Dr. Peter Hammond is the missionary director of Frontline Fellowship. He has pioneered evangelistic missions and established Christian schools and Bible colleges throughout Africa, particularly in Sudan to persecuted Christians. In the course of his missionary activities, Peter has been ambushed, come under aerial and artillery bombardments, been stabbed, shot at, beaten by mobs, arrested and imprisoned. On some mission trips, he has flown far behind enemy lines to the beleaguered Nuba Mountains in Central Sudan with tons of Bibles, books and relief aid.
My Meeting with Nelson Mandela
Directed by Clint Eastwood and starring Morgan Freeman as President Nelson Mandela, Invictus makes a major contribution towards the building up of the mythology of Nelson Mandela as a modern day idol. This stirring film on South Africa’s 1995 Rugby World Cup victory includes serious distortions of history.
Time and again the film focuses on Mandela’s imprisonment on Robben Island, often with dream-like imaginative flashbacks of Nelson Mandela breaking rocks on Robben Island. The film even includes a pilgrimage to Mandela’s cell in the prison on Robben Island, but there is never any mention of why he was imprisoned.
Nelson Mandela was the head of UmKhonto we Sizwe, (MK), the terrorist wing of the ANC and South African Communist Party. He had pleaded guilty to 156 acts of public violence including mobilizing terrorist bombing campaigns, which planted bombs in public places, including the Johannesburg railway station. Many innocent people, including women and children, were killed by Nelson Mandela’s MK terrorists.
Invictus never mentions Nelson Mandela’s open support for brutal communist regimes such as Fidel Castro’s Cuba, Robert Mugabe’s Zimbabwe, Red China, Gadhaffi’s Libya, Saddam Hussein, Yasar Arafat and other dictators. During the very time covered by Invictus, Mandela received Fidel Castro, the longest reigning dictator in the world, and gave him the highest award that South Africa could give and then had both Houses of Parliament gather to hear an address from the Cuban tyrant.
The Ugly Reality
During the very time covered by the movie many hundreds of white farmers, and their wives and children, were being brutally murdered, actually tortured to death, often by UmKhonto we Sizwe guerillas, many of whom were now part of the South African National Defence Force.
Double Standards
Although Invictus gives all glory for the Springbok Rugby World Cup win to Nelson Mandela, it does not attach any blame to him for the rising crime and plummeting economy. During one short visual in the film Mandela looks at a newspaper headline which speaks of the rising crime and plummeting rand. This reality deserved a little bit more attention. During 46 years of National Party apartheid rule over 18,000 people had been killed by rioters, terrorists, by the police and the army, on all sides, including terrorists, civilian victims, military casualties and police. A total of 18,000 dead during 46 years of conflict. However, in peacetime, under Nelson Mandela, an average of 20,000 to 25,000 people were murdered every year.
Fueling the Crime Wave
Yet to celebrate his birthdays, Mandela would regularly open the prison doors and set many criminals, including armed robbers, murderers and rapists, free. Some of whom were murdering and raping within 24 hours of being released.
Economic Deterioration
In the 1970s, even while facing terrorism, riots and engaged in a border war with the Cubans in Angola, the South African Rand was stronger than the US Dollar. However, after years of US sanctions, the South African Rand had fallen to R2 to the Dollar. Under Nelson Mandela even with no war, no sanctions, no riots, no conscription, and with massive international aid and investment, the Rand plummeted to R8 to the Dollar, and even R10 to the Dollar, then R12 and even to R14 to the Dollar for a time. But according to Invictus, no blame can be attached to Nelson Mandela for the economic deterioration and the sky-rocketing crime rate under his presidency. However, he should be given all the credit for what the Springbok rugby team achieved on the field!
Legalising Abortion and Pornography
Viewers of Invictus also need to be aware that the kind and thoughtful gentleman portrayed in Invictus was the prime mover of the legalisation of abortion, pornography, gambling and homosexuality in South Africa and of the introduction of sex education in public schools. Since Nelson Mandela forced through the legalisation of abortion, not even allowing ANC MPs a conscience vote, and signed it into Law, 1 February 1997, over 900,000 South African babies have been killed through abortion, officially, legally and with tax-payers money.
Why open air preaching is necessary
Peter Hammond discusses various means of evangelism and why open air preaching is necessary.Does God love everyone equally?
Peter Hammond discusses the danger of just preaching the love of God without laying the foundation of His law and His hatred and anger toward sin.
The Book of Acts
In the Book of Acts, the Apostles’ preaching was followed by either revival or riot.Open Air Preachers of the Reformation
John Wycliffe translated the Bible into English in 1382 and is known as The Morning Star of the Reformation. Wycliffe founded the itinerant order, the Lollards, who preached the Word of God to the common people in the countryside.
Together with Calvin, William Farel worked to train missionary preachers who spread the Gospel to other countries. He is most often remembered for having persuaded John Calvin to remain in Geneva.
Open Air Preaching in Early America — George Whitefield
George Whitefield’s open air evangelism spread the Great Awakening which in turn led directly to American Independence.
