About Imprint
Imprint’s purpose
Imprint’s mission
Imprint’s history
Imprint was birthed in the mind of Tommie van der Walt, who currently serves as the organisation’s ministry director. Having served for several years as a missionary in southeast Asia, before being driven out by a government hostile to Christianity, Tommie returned to South Africa with a strong desire to see churches planted and strengthened and church leaders maturing to faithfully shepherd God’s flock.
In 2018, Tommie approached the elders of his church with an idea: a ministry aimed at strengthening local churches throughout Africa. Having witnessed first-hand the benefit of affordable books from his time on the mission field, Tommie began exploring ways of making print material affordably available to South African church leaders. But books were not enough—these leaders needed mentoring and training in practical areas of ecclesiology.
Partnering with ministries like 9Marks in the United States, Tommie began developing workable ways to strengthen church leaders, so as to strengthen their churches. From conferences to regional workshops to distance and in-person internships, Imprint slowly began to take shape as a ministry focused on strengthening under-resourced leaders on the African continent.
God has wonderfully blessed the ministry since its inception. Operating under the oversight of Brackenhurst Baptist Church, and in partnership with ministries like 9Marks, Ligonier, Desiring God, and Charles Simeon Trust, the Pillar Network, and Reaching and Teaching, Imprint presses on its mission to train local church leaders so that the growing church in Africa will be strengthened for the glory of God and the good of his people.
Since its inception, God has allowed Imprint to publish more than 35 titles, translate more than twelve titles into Afrikaans and Zulu, train more than 350 pastors, network with over 800 pastors across Africa, work with four distance and three in-person interns, and host an annual preaching workshop and weekender.
Imprint’s structure
As a nonprofit ministry, Imprint is led by a ministry directory, who is joined by several other directors who are leaders of or deeply invested in the ministry of their own local churches.
Tommie van der Walt
Director | Pastor
Tommie van der Walt serves as the ministry director of Imprint and also as an elder at Brackenhurst Baptist Church in Alberton, South Africa. He joined the church in 2010 and has been actively involved in teaching and discipling. Having served for several years as a missionary in Asia, he returned to South Africa where he founded, a ministry that seeks to leave a healthy imprint on the ever-growing church in Southern Africa. He has been married to Allison since 2010 and together they have one daughter and two sons.
Doug Van Meter
Director | Pastor
Doug Van Meter has served as the pastor-teacher of Brackenhurst Baptist Church since July 1993. His primary ministry in the church is the exposition of Scripture each week from the pulpit. He is also responsible for the missions and discipleship ministries of the church, which fuels his desire to see churches strengthened, and is involved in much counselling. He is married to Jill and together they have five married daughters (and therefore five sons-in-law) and a growing number of grandchildren.
Mario Maneville
Director | Pastor
Mario serves as the lead pastor of Reformed Community Church (formerly Reformed Faith Mission Community Church) in Bellville South, South Africa. He is passionate about training and equipping pastors, especially those from Pentecostal and Charismatic backgrounds. His desire is to see healthy, gospel-driven churches planted in poor communities throughout the townships of the Western Cape and Southern Africa. He has been married to Charlene since 2005 and together they parent five beautiful children.
Sipho Mfusi
Director | Pastor
Sipho Mfusi was raised in the Zionist Church and today has a faithful ministry among Zionists. He served as an elder at Sterling Park Baptist Church in the United States and trained for Christian ministry at George Whitefield College in Cape Town. He is passionate about equipping and bringing biblical teaching to Zionists. He now pastors Reformed Zionist Church in Christ in the province of KwaZulu Natal in South Africa. He is husband to Lungi, father to one son, and grandfather to one grandson.
Quintin Starkey
Director | Pastor
Quintin Starkey is a member of Brackenhurst Baptist Church, where he has served in a variety of capacities, including as an elder of the church. His keen interest in missions work has helped him build relationships with various missionaries over the years and he heads up the missions planning team at the church. He runs a metal recycling business with his brother and was affirmed as an elder of the church in November 2020. He has been married to Dennae since 2009 and together they have three daughters and a son.
Greg Brits
Director | Church Member
Greg Brits has been a member of Brackenhurst Baptist Church since 2005, where he has served in a variety of capacities, including two stints as a deacon in the church. While he is not a church elder, he is deeply invested in the ministry of the church and in Imprint’s passion for strengthening local churches in Africa. By trade, he is the managing director of an insurance brokerage in Johannesburg. He has been married to Megan since 2005 and is father to two daughters and two sons.
Leaving a Healthy Mark on the Church in Africa
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