Eastern Cape to KwaZulu Natal, Gauteng and the Free State – the one thing we couldn’t deny is that there is hope!

Of course, everywhere we went there was a story that stood out. Every one of the 13 ministries we visited are having a profound impact in the areas they serve. Whether it was witnessing the ripple effects of someone who stood in the gap as a father for so many fatherless children in a village in the Eastern Cape; or someone in the Cape Flats who had the opportunity to get trained as a barista and now works at a five-star hotel; or someone in Durban who, by the age of 11, had lost every member of her family yet is now so free, so full of confidence and acting as a mentor for other young people who are going through the same heartache she’s known all too well… each story was impactful in its own way.

Where to find Stories of Hope

Apart from the stories scheduled to air on radio stations such as Radio Tygerberg, Groot FM, Eden FM, Radio Alpha and Coastal Radio SA, among others, they will also be available as podcast episodes and blog posts on our website. We’re trusting that Stories of Hope will find their way to every person who needs to hear them, and that they’ll bring hope to many hearts.

To follow the Stories of Hope campaign, stay tuned to Mergon’s social media platforms, where we’ll be sharing all our latest stories.

August 25, 2022September 4, 2023

Hope Lives Here by Mosaic

Across digital spaces and dining room tables, and face-to-face with our partners, the Mergon Foundation team has the privilege of hearing stories of ordinary people who, by grace and through sacrifice, are having an extraordinary impact on the communities they serve. Ministry partner, Mosaic, is an orphan and vulnerable care (OVC) organisation in South Africa with a self-sustainable model that is innovating the orphan care space across the entire continent, starting with its home base in South Africa.

Recently they celebrated the extraordinary impact of women in their communities through the launch of an inspired coffee table book and video, ‘Hope Lives Here.’ A work that is both vibrant and vulnerable, ‘Hope Lives Here’ beautifully captures the strength, grit, love, and faith deeply woven into the heart of Mosaic’s foster mothers.

‘This book has been on my heart for a long time,’ said Louise Conradie, co-founder of Mosaic. ‘These 30 women we feature in this project carry a piece of heaven within them, as they’re each made in the image of God. I wanted to take what was inside them and show it to the world.’

‘We took what we knew about the moms’ inner qualities and portrayed it in the way that they were styled, so that the world can see them as they truly are,’ she continued. ‘Looking at each picture, will be like having a look inside these precious women.’

Contrary to the picture of hopelessness and despair that media tends to portray of South Africa’s townships, these women are joyful and resilient; free and full of faith in the midst of trials. This post is a tribute to their lives, and to the hope that weaves like a 3-cord golden strand through the legacies they’ll leave behind on the children they’ve chosen to call their own.

Elizabeth Lekgetho

36 years old

Raising two biological children and one foster child

‘I’m a team player. I push myself. Who I am, makes a huge difference. I am passionate. Everything I do, I do it with my whole heart.’

‘I grew up in a close-knitted loving family. We were a lot of siblings. My dad was a leader in the Anglican church. I grew up in church. My favourite memories are sitting around the fire and sharing stories. Everything changed when I was 19 and my mom passed away and I couldn’t finish school. I also couldn’t fulfill my dream of becoming a nurse. When my sister passed away there was no one to take in her children. I had to step up. I am busy with my matric now. It’s a struggle to provide for children. I don’t want my children to experience the same difficulties that I did growing up, therefore I work very hard to make their lives better. I have been strong enough. I have a wonderful peaceful home. It makes me happy to think of the progress we’ve made as a family. I dream that my children will all have a good education. That they will be comfortable being themselves and that they will stand on their own two feet.’

Mildred Beukes

70 years old

Raising two foster children (grandmother)

‘God chose me to be the salt of the earth and to carry his flavour. God’s grace keeps me. The fact that I’m a believer makes all the hard things bearable.’

‘We were 6 siblings who grew up on a farm. When I was two years old two of my brothers drwoned in the farm dam. I know what it’s like to have nothing and I know what it’s like to have a lot. Therefore, I always have enough to give. I’ve received a lot. I always share what I have. I believe that when you share your little, a lot rolls back to you. My mom lived until she was 95. My dad lived until he was 102. He believed in God’s promises. I’m raising the children of my son who’s in jail. He’s repeatedly made wrong choices. But I’m raising these children in God’s ways. We feed the hungry, we read the Bible together, and we pray together. It makes me so happy when my kids do well at school. I also love to see my community uplifted. I love spending time with my husband and with God.’

