David & Ashley Ellingson
Polokwane, South Africa
David is a graduate of The Master's Seminary (M.Div., 2018) and previously worked on staff at Grace Community Church (Sun Valley, CA) in International Outreach. Before seminary, David worked in program finance at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona. David and Ashley have been married since 2004 and God has richly blessed them with four daughters: Isabella (June 2010), Lydia (June 2011), Anna (April 2013), and Clara (January 2015). David and Ashley have been serving on the mission field since 2019 and are currently missionaries to South Africa. David's ministry focus is primarily to strengthen many local churches across Southern Africa by equipping the pastoral students at Christ Seminary through teaching hermeneutics and theology. Located in Polokwane, South Africa, Christ Seminary is a training center of The Master’s Academy International (TMAI) and has been training men for pastoral ministry for over 26 years! It has impacted over 140 churches with its students coming from over 20 countries on three continents. Christ Seminary is a ministry of Christ Baptist Church and under the theological oversight of its elders. David and Ashley will also use their spiritual gifts for the growth of the people at Christ Baptist Church. The Ellingsons have the joy of getting front row seats to see God powerfully working in a country with such great needs! Pray for the Ellingson family as they proclaim the fame of Christ’s Name in Africa. The Ellingsons previously served in Madagascar where David helped establish the first pastoral training center focused on expository preaching. In addition to the training center, he and Ashley served in various ministries at Ankadivato Biblical Baptist Church in the capital city of Antananarivo.
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South Africa
- South Africa is 9% larger than the size Texas and California combined and has a population of 63 million.
- There are 12 official languages, but English is the common unifying language.
- South Africa's economy relies heavily on mining (notably platinum and gold), manufacturing, agriculture, and services.
- South Africa's government is a constitutional multiparty democracy (parliamentary republic) with a three-tier system of government (national, provincial, and local). The President is both head of state and head of government, elected by the National Assembly.
- South Africa's expanded unemployment rate is about 44%, among the highest in the world.
- South Africa is the 5th most dangerous country globally and the highest‑crime country in Africa. Violent crime (including murder, robbery, and assault) remains a major issue.
- Religion: Christianity: ~85%; Traditional African religions: ~8%; Other religions: ~7%.
- The prevalence of doctrinal error, including prosperity‑gospel distortions and syncretism, underscores the critical urgency of establishing strong, faithful pastoral training.
Preparation
In preparation for this ministry, God has provided training to both of us. David has been trained at The Master’s Seminary (M.Div., May 2018) to faithfully exposit the Word of God, shepherd the flock, and train others. Ashley has received ACBC biblical counseling training and is using this training and giftedness to minister to women in the local church.
Our Stewardship
God prepared us for this ministry by placing us in biblical churches where we were taught the truth and equipped to pass it on to others. Our stewardship is to be faithful to “entrust these things to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”— 2 Timothy 2:2
Connect with Us
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