The Year 2016

Surthriving in 2016

 

The year 2016 is likely to be a challenging year for Christians all over the world, and particularly in South Africa. Here in my home country things are heating up politically and cooling down economically, and when fabric, even the fabric of society, is pulled at both ends it tends to tear.

How will we cope with a rip-roaring year? Our ability to surthrive (thrive as we survive) will surely depend largely on the underlying quality of our Christian Faith. If our basic understanding of Christianity is that it is a religion of learning and religious observance, then we will be hard pressed to hold things together in the year that lies ahead. If our understanding of Christianity is that it is a system of morals and good works, then we will most likely experience frustration and disappointment.

Biblical, Jesus-centred Christianity is based on a supernatural relationship with a supernatural God. By ‘supernatural’ I don’t mean wooo-wooo strangeness, but rather that which is beyond and above the natural. If our relationship with Jesus is intimate and consistent, then we will surthrive. If we depend on the supernatural ability of the Holy Spirit, then we will surthrive. If we submit to the sovereignty and authority of God the Father, then we will surthrive.

Just before Christmas I preached a sermon entitled ‘A Season of Miracles’ and although its context is the Christmas story, its message applies to the year that lies ahead of us – I would like to invite you to listen to it.

You can listen to it directly by clicking the ‘play’ button below:

 

Alternatively, go to My Sermons Page where you can download, or listen to, other sermons I’ve preached.

And now, all glory to God, who is able to keep you from stumbling, and who will bring you into his glorious presence innocent of sin and with great joy.  All glory to him, who alone is God our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Yes, glory, majesty, power, and authority belong to him, in the beginning, now, and forevermore. Amen. Jude 24-25 (NLT)
 
Christopher Peppler

Christopher Peppler

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4 thoughts on “The Year 2016”

  1. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for all your posts! and what a joy was it to listen to the sermon again.Thank you, thank you, thank you for the 2016 message, I cannot wait to shine the light of Jesus in 2016
    May our Supernatural Lord bless you and your family , may the Lord make His face shine upon you and be gracious unto you, may the Lord lift His countenance upon you and give you peace in 2016, Amen

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About Me

My name is Christopher Peppler and I was born in Cape Town, South Africa in 1947. While working in the financial sector I achieved a number of business qualifications from the Institute of Bankers, Damelin Management School, and The University of the Witwatersrand Business School. After over 20 years as a banker, I followed God’s calling and joined the ministry full time. After becoming a pastor of what is now a quite considerable church, I  earned an undergraduate theological qualification from the Baptist Theological College of Southern Africa and post-graduate degrees from two United States institutions. I was also awarded the Doctor of Theology in Systematic Theology from the University of Zululand in 2000.

Four years before that I established the South African Theological Seminary (SATS), which today is represented in over 70 countries and has more than 2 500 active students enrolled with it. I presently play an role supervising Masters and Doctoral students.

I am a passionate champion of the Christocentric or Christ-centred Principle, an approach to biblical interpretation and theological construction that emphasises the centrality of Jesus

I have been happily married to Patricia since the age of 20, have two children, Lance and Karen, a daughter-in-law Tracey, and granddaughters Jessica and Kirsten. I have now retired from both church and seminary leadership and devote my time to writing, discipling, and the classical guitar.

If you would like to read my testimony to Jesus then click HERE.