Thanksgiving for 40 years of God's Grace and Guidance, Provision and Protection
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"Give thanks to the Lord, call on His Name; make known among the nations what He has done...
Give thanks to the Lord for He is good; His love endures forever." 1 Chronicles 16:8,34
Sacrificial Support and Service
As Frontline Fellowship celebrates 40 years of God's grace and guidance, provision and protection, I want to recognise those who sacrificed for, served and stood by this mission. The prayer warriors, supporters, volunteers, co-workers, interns and missionaries who went above and beyond the call of duty, whose labour of love has edified and empowered God's people as we strive to seek first God's Kingdom and His righteousness, making disciples and teaching obedience to all things that the Lord has commanded. Those who had the stamina to remain steadfast and persevere against all odds will be rewarded by the Lord of the Harvest.
Anthony Duncan
In particular, we honour the memory of Anthony Duncan who died in the service of Christ, December 1994. In 1994, four Frontline vehicles were sent into the field. Only one vehicle came back. In the early morning mist of 14 December 1994, Frontline Fellowship Field Worker, Anthony Duncan, was killed in a head-on collision. Anthony was part of our mission team which succeeded in smuggling over a tonne of medical supplies and Bibles into Angola. They were ambushed when exiting Angola and jailed in Namibia. The vehicle I drove up to Zambia needed to be diverted after our Biblical Worldview Seminar in Lusaka, to rescue our workers stranded in Caprivi (Namibia). As my mentor, Francis Grim declared: “A missionary must be ready to preach, pray, or die, at a moment’s notice!” Those who knew Anthony were struck by his radiant faith and his vibrant devotion for our Lord Jesus Christ. He died in the service of Christ, after having faithfully ensured that suffering Christians in Angola had received life-giving medicines and the life-transforming Word of God, which an international shoot-on-sight blockade was seeking to deny them. Anthony chose to obey God rather than man. Anthony Paul Duncan could truly say: “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the Faith.” 2 Timothy 4:7
Fathers in the Faith
We are all indebted to our fathers in the Faith, the pioneers who prepared the way for us and the examples of excellence who inspire us. God's Hall of Faith in Hebrews 11 points us to the great cloud of witnesses in Bible history. Abraham, the father of the faithful and a missionary who left his home country, his father's house and travelled to a new land which God guided him to. Moses, Joshua, David, Daniel inspire us to this day. The apostles Peter and Paul and their fellow missionaries, Timothy and Titus, John Mark and Luke. The great missionaries of history - Patrick, Columba, Boniface, William Carey, David Livingstone, Hudson Taylor, C.T. Studd, Mary Slessor. The Reformers - John Wycliffe, Martin Luther, Ulrich Zwingli, John Calvin. Great preachers and teachers like George Whitefield, Jonathan Edwards and Charles Spurgeon. And in our lifetime - Alexander Solzhenitsyn, Richard Wurmbrand, Brother Andrew, Bill Bathman, Dr James Kennedy, Dr RC Sproul and Rev Erlo Stegen. Their testimonies and teachings continue to challenge us to go deeper into God's Word, to go further in our adventure of discipleship, to widen our missionary vision and to deepen our devotion.
Reading and Being Raised in Rhodesia
As my mother taught me to read before I went to school and as my parents were avid book readers, I had the privilege of being brought up in a home where reading books was part of our daily life. As a schoolboy in Rhodesia, my best friends were animals and books. I am greatly indebted to my mother who taught me to love reading and I am grateful for the many authors whose books enriched my life and helped prepare me for this mission. I am also grateful for the privilege of being brought up in such a magnificent country as Rhodesia. Our Prime Minister, Ian Smith, is an example of integrity. He was a man of his word. He said what he meant and he meant what he said. My first history teacher in high school, Mr Reese-Davies, taught me to question everything. To always ask: Why? To refuse to accept the standard narrative, or the textbook version of history, but to always seek out and understand the context. I am grateful for a real education which taught me to think critically.
