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Tim Tucker

About Tim Tucker

Tim is the Africa Development Director for The Message Trust and the author of four books including Grab a Towel.

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Follow Forward with a Front-Row Seat

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Adapted from a conversation with Clint Luikes on the Follow Forward Podcast.

I vividly remember the day I met Clint Luikes. He was brought to our building by Pastor Terence Brink, who leads one of our partner churches in Cape Town. This was several years ago, while Clint was still a new believer. Terence had seen the potential in Clint but recognised he needed to be planted in a place where he could grow and thrive.

I wasn’t convinced at first. However, when I chatted with Clint, I saw that he oozed passion for Jesus. Yes, he was rough around the edges, but full of raw potential. We invited Clint to join the Message Academy, and I had a front-row seat as Jesus moulded and shaped him into a phenomenal leader.

A Void Inside

Clint’s story emerged out of brokenness. Growing up on the Cape Flats, he sums up his home life as follows:

“In my home environment, abuse was the order of the day. And that shaped me as an individual.”

The experience of rejection and pain led Clint down a path of addiction and destructive patterns, shaped by the trauma he had experienced. Yet even in his darkest moments, God was at work, drawing him towards a life-changing encounter with Jesus.

“I would feel this void on the inside of me… I felt like I didn’t want this any longer.”

The Turning Point

Eventually, Clint reached a point of desperation and cried out to Jesus:

“There was no other option but for me to call upon the Name of Jesus… and I got saved.”

He was 32 years old and deeply immersed in patterns that felt unbreakable. And yet, in that moment, something shifted. It was a fresh start, as a love of Christ gripped his heart. God planted a seed in Clint’s life and brought people into his story who invested deeply in him.

Practicing Followership

One of the wonderful things about Clint is that he absorbed what he was being taught. He didn’t rush into leadership. He didn’t skip key development processes. He embraced discipleship and allowed it to do its work.

“It was through a discipleship process… that I learned to follow the people in front of me.”

Clint epitomises what it means to be teachable, recognising that this was part of the process that Jesus was working within him.

“We need to die to self so that… we are then dead to self and alive to Christ.”

This is the not-so-glamorous but essential side of leadership development.

The Call to Transition Well

Clint served with The Message Trust and began to reach young people from difficult backgrounds, facing the same struggles that had once been his reality.

After years of growth, Clint began to sense that God was calling him into something new.

What I appreciate is how he handled it. Although relatively young in faith and ministry, Clint chose to patiently work through a season of transition to fulfil the specific calling God had placed on his heart.

“I heard the Lord tell me [it was time to leave The Message]… however, I needed to consider the people that I was currently working with.”

He carried that call for two years—testing it, praying through it, and speaking to trusted leaders to ensure it wasn’t just emotion or enthusiasm. Importantly, he honoured people in the process.

“How you end one season is going to determine how you enter your next season.”

When someone finishes well, it protects relationships and creates momentum for the new season. Clint embodied this.

From Ashes to Beauty

What had been birthed in his heart soon became a reality. Ashes to Beauty was formed as a place of recovery and discipleship for people trapped in addiction.

Clint had a holy discontent, and it stirred him to action.

“When I see the people… I’d start to break, I’d start to weep… and through that I’ve identified this is where God has called me.”

That’s often how calling works. God lets you feel something of His heart—and then invites you to respond. From humble beginnings, Ashes to Beauty is growing rapidly, with over 25 men and women now housed at the centre.

A Front Row Seat to What God Is Doing

This is what it all comes back to. Just as I’ve had the privilege of a front-row seat to Clint’s development as a remarkable leader, he now has a front-row seat as God works in the lives of those he is impacting.

“I have the honour and the privilege of sitting in the front and watching how Christ is… working among His people.”

It doesn’t make it easy.

“There are moments… when you’re alone behind closed doors and you ask yourself, ‘Hey, what did I say yes to?’”

But living out your calling is always worth it because it gives you a front row seat to transformation.

“There isn’t money that can buy that… when families come together and Christ is the centre of it… it’s just mind-blowing… you realise… the beauty of how people’s lives are changing. Nothing can compare to that.”

Once you’ve seen that, everything else shifts.

Consider whose life you have had a front-row seat to and how they have impacted your life? And are there people who have a front-row seat to your life… and are they being positively impacted by what they see? Are there any changes you need to make?

It’s a joy and a privilege to have a front-row seat as Clint follows God’s calling on his life. And in watching how he serves and what he’s learning, I’ve found it shaping me as well.

*To find out more about the Follow Forward Podcast, click here.
To listen to Clint’s interview, choose your preferred platform: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

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Follow Forward by Showing Up

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Adapted from a conversation with Paul del Favero on the Follow Forward Podcast.

