From one Bible to a lifetime of ministry
Leon SteenkampMeet Gerhard Pietersen, the Bible Society of South Africa’s new CEO.
Sometimes, it takes something as ‘simple’ as a single Bible and a unique experience to alter the course of someone’s life.
For Gerhard Pietersen, the Bible that shaped his future wasn’t a family heirloom or an antique kept on a shelf. It was a gift from his grandfather – an ordinary 1983 Afrikaans Bible, gifted to each grandchild.
As a ten-year-old boy, Gerhard saw the Jesus film on television. The scene depicting the crucifixion of Christ disturbed him deeply.
“I couldn’t understand how that could happen to anybody,” he recalls.
He went to his room, opened the Bible his grandfather had gifted him and started reading the Gospel of Matthew for himself. When he reached the crucifixion account, he was distraught. Jesus had been betrayed by his closest friends, yet he still forgave them.
He rushed to his mother in tears with a string of questions: “What is this Jesus story? Why did they crucify him? What happened to him?”
“My mother took me by the hand; we knelt beside my bed and she prayed, thanking God that I could learn more about Jesus. Then we continued to read the rest of Matthew, ending with the story of the resurrection,” Gerhard remembers with a smile. “That was probably the moment God called me. My mother introduced me to Christ through the Bible. Ever since then, I’ve wanted to do the same for others.”
Today, that childhood calling has brought him to the Bible Society of South Africa, where he officially assumed the role of Chief Executive Officer on 1 August 2026.
A ministry shaped by Africa
Gerhard’s lifelong journey in ministry has taken him far beyond the walls of a local congregation.
After serving churches in Namibia, Mossel Bay and Cape Town, he spent the last decade leading Africa Inland Mission South Africa, an evangelical Christian mission agency serving in over 20 African countries. The role opened doors across the continent, where he witnessed the Church growing in places that many people rarely hear or know about.
He worked with churches in East and North Africa and Madagascar, helping to mobilise African missionaries and supporting communities where Christians often face significant challenges and persecution.
Along the way, one ministry truly captured his heart: Bible translation.
“I’ve seen what happens when people receive Scripture in their own language,” he says. “Faith spreads like a wave.”
From communities in Kenya to small language groups in Madagascar, Gerhard saw first-hand how God’s Word brings not only spiritual transformation but also dignity and reinforced cultural identity.
That passion made the Bible Society of South Africa a natural next step.
Building bridges
If you ask Gerhard what has shaped him most, he doesn’t immediately mention leadership courses or managerial and business experience. He talks about people.
As a young theology student, he was taught that one denomination held the centre of all theological truth, but life experience soon challenged that assumption.
While serving in Namibia, friendships with Catholic priests broadened his understanding of the Church.
Later, ministry alongside Pentecostal leaders, African independent churches and Christian leaders from across the continent confirmed a simple conviction: God’s kingdom is far bigger than any one tradition or denomination.
“The Bible Society occupies a unique place because it serves the whole Church,” he says. “That’s something I value deeply.”
Hope through hardship
Not every chapter of Gerhard’s story has been easy.
In 2016, his parents-in-law were murdered on their farm near Great Brak River. The tragedy shook the foundations of his faith and left him wrestling with grief, anger and difficult questions.
Healing came gradually.
It involved counselling, writing, conversations with colleagues from different cultures and, above all, relearning what forgiveness looks like.
Those experiences have shaped the kind of leader he hopes to be.
“I know that many South Africans carry deep wounds,” he states. “Suffering has taught me to lead with compassion.”
Looking ahead
Gerhard steps into leadership at a time when the Bible Society continues its work of translating, publishing and distributing Scripture while helping churches engage a rapidly changing world.
He is excited by the many opportunities that come with being a part of the Bible Society like first Bible translation projects; literacy programmes; and digital Scripture initiatives to reach new generations.
But even with all these developments, he believes one thing remains constant.
“The Bible is deeply personal,” he says. “Whether someone reads it on paper or on a screen, our calling is to help them encounter God through his Word.”
Sowing for the future
Gerhard’s guiding Scripture for this season comes from James 3:18: “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” (NIV)
He smiles when he reflects on those words.
“The image of the sower has always stayed with me,” he states as his finger traces over the Bible Society’s logo on the Bible next to him. “The soil may change, but the calling doesn’t. We are still called to sow faithfully.” It is a fitting picture for the Bible Society – and for the journey that began many years ago with a young boy, an open Bible and a mother who took the time to explain the greatest story ever told.
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