LIFESTYLE, ARTS & CULTURE
of my teenage years. School saved my life. My confidence grew and I enjoyed sports and socialising with friends tremendously. I was an all-rounder on the sports field and played anything and everything I could – rugby, tennis, cricket and golf to name a few. They were ‘wow years’ in my life!” Ernie took up guitar playing in standard 10. “For the first 5 years I could only play 4 cords but it was an important start. I also gave my heart to God and accepted Jesus as my saviour during that year. Although I did not have a religious upbringing I was involved with Christian gatherings at school. I remember speaking to God when I was still small. I knew He was there but I did not know him. We never went to church, my grandfather told me they served God in another way, but I had a desire to know God. I became born again when a group leader at school made an invitation for pupils to give their heart to Him.”
As many young men did in 1990, Ernie went to the army after finishing school to complete his National Service. “I was not interested in religion. Our unit’s chaplain asked me many times to play guitar at group meetings but I refused. I would just walk past him with my golf bag over my shoulder, telling him that I was not interested. I just wanted to play golf; after all I made a vow to myself to become a famous sportsman.” The chaplain told Ernie many times that God called him to lead worship, but he had no interest whatsoever. “I ran into the same chaplain years later, already having been involved in full time ministry at that stage. The chaplain had a good laugh.”
Turbulent years followed after Ernie completed National Service. He decided to become a professional golfer and went home to his mother’s house in Gaberone to practise for golf qualifying school. She did not agree with his choice and in the heat of an argument blurted out that he was André Stander’s son. “Everything just came out. Somehow my mother thought that my grandparents told me about my father, but they did not. It was a huge shock to me, not because he was a bank robber, but because he was dead. I somehow thought I was the son of my half-sister’s father and that I would one day be able to make up with him. The news about my real father rattled me, because there was no way I could get to know him in person. For the first time in my life I felt fatherless. I was in tears and in shock as I drove from the house to a video shop. On my way there I was involved in my first car accident. I felt honoured to have my granddad as a father. However, after realising that my real dad was dead, I started to long for a father. This created a longing in me to also find a spiritual father. Years later I understood the words ‘your disposition will become God’s greatest strength’”.
Ernie still had his mind set on playing golf. He obtained playing privilege and became a professional golfer in 1992 and played professionally up to 1996.
While pursuing a career in golf, he started to attend church regularly for the first time in his life. Ernie lived in Nelspruit and after finding a church where he felt he belonged, he was baptized. “Baptism had a huge impact on my life; I made a declaration by being baptised. My life changed and after years of resisting being involved in worship, I started to play guitar at a home church. It was a prophetic church led by Terry Lee. He became one of my early mentors. We experienced incredible times with God, in brokenness, being face to face with Him. I also met my wife, Hanlie, during that time. I met her at a gospel concert in the Sudwala caves and told her that I was going to marry her after knowing her for only two weeks. She just laughed at me. Now I laugh at her! We got married in 1997.”
During Ernie’s years in the Lowveld he received a word from a prophet, Charlotte Cronk. “Without knowing me from a bar of soap, she called me by name during a big prophetic meeting at a local church. She prophesied that I would become a father to many in the Spirit, who would speak about prophecy, and that I was called to full time apostolic-prophetic ministry. She said that I had the heart of a father and that I would sing and play guitar. She asked me if I knew what full time ministry meant. I
I S SUE 6 / 2010
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