I’ve visited prisons in a few countries, and the challenges of incarceration, rehabilitation, and reintegration seem to be universal. Upon release, those with a criminal record are often stigmatised as a danger to society, with reoffending considered an inevitability. Employers can be very reluctant to hire someone who has previously been incarcerated. Reoffending rates remain high in many countries. However, if, upon release, someone receives proactive mentoring, a supportive community, and practical pathways towards employment, we can see dramatically different outcomes.

Paul and Stacey del Favero live in Orlando, Florida, and run a ministry called The Penitent Thief. They have an active in-prison ministry and a programme that connects with offenders on the day they are released. Their impact is remarkable as they provide housing, training, and support towards finding work. However, Paul has unique insight into these challenges—because he was once there.

From Prison Cell to Purpose

Growing up in South Florida, surrounded by addiction and broken family dynamics, Paul’s life spiralled quickly as a teenager into substance abuse, crime, and incarceration. By the age of 20, he was staring down a 120-year prison sentence.

Sitting alone in a jail cell, addicted, disoriented, and overwhelmed, he came face to face with the person he had become.

“I couldn’t even recognise myself… I couldn’t stand to be in my own skin anymore.”

In that moment, with nowhere else to turn, Paul cried out to Jesus. He wasn’t asking to be rescued from prison, but from himself. His prayer was desperate:

“Fix me… I just couldn’t live like this anymore.”

That significant step marked the beginning of a lifelong journey of following forward, one day at a time.

Transformation Isn’t Instant—It’s Daily

Paul still went to prison. His sentence was 25 years. There was no miracle escape. No sudden rewrite of consequences. Rather, in prison, he experienced a process of internal transformation.

Day after day, year after year, Paul committed himself to reading Scripture, renewing his mind, and allowing God to reshape his thinking.

“I still read my Bible every day… I just show up and ask God to help me not blow this.”

It took years. In fact, Paul says it took nearly a decade before he began to see real evidence of change in his life.

“It took my first 10 years in prison to even start showing fruit.”

Although Paul was healed from addictions instantaneously, the development of Christlike character is a journey that he admits he is still on. And isn’t that true of all of us seeking to follow Jesus? Becoming more like Him happens one decision at a time.

Paul had to unlearn old patterns, break entrenched thinking, and confront the harm he had caused.

“I had to develop a conscience… I started to realise I hurt people. I hurt my family.”

The Hard Road of Freedom

After 18 and a half years, Paul was released. But freedom wasn’t a bed of roses. He stepped into a world with no support, limited opportunity, and overwhelming barriers.

“They give you a check for $100 and tell you good luck.”

The odds seemed stacked against him, yet rather than returning to old patterns, he chose a different path. The resilience he had learned put him in good standing for when the Lord made it clear that he now had to dedicate his life to supporting others on their journey of reintegration.

This is when The Penitent Thief was born.

What began as a small step of obedience has grown into a thriving community—housing dozens, mentoring hundreds, and creating pathways for lasting change.

Paul is seeking to follow Christ’s example, who actively engaged people on their turf:

“Jesus didn’t sit in the temple… He went and met people where they were.”

The Power of Showing Up

Paul recognises potential where others don’t see it. He doesn’t claim to have a master plan, but he makes sure he does one thing:

“I don’t know what I’m doing… I just show up every day.”

Often, those coming out of prison are defined by their past rather than their potential. Paul believes their leadership capacity is often overlooked:

“You have a bunch of people with spectacular DNA… natural leaders.”

Through mentoring and support, that leadership potential can be channelled to bring about tremendous good in the world—particularly when it is submitted to faith in Jesus Christ.

Where might you be in danger of stigmatising people rather than seeing their untapped potential?

Who in your world needs more than your good intentions—and how could you show up practically in their life this week?

Paul’s life reminds us that transformation doesn’t begin with having all the answers—it begins the moment we choose to show up, stay faithful, and take the next step with Jesus.

*To find out more about the Follow Forward Podcast, click here.
To listen to Paul’s interview, choose your preferred platform: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

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Follow Forward in the Hardest Moments

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Adapted from a conversation with Jake Tirabassi on the Follow Forward Podcast.

Jake and I go back a long way. We share a passion for mission, soccer, and Africa. I’ve seen him thriving, and I’ve seen him struggling. In my recent conversation with him on the Follow Forward Podcast, we explored themes that many Christians face as they seek to follow Christ authentically.

From Doing Right to Being Real

Jake’s story begins in a familiar place. Like me, he was raised in a Christian home, surrounded by ministry, and did everything expected of him. But at 18, on a mission trip to Mexico, something shifted. He recognised,

“The outside of my cup looks awesome… but who am I? How do I treat people?”

That moment exposed the reality that he had a form of godliness but was denying its power. He realised a deeper transformation was needed.