Conversion to Christ and Call to Missions
Praise God for Rev Doc Watson, who, as Pastor of Pinelands Baptist Church, organised the evangelistic outreach in the local cinema, where I was confronted with the Gospel and converted to Christ. Doc Watson was a patient and dedicated Bible teacher who discipled me and also insisted that I go to Theological college. Doc Watson later became the first Chairman of the Board of Frontline Fellowship – a position he held for 16 years until the Lord called him home. Bill McDougall, of the Leprosy Mission, trained me in ministering in old age homes and with people on the streets. His wise counsel and example was very helpful in my early discipleship.
Hospital Christian Fellowship
It was a privilege to be mentored by Francis Grim, the Founder of Hospital Christian Fellowship, who established missions in over 110 countries. Uncle Francis taught me how to live by faith and how to prevail in prayer through days and nights of intensive intercession. As I conducted my first mission into Mozambique while under Hospital Christian Fellowship, I dedicated my book, In the Killing Fields of Mozambique to Francis Grim.
Baptist Theological Seminary
My favourite lecturer at Baptist Theological College, was Professor Fritz Haus. He taught Old Testament Exegesis. Dr. Haus was a God-fearing, dedicated Christian Missionary. A veteran of the Second World War, he had led Bible studies and prayer meetings in North Africa as part of Rommel’s Afrika Korps. For over 60 years he planted Churches throughout South Africa. Dr Fritz Haus introduced me to the doctrines of the Reformation and the Christology of the Old Testament. Therefore, I dedicated my Old Testament Survey Book to Dr Fritz Haus.
Gospel Defence League
Mrs Dorothy Scarborough, who with her husband Dr Charles Scarborough, served under the London Missionary Society in the Gilbert Islands of the Pacific ocean, founded Gospel Defence League and has been a steadfast friend, Board member and supporter of our mission over the last 39 years. Her wise counsel and insights have been invaluable for our mission.
KwaSizabantu Mission
Rev Erlo Stegen has been a tremendous inspiration and example of dedication and devotion. Uncle Erlo and his family and co-workers have been our very best friends. Friends in need. We praise God for His abundant grace which has been poured out through the multitude of ministries that continue to flow from this extraordinary mission in KwaZulu. The two editions of my book, Putting Feet to Your Faith, are dedicated to Erlo Stegen.
James Kennedy
Dr James Kennedy was a faithful friend and Board member of Frontline Fellowship. His Evangelism Explosion has been a key part of our mission for the last 40 years. Dr Kennedy regularly had me as a guest on his radio and TV programmes, welcomed me as a guest speaker to Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, even in his pulpit. He donated thousands of books to our mission. Dr Kennedy also wrote recommendations for several of my books including: Faith Under Fire in Sudan, Biblical Principles for Africa, Character Assassins – Dealing with Ecclesiastical Tyrants and Terrorists and the Greatest Century of Reformation.
R C Sproul
The teachings of RC Sproul, one of the greatest Christian Theologians and Apologists of the 20th century, have greatly enriched our ministry. Dr R C Sproul responded to my challenge to produce a Reformation Study Bible in time for the Reformation 500 in 2017. He even donated 2000 copies of this Reformation Study Bible for us to distribute to college libraries, pastors and missionaries throughout Africa. I dedicated the second edition of Greatest Century of Reformation to RC Sproul.
David Noebel
Dr David Noebel of Summit Ministries and the Christian Anti-Communism Crusade first encouraged me to come to the United States after my release from prison in Zambia in 1987. Dr Noebel made me a regular guest speaker at Summit Ministries for 25 years. His Understanding The Times and The Battle for Truth books became textbooks for our Biblical Worldview Summits throughout Africa.
Brent Noebel
The third edition of Faith Under Fire in Sudan was dedicated to Brent Noebel who, although blind for the last 21 years of his life, had such great vision that he raised most of the funds that enabled Frontline Fellowship to deliver hundreds of thousands of Bibles and New Testaments, Christian school textbooks, audio Bibles and Christian films to Sudan.
