Michael Schäfer (Director of Training)

Having grown up in a Christian home, I’ve had the joy and privilege of always being taught God’s Word and being part of local churches. Christ saved me when I was about 12 years old, and immediately gave me the desire to know his Word better and teach it to others. I cringe now, as I think about all that I taught my friends at school, in those early days! Thankfully, I had the opportunity of having my knowledge and skills grown and corrected, by attending George Whitefield College in Cape Town where I graduated in 1995. Thereafter, I headed for England where I worked as an apprentice in a local church in Hove, East Sussex.

In 1996/7 I studied under David Jackman and Dick Lucas at the Cornhill Training Course in London. The training I received at Cornhill has been hugely beneficial to me, not only in that it helped me to apply all that I had learnt at GWC in the context of preaching, but also in being able to learn from them how to establish and run a training course for Bible teachers.

In 1997 I married Judith and worked as a curate in London for a year, before returning to SA in 1998, where I worked as a curate at Christ Church Hillcrest (CCH). I became rector of CCH in 2002, and am still so today. Working with others, I helped establish the original regional training initiative called MAP – the Ministry Apprenticeship Programme, which became ETC in 2006. I have directed this ministry since 2006 and continued to be thrilled by the men and women God is raising up for Bible teaching ministry in KwaZulu-Natal.

Judith and I have 3 children: Imogen, Ryan and Aaron.

Andy Pike (Course Lecturer)

I was born in Pietermaritzburg in 1966 and grew up in an unchurched, though very loving family. Although my parents placed a very high emphasis on morality and honesty, we simply did not see how the Lord Jesus Christ was relevant to our lives. After finishing school I studied for a BSc at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and then followed that with Honours and Masters degrees in Hydrology. All this time I was convinced that morality and integrity were the keys to winning God’s heart and earning a place in heaven.

In the course of my honours year, I was invited to a local church where I heard the Gospel preached with clarity and urgency. Far from been the “Good News” as the preacher would have had me believe, it was the worst news I could have heard. The Gospel told me that in God’s eyes, all my good works were worse than worthless – they counted against me! I realized that by putting my trust in my upright life, I was snubbing the Lord Jesus Christ and all he came to do. I believed that God was in my debt and owed me a place in heaven. I was in effect, saying to God that he hadn’t thought through Salvation properly and that he needn’t have sent his Son to pay for my sins. I suddenly understood that this was a very dangerous attitude to adopt!

After many months of struggling with the inerrancy and infallibility of Scripture and the sufficiency of Christ’s death to ransom me from mine, I was left with no sensible alternative than to surrender to him as both my Saviour and my Lord.

After my Master’s Degree, I entered George Whitefield College for a year to try and build up my understanding of the Scriptures. I spent the next 9 years as a researcher and lecturing of Hydrology at the University of KwaZulu Natal. In 2003 I returned to GWC with my family to complete my BTh and Licentiate and was sent to be the minister of Christ Church La Lucia (now called Christ Church Umhlanga) on the north coast of Durban where I have been ever since.

In 2008 I became involved in lecturing at the ENTRUST Training Course and in 2009 I took up a formal position in ENTRUST and I currently split my week between Christ Church Umhlanga (as an assistant minister) and ENTRUST (as a Course Lecturer).

I am married to Belinda and we have four wonderful children – Amy (13), Douglas (10), Robert (7) and Megan (5).

Nicky Kidgell (Administrator)

Nicky Kidgell studied at the University of KwaZulu-Natal for her BComm-Hons degree. After completing her studies, Nicky worked in marketing-related positions, including spending several years working in the UK.

She came back in 2006 to work for a church in Pietermaritzburg (Church on the Ridge) before joining ENTRUST in a business/administrative capacity.

Goodenough Mtembu (Director of Student Work in KwaZulu-Natal)

I was born out of wedlock. My mother left me with my father when I was about six years old, who then took me home to Maphumulo in the northern part of KwaZulu Natal. My father had about three wives with many children and lots of cattle, sheep, goats and donkeys. Because I didn’t have my mother to look out for my best interests in a big family like this, I became a suitable candidate for being a shepherd boy. As a result I did not have the opportunity of formal education, but with the help of local teachers and friends I managed to get the basics of reading and writing.

