David is a graduate of The Master's Seminary (M.Div., 2018) and previously worked on staff at Grace Community Church (Sun Valley, CA) in International Outreach. Before seminary, David worked in program finance at Raytheon Missile Systems in Tucson, Arizona. David and Ashley have been married since 2004 and God has richly blessed them with four daughters: Isabella (June 2010), Lydia (June 2011), Anna (April 2013), and Clara (January 2015).

David and Ashley have been serving on the mission field since 2019 and are currently missionaries to South Africa. David's ministry focus is primarily to strengthen many local churches across Southern Africa by equipping the pastoral students at Christ Seminary through teaching hermeneutics and theology. Located in Polokwane, South Africa, Christ Seminary is a training center of The Master’s Academy International (TMAI) and has been training men for pastoral ministry for over 26 years! It has impacted over 140 churches with its students coming from over 20 countries on three continents. Christ Seminary is a ministry of Christ Baptist Church and under the theological oversight of its elders.

David and Ashley will also use their spiritual gifts for the growth of the people at Christ Baptist Church. The Ellingsons have the joy of getting front row seats to see God powerfully working in a country with such great needs! Pray for the Ellingson family as they proclaim the fame of Christ’s Name in Africa.

The Ellingsons previously served in Madagascar where David helped establish the first pastoral training center focused on expository preaching. In addition to the training center, he and Ashley served in various ministries at Ankadivato Biblical Baptist Church in the capital city of Antananarivo.

You can partner financially with them at the bottom of this page. You can sign-up for their newsletters or view previous ones too.

South Africa

  • South Africa is 9% larger than the size of Texas and California combined and has a population of 63 million.
  • There are 12 official languages, but English is the common unifying language.
  • South Africa's economy relies heavily on mining (notably platinum and gold), manufacturing, agriculture, and services.
  • South Africa's government is a constitutional multiparty democracy (parliamentary republic) with a three-tier system of government (national, provincial, and local). The President is both head of state and head of government, elected by the National Assembly.
  • South Africa's expanded unemployment rate is about 44%, among the highest in the world.
  • South Africa is the 5th most dangerous country globally and the highest-crime country in Africa. Violent crime (including murder, robbery, and assault) remains a major issue.
  • Religion: Christianity: ~85%; Traditional African religions: ~8%; Other religions: ~7%.
  • The prevalence of doctrinal error, including prosperity-gospel distortions and syncretism, underscores the critical urgency of establishing strong, faithful pastoral training.

Connect with Us

Partner with us financially (all gifts are tax-deductible). Here is how:

1. Credit Card, Venmo, Paypal, Apple Pay, Google Pay, or ACH Donation Online (monthly or one-time)

  • Make a one-time or recurring credit card donation by filling out the form below. Type in an amount to give, select either "One Time" or "Monthly", then click the “+ Add to Giving” button, then on the next screen you can either create a new account or sign-in with your existing gracechurch.org account. Enter your credit card billing information, then click the “Submit Payment” button. Thank you!

2. Mail in a Check:

  • SEE A SAMPLE CHECK HERE
  • Send a check payable to: Grace Ministries International
  • Write on the memo line: Ellingson – South Africa, Project #080507
  • Then, send check to:

      Grace Ministries International
      13248 Roscoe Blvd.
      Sun Valley, CA 91352
      (818) 909-5701

3. Setup Bill Pay through Your Bank

  • Contact your bank and set up an online monthly payment to "Grace Ministries International", 13248 Roscoe Blvd, Sun Valley, CA 91352 - be sure to include "Ellingson - South Africa" in the memo or reference field.

4. Personal Gifts

You can send a gift directly to us through Zelle, Venmo, or PayPal below. Personal gifts are not tax deductible.

Give to South Africa - Ellingson, David & Ashley

Location

Polokwane, South Africa