Windy Kalamore

56 years old

Raising four foster children

‘God gives. I share. God gives again.’

‘I was raised by my sister. When I was 16 I found that my biological mother was my grandmother and that the mother who raised me was my biological suster. I remember growing up scared, because of all the dangers all around. The most trying time of my life was when my daughter was killed in 2020 by her ex-boyfriend. My kids have big dreams of becoming a pilot, an astronaut, a doctor and a policeman. I got them uniforms for their dream jobs. I believe they can achieve these dreams. My mom is my role model. She raised so many kids well. Every child was her child. I think I’m a role model because other women adopt my lifestyle of praying and caring for kids. I think raising kids is my talent. I show them the right way. I have a successful small business. I’m living out my dream of becoming a teacher. My kids are safe. I love children. I feel kids pain when they suffer. I’m a lover of people and people love me.’

Minnie Bastiaan

67 years old

Raising four foster children (grandmother)

‘When we strive to become better people, everything around us becomes better too.’

‘I wish I could be a social worker, but I had to leave school in grade 2 to help my mother raise her two siblings. Unfortunately, they also had to leave school to help put bread on the table. I was a naughty child. I used to steal oranges from the fruit orchards next to the road. I tell my kids these stories and tell them to learn from my mistakes. I teach them to rise out of poverty. I don’t know what’s ahead for my children, but my dreams for them are big. I want them to achieve great things. Children bring light into a home. I love the busyness and noise in the house that comes with children. I have a deep love and compassion for children. God gives me the strength and wisdom to raise kids.

Watch the short film here or visit the Hope Lives Here site to read more inspiring testimonials and learn how you can support this meaningful initiative. All proceeds from this project will be used towards Mosaic’s education and job creation programmes.

The project will also be showcased at Potchefstrom’s annual art festival, Aaardklop, between 30 September-2 October. Be sure to visit the instalment and meet the team that brought this inspiring work to life.

August 18, 2022September 4, 2023

Stewarding our lives from the inside out

In Luke 12, Jesus draws from the parable of a rich man who stored up treasures on earth at the expense of heavenly wealth. Drawing from the warnings and wisdom expressed through this parable, Mergon CEO Pieter Faure shares some of the thinking around biblical stewardship that has shaped our 4-decade journey at Mergon. In this CEF white paper, he unpacks some of the flawed thought patterns that we as stewards could just as easily fall into, and how can we embrace a different kind of stewardship.

In Luke 12 v 16–21, Jesus tells the well-known story of a successful farmer and businessman who in a particular year had been blessed with an abundant harvest. In fact, the blessing was so great that he asked with angst, ‘What shall I do? I have no place to store my crops?’

His solution was to tear down his existing barns where he stored his wealth and build a bigger one. Having done this, he sat back, content, with a store of wealth to last a lifetime and the prospect of living the good life.

Yet despite his meticulous planning, he miscalculated in one respect; that very night his life would be demanded from him, and all he had built up for himself would go to someone else or to ruin.

Jesus closes with a warning to all of us: ‘This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.’

Stewarding our barn today

At Mergon our mission is to steward all the resources entrusted to us for Kingdom impact, that is to see lives transformed through the power of the gospel and culture redeemed through the way we manage and multiply God’s resources. In a way one could say that we are stewarding a ‘modern day barn’.

Outwardly this makes us very different to the farmer in Jesus’ story who is stewarding the barn and its resources purely for selfish gain. Yet this higher purpose doesn’t vaccinate us against unintentionally succumbing to the same flawed thinking that led to the farmer’s demise.

What are some of the flawed thought patterns in this parable that we as stewards could just as easily fall into, and how can we embrace a different kind of stewardship? Here are some of the thoughts that have been shaping our journey at Mergon.

We are sons before stewards

The farmer in Jesus’ parable seems to have found his identity in his success, the size of ‘his’ barn, and his self-sufficiency—it defined and changed him. As stewards of capital we need to pause and ask ourselves from time to time, ‘Wherein do we find our identity; what ultimately defines us?’