“I really need to live a life with God and not just for God.”

That distinction became the foundation for everything that followed.

Called Beyond Comfort

Some years later, Jake and his wife, Khara, stepped far outside their comfort zone, moving from California to Northern Uganda. What began as a short-term commitment turned into more than five years serving in communities shaped by poverty and displacement.

There was nothing overly strategic about how it started. With a background in sports ministry, Jake simply decided to “take a ball… and we’ll see what happens.” Doors opened into villages, prisons, and long-term relationships.

But life on the mission field was not a bed of roses.

When Following Gets Hard

Mission was not easy. Expectations didn’t always match reality, and pressure built over time.

“Marriage was hard, ministry was hard… nothing was going the way that you felt like it should be going.”

These are the moments where calling is tested. Rather than reshape their mission around comfort, Jake had to learn to press into God.

“At the hardest moment I was the most dependent on the Lord.”

This didn’t mean he avoided practical support. I remember Jake and Khara visiting Cape Town for times of refreshing and renewal. They discovered lifelines that enabled them to keep going.

Formed in the Fire

Hardship has a way of stripping everything back. When plans fail, and we feel uncertain, we are invited to refocus on what truly matters.

“You lose everything… and you can just give it to God and say, ‘You’re the only thing I have.’”

This is the shift that transforms not just how we live, but how we lead. We don’t have to impress God or others. We can acknowledge our vulnerability and lean into His faithfulness. The hardest seasons didn’t just shape Jake’s faith—they reshaped his character. What emerged wasn’t a polished version of success, but something deeper and more lasting.

At the centre of it all is a simple but powerful realisation:

“…where you don’t have to perform. There isn’t any pride or arrogance or any of that of like, ‘look what I did.’ It was like, holy mackerel, in spite of who I am, look at what God did.”

That’s what happens when we allow God to work through our weakness rather than trying to hide it. As we reflect on these lessons, it’s worth pausing and considering:

Where in your life might you be trying to perform for God rather than walking with Him?

How could your current challenge become an invitation to deeper dependence on God rather than something to escape?

The hardest moments may not be obstacles to your faith—they may be the very places where God is shaping it most deeply.

*To find out more about the Follow Forward Podcast, click here.
To listen to Jake’s interview, choose your preferred platform: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

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Follow Forward in Your Own Shoes

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Adapted from a conversation with Shaun Pretorius on the Follow Forward Podcast.

I once wrote a series of blogs called “Leadership Myth-Busting” (which you can find here). The Message South Africa CEO Shaun Pretorius has a leadership journey that, I believe, busts a whole lot of myths.

Perhaps the biggest myth he dismantles is the idea that emerging leaders need to fill the shoes of their predecessors and/or mentors. Shaun has had to walk his own path—in his own shoes—following the unique journey that Jesus has for him. This is largely because his story doesn’t begin with the confidence of a natural-born leader.

Rather, his origins are marked by rejection and insecurity.

Shaun’s early life in Cape Town was shaped by a deep sense of not belonging—primarily fuelled by a dysfunctional home environment and his father’s rejection.

“There was this element of rejection… from a very, very young age… I never felt okay with who I was.”

By the age of 13, he turned to drugs, trying to numb what he couldn’t fix. But nothing filled the gap.

“It could not fill what I was feeling on the inside.”

A Moment That Changed Everything

He spent over a decade walking the road of addiction. Then, everything shifted one Christmas Eve when a friend invited him to church. Although restless and resistant, he began to respond to God.

“Jesus gripped my heart, and I never looked back.”

Following Jesus came at a cost. He had to let go of destructive friendships and start afresh. Transformation didn’t mean the absence of struggle. At times, he felt his situation might be too broken for God to restore—and yet:

“God was faithful, and He gripped my heart. It brings to mind that Scripture: ‘He who has been forgiven much, loves much.’”

Over time, God gave him what he once feared losing: a loving family, a committed community and a godly purpose. As he grew in his faith, God began to lead him into unexpected spaces, developing his leadership gifts along the way.

Preparation Before Promotion

Shaun’s leadership journey didn’t follow a straight line. He joined The Message South Africa in 2015, transitioning from a difficult work environment. Although he quickly felt at home, he went through a season of job rotation—serving in a variety of roles before eventually becoming Head of Creative Mission.

Then came an unexpected moment: the invitation to become CEO of The Message South Africa. I remember that moment clearly, as our Trustees and I sensed the Lord leading us to approach Shaun to succeed me in this position. His response?

“I felt surprised… humbled… and honoured.”

But beneath that was a familiar struggle—the fear of not being enough.

“I don’t want to disappoint… what if I’m not enough?”

