Hi, I am Paul.
I am most definitely not the Apostle.
I am also definitely not an Apostle.
Ok maybe an apostle with a small ‘a’ – it simply means “one who is sent” and in that sense, all Christ followers are sent out into the world to be a witness for Jesus.
I believe the essence of the Great Commission (Mt. 28:19) includes that we have to “go, and as you go” make disciples. This gives context to the start where you are, use what you have, do what you can idea – and I had this in mind when I created this site.
Me and my family
I live in Cape Town, the most beautiful city in South Africa (and the world!), though we’re migrants from Gauteng. I have been married to my lovely wife, Ronel, since 2001.
Ronel is a social worker who had her own medical social work practice. She currently divides her professional life between private counselling and working as a culture cultivator at my company, dataGambit. Kaylin and Paul-Philip’s ages and lives change too quickly for me to add it here what’s currently happening with them.
I love listening to music, thanks to my mothers (yes, I have more than one), especially the harder rock varieties (probably not thanks to my mothers). I also play music—drums, guitar, and bass—in that order because that’s the sequence in which I learned to play them.
If you were wondering, that beard is not real (I wish it were!)
I also enjoy riding on things with two wheels—mountain biking and motorcycling. Living near the “home” of one of the biggest mountain bike clubs in the world is a real treat, and from a motorcycling point of view, the Western Cape is world-class.
Apart from the sheer fun of riding a bike, I love how it can bring me closer to nature and allow me to experience more of God’s creation.
Work and studies
I have studied and worked in Data Management and Software Development since the late 1990s. Towards the mid-2000s, Ronel received an honours degree in Psychology. At the time, she was interested in pursuing a career in clinical Psychology but changed her mind just before her final exams. I hope she will contribute a guest post to describe her journey at some point.
She was the inspiration behind my decision to pursue further studies.
Although I have been a nominal Christian all my life, I did not experience the full power of Jesus’ work and salvation until around 2004. I was starving to learn more about God and His Word. It took a few turns and detours, but I eventually ended up with a B. Th. (Hons.) from the University of Chester through Kings Evangelical and Divinity School in the UK. The degree focused on Hermeneutics, which means the interpretation and application of the Bible. All our assignments and exams were essay-based, and I really fell in love with writing during this time.
I went to the Chester Cathedral, a building with parts more than 1000 years old, for the graduation ceremony. For me, as a South African, with our oldest building being less than 400 years old, it was a breath-taking experience.
Although I aspired to some form of full-time ministry at one point, my path has led me in another direction, I currently run my own data analytics and software company from Cape Town.
I thoroughly enjoy my work and have a special appreciation for Ken Costa’s views on Christ-following whilst being in “secular” employment.