Sidewalk Conversations
"Let the one who thinks he stands, take heed lest he fall..." (1 Corinthians 10:12)
Standing strong and remaining true to your calling is no easy task. No one sets out to crash and burn. In fact, it's actually the opposite, most people want to stand strong, remain effective, and be true to their values all the way through to the end. But, it is really hard to do.
In these interviews, Piet Van Waarde (a 40 year veteran of pastoral ministry) has heart-to-heart conversations with ordinary people about what it takes to stay faithful and effective in the things that matter most.
Sidewalk Conversations
When Ministry Means Moving Across Continents with Michael van der Walt
Michael Walt shares his incredible journey from South Africa to Austin, Texas, where he and his family are preparing to join Shoreline Church in full-time ministry. His story reveals how God's divine timing and unexpected open doors have confirmed their calling to uproot their lives for ministry across continents.
• Grew up in a small South African town where his youth leader inspired his passion for ministry
• Built carbon fiber sailing catamarans in the coastal town of Knysna while developing his technical skills
• Received an unexpected text invitation to return to full-time ministry at Shoreline Church
• Now works remotely with Shoreline's online ministry team while awaiting permanent relocation
• Experienced miraculous visa approvals and confirmations that validated their decision to move
• Learned that God only illuminates the next step of faith—you must start walking to see what follows
• Currently preparing to relocate with his wife and twin 10-year-old sons to Austin by August
Keep the faith and join us for more sidewalk conversations as we explore the intersection of faith and life together.
Learn more about our amazing sponsor Shoreline Church.
And then the one day, on the way to a band practice, a girl with a Volkswagen.
Piet Van Waarde:She drove right in front of me and I hit and I went over the front of the car and then her dad, because she didn't have a license.
Michael Walt:At that point Her dad felt so bad. He was like listen, let's not call insurance or anyone, I'll handle this. And I had a broken rear but I was okay. And then a few weeks later he phones me. He's like come fit your motorbike. And he sent that to a guy that redid that whole thing.
Michael Walt:It was already rusted and dented and he thought that was because of the accident. And I got a brand new motorbike back which was such a blessing, nice yeah so I love S-Bus hey, thank you for joining us for another Sidewalk Conversations.
Piet Van Waarde:I am your host, pete Van Ward, and I'm excited about my guest today, who's probably been no guest, who's traveled the furthest to come on the podcast. But before I introduce our guest, I want to just say thank you to our sponsor, which today is Shoreline Church. Shoreline Church has been faithful about supporting this podcast, along with the other projects that we do for cancer patients, and so if you're looking for a church and you happen to live in the Austin area, I would like to give a recommendation for Shoreline, and even if you'd like to watch online, you can find them at Shorelineorg. All right, today we have Michael Walt.
Michael Walt:That's a good pronunciation, well done.
Piet Van Waarde:Yes, we should probably start in Dutch. Goeiemorgen.
Michael Walt:Ja, goeiemorgen.
Piet Van Waarde:So Michael is from South Africa and he is here visiting in the States. Thanks, Pete. Yeah, thank you, for I mean, you've been like crazy busy looking at houses and all kinds of other things and so you'd take time to do this. I really I'm grateful.
Michael Walt:Thanks, it's amazing to be here. Thanks for the invite.
Piet Van Waarde:You're welcome, all right. So one of the things I like doing at the start of our interview is just kind of talk a little bit about how you grew up, where you grew up, and so you might have an especially interesting story because you grew up overseas. So why don't you start with that? Who was some of your key influences? Where did you grow up? Tell us about that.
Michael Walt:So yeah, like you said, I'm from South Africa, married and I've got two boys, twin boys. They're 10 years old. But to go a little back further, I grew up in South Africa in a small town called Sekunda, and the town actually exists because of a big factory that was in town and my dad used to work there and he was a very hands-on technical guy and I had a lot of my hands-on technical experience through him.
Michael Walt:But then in that little town I started joining a youth group, grew up in a Christian family Baptist church and then eventually went to this youth group. That was part of another church and one of my biggest influences in life was probably the youth leader at that point, bernhard Liebenberg.
Michael Walt:the difficult one to pronounce for you guys, but he was a guy that he would meet us youngsters where we were at, but also take us to a deeper understanding of God and the Bible, and I think for me that foundation was, you know, was amazing. And that actually got me into ministry, which is, you know, the rest of our story.
Piet Van Waarde:Yeah, okay.
Michael Walt:But because of him I got encouraged to hey, don't you want to join, you know, as a leader. Hey, don't you want to join as a leader, and don't you want to join the band. And then things started progressing from there, and along the way there's been others. But I think that's also brought the love for the youth and the next generation into my heart and my wife's as well, and the influence of one guy can be amazing.