I, like many of you, may be quick to contest that my identity is secure in Christ. Yet the reality is that after many years as CEO of Mergon my identity could so easily be defined by ‘what I do’ or by Mergon’s success rather than ‘Whom I belong to’.

I need to remind myself daily that I am a son before I am a steward. Like the farmer in the parable, my life may be demanded from us this very night. Might it be that, when I come face-to-face with God, the first thing He says to me is, ‘Welcome home, My beloved child,’ before He says, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant.’

The barn is not our source

The farmer in our story clearly viewed the barn as his source of security and provision. He lost sight of the fact that no matter how great the barn is, all its contents are temporal and the result of God’s gracious and faithful provision.

During Covid, Mergon’s cashflow came under severe pressure. At one point it seemed that we would be unable to meet our funding commitments to our various ministries partners. In this difficult time I wrestled with questions like ‘Who will provide for our partners if Mergon can’t?’ and ‘What does this say about our stewardship?’ It was a heavy burden to carry.

Eventually God, in His graciousness, brought me to a place of true surrender. This came when I realised we needed to write a letter to the ministry partners who received Mergon funding. In it, we transparently explained that henceforth our funding commitment would be a month-by-month faith journey—whatever God provided, we would distribute.

It was one of the hardest letters I’ve ever had to write; it felt like we had failed in our stewardship. Yet once it was sent, a huge burden lifted. It was as though, by declaring God to be our true Provider, our faith in Him and reliance on Him had set us free.

The response from our ministry partners was overwhelming. They deeply appreciated our vulnerability, they prayed for us, and some even offered to forfeit their financial benefit to other ministries who might be in greater need. It was a beautiful moment of solidarity, where funder and beneficiaries stood in unity as true partners in the gospel, together trusting God to provide so that we could each play our part in advancing His Kingdom.

God was faithful to provide throughout this challenging period and by grace, Mergon managed to fulfill all its financial commitments.

We need to discern the season

The farmer in the parable had a real problem—his barn was overflowing. His solution was to build a bigger barn. Yet, he was not condemned for building a barn or for building a bigger barn—but rather for not being rich toward God.

How different the outcome might have been if he had paused and asked, ‘God, this is your harvest and your barn; what will you have me do with this? How do I use this to be rich to you?’ One can only wonder what creative suggestions God may have had for him.

Ecclesiastes says “There is a time for everything and a season for every activity under the heavens . . . a time to tear down and a time to build.”

As stewards of Kingdom capital, we need to pause from time to time to discern the season we’re in—is it a season to build or to tear down, a season to invest or a season to give? It will be different for each of us, depending on where we are on our journeys and what God has called us to. But if we truly believe God owns it all we can submit all to his plans and not just a portion of our proceeds.

In reflecting on our Mergon journey, there have been two distinct past seasons with a new, third season beckoning.

Season one was about building the barn. Mergon’s journey started in 1980 with a desperate commitment from our founder, Francois van Niekerk, to give 30% of his near bankrupt business to serve God’s Kingdom, if He would somehow give a breakthrough. The breakthrough came and in the years that followed the business prospered from those humble beginnings. Francois’ heart was for Mergon to impact the Kingdom but he knew it was a time to re-invest in order to build up a storehouse of capital that might be released more fully at the appropriate time in the future.

In 2008, after 28 years of building, Francois and the trustees sensed that the season had changed.

In Mergon’s second season we threw open the barn doors. Francois handed over operational leadership to a newly established team tasked with stewarding Mergon’s resources. The original 30% of assets committed to Mergon was increased to 70%. We invested in numerous early-stage businesses, establishing an active presence in the South African business community – its impact through funds distributed spread across Africa and the Middle East. We’ve also developed innovative collaborative initiatives to bring about social change in South Africa.

The leadership team and board once again sense that Mergon is on the brink of a season change. We are still discerning what this might look like but it is challenging us to rethink some of our core beliefs around our stewardship call, such as “stewardship control vs. stewardship released,” “building stewardship capacity vs. enabling a stewardship community,” and “stewarding resources for return vs. sowing resources for multiplication.”

Whatever it may be, the most important thing is that our posture is one of open hands and prayerful hearts toward God, to wait on Him to show us what He has in mind for Mergon’s next season. As stewards we need to release our plans for the Mergon-barn into his hands to fulfill his purposes through it.