Bill Bathman
By God's grace, I had the privilege of travelling throughout Europe, East and West with Rev Bill Bathman, learning from one of the most gifted Evangelists it has ever been my privilege to serve under. In Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Poland, Hungary, Czech and Slovakia, Yugoslavia, Croatia, Romania, Bulgaria and Albania, throughout North America and into Mexico, throughout South Africa and South West Africa/Namibia, Angola, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Kenya and Sudan. Bill Bathman served as Chairman of the Board of Frontline Fellowship for 14 years. More than anyone else, Bill Bathman invested in this mission: time, talents and treasure. He was the most active board member involved in camps and courses, teaching and counselling, strategy and street evangelism, raising funds for field vehicles, organising speaking itinerary opportunities, open air preaching, Missions across the border, even at the battlefront in Sudan and on Africa Overland Missions. I dedicated the first edition of Faith Under Fire in Sudan to Bill and Harriet Bathman. Of course he greatly enriched all of our lives by entrusting his youngest daughter, Lenora, into my care. The Upper Room – Bathman Memorial Hall is another testimony to the tremendous vision and sacrifice of Bill Bathman and his daughter Lenora, who poured her inheritance into the building expansions here at Livingstone House. "It is good to give thanks to the Lord and to sing praises to Your Name, O Most High; to declare Your lovingkindness in the morning and Your faithfulness every night." Psalm 92:1-2
Frontline - Behind Enemy Lines for Christ Forewords and Introduction
In our Frontline - Behind Enemy Lines for Christ book it is a privilege to have Forewords from Patrick Johnstone, Rev Erlo Stegen and Col John Eidsmoe and the Introduction by Gerhard Nehls. Patrick Johnstone is the Missiologist whose Operation World intercessory handbooks inspired and guided Frontline Fellowship from its earliest cross-border missions into Restricted Access Areas. We became correspondents and I became a field researcher for future editions of Operation World. Patrick Johnstone continues to be an honoured member of the Board of Frontline Fellowship. Uncle Erlo is the most blessed and successful missionary in Southern Africa. He continues to be a great encouragement and example to all of us. Col John Eidsmoe is an Air Force Chaplain, Author and Lawyer. We have worked together at Biblical Worldview Conferences and for the Reformation 500 in Germany. Col Eidsmoe is also a member of the Board of Frontline Fellowship. It was my privilege to be trained under Gerhard Nehls in door-to-door Evangelism amongst Muslims. I believe that Gerhard Nehls is the finest Missionary to Muslims in the world today. His books are the best manuals available for missionaries to the Muslim world. He is a key part of our William Carey Bible Institute faculty and his website: http://www.themessageofnabiisa.org is one of the very best resources for reaching Muslims for Christ.
Resistance, Reformation and Revival
It is our prayer that the chapters of this new book, Frontline - Behind Enemy Lines for Christ, on the realities of communist terrorism and tyranny, Islamic Jihad, persecution of the church, globalist treachery, the infiltration and subversion of the church by false prophets and Marxists in religious disguise and the steadfast resistance of many courageous Christians, along with incredible answers to prayer, will inspire a new generation to fight the good fight of Faith and make Christ’s Great Commission their Supreme Ambition, even behind enemy lines, in Restricted Access Areas. We pray that those who read this book will be convinced of the importance of joining this Back to the Bible for Reformation and Revival movement. “ … And you know in all your hearts and in all your souls that not one thing has failed of all the good things which the Lord your God spoke concerning you. All have come to pass for you; not one word of them has failed.” Joshua 23:14
Available Now – Hot off the Press
The book includes 46 chapters, 448 pages, with over 440 pictures. It is available, in both hardcover and softcover, from: Christian Liberty Books, Tel: 021-689-7478, Email: admin@christianlibertybooks.co.za and Website: www.christianlibertybooks.co.za. (The hardcover is: $28 and the softcover $22. The e-book will be $7.) Find the Book here. It will also soon be available through Print on Demand and as an E-book. Please help us make this book known and more widely available. If you know of any radio or TV programmes that would be interested in interviewing the author, please forward this information to them. https://www.frontlinemissionsa.org/news/new-book-frontline-behind-enemy-lines-for-christ