You Don’t Need Someone Else’s Shoes

This is where a shift in perspective was needed. While many people told Shaun he had “big shoes to fill,” I was able to say to him:

“You don’t need to fill my shoes—you’ve got your own shoes to fill.”

That changed everything. Following forward meant embracing who God created him to be—not comparing, not performing, but trusting.

Today, Shaun leads with a vision shaped by his story. As he walks his own leadership pathway, his passion is to help young people trapped in poverty and gangsterism discover their God-given purpose. As he eloquently communicates:

“The darker the world gets, the fewer the options become for young people… I believe that God is calling us to create more than just the option of becoming a gangster or nothing at all… My heart is that we will reach a lost generation with truth… that we would go into these communities, tirelessly serving, believing that God will lead people into the fullness of what He has for them.”

Keep Following Forward

Shaun’s journey is a powerful reminder: God doesn’t call us to imitation.

Other leaders and mentors have an important role to play. But we are not called to recreate their story, assume their identity, or walk in their shoes.

Can you relate to this myth? Have you ever tried to fill someone else’s shoes to the detriment of your own leadership journey?

What correction might you need to make to discover the leadership path that Jesus has for you?

As for me, I’ve never once regretted handing the reins of The Message South Africa to Shaun. It was one of the best decisions I’ve been part of—and I’m so glad he isn’t trying to fill my shoes.

Our forerunners have one primary purpose: to help us more fully and faithfully follow Christ’s example and imitate His life… while firmly walking in our own shoes.

*To find out more about the Follow Forward Podcast, click here.
To listen to Shaun’s interview, choose your preferred platform: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

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Follow Forward Under Fire

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Adapted from a conversation with Ali Samson (aka OG) on the Follow Forward Podcast.*

The Call to Stay

I’m writing this while returning from Nigeria. I’ve spent a week with Ali Samson, his family, and mission team as they serve God in Plateau State. Central and northern Nigeria are volatile environments where religious and ethnic tensions are rife—spilling over into violent bloodshed.

In a previous article, I wrote about following the call to “go”. This week, I’m reminded that sometimes the hardest call is to “stay.” That is the call which Ali and his family are obeying. As he shares:

“This is what I’m called to do… especially among our urban youths… those people who are hard to reach and have a lot of problems of poverty and crime.”

Fruitful Obedience

I’m reminded of the man from Gerasenes, from whom Jesus cast out a legion of demons. Once healed and restored, he wanted to physically follow Jesus. But Jesus had a different mandate for him. He was called to stay and share his testimony. Mark tells us:

“So the man went away and began to tell in the Decapolis how much Jesus had done for him. And all the people were amazed” (Mark 5:20).

The next time Jesus returned to that area, there were wide-open opportunities for Him to heal the sick and preach to crowds. It is likely Jesus fed the 4,000 in this region (see Mark 8). Therefore, it seems very possible that the man formerly known as Legion had been having a significant impact as a result of obediently sharing his story with his neighbours.

Staying Can Be Costly

Yet, as mentioned above, Ali’s call to stay in Nigeria comes at a cost. He has grown up within the context of persecution and violence. As he explains:

“The killings of Christians and the oppression is not just killing… when you’re living in those states, you’re like a second, third class citizen… You’d be denied of your promotion, salaries… you’ll be denied of opportunities… This is something that I’ve lived through all my life… coming from the North [of Nigeria].”

However, rather than turning to bitterness or seeking revenge, Ali, his family, and team are responding with a Kingdom perspective:

“Now living in Jos… these things are happening almost every day… and we respond by praying… [and] discipling those people.”

A Growing Movement

Ali has developed a growing movement of disciple-making among the poor, marginalised, and those battling addiction. Just like the man formerly known as Legion, the impact is tangible and points people to the transformative power of the gospel.

“People saw transformation in the lives of these guys… and they also wanted to use where they are and what they had to make disciples.”

Now there are multiple groups meeting for Bible study and discipleship. It is a grassroots movement, emerging from the margins, that is bringing the light of the gospel into a very dark context.

Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Ali’s call to stay is intrinsically connected to his vision for a multi-generational impact that will spread to other nations. As he shares:

“So we believe in the third, fourth generations, nations start emerging that will glorify God.”

This is a powerful vision. However, it all begins with aligning ourselves with God’s plan, and that starts simply by asking Him where He wants us to serve. Some are called to go to the ends of the earth, but many are called to stay and be a signpost for the gospel right where they are.

The simple challenge is this: Are you available to go where God calls you to go, or to stay if He is instructing you to stay?

After praying a prayer of surrender to Christ, perhaps the next most important prayer is to ask God what our address should be. Have you prayed that prayer?

Where He is calling us to serve is intrinsically connected to how He is calling us to serve and who He is calling us to serve. Being certain that we are in the place He has called us means we can have confidence in His presence and provision, even when we feel under fire for our faith.

