The Life & Doctrine Journal
Writings that explore theology, Christian living, and the times we live in — from a Reformed Baptist perspective, aiming to help believers think biblically and live faithfully in a fallen world.
Why Did You Choose Me? — Answer Two: The Teacher at Our Table
I suspect Naledi might tell this story differently. So, perhaps you should take my version with a pinch of salt. We were courting, and I had already made up my mind that I wanted to marry this girl. She had introduced me to her family, and that had gone well. They...
Why Did You Choose Me? — Answer One: Because You Love Beyond What Is Required of You
A few days ago, Naledi found an old letter. It was written about five years ago, just before Alu was born. I had almost forgotten about it. But when Naledi showed it to me, it brought back memories of a particular season in our marriage. And as I read it, I found...
Why Did You Choose Me?: An introduction to eight answers for my wife after almost ten years of marriage.
Every now and then, Naledi asks me a question: “Why did you choose me?” Sometimes she asks it with genuine surprise. There is something about the way she says it that makes me think she really believes she is the fortunate one. As though, out of all the women I could...
What Held Us Together in Langebaan?
We came from different churches, cultures and contexts. What made our fellowship possible was not that we were all the same, but that we recognised the same authority. From 24–26 September, I had the privilege of attending a Great Commission Collective (GCC) vision...
Can a Xhosa-Speaking Church Be a Robustly South African Church?
After writing about the idea of a robustly South African church, I began thinking about a pastor serving in one of our townships in the Eastern Cape. Perhaps he reads the article and looks at his congregation. Almost everyone is Xhosa-speaking. Most people in the...
A Robustly South African Church: “The harvest is plentiful.” Does our church believe it?
Recently, I coined a phrase: "a robustly South African church." It has stayed with me ever since. People sometimes assume I am speaking about music styles, local languages, or cultural expressions. I am not. By a robustly South African church, I mean a church that...
From Pastor to Friendship — Not the Other Way Around: Recovering a Biblical Order in Church Life
The good news of Jesus Christ — the One who came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45) — shapes everything in the church, including how we think about leadership and relationships. Because the church belongs to the...
“When the Work Seems to Have Fallen to the Ground”: Encouragement for Pastors Who Feel They Have Failed
Many faithful pastors carry a quiet pain. They laboured, prayed, preached, visited, wept, hoped — and still the church did not change. Or the revitalization effort did not move. Or the conflict deepened. Some were voted out. Some resigned for the sake of peace. Some...
When Legacy Becomes Ownership: Remembering Whose Church It Really Is
In many parts of Africa, our churches carry long histories. Some congregations are more than a century old. Families have served, sacrificed, and stayed through seasons of joy and struggle. Their stories are woven into the life of the church, and we thank God for such...
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Siyabulela Zalabe
Proclaiming the gospel of Jesus Christ through preaching and writing that glorifies God, builds up His church, and calls all people to faith and repentance.