Chaplains of
The Mission of St Martin
The Mission of St. Martin is a Christ-centered education and outreach ministry that EQUIPS Christians to spread hope and love of Jesus Christ by helping transform communities in need or in crisis.
We also support local Christian communities and churches to provide a home for those who turn to Christ as a result of the efforts in communities. We are Chaplains, who spread the Gospel, and bring the Divine Presence of God, where the Chruch is not present.
THE MISSION OF ST MARTIN IS A DREAM GIVEN TO MILITARY VETERAN, AND BUSINESS EXECUTIVE, JOHANN BOTHA PLEASE HELP HIM TO MAKE THIS A REALITY
What we stand for
Demonstrating God's Love in times of great need
At The Mission of St Martin, we dedicate ourselves to equipping volunteer or full-time Chaplains who are called to take the presence of God into communities where devastation and adversity reign.
The Mission of St. Martin IS NOT A CHURCH but a CHRISTIAN COLLEGE & SERVICE ORGANIZATION.
Although we talk about Chaplains, they should also be able to practically apply some skills in communities in need. Whether they are EMTs, nurses, engineers, builders, teachers, or other caregivers, they must have practical skills beyond spreading the Good News of Christ.
We believe that you demonstrate your faith in a practical manner (James 2:15-17)
The beginning of the Mission is a Christian College that will help those who are called to be equipped to spread the Gospel, but the vision is to finally become a fully-fledged University that not only offers programs in Missions and Ministry, but also in Medicine, the Built Environment, Education, and the Economic Sciences. All the skills to lift up communities in great need to lift their heads and take care of themselves!
Our motto, PREPARE - STAND - OVERCOME, embodies our aim to prepare those who demonstrate God’s love, mercy, and grace in times of need, who will stand firm in service and adversity, and overcome challenging circumstances with faith in Jesus Christ, and teach these principles also to those they help.
Service & Sacrifice
Why St. Martin?
While he was still in the military as a cavalryman, Martin cut his cloak in half to share it with a beggar. That night, he dreamed that Jesus himself was clothed in the torn cloak. When he awoke, the garment was restored.
Martin was baptized and served another two years before petitioning the Emperor to be relieved of military duty to pursue a life in God's ministry, and eventually became Bishop of Tours in France.
His cloak (capelet) became a holy relic after his death, as it was said to have healed people who touched it, and as a result, Merovingian French Kings carried the cloak with them into battle to assure victory (a bit ironic as Martin became a pacifist after leaving the military).
The cloak was always guarded by two priests (called cappellani) in a tent or in the King's private place of worship (called a cappella) - therefore the terms Chaplain and Chaple in today's language.
The mission of Chaplains is to take the Divine Presence of God to places where the church is not. Although Chaplains are tasked with the Great Commission (Mathew 28:18-20), they are not pastors of a church. This is why the Mission of St. Martin works with the local body of Christ to ensure a permanent home for those who came to Christ as a result of the Mission's work.
St Martin is the Patron Saint of beggars, wool-weavers, tailors, army quartermasters, cavalrymen (Johann was an NCO in two Cavalry units during his time as a national serviceman and an army reserve), geese, and one of the two Patron Saints of France. Because St. Martin's Day is on the 11th of November (Remembrance or Veterans Day), St Martin is also the patron saint of Military Veterans.
Who is behind the Mission of St. Martin?
Background
My name is Johann Botha, and I’m an executive, business coach, consultant, author, speaker, startup mentor, and educator with over 40 years of experience improving and transforming businesses and technology in 34 countries and helping people grow. Most of all, I'm a bondservant of Jesus Christ, who called me to bring light into darkness, hope into despair, and the love of Christ into a world without Him.
During my career, I have helped hundreds of individuals and companies in the financial services, information technology, aviation, education, engineering, FMCG, and governmental sectors grow and improve!
My educational journey is as diverse as my professional one. I formally studied theology, electronics, information technology, behavioural science, marketing, data science, management, and coaching.