*To find out more about the Follow Forward Podcast, click here.
To listen to Ali’s interview, choose your preferred platform: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

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Follow Forward for the Long Game

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Adapted from a conversation with Michael Kenyon on the Follow Forward Podcast.*

In his must-read book, The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry, John Mark Comer diagnoses the 21st-century addiction to busyness as follows:

“An overbusy, hurried life of speed is the new normal in the Western world—and it’s toxic.”

This toxicity can deeply impact our disciple-making. We want instant results and immediate impact through our evangelism and mission endeavours. Yet real and lasting change in a person’s life almost always requires a long-term commitment.

Michael Kenyon is living out that commitment. His mission among young men in Cambodia is shaped by a willingness to play the long game.

The Road That Leads to Nowhere

Like many young people, Michael spent his early years chasing the illusion of success in all the familiar ways.

“I had a list. I wanted to have a nice car, a hot girlfriend, money in the bank, a nice job.”

Trained as a chef, he was living life in the fast lane. But one by one, those aspirations dissolved, and his life collapsed into addiction and homelessness. Yet, rather than destroy him, this became the avenue for transformation:

“That’s actually where Jesus met me… on the streets… when I had lost everything.”

As Michael began to rebuild his life, older men stepped in to disciple him, making a patient, long-term investment that would bear surprising fruit.

On a Road to Somewhere

Michael never planned to be a missionary. When he first sensed God calling him to Cambodia, he didn’t even know where it was. His first mission trip was more about the journey than the destination.

“I thought I was going to South America… then I showed up in Asia.”

What stands out in Michael’s story is not certainty, but obedience. He followed before fully understanding and discovered a vocation that would ultimately lead him to relocate permanently to Cambodia.

No Quick Fix

Perhaps, like me, you don’t know much about Cambodia beyond the Pol Pot–led genocide depicted in The Killing Fields (1984). Although these events took place over 50 years ago, Michael explains that Cambodia still carries deep layers of generational trauma.

There are no quick fixes in such a context—and this reality shapes his approach to mission.

“When I talk about the long game, I’m talking about generational change—not just now, but change that lasts.”

Michael’s strategy is to walk closely with a small number of young men for as long as it takes. Progress is slow and often messy—but deeply transformative. Given that Christianity is a minority faith in Cambodia, patience is essential to see the first shoots of Kingdom fruit emerge.

Low and Slow Is Still the Way

Michael’s training as a chef has opened up unexpected opportunities for mission. Together with the young men he disciples, he has helped establish an American barbecue restaurant in Cambodia, which provides employment, community, and a space for discipleship.

More than just part of his ministry, the kitchen has given Michael a metaphor for how discipleship really works through the example of how they cook the American staple — brisket!

“Brisket is tough. You cook it low and slow, for a long time—and at the end, it’s gold.”

Customers in Cambodia can’t get enough of it. Michael applies the same principle to discipleship:

“That’s how I see discipleship—not hot and fast. Low and slow… over a long period of time… really helping these young guys develop a deep relationship with the Lord.”

This steady approach creates space for Christ-like character to be formed. It is a follow forward way of life, offering young people vulnerable to destructive patterns a place to belong.

“We help people belong first… along the way, the hope is that they will believe.”

Committing to the Long Game

Michael is not in a hurry. He is seeking to follow the example of Christ with faithfulness in the context God has placed him. He sums up discipleship in this simple way:

“Live a life worthy of your calling—and invite others along for the ride.”

His example challenges us to live counter-culturally as we obey Jesus’ call to make disciples.

Where might God be inviting me to slow down, stay present, and invest more deeply in people rather than pursue quick results?

What would “playing the long game” of discipleship look like in my own context?

The irony is this: committing to the long game of discipleship does not make us less fruitful. Instead, it is a radical act of obedience and one that often leads to deeper, more lasting impact as we faithfully serve Christ.

*To find out more about the Follow Forward Podcast, click here.
To listen to Michael’s interview, choose your preferred platform: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Following Jesus faithfully across borders through leadership and obedience

Follow Forward Across Borders

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Adapted from a conversation with Emmanuel Agbovi on the Follow Forward Podcast.*

I crossed a border in 1998, thinking it was a two-year assignment. Almost 30 years later, I am still here in South Africa seeking to obey God’s call. Given my experience of following forward into a new country, it is not surprising that I find Emmanuel Agbovi’s story so interesting. Three years after my move from the UK to Africa, he was heading from his homeland in Togo to the United States.

Formed by Two Worlds

Emmanuel grew up in Lomé, Togo, surrounded by deep community and family life. Reflecting on his childhood, he says:

“Growing up in a family of fifteen… it was a blessing to be part of a community of families and friends.”