Piet Van Waarde:It's amazing, isn't it?
Michael Walt:The ripple effect of that.
Piet Van Waarde:Yeah, I started off in youth work and then did some college ministry and that was, I don't know back in the late 80s, so a number of years ago, and I still stay in contact with some of those people. And they continue to say you know, that group and that ministry was so influential for setting the trajectory of my life, so we can never underappreciate those people who made those? Early investments in our life.
Michael Walt:Yeah, and I think sometimes people working with these youth they don't always see the fruit Right, but honestly, there's some amazing input.
Piet Van Waarde:Yeah.
Michael Walt:And there's fruit that we're not always aware of. But me and this guy, we're still in contact as well. I love it.
Piet Van Waarde:Yeah, contact as well. Yeah, so you um, you also have. When we've talked before you, you told me a little bit about some of your job opportunities and different career tracks and you have had a very like. You have ministry, but you also have this other side of you which has included. You know things like ship building and all that so tell me me a little bit about the career path that God has taken you on.
Michael Walt:It's difficult, I don't know how much time we have, but yeah, I've been around, some of them just basically because I wasn't 100% sure what I want to do with my life. But this calling on my life to do ministry has always been there, and every now and then I would somehow just stray off that path a little bit and end up in ministry again. So, yeah, I've been dabbling in a few things. Well, I actually started off with an electrical background, with my electrical trade, and then started working for a company in a city called Pretoria in South Africa, and then, about five years ago, I moved down to Nisna, which is a beautiful coastal town in South Africa, beautiful coastal town in South Africa. And yeah, for the past five years we've been there and enjoying it.
Michael Walt:But what took me to Knysna was this incredible company that builds these 54-foot carbon fiber sailing catamarans. And I've always had the passion for sailing sailing and that's what got me there. And I grew up with my dad who you know that was before google and all of that he would teach himself how to sail from books.
Piet Van Waarde:You know that he got from the library, yeah, yeah.
Michael Walt:So he's got this saying like, yeah, he learned how to sail, you know, lying flat on his back on his bed reading books.
Michael Walt:And that got me into it. And as a teenager I would buy these old boats, small little sailboats, dinghies, and fix them up and sail with them, and then sail them again and then I started, you know, getting into this. Hey, I can fix things up and sailing would be a passion, but I think at the end of the day, if it comes to a choice, it will always be ministry People. My love for people would be the one thing.
Piet Van Waarde:The ultimate trump card?
Michael Walt:Yes, but to have sailing as a hobby is not a bad hobby.
Piet Van Waarde:No, that's right.
Michael Walt:Or second passion in life.
Piet Van Waarde:My dad was really into sailing too, did the same thing when he was growing up. He would he even. One of the stories he told me was that he would take this cardboard box and he and his brother would waterproof it and then use it outside of Rotterdam in the harbor there.
Michael Walt:Oh yes, yeah, that sounds risky. I hope they were wearing life jackets.
Piet Van Waarde:Well, you know, he was always pushing the envelope, oh wow. All right now you're talking about coming to the States.
Michael Walt:Yes.
Piet Van Waarde:So that's no small decision.
Michael Walt:No, it's not.
Piet Van Waarde:How did you come to that conclusion? Come to that. That's no small decision. No, it's not. How did you come to that conclusion? Come to that.
Michael Walt:So many, many moons ago, me and my wife, we were both in full-time ministry at a church in South Africa, and we met Yuri and Karin Krill.
Piet Van Waarde:She was sitting here a few weeks ago, yeah, Really enjoyed that Sitting here a few weeks ago.
Michael Walt:Yeah, really enjoyed that. But we were in ministry together and it was one of those relationships that went over and beyond just being colleagues and working for the same church. And then our paths went different ways and a few months ago Karin sent this text to my wife, eliska, saying just out of the blue, listen, would you guys ever be interested in going back into full-time ministry? And immediately something jumped you know in a good way.
Michael Walt:Yeah, and we started pursuing. You know, like, what does this entail? I mean, for us it was a bit of a shock when we had that first conversation and they were like, oh yeah, no, we've been in Austin for a few years and this is where the church you know situated, and this is actually Shoreline who's our sponsor today you spoke about it earlier and we were so honored to be invited for their December and their big Christmas services.
Michael Walt:And they said we need to bring the boys as well and see what it's like, and I think they need to get an idea of you know who we are, and we need to get an idea of who they are you know, the church and leadership with Pastor Rob.