This diverse background has been instrumental in my roles as an entrepreneur, director of several technology, consulting, and training organisations (including two publicly listed organisations), and CEO of three. Of the companies I started, I sold some to partners and some to competitors; some failed, and some still operate today. We all live and learn!
I also lecture MPhil Students at Nelson Mandela University and ran a professional certification and training organization for more than ten years. During my 40-year professional career, I have been fortunate to receive various industry and thought leader accolades.
Testamony
One of my biggest struggles as a Christian has always been prayer, and probably most Christians feel this way. It is also one of the reasons why so many Christians struggle in the walk with God, backslide so often and easily, and feel that God is not real, and then start questioning the whole religion thing. I certainly did all of these things!
But thank the Lord that my Mother, and after her death, her best friend kept praying for me. To my Lord Jesus Christ be the glory, but to Terise Steenkamp and my mother (the late Rev. Elize Botha/Le Roux) I owe an eternal gratitude for their steadfastness in prayer for me.
I gave my life to the Lord probably at age 16, I don’t know exactly when, but I was baptized shortly after that - that was Aug 1981. I gave my all, and everyone expected me to be in the ministry full-time. During military service, I started attending evening classes at a local seminary and completed my studies in 1986. I served as a youth minister in a congregation for a few months, but struggled with sin, and as a result, I resigned rather than addressing my sin. I had to start working immediately, and fortunately, I found a position at a computer company, which led to a 40-year career in IT, Business Consulting, and Education.
Every time I visited my mom, I walked past a small framed photo of me, in a dog-collar (clerical collar) with my Dachshund on my lap. When I asked my Mom why this photo (it was not a particularly good photo), my mom would just say, ‘it’s not a photo, it’s a promise from God’ – I would laugh and for a long time after her passing, never thought about it again.
In 2018, I reached out to the veterans community and joined a few veterans organizations. As you probably know, veterans often hold remembrance parades and services, and at one such service, the Padre had to cancel at the last minute for some reason, and everyone looked at me (knowing that I went to seminary sometime in my past). The service was not great, but passable – it also resulted in me having to read my Bible again to prepare for the service.
Doing remembrance services became a regular thing, and through that, God started working in my heart again. In 2023, I renewed my commitment to God and am resuming where I left off, with the ministry that I knew all along I was called to, now ministering where I can in the service of the Lord. I also started an organization called the Mission of St Martin – a Chaplaincy Outreach Mission, with the aim of bringing God's divine presence where the Church is not.
When I spoke to my Mon’s best friend in 2023, she said ‘Johann, your mom never for one moment forgotten Gods promise and calling on your life, she and I prayed for 40 years, but like the Israelites of old, I thank our Father and Lord Jesus Christ, that our prayers and the work of the Holy Spirit in your life finally bore fruit.
I still struggle with prayer, but I have come to understand two key things:
- You cannot have a relationship with someone with whom you don’t spend quality time, listening, and communicating.
- Prayer is not only necessary to grow your relationship with God, but it is also a command that Christ gave all believers (Matthew 6:5-7 and 26:4, Luke 18:1).
In the Great Commission, Jesus said, "…and teach them to obey all I have taught you… Matthew 28:20). Most people miss the obedience bit. Prayer is nothing more than obedience, and as the prophet Samual told King Saul, ‘Obedience is better than sacrifice!’ (1 Samuel 15:22).
I believe that starting The Mission of St. Martin is an act of obedience. I would appreciate your support and prayers.
I know it works!
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© All 2025 All rights reserved JH Botha. Template by Bizgo. Images Unsplash: Aaron Burden, Effie Kimble & Scott Broom + Adobe Stock Images + Deeper Truth Catholics + St. Severin Church Paris.
The Logo of The Mission of St Martin and our emblem for Commissioned Chaplains of the mission is based on the inner circle of the traditional Commonwealth Military Chaplains' head-dress emblem. It features a quadrofoil-cross, which represents the four Great Evangelists, Sts Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John.
Traditionally, the cross was surrounded with the words of Constantine's vision, in hoc signo vinces, which was translated as in this sign conquer, but the word vinces can also be translated as overcome, which we chose to use on chaplains' badges once commissioned.