In Conclusion

In conclusion, courageous stewardship is an inside-out journey. It starts with us being secure in understanding our identity as children of God, loved and accepted, independent of our stewardship calling. It invites us to lay down our gifts and talents at the foot of the cross to fully rely on Him—the true Owner, the abundant Source of provision, and the Sustainer of the work. Lastly, it requires us to submit our plans and models to Him, seeking Him and waiting to hear His heart for the season we are in and the plans He has through which we are to accomplish His work.

From that place of being fully surrendered, we can walk with a yoke that is easy and a burden that is light. We can rejoice in the impact and success we see, without being overwhelmed by challenges and failures we go through. We can hold lightly to models, strategies, and plans yet bring to bear all our creative, daring, faith-filled energy to fulfill our stewardship calling and shine the light of His Kingdom into the places He has called us to be.

August 12, 2022September 4, 2023

Developing a rhythm of continual evaluation and strategy

In this episode of the Elevate podcast we hear from Dr Steve Patty as he highlights two important aspects of organisational health, namely Strategy and Evaluation. His passion is to invest in people’s development – a pursuit he considers to be ‘one of life’s greatest joys and most sober responsibilities’. Through his consulting firm, Dialogues in Action, Steve is dedicated to helping people and organisations evaluate their impact, multiply their influence through leadership, and design strategies to make progress on their mission.

People often think about Strategy and Evaluation as separate ‘events’. Leaders would typically set a day aside to focus on strategic planning at the start of a project or initiative and, once the project is wrapped up, they conclude that a report is needed for funders, boards or other stakeholders to evaluate the impact.

‘It becomes a once or twice-a-year event and when it’s done, people often stop thinking strategically and evaluatively,’ explains Steve. He instead encourages teams to make Strategy and Evaluation part of their culture so that they continually think strategically, pay close attention to the difference they are making, and continuously consider what adjustments are necessary to have even greater impact. ‘This creates a culture of learning, instead of just a couple of events on Strategy and Evaluation,’ notes Steve.

Connecting the dots between Strategy and Evaluation

Strategy and Evaluation should be seen as two symbiotic processes that work interdependently to achieve an outcome. Evaluation comes before Strategy, but it also embeds it at every stage of the organisation’s life cycle.

Drawing from his consultancy experience, Steve adds: ‘Think of Evaluation as a disciplined way of paying attention to people. It’s a kind of reflection and awareness concerning the people God has entrusted to leaders to serve. Good evaluation is about asking the questions, ‘How are people doing? Are they growing? Are they walking with the Lord in ways that are richer and fuller?’ As we commit to this kind of introspection, we shape our strategy accordingly and cultivate a culture of inquisitive learning.

Honest evaluation

‘It takes courage to evaluate honestly,’ says Steve, ‘and to shift the spotlight off us and onto the people that God has given us to serve, to ask ‘how are they doing?’

As you ask questions about people, try to pay attention to how it is affecting their mind, behaviour and emotions. ‘You can learn a lot by asking those kinds of questions, by listening carefully and asking for the Lord’s guidance and discernment as the spotlight’s on them. Remember that you’re not asking them what they’re thinking about your programme, but rather how they are doing as a result of it,’ says Steve.

Tips on strategy execution

Of course it’s one thing to commit your strategy to paper, it’s yet another to systematically execute this strategy. Leaders may have the best of intentions but faced with the multiple and ongoing demands of running an organisation, may often fail to implement their intended plan and vision.

‘A helpful mental model that takes a lot of pressure off,’ notes Steve, ‘is to think about Strategy in an experimental way.’ He explains that the pull of the status quo is usually so strong that it can be overwhelming to just do everything in one big move. Instead, he advises, think of making small incremental changes to your current systems or behaviours. You don’t have to overhaul a project or introduce a brand new programme. Rather make small-scale adaptations that can generate new data and begin to shift your strategy in a different direction. ‘Make a point to then debrief those experiments and before you know it, you’ve got momentum going in that direction,’ he says. He reminds us that experimentations should take place within the context of operations, but never with people. ‘Yes, your programme and strategy does impact people,’ says Steve, ‘but this mindset pulls the experimentation back on you instead of too much on others.’

