My name is Mpumelelo Kunene. I am a native of Maphumulo, a group of villages in KwaZulu-Natal’s north coast in South Africa. I currently live with my wife, Abigail, and my two-year-old son in Johannesburg. I have the privilege of serving Heritage Baptist Church in Johannesburg as one of its pastors.
I was raised by my grandmother who knew God and taught us to fear and trust him. I grew up seeing my sickly grandmother who hardly could stand at the end of the day but every morning at 5:00 she would pray to Christ and literally her energy was renewed. She taught me Christ, and explained to me how he rescued her from her wickedness and how he calls us all to him. Because of that, I always knew God was there, and that he was good, but I loved my sin. I desired to be free from my grandmother’s rules and express all the sexual immorality that I harbored in my heart. When I was accepted to the University of KwaZulu-Natal to pursue a degree in Computer Science, I was elated because this was my chance. Praise God, He had other plans!
In my first semester at UKZN I encountered some evangelists who seemed very interested in me, and because I was interested in me as well, I thought this could be a great friendship! They explained Christ to me, and soon I started attending their Bible studies. When I saw how much they knew the Bible, and could answer any question, I was frustrated because I realized that I didn’t. So, in my pride, I decided to spend copious hours reading the Scriptures in order that I might have all the answers at Bible study. Praise God, he used my own sin to reveal himself to me. The call of Christ in the Scriptures became very clear, and I was drawn in by a Savior who demanded I leave behind my life of religious observance without love for Him. Soon after, that same group of friends challenged me to start preaching Christ to others, and it was there that I realized what it is that I was born to do. Pursuing Christ, fighting my sins and telling others of his mercy is a life worth living. After I finished my studies, I moved to Johannesburg to work as a Software Developer, and while pursuing that, my elders encouraged me to pursue theological education.
Studying at RBS has been such a blessing. The course material is both challenging and rewarding. I have felt my mind expand, the depth of my assumptions challenged, my knowledge of Jesus Christ grow steadily deeper. And more importantly, I have seen my ministry benefit from all these studies. There were certainly times when it got tough (I am looking at you, Hebrew!), but the level of support available from the lecturers and the dean got me through. The method of learning at RBS was excellent for someone like me. When I was working in the software industry, I was able to manage the workload because of RBS’ flexibility. When I became a pastor at our church and had to juggle ministry work with studying, I have found the content and practical emphasis of RBS to be beneficial in the daily work of an under-shepherd in Christ’s church. I commend RBS heartily!
As I graduate, I want to praise the Lord for my wife. She has been a pillar of support throughout my degree. I also want to acknowledge my pastors for their help and time commitment. And lastly, I want to acknowledge Dr. Gonzales. I have developed a deep love for the Old Testament because of his example. Thank you!

In Christ,
Mpumelelo Kunene