Later I came to Durban to look for employment. I became a domestic worker earning R50 a month. I exchanged dagga, for English lessons with a group of young, white school boys. I soon realised that working for little money like that was a waste of time so I joined some gangsters for a few years, but it didn’t work out, as they turned against me and tried to kill me. When I was running for my life, Jesus found me through a dear lady and mother by the name of Judith Knight Rayson from the Assembly of God. That was in the early 80’s. From that time on I never looked back. I started telling people about Jesus until today.

In 1989 I went to the All Africa Bible College for three years where I met my wife Mary. In 1993 I joined the Church of England in South Africa through Christ Church Hillcrest and planted Christ Church Embo. In 1998 I went to George Whitefield College for another three years and then came back to CCH in 2001, as the assistant minister in charge of four Zulu congregations. In 2009 I took up the position of Director of Student Ministries for the Evangelical Network Trust (ENTRUST) working closely with the TBT (The Bible Talks) team and particularly Westville Campus.

I love preaching and teaching the Bible and enjoy providing thoughts we can mix into our theological smoke pipes. I am married to Mary and we have two children, a boy and a girl.

Hobbies:
Kick boxing, guitar and singing.
Reading doctrinal books, though I am a very slow reader.
I love cooking, doing washing, ironing, cleaning and brick-laying.
I enjoy watching young people fall in love.

I hate spicy food!

Nerena Neathercoat (Student and Women's Worker)

Nerena Neathercoat has been working in Durban since 2006, after working in schools and her church in the UK. She has come to South Africa with an UK-based organisation called Crosslinks to be part of The Bible Talks church and the ENTRUST Training Course. She helps organise student ministry in The Bible Talks on the University of KwaZulu Natal.

As part of The Bible Talks staff team she helps to manage and train female apprentices. In the ENTRUST Training Course she enjoys meeting the students and getting to know them and the roles they play in their local churches. She is involved in teaching the women in termly seminars.

She also enjoys walking up mountains, running the local hills and jazz of various forms.

Kim Carr (Student Worker)

I’m a Capetonian & studied a BA @UCT before I went to Bible College. I came to know Jesus as my King when I was quite small thanks to my Mom who introduced me to Jesus & told me about his awesome rescue. I head up the latest addition to the TBT family (so exciting!), help organise our Mid Year Conference & teach the bible to female students on campus.

I love most things you can do outside on a sunny day, especially the beach & hiking…and there’s nothing like a bit of Indie Rock, Electro or Thai food to put me in a good mood! Oh, and my name only started sounding Japanese when I married my awesome husband, Ant, on National Braai Day in 2007.

Scott Seivewright (Student Worker)

I have a degree in Fine Art, and then went on to study theology at a Bible College in Cape Town. I’m employed by a church in Durban to run TBT on Howard Campus. My job is to head up the team, and organise the Mid-year Conference and Mission week. I’m involved with training the Bible study leaders, and preaching at the services.

I collect comics, and love Star Wars, Batman and Spiderman.

Grant Retief (Chairman of ENTRUST)

I was born in Cape Town in 1970. I was privileged to have been born into a Christian home and a ministry home. Our home was busy and happy and I thank God for the principles it taught me. I learned at a young age that my parents weren’t mine. I had to share them and the home and my toys etc.!

After school I studied Political Science and Xhosa [the second most spoken African language after Zulu] at Stellenbosch University.

Thereafter I did a 6 month apprenticeship at St James Church, Kenilworth. Then a 12 month apprenticeship at St Helen’s Bishopsgate, London; then back to St James for 6 months – so in all a 2 year apprenticeship at St James and St Helen’s.

In ‘94 I entered George Whitefield College for 3 years until 96. I was posted in Durban City at the end of 96. After 5 years I planted a church in Durban where I was for 7 years. During that time we planted 2 more churches on 2 university campuses in the greater Durban area.

At the beginning of 2009 I took a new position at Christ Church Umhlanga on the north coast of Durban.

I am married to Lillibet and have two daughters – Talita is nearly 6 and Elizabeth is nearly 3.

I like coffee, books, movies and Progressive Heavy Metal [bands like Tool, Opeth, Dream Theatre and Demon Hunter!]. I play the drums and am 39 years old!

Travis O’Sullivan (Student Worker)

Howzit! My name is Travis O’Sullivan, I’m Christian and I’m married to a wonderful woman named Sally. We have an eight month old daughter named Lily who has a beautiful smile and a very loud voice!

I will be working for TBT Entrust for 2010 as a student-worker after just finishing my theological degree at G.W.C.

I enjoy spending time with my girls, surfing, reading and gardening.