I spent time in Togo with Emmanuel in 2025, and it was wonderful to see the community in action. It seemed that he had friends and family on every street. Like many who grow up in close‑knit cultures, Emmanuel was shaped by these relationships, and he still holds family and community in the highest regard.

So, although many may think that moving to the US was simply about seeking greener pastures, there was a cost to leaving Togo.

Moving countries is never simply about changing address—there are always profound adjustments to be made. Emmanuel describes the contrast clearly:

“Life in America is fast‑paced… strong emphasis on individualism and efficiency. Back home, community and relationship often take centre stage.”

And yet, all these years later, he can appreciate the contribution both countries have made to his life.

Anchored in Faith

As a young person, Emmanuel had a strong faith in Jesus. When he moved to the US, he was acutely aware that it could compromise his convictions. He explains:

“There’s a lot of opportunity in the US, but if you’re not careful, you can drift away from the Lord.”

Instead of drifting, he anchored himself and sought Christian community through a campus-based ministry. As marriage, family, and career have all progressed on American soil, Emmanuel has continued to build on the foundation of his faith. In turn, this has shaped his growing sense of responsibility to give back to those in need in his home country.

From Small Obedience to Growing Impact

Emmanuel’s commitment to education in Togo began simply by helping friends who lacked the resources to finish their studies.

“Those little things helped guide my wife and me toward a much broader vision.”

That vision eventually became Developing Africa Together (DAT). Remarkably, this organisation—which has now built multiple schools—was birthed through a simple challenge. One Sunday, in response to a sermon based on the Parable of the Talents, their pastor gave out $100 bills with the instruction to use them in a way that would multiply the Kingdom.

“As soon as we got that hundred-dollar bill… we knew exactly what we were going to do.”

What followed was a mac-and-cheese assembly line in their home. Through that initiative, they raised enough funds to build their first school. The outcome was transformational.

“When it rains now, kids leave home and come to class. They don’t run home anymore.”

From these humble beginnings, DAT now impacts hundreds of young people by improving school infrastructure and providing safe, secure environments for learning.

Grow Where You’re Planted

Through traversing two continents, Emmanuel has learned a great deal about following forward in obedience. He holds to some key principles that shape his life and ministry:

“Grow where you’re planted. A great leader begins by being faithful in the little things.”

He continues:

“Leadership without character and faith will crumble… Your calling is not rooted in position—it’s about purpose.”

Whether we cross borders physically or are called to live faithfully in one place over time, the invitation remains the same: be rooted in Christ, use what you have, and take the next obedient step.

Maybe the borders you cross are not geographical, but cultural, socio-economic, or generational. How have these experiences shaped your approach to leadership?

Is there something new you sense God may be calling you into? What small steps could you take to test that calling?

Or perhaps your role is to encourage someone else who is stepping out of their comfort zone in obedience to Jesus. Could you send a message of support or find a simple way to cheer them on?

Following forward across borders is not about geography—it is about faithfulness. And as Emmanuel’s story reminds us, when we take steps of obedience, God does the multiplying.

*To find out more about the Follow Forward Podcast, click here.
To listen to Emmanuel’s interview, choose your preferred platform: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

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Do Not Conform: The Call to Faithful Leadership

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One verse that consistently challenges me is Romans 12:2: “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind…”

The call of Jesus has always been counter-cultural. From the moment we choose to follow Him, we step into a new kingdom with a new identity. That decision may be personal, but it is never private and it is rarely easy.

In Romans 12:2, Paul reminds us that this identity will be tested daily through the quiet, persistent pressure to blend in and adopt the patterns of the world around us.

Conformity Is Rarely Sudden

When Paul says, “Do not conform,” he is not describing a once-off decision or a dramatic moment of resistance. The language implies an ongoing, intentional refusal to allow ourselves to be shaped by the patterns of this age.

This challenge applies to every follower of Jesus, regardless of our title, status, maturity, or experience. Conformity seldom happens overnight. More often, it happens subtly:

  • through repeated exposure
  • through unchallenged habits
  • through values absorbed without discernment

Left unchecked, the thinking of the world around us can begin to shape how we think, feel, and act.

This reality is intensified in the digital age. Keyboard activists on social media platforms expose us daily to a flood of counter-biblical worldviews. These persuasive narratives constantly compete for our attention and our allegiance.

Understanding “This Present Age”

The Complete Jewish Bible translates Romans 12:2 this way:

“Do not let yourselves be conformed to the standards of the ‘olam hazeh.’”

Olam HaZeh (עולם הזה) is a Hebrew phrase meaning “this world” or “this present age.” It refers to our current earthly reality, marked by tension, imperfection, and moral struggle. It stands in contrast to Olam HaBa—the world to come—where God’s reign is fully revealed.

Olam HaZeh operates with its own logic and systems, many of which stand in direct opposition to Scripture.