Michael Walt:So we enjoyed December with them and the church and I think what happened there was because of having been in different churches and full-time ministering in different churches. I honestly had a bit of a thing in the back of my mind like I wonder how they do this and I wonder how they approach this Not a negativity, but I would like to see how they do this and I wonder how they approach this. Not a negativity, but, like, I would like to see how they do it.
Piet Van Waarde:There's a something you see on the foreground, and then there's the background how will you know the background if you're not behind the curtains, kind? Of. Thing.
Michael Walt:And immediately when we arrived and we started hanging out with the staff and the leadership team and stuff, we could see that there's something that just resonates with who we are and what we believe and how we do things. And I think what was amazing is that Pastor Rob's and Pastor Laura's their heart is for people. It's not hey, let's have a big church. It's hey, how can we impact people? You, know, and just create that space where God does the work.
Michael Walt:We just, you know try to cooperate, not get in the way and then, yeah, we love Shoreline and the people and luckily they liked us, so we already started working remotely.
Piet Van Waarde:So you were here in December, and then we went back to South Africa. And then you started working for the church from there. Yes, started working remotely.
Michael Walt:And how that works is. I'm part of the video team under the leadership of Kyle O'Neill. He was also here a few weeks ago. And my wife. She's very creative, so she does all the graphic designs and the social media and the web designs and stuff. And another part that we were entrusted with which is amazing is Shoreline's online church and it's incredible what God's been doing on that platform. We're having an online church broadcasted on three different platforms each service. There's an online church in places like the prison we call it, god Behind Bars.
Michael Walt:And seeing how Shoreline just goes beyond the walls of the church, and I said to one of the people the other day the incredible thing is the online church. We're reaching people that would otherwise not come to church or they're not physically able to, and our online church. There's no capacity limit.
Piet Van Waarde:There's no seats that you will run out of.
Michael Walt:So, yeah, we're part of that and also we've got this incredible team of people that's our online hosts. So people will watch the service online and they would say listen something in this message. You know it stirs and. I need prayer and these hosts will have prayer moments with them individually.
Michael Walt:And that's incredible. Yeah, I love it now coming down this time only we're here for three weeks again, um, again blessed to be here for the easter services and and everything, um, you know around that. But then we met some of these people. Oh, they've got the hearts of gold because, they, they want to serve. You know, and for us, that was amazing. And then, like I said, I'm doing the video and she's doing the graphics. Together we're doing the online church and see how we can, you know, grow that.
Michael Walt:But also we're very passionate about ministry and I love worship and music. My wife loves teaching and she's a good communicator, so we'll start getting our feet wet with that as well in the near future.
Piet Van Waarde:Now I'm always curious because you hear some people get called into doing something a little bit outside of their comfort zone and you say, oh well, good stretch of faith. But when you talk about picking up your family and moving thousands of miles, away to a different culture, with another language.
Piet Van Waarde:I mean, that's a big deal. And so you can say well, we felt the Lord prompt us to do this and you have the good relational connection. But were there some other things that happened that convinced you? This was not just a good idea, but this was really a God idea.
Michael Walt:Yeah, it is a big thing obviously. And we had to be sure that this is from. God. Obviously, initially, the first thing we would do is we'd pray about it and see God needs to open the right doors and the timing needs to work out, and all of that that just started happening.
Michael Walt:The doors are opening for us to be here. At that point, when we got invited for the December, I think we were here for two weeks. At that point, me and my wife both had visas because of well visiting visas, because of our employment at that stage, but we need to get visas for the kids and the timeframe you know flights- that was very short and we said, well, if this is from God, this will happen.
Michael Walt:And miraculously, we got their visas within a week. Wow, and the people within South Africa would know that. That's just unheard of, I mean even the lady that gave us the passport. Her words were something like I don't know how you guys did this, but I've never seen this happen.
Michael Walt:Anyway, here you go. We took the passports and head to the airport. That was literally in the same day. But yeah, ever since things have just been falling into place, my current work situation was deteriorating a bit, you know, within the company and toxic environment and stuff. But then, a few months before we had that text from Karin, we started praying and we said whatever, whatever it takes.
Michael Walt:And we also. When we moved to Nisner, incredible healing happened within our hearts and in our relationship and that was like a time of, you know, just being a family and getting healed and then being ready to then minister again. So the timing of this just was incredible.
Piet Van Waarde:Isn't that how cool it is, Like when you're going through a really difficult season and all you can see is that situation, and then you come through it by the grace of God, and then on the other side of it there's something God does that makes all that make sense.
Michael Walt:It does. No, no, there's so much I've learned in that process and it had to happen. And also, it's not something that we were looking for and pushing and it just came about and is the whole family excited about it, Like the kids too. Yeah, yeah yeah, I mean when you say whole family me, the wife, kids, super excited.
