Given that he is a student of Theology and Religion at the University of Pretoria, the people that meet MJ Nel personally are not surprised by his polite manner, his kind demeanor and his generosity of spirit. We expect people training for a life of service through Christian ministry to possess such personal qualities, but if you meet MJ Nel on the rugby field, your experience of him will be rather different.

As TUKS Rugby continues its winning ways this season, the success of the team rests largely on the shoulders of hard working, fiercely competitive players like MJ. Whether it’s giving his all during training sessions, or pouncing on opponents during matches, MJ is just as committed to victory in sport as he is committed to victory in life by walking in step with the Lord Jesus.

“To balance sports, academics, and keeping faith,” MJ explains, “is quite a unique challenge. Time management and hope keeps me going from the early mornings on the field to the late nights behind the books. I keep my faith in the Lord and always have hope that things will work out, I just have to do my best, like my parents always say. Most important is to keep on PRAYING and to be thankful.”

The faith that keeps him centered and provides this balance is continually nurtured and developed by guys like Prof Johan van der Merwe, a lecturer in the Faculty of Theology and Religion at UP, who serves as a mentor to MJ, and who rightly points out that, “When life giving theology feeds faith, the light of the gospel shines brightly on the rugby field.”

May that light which MJ and other ministers-in-training at UP shine so brightly wherever they go continue to show the world how walking with the Lord does in fact lead to a life lived victoriously.