The danger arises when followers of Jesus begin to look no different from everyone else, not because faith has been rejected outright, but because faith no longer meaningfully shapes their lives.

The Pressures That Shape Us

Paul warns us because the patterns of this age are persuasive. Today, three forces press particularly hard against faithful discipleship:

1. Individualism

Individualism teaches us to prioritise self above others. Faith becomes deeply personal but no longer communal. We begin asking, “How does this benefit me?” rather than, “How does this serve God and others?”

2. Consumerism

Consumerism trains us to measure life by accumulation and achievement—more comfort, more experiences, more success. Discipleship becomes optional, something we engage in only when it fits our lifestyle.

3. Relativism

Relativism insists that there is no absolute truth. God’s Word becomes one opinion among many, reshaped to suit personal preference rather than received as authoritative, formative, and life-giving.

These ideas can subtly shape our decisions, reactions, and priorities. When we fail to discern them, we don’t resist them. Rather, we inherit them.

The Danger of Unthinking Faith

Eugene Peterson paraphrases Romans 12:2 this way:

“Don’t become so well-adjusted to your culture that you fit into it without even thinking.”

That phrase—“without even thinking”—is the warning.

Perhaps the greatest threat to faithful discipleship today is not open hostility toward Christianity, but unconscious conformity to this present age. It is possible to remain active in church life while slowly absorbing values that contradict the way of Jesus.

Not conforming does not mean withdrawing from the world. It means living fully in it with a clear and visible allegiance to Christ. It means allowing Scripture—not society—to define:

  • truth
  • success
  • identity
  • purpose

It means choosing, daily, to live as ambassadors of another kingdom.

A Question Worth Sitting With

This leaves us with an uncomfortable but necessary question:

Where have I adjusted so well to the culture around me that I fit in—without anyone noticing that I’m a follower of Jesus?

This is why I believe biblical leaders must never forget that they are, primarily, followers. Those who shape others must be vigilant about what is shaping them. The question is not whether we influence culture, but whether culture has quietly begun to disciple us. If our minds are not being continually renewed by Scripture, we may unintentionally model accommodation rather than transformation.

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Follow Forward: Focused on Jesus

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Adapted from a conversation with Mahlet Belachew, leader of The Message Trust Ethiopia Hub, on the Follow Forward Podcast.*

We have recently celebrated Easter, and it is a fitting moment to remember the central character of this blog—and of the Follow Forward podcast itself. It is not those I feature or interview; rather, it is the One they point to. This is all about Jesus. He is the one we follow forward into calling and purpose. He is the one who calls us to Grab a Towel and serve others.

I was reminded of this afresh during a recent podcast conversation with Mahlet Belachew. Her life was quite literally turned around through calling on the name of Jesus.

As a child, Mahlet found herself gripped by fear following the tragic loss of a friend. Then one night, in the simplicity and honesty of a child’s prayer, she called on Jesus’ name—and discovered a power that set her free. She testifies:

“I just said, ‘In the name of Jesus, let this fear be gone from me.’ And immediately I felt set free.”

Beyond Tradition

I love visiting Ethiopia and am always struck by the blend of ancient and modern that characterises the capital city, Addis Ababa. Ethiopia carries one of the oldest Christian histories in the world, with faith deeply woven into cultural and religious life.

However, Mahlet’s story reminds us that tradition alone is not sufficient to deal with our estrangement from God. Despite growing up immersed in Orthodox tradition, Mahlet had no understanding of the personal significance of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection.

“I was celebrating Easter, but I didn’t have any clue why I celebrated Jesus’ resurrection.”

When she encountered Jesus personally, everything changed. She discovered the transforming power of a relationship with Christ beyond religious adherence and tradition. This became the platform on which her life and faith began to flourish.

Formation Before Function

Leadership did not arrive in Mahlet’s life through strategy or self‑promotion. It emerged organically as she followed Jesus faithfully within church and campus communities. Responsibility followed obedience.

“I didn’t know I had a leadership gift. I just had the tendency to lead.”

Her growth was steady as God tested her faithfulness and entrusted her with increasing responsibility. But that journey did not come without further refining.

When Certainty Crumbles

While at university, Mahlet’s faith wavered. She encountered what many believers experience at some point along the journey. Her prayers seemed unanswered. The presence of Jesus felt distant. And this deeply unsettled her faith.

“When I called upon His name, nothing happened… I doubted the existence of God.”

And yet—grace met her again. She describes how, reluctantly, she attended a Christian gathering. But once there, she encountered the grace and unconditional love of Christ afresh.

“He took all my questions, my doubts… and revealed His love for me.”

She describes this as the second time Jesus came into her life, an encounter that sealed her faith as an adult and set the trajectory for the rest of her life.