Three questions to help grow your strategy

Steve shares three simple yet highly effective questions for leaders who want to grow their skills in Strategy and Evaluation:

What is currently working well in your strategy approach? What are those things you must not lose, even when changes or adjustments are needed?
What is currently not working in your organisation? Where are there redundancies, inefficiencies or old practices that have inhibited growth or stifled creativity? What are the things that are holding you back, not only from good strategy, but good development? Now may be a good time to let them go.
What new capacities are being required of you, given the needs of people around you as well as what God is calling you to?

To have maximum impact, Strategy and Evaluation needs to becomes part of an organisation’s culture. Leaders also need to have the courage to evaluate honestly, ask the right questions, and to humbly assess whether the hard work is truly having the desired impact. It will not happen overnight, but through careful and ongoing application, your organisation will develop healthy rhythms for Strategy and Evaluation and unlock its dynamic future.

To learn more strengthening your strategy for impact, listen to the full podcast here.

The Elevate Leadership podcast series is also available on all other major podcasting platforms such as Apple, Google, Overcast and YouTube.

July 26, 2022September 4, 2023

The role of generational purpose in building a prosperous Africa

In this interview summary, Ziwani’s Sibs Sibanda speaks to Nelson Ashitiva about the concept of a God-given multigenerational purpose and the unique role this current generation can play in Africa’s transformation. He addresses the continent’s economic crisis as the number one challenge facing the current generation and inspires us to believe that ‘we can also change our story, our fortunes – and learn from those who have gone before us.’

This article is one of many you’ll find in Ziwani’s Knowledge Hub – a growing collection of excellent, Biblically aligned resources that are co-created and contextualised to Africa’s unique contexts. Browse our site, www.ziwani.com, to access these resources and engage with other business leaders by joining an X-Change community.

The Role Of Generational Purpose In Building A Prosperous Africa

“My business journey is as a result of the generational blessing that was passed on to me by my parents, and to them by their parents,” Nelson Ashitiva states by way of introduction.

“Although my mom and dad were not business people, there were certain aspects of our household that had a business component. My mom was a teacher, and a farmer on the side. She planted cabbages and maize, and supplemented the family income by keeping cows and selling the milk to hospitals and schools. My father was the principal of a school, and very focused on the role that good leadership can play in transforming a school, and a community. So, from my mother’s business acumen, and my father’s leadership traits – I received a blessing.”

Building with the next generation in mind

He strongly believes that there is an urgent need in Africa to establish transgenerational businesses. Quoting Proverbs 13:22, he says, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children’s children.” This doesn’t mean that our children have to work in the family business, but we do need to teach them how to embrace a business culture, so that they can progress beyond us. We need to set up our children, and their children, for success.”

Nelson is passionate about the concept of a God-given generational purpose – that each generation has its own contribution to make, while being connected to a bigger narrative.

He explains, “When you consider God’s relationship with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, as well as with Joseph – you realise that they each had a different role to play. The same when you consider David and Solomon. David wanted to build the temple, but God said to him, ‘You may not build a house for my name, for you are a man of war and have shed blood… Solomon your son is the one who will build my house and my courts, for I have chosen him’” (1 Chron. 28:3, 6). To ensure that the temple would be “exceedingly magnificent, of fame and glory throughout all lands,” David still gathered all the required materials and made preparations for it on behalf of his son (1 Chron. 22:5).

Overlaying this generational purpose onto the African context, Nelson points out that “our grandparents played their role in advancing the continent by gaining independence from colonial rule. The result is that our generation doesn’t have to deal with the question of whether or not we are fully-fledged citizens living in a sovereign state – we are enjoying the benefits of their sacrifice.” He continues, “The struggle of our parents’ generation was to gain wider access to better education, and to transform the political environment from despotism to democracy.”

Fulfilling our generational purpose

Now the important question is, Nelson says, “In Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Ghana, South Africa, Morocco – what will our generation be known for? How will we advance the continent? Our grandfathers dreamed of a free Africa, our fathers dreamed of respect for human rights, what is our dream?”

For Nelson, the number one challenge the current generation needs to overcome is Africa’s economic crisis.

He laments, “We lost our ‘best brains’ through slavery, then we lost our ‘best brains’ through despotic rulership – we cannot continue to lose our ‘best brains’ through the lack of economic opportunity.” There is an urgency in his voice. “We have to fulfil our God-given purpose as David did, ‘…for after David had done the will of God in his own generation, he died’” (Acts 13:36).