Michael Walt:Parents, parents-in-law, friends you know people we're leaving behind my sister and those maybe not so happy, but I think they've come to realize well, this is from God and this is our passion and our calling. So they're actually supportive in all of that, which is amazing. Yeah, the kids can't wait to get here. It's all now a whole visa process, yeah, and I think, yeah, god wants to teach us to be patient and trust His timing, because, at the end of the day, that's where we're now torn. If it was up to us, you know again spending the last few weeks in Austin and with Shoreline, it's tough to go back.
Piet Van Waarde:Not bad.
Michael Walt:This time it was just me and Jalesco.
Piet Van Waarde:Yeah.
Michael Walt:But if I were able to just fly the kids over and move in, it would have been easy.
Piet Van Waarde:So, according to the things that you're hearing, what's kind of the goal for the actual move?
Michael Walt:Well, the ideal would be that we fly over in July and then start 1st of August yeah that would also be good for them, for schools and all of that and we, we've been visiting a few schools, you know, while we're here, and I must say, so far, we love, we love Austin and we love the people and they, they're very um, inclusive and accommodating.
Piet Van Waarde:That's great.
Michael Walt:So, yeah, we've got excitement. I think we're going back with more inner peace, you know, because some of the schools are really it's still a small elementary school and they would accommodate the boys even with them, you know, english being their second language mine as well, as you can hear. But we're really excited. That's awesome.
Piet Van Waarde:Yeah, I love the idea of you know, taking a risk and doing this especially for kingdom-related things. You know you hear people take risks for all kinds of stuff. But when you say, Lord, if you're're in this, we want to do it yeah and then you take the steps and then he confirms it along the way with various confirmations and uh, serendipitous open doors and all of that, and it's just you know, build your faith you kind of say, all right, well, this is if you're in this, lord, I'm yeah, it does, it does and uh.
Michael Walt:One of the other confirmations was when we got back after our december visit. We started, you know, having these chats with family and people, and probably 80 to 90 percent of them were like oh yeah, we thought something like this is happening.
Piet Van Waarde:They had this you know, maybe, yeah, maybe the holy spirit started you know, stirring, yeah, yeah, so that helps that helps.
Michael Walt:But yeah, it's an adventure and there's a there's a lot of new things that we need to learn, I mean even just vocabulary wise. Yeah, I was jumping into an elevator the other day and I asked someone do you want to go up with the lift? And they just looked at me like lift, it's a lift. We call it a lift-o elevator.
Piet Van Waarde:So we really have to get used to those things but we're so excited.
Piet Van Waarde:Well, you sound great here, Nobody's going to say anything. So one of the things and I'd like to close with this, like one of the things that I've noticed, we've made some decisions, not as monumental, but things that felt very risky at the time, and there was, you know, this call to. Will you obey, will you do what I'm asking you to do? Even if you can't see the road forward, even if it doesn't make complete sense yet, will you go forward and then you do. And then there are some lessons you learn along the way as well, and I'm curious if you can identify with that, like, are there some things that you've already learned in the act of obedience, of saying yes to this opportunity that has served you well in terms of your own personal growth and your own journey spiritually?
Michael Walt:Yeah, I think for me it's that, like you say, to take that first step, I'm going back to the story in the Bible of the whole verse that says your word is a light unto my feet a lamp which only shines this far, and if you don't start walking you're not going to see what's next. So just to deliberately take that step. And then the trusting part was it's obviously the big part. But every step of the way. Thus far from saying, yes, God, we'll do this.
Piet Van Waarde:The doors would open as we go along. So yeah, we keep on trusting for that to be the future. Well, I'd like to say a prayer for you as we close, because I believe that, well, I know many people have already been praying, but I'd like to just join and ask God for favor.
Michael Walt:I appreciate it, yeah.
Piet Van Waarde:So, Lord Jesus, I thank you for my brother and I thank you for he and Aliska, and they're walking out what they understand to be your calling and I pray for them, and I invite those who are watching who can join me in that prayer, to facilitate a swift processing of the visas. And that, at the right time and in the right way, they would be able to join us for this grand adventure that you've called them to here in Austin. We ask this in Jesus' name Amen.
Michael Walt:Wow, thank you, pete. That was amazing. Absolutely, I appreciate it.
Piet Van Waarde:Yes, all right Well thank you for was amazing. Absolutely appreciate it. Yes, alright. Well, thank you for joining us. We are so glad you came to be with us for another sidewalk conversation and hope you'll join us again next time when we come back and talk through the things of faith and life. So keep the faith.
