Photo: Dieter Smit

Johan and Ilze have been married since 1985 and have 4 children, namely Janie, Talitha, Christiaan and Joshua. They met and got married as students, while Johan was studying Electrical and Electronic Engineering and Ilze Social Work. They were active in Christian ministry and missions during their time at University, participating in a number of mission trips and outreaches, and practically in a few church building projects.

Johan worked as an Electronic Engineer for more than a decade, and Ilze taught Social Work at various tertiary institutions, such as Technikon RSA, UNISA and UCT (she is currently a lecturer at the University of Stellenbosch). Throughout this time, they were active in youth work, evangelistic outreach, missions, camps, visitation and counselling in the various churches they have served in.

However, as the years went by, the desire enter into full-time ministry became a burning passion. In 1996 during a message by Patrick Johnstone of Operation World, Johan’s final call to ministry came by way of God’s word in:

They (the believers) overcame him (Satan) by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.  Revelation 12:11
 

Shortly thereafter, Johan resigned and entered into 4 years of study at George Whitefield College and the Bible Institute of South Africa. Since 2000, Johan and Ilze have served in 2 churches as the pastoral couple. The first of these was a non-denominational church where they served for 7 years. 

Since 2008 they have been serving at Brackenfell Community Church, a reformed evangelical church.

Their passion is the studying and teaching the Word of God and to reach out to people who are lost, and they love to be around the people of God. Further, they are interested in apologetics and discourse with people from different religions, philosophical persuasions and lifestyles. They wholeheartedly believe that the Bible has the answers that mankind is looking for. They are excited to serve at BCC and love the multi-ethnic background as well as the warm and loving fellowship.