“Every generation needs leaders. Africa has natural resources and intellectual property that we can harness – we have something to bring to the table. We can sit together and plan a growth trajectory, similar to what China and the Asian Tigers have done. We have to reimagine Africa as an economically empowered continent,” he asserts.

Since the 1980s, “China has undergone a structural transformation from a rural agricultural country to a more urbanised and service-oriented economy. The wealth of the Chinese population as measured by annual per capita income, has increased more than a hundredfold in both rural and urban areas” (GED). The four Asian Tigers (Hong Kong, Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan) have achieved high levels of economic growth since the 1960s. “We can also change our story, our fortunes – especially since we can learn from those who have gone before us,” Nelson comments.

Living the faith we preach

Such a transgenerational vision is powerful, and sacrificial – in contrast to modern individualism. Often, we live our own small stories, without reference to a larger story. For many Africans adversity is a daily reality, and adversity can have two outcomes: It can bring us closer together, or it can isolate us from one another. It can show us the value of community, or it can increase our selfishness. When we hear news of African migrants drowning in their attempts to cross over into Europe, do our hearts bleed, or do we simply shrug and carry on with our own lives? Do we care that our neighbours have a roof over their heads, good food on the table, access to quality education and healthcare?

It is important to realise though, that this is not a call to a social gospel, to ‘make this world a better place’. This is what it actually means to “love your neighbour as yourself” (Mat. 22:39). Nelson reminds us, “When Jesus spoke to the lady at the well (John 4), he spoke to her first about natural water, before he spoke about eternal water. We demonstrate that we love our neighbours when we empower them to have dignity. It creates the opportunity for a credible gospel to be preached – that we’re not just saying ‘God loves you,’ but we’re demonstrating it in word and deed.”

For example, Nelson is active in the law, structured finance and energy sectors. He states, “As a lawyer, part of my responsibility is to promote economic justice. I want to create a more equitable economic reality, because access to wealth enables families to create a better future. Incidentally, they also make better political decisions, because they’re not simply voting for the person who gave them a handout. And people who are economically empowered are less susceptible to abuse.”

“As an advisor in the energy sector, I keep in mind the major role that affordable and efficient energy plays in stimulating economic growth. But I also consider its environmental impact, for the sake of future generations,” he continues. “As an advisor to corporate companies, I keep in mind ethics and sound business principles.” As a trustee of the Hesabika (meaning ‘stand up and be counted’), he has joined fellow Christian professionals in various industries who are working together to transform Kenya into a more prosperous nation.

Nelson offers this encouragement, “Remember that we are not the first generation to deal with disruption. The current technological disruption doesn’t compare to the cultural disruption that our grandparents had to navigate. We have been taught the foundations of the faith since childhood, and have many advantages they didn’t have. So, believe in the potential of our continent – we can transform Africa into a prosperous place for all.”

This is about how we as Christians engage redemptively in and through our work – to demonstrate the wisdom and glory of God in every sphere of life, and in so doing bring about human flourishing, from generation to generation.

July 22, 2022September 4, 2023

Biblical Accountability – An African Perspective

Leading a business with integrity is not always easy – and yet ‘doing the right thing’ is so important as Christians in the marketplace today. The Bible makes it clear that God wants us to embrace accountability in our lives – not just as a means of evading what’s ‘wrong’ but encouraging all that is right and needed to unlock our God-given potential.

We got together last month to ask these questions during Ziwani’s second ‘At the Lake’ online event. Joining the discussion were four esteemed panel members: Winnie Njenga, executive director of the African Council for Accreditation and Accountability; Joey Mongalo, defence coach for the Blue Bulls rugby team; Muyiwa Bamgbose, chief strategic officer at the Educational Advancement Centre; and host Pieter Faure, Mergon CEO.

Amongst other rich contributions, the panel talked us through the origins of accountability, both from a Biblical and African perspective. Here is an overview of that conversation.

Biblical accountability – an African perspective

Accountability isn’t optional

Pieter kicked off the conversation by firstly acknowledging accountability can mean something different for everyone, depending on your experience or inherent bias. ‘For some people accountability conjures up an image of someone who meddles in your life and tells you what to do,’ he said. ‘Others may see it as a type of confessional relationship. Still others may feel like that’s someone you need to go and report to, almost like a boss.’

