by Pastor Grant Lottering
Donovan Gareth Grigg is the Pastor of the Helderberg Basin 1 District which includes the Helderberg College, Silverleaf and All Nations Campus Seventh-day Adventist Churches. He also currently serves as the chairperson of the Western Regional Committee Newsletter Committee.
Early Life and Conversion
Donovan was born as the second and last born of John and Rose Grigg on 18 October 1983. He was born in Elliot, Eastern Cape, where he spent most of his early childhood life. Their family relocated to Walvis Bay, Namibia, in 1988, where he began his schooling at Duneside Primary School. In 1992, they relocated to Hermanus, Western Cape, where he continued his schooling at Hermanus Primary School and subsequently Hermanus Christian Academy. Their family then relocated in 1996 to Somerset West where he briefly attended Helderberg Primary School for a few months before finally settling in Riviersonderend, Western Cape, where he completed his high schooling through homeschooling. Donovan reflects favorably on his homeschooling experience as having taught him to be self-disciplined and self-motivated. He matriculated, having written the national exams at a public school, in 2000.
Donovan was blessed to grow up in a Christian home and always considered himself to be a Christian. He experienced conversion in his late teenage years when he developed his own personal relationship with Jesus through the practice of spending time with Jesus in prayer and Bible study. Donovan was baptized by Pr Darrel Le Roux in October 2001 at a river in Jonkershoek beyond Stellenbosch. The following year, in 2002, he did ministry at Abundant Life where he further developed his relationship with Jesus and his passion for God’s Word.
Education and Marriage
Donovan studied a Bachelor of Arts in Christian Ministries, with a focus on Community Development, at Cornerstone Christian College, which is presently based in Milnerton, a suburb of Cape Town. Donovan remarked that “the celebration of cultural diversity at Cornerstone Christian College and the principles of Community Development positively shaped my views relating to persons from other cultures as well as my leadership style.” He graduated from Cornerstone in 2005. He then subsequently also completed a Bachelor of Theology at Helderberg College and graduated in 2009.
Donovan was first called into pastoral employment in July 2009, in the Grahamstown District. Pastor Grigg married Gaelyn Grigg on 14 March 2010, in Silverleaf SDA Church. From their union, one precious baby boy named Joshua was born.
Ministry
Pastor Grigg served in his first district, in Grahamstown, for five and half years, from July 2009 until December 2014, where he completed his Ministerial Internship under the Supervision of Pastors P. Dalbock, T. P. Buwa and W. Nciya. Pastor Grigg was ordained to gospel ministry in the Seventh-day Adventist Church on 24 January 2015 at the Helderberg College Seventh-day Adventist Church. For his second pastoral assignment, he was then transferred to the East London District where he spent the next six years from January 2015 until December 2020. Since January 2021, Pastor Grigg has been serving the Helderberg Basin 1 District.
Pastor Grigg’s key passion in ministry is in understanding, experiencing and sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He appreciates learning and sharing on how to develop healthy relationships and enjoys creating Christian resources, including videos.
Pastor Grigg wishes to share the following encouragement with our readers: “In the midst of the busyness of life and ministry, let us seek to set aside (1) daily time to grow our own personal relationship with God through prayer and Bible study and (2) regular quality time with our families (spouse, children, etc).”