William Farel and David Livingstone
William Farel’s method was to preach the Gospel in the streets until soldiers were sent to stop him. Then he would challenge the local Bishop to a debate, which he always won. Afterwards, he would encourage the people to vote for the Reformation.
David Livingstone was a Scottish doctor who came to Africa in 1814. Most people know him as an explorer. He is less known as an evangelist, but he preached the Gospel in the villages and mapped out strategic locations for future missionaries.
Evangelizing Muslims in Africa
Peter Hammond tells about his experiences in various parts of Africa where it is possible to do open air preaching and get a receptive crowd, but says that Muslims respond favorably to debates with Christians held in mosques.
Abolishing Slavery in Africa Today
Although we think of the slave trade as having been abolished in the 1800s, illegal slavery is ongoing today. Even more insidious is the prevalence of sex trafficking. Peter Hammond speaks of some practical ways that churches in South Africa are working to end sex trafficking.
Abortion is Child Sacrifice; Piercing and Tattooing is Pagan
See The Abortion Matrix for the full video — over three hours of teaching. Peter Hammond examines the similarities between abortion and African tribal human sacrifice rituals. Tattooing, piercing the body and much of the musical style popular in the West also had pagan African origins. Are we substituting Christian culture for tribal paganism int he 21st century?
Abortion in South Africa
In 1997, Nelson Mandela legalized abortion through all terms of pregnancy up to the moment of birth. Yet today, many provinces in South Africa don’t have doctors willing to perform abortions. Pro-life groups continue to vigilantly work to abolish and outlaw all forms of abortion in South Africa.
Did John Calvin write the Five Points of Calvinism?
John Calvin emphasized the Sovereignty of God, the glory of God, the Lordship of Jesus Christ. John Calvin sent out missionaries to all over Europe as far as Iceland, Norway, Lithuania, Poland, Russia, and even as far as Brazil. John Calvin was one of the true Founding Fathers of the United States of America. Calvin influenced Samuel Rutherford’s LEX REX (The Law is King) which was one of the most quoted books by America’s Founding Fathers. Calvin believed that because of the Depravity of Man, governments should be restrained, limited and should have separation of powers. Sociologist Max Weber gave Calvin credit for sanctifying the Protestant work ethic that drove capitalist success. Calvin’s teachings led to the greatest freedoms and the greatest productivity and prosperity in the history of the world.
Were the Elizabeth films historically accurate?
Peter Hammond critiques the accuracy of the films, Elizabeth and Elizabeth: The Golden Age.
Was the Cromwell film historically accurate?
Peter Hammond explains why Oliver Cromwell was one of the true founding fathers of the United States of America. Although a great film, Cromwell — starring Alec Guinness and Richard Harris — contains some historical inaccuracies among many accurate facts. Cromwell also launched the world’s first true modern Christian missions society founded to evangelize, feed, house and clothe the Native American Indians.
Pilgrims and Puritans
Both the Pilgrims and the Puritans relied on the Scriptures, held to Reformed doctrine and a Calvinist worldview. The books and sermons that most influenced American Founding Fathers were overwhelmingly Puritan writings and political tracts from the evangelical First Great Awakening. The Puritans taught both the head and the heart were equally important. They didn’t want truth on ice, but truth on fire. While the Pilgrims wanted to form Christian communities and be left alone as “Pilgrims and Strangers upon the earth” in the words of Governor William Bradford, the Puritans were not separatists and wanted to change the world as a “City Upon a Hill” in the words of Governor John Winthrop. This cultural mandate to apply the Lordship of Christ to every area of life later led to American independence.
Jonathan Edwards
Jonathan Edwards (1703-1758) is remembered today as the revivalist who preached “Sinners in the Hands of an Angry God.” He is also considered even by many secular historians to be America’s greatest scholar, theologian, philosopher, pastor, Calvinist, postmillennialist — the list goes on. However, if there is one area of Edwards’ life that has been consistently overlooked and understated by contemporaries and scholars alike, it is his role as Indian missionary and advocate for Indian affairs.
George Whitefield
George Whitefield’s preaching had a great impact on the early colonies when often he’d preach to crowds larger than the size of the town he visited. It is estimated that most people in the colonies heard him preach, including Benjamin Franklin, who published his sermons and writings.
William Wilberforce in Amazing Grace
The film Amazing Grace merely scratched the surface of the incredible and diverse life of William Wilberforce. It was released on the 200th anniversary of the end of the British slave trade, which led to the end of African slavery in England and America. Wilberforce opposed evil, cruelty and injustice on every level.
Postmillennialism and World Missions in the 19th Century
Peter Hammond shows that the great missionaries of the 19th century, such as William Carey and David Livingstone, were not only committed Calvinists, but also postmillennialists. There is a great need to reclaim the fiery heart for world missions birthed by John Calvin and carried to the whole world in the “Great Century of World Missions.”
What is the difference between Protestant and Roman Catholic culture?
Peter Hammond discusses the difference between Protestant and Roman Catholic cultures in terms of government, education, work ethic and prosperity.