‘For me,’ Pieter continued, ‘when I think of accountability rightly understood and expressed in a healthy way, it can be incredibly liberating and empowering. Accountability done right can shape our life journey and can ultimately help us to be the best version of what God intended us for us to be. The reality is that none of us stand alone, we need each other, we need relationships and we need people who journey with us. Understanding accountability and healthy accountability is actually not optional – it is part and parcel of walking the Christian journey and walking in relationship with others.’

Joey brought this truth home through the practical illustration of sport: ‘The degree to which the least of us is accountable is the degree of our team’s accountability. We only need one player to not be accountable, and the whole team will suffer in some way because of that.’ Joey reminded us that our actions bear consequences, and therefore accountability is vital to the health of the collective as well as the individual.

A Biblical perspective on accountability

To frame this understanding, Winnie brought us back to its origins, where God charged Adam to ‘work the land and take care of it’. Said Winnie, ‘When God began things in the Garden of Eden, He created a beautiful place of refreshment and fruitfulness. This place that was supposed to be the venue of his fellowship with man, and he put man in there to enjoy it. He gave Adam stewardship over the Garden – a ‘governance framework’, if you will. He created a place for life to be lived fully and in abundance and then put this person in charge and gives him responsibility – even for naming the animals. So, accountability and stewardship go together.’

Pieter noted how ‘incredibly natural’ was the relationship between God, Adam and Eve before the fall, framing accountability as an unforced and reflexive expression of intimacy: ‘it was a walk in the garden, a journey together’ he said, ‘born out of wanting to spend time together.’

‘After the fall,’ he added, ‘Adam and Eve took to hiding – that beautiful relationship in accountability became more about evading God. What was intended to be healthy, nurturing and extremely natural, suddenly became a great source of tension.’ As a result, humanity no longer knew how to relate to one another, Winnie noted: the pattern meant for relational wholeness and intimacy, now fractured in heaven, was also broken on earth. When we no longer sought to be accountable to God, we no longer sought to be accountable to one another.

By nature, Africa is accountable

‘And yet, if you go back to the beginning of African societies, you’ll see these communities were established purely on accountability frameworks,’ said Winnie.

From both a personal and cultural perspective, the panel shared how traditional African societies were designed for healthy accountability and finding one’s strength in the collective.

Winnie explained: ‘Within the community there were safe institutions – authority structures that ran the affairs of the village. The men were responsible for protection of the communities and to provide food, while the women worked the land. There were structures for sustainability and food security like granaries which carried them through to the next harvest – a whole framework was in place.

Unfortunately that structure, just like the fall, was destabilised. Over time, a different structure has been implemented, one that has not built or borrowed from our original roots, but served as a departure from who we were and what God intended us to be. This led to a degeneration in accountability, based on structures that enrich some and impoverish others today. From Cape to Cairo, we see this brokenness and corruption everywhere, as the divide between rich and poor gets wider.’

But within this disrupted social fabric, Winnie contended, still lies a firm foundation on which we can re-establish that order and re-align to these accountability frameworks.

She encouraged us to take up our role as Christians and ‘carry forward’ this mantle of God’s redemptive work of accountability: ‘If we have faithful stewardship of God’s resources on the continent of Africa, driven by Christians who understand their origins (not just as Africans but as how God created it to be) then we will most likely have a more accountable continent.’

Muyiwa added to this by encouraging the Christian business community to ‘pioneer and restore what accountability looks like on our continent’. He said, ‘There’s a need for us to be responsible with what God has entrusted to us. As we begin to walk in line with scripture and what God has instructed us to do, I believe God can help us rebuild Africa.’

Would you like to hear more from this conversation, and how you can practically embrace accountability in your life and work rhythms? Watch the event here.

To assist you in your thinking around this relevant topic, Ziwani offers you its Guide to Biblical Accountability. This booklet establishes the Biblical framework for accountability and helps identify the ‘how’ of living it out meaningfully, with several practical guidelines for healthy boundaries in an accountability relationship. Because it is written with business leaders in mind, it is relevant to your day to day realities in the work world. Download it here.

Author: MergonAdmin

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