“His love was above all my questions, my doubts, my confusions.”

Hope for a Generation

Now leading The Message Trust Ethiopia Hub, Mahlet sees a generation surrounded by complexity and confusion, but not abandoned by God.

“Even though things are getting worse, God has many young people who love Him.”

Rather than retreating, these young leaders are engaging Scripture deeply, asking hard questions, and using creativity to proclaim truth. The future of the Church in Ethiopia, she believes, is not marked by decline, but by discernment and courage.

Keeping Jesus at the Centre

When asked what advice she would offer emerging leaders, Mahlet returns to the simplicity that has guided her from the beginning:

“Just look at Jesus. Follow Jesus.”

Leadership, she reminds us, is not driven by selfish ambition but by surrendered obedience. God shapes the ministry of a leader through the formation of their own life.

“God uses all our stories—our bad stories, good stories, all our stories.”

Mahlet’s story invites us to pause and ask whether Jesus truly holds the central place in our life and calling.

What is currently competing with Jesus for your attention, and what would it look like to refocus on following Him in this season?
Which part of your story—past or present—do you find hardest to trust God with, and how might He be inviting you to surrender that today?

To follow forward is to live with a singular focus. As the writer to the Hebrews reminds us:

“And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”

Let Mahlet’s example inspire us to run a good race of obedience as she continues to fix her eyes firmly on Jesus.

*To find out more about the Follow Forward Podcast, click here.
To listen to Mahlet’s interview, choose your preferred platform: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

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Follow Forward as Family on Mission

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Adapted from a conversation with Jonathan and Angela Burgess on the Follow Forward Podcast

The call of Jesus to follow him is all‑encompassing. He doesn’t invite us to invest part of our lives in followership. It is a call to be all‑in! Christianity and compartmentalisation are contradictions in terms.

Following Jesus is whole‑life, whole‑heart, whole‑household discipleship. I don’t buy into a family vs. ministry divide. And neither do Jonathan and Angela Burgess. Parents of five and founders of the creative ministry Transform EDM, they are intentional about living as a family on mission.

An Integrated Mission

Jonathan and Angela don’t seek to balance family and ministry as if they are competing interests. Instead, they pursue an integrated approach. Angela describes it this way:

“We decided, hey, we can actually do this music thing and we can go together. We can homeschool and we can do ministry as a team, as a family together. So we like to call it family on mission.”

Their conviction is that ministry should flow out of family life, not compete with it. They are seeking to follow Christ in every sphere of life. Their ministry doesn’t start on a stage; it flows out from the dinner table.

Family on Mission (and Family as Mission)

Raising five children while travelling, creating music, advocating for life, and building community isn’t tidy. The challenges are real. Yet Jonathan and Angela embrace these seasons as opportunities for formation, explaining:

“It’s family on mission—but it’s also family as mission.”

They are determined not to win the world and lose their family. Their children are not interruptions to the call; they are central to it. Ministry isn’t something the kids observe from the sidelines—it’s something they grow up participating in. They see the good, the bad, and the ugly, learning firsthand that Christ genuinely can redeem all things.

As Angela reflected:

“You give people an example—there’s no excuse. You can go do ministry wherever, and your kids can come along, and God can use your whole family together.”

Jesus, Life, and Worship

At the heart of Transform EDM is a deceptively simple framework: Jesus, Life, and Worship. This lens shapes every decision they make. Jonathan explained it this way:

“We decided we’re about three things: sharing the uncompromised gospel of Jesus, defending life—especially the unborn—and publicly loving Jesus through worship.”

Whether standing on a stage, creating music, waving a flag that simply reads Life, or having conversations after an event, their aim is consistency—to proclaim the gospel through everything they do.

Music is the vehicle. As Jonathan put it:

“At the end of the day, it’s just a tool. God could use anything. We don’t want to hold it too tightly.”

And yet, they pursue excellence in all things as an expression of worship. Faithful stewardship of their gifts remains paramount as they seek to follow God’s call with humility and obedience.

Follow Forward, Together

Jonathan and Angela’s story is a timely encouragement for those navigating the rigours of leadership while raising families and nurturing faith‑centred communities. Their example invites reflection:

Can I live this calling without fracturing my life?
Can my home become a place of mission rather than tension?
What practical steps can I take toward greater integration?

Following Jesus forward rarely looks impressive in the moment. More often, it is lived out in the ordinariness of daily intimacy with Christ, attentiveness at home, and the courage to resist fragmented lives. Jonathan and Angela’s story reminds us that discipleship is not something we fit around family, but something we practise together—holding our calling with open hands and trusting obedience to bear fruit in God’s time.

`To find out more about the Follow Forward Podcast, click here.
To listen to Jonathan and Angela’s interview, choose your preferred platform: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

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