Andre Pelser

Andre Pelser (born circa 1950) is a South African actor, author and pastor.

Biography

Born on the East Rand, he attended a number of primary schools, until they moved to Cape Town where he finished his schooling at Milnerton High, Cape Town. He then studied for a Bachelor's Degree in Drama, Afrikaans, English, German, and Ethics at the University of Cape Town (1969 – 1971).

He became a professional actor for a year (1972), then went to Miracle Valley Bible College in Arizona to do a Bible College Diploma in Religion (1973 – 1974), once more doing professional stage work. In 1978-1982 he completed a B.A. Honours Degree in Drama, specializing in Religious Drama, at the University of Pretoria, and in 1984 – 1985 completed a Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) in Religious Studies at the Jubilee International Bible College (with a thesis on "Prophetic Acting" ) and followed by a Master's Degree in Drama and Theology at the University of Pretoria (1987 – 1991) with a thesis on Evangelistiese Drama ("Evangelical drama").

He worked with the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa as a pastor at Southern Christian Church, Bassonia (1981 – 1989) and at Corpus Christi, Brooklyn, Pretoria (1989 – 1991), before removing to Cape Town to found Harvester International Ministries and theMiracle Bible College in Cape Town.

Married to Nola Pelser, and the couple have three children.

Contribution to South African theatre

As student

Wrote a number of plays, including A Man and Two Men (1971), a play performed at the University of Cape Town by Peter Duckitt, Jerome Marshall and himself, and a one man drama about the missionary John G Lake in Africa at the Pretoria University theatre, The latter work was also filmed at the Willem Prinsloo Museum outside Pretoria.

He wrote Die Grenswag.