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Article By Africa Speaks

Christian Life Publishers, formerly ECSS Life Publishers, is currently the only Christian publishing house in South Sudan. Founded by the Renk diocese of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan (ECSS), Christian Life Publishers offers quality services and resources to meet the spiritual and intellectual needs of people in South Sudan and beyond.

Its mission is to contribute to the prosperity of South Sudan by producing print and digital publications that highlight relevant stories of local interest, while offering guidance that uplifts, enriches, educates and inspires.

Although the opening of the physical offices of Christian Life Publishers is quite recent, August 2023, the seeds of Christian Life Publishers have been sown for a long time, starting with the training of authors.

From a Writers’ Workshops with MAI to a Publishing House

In 2013, 18 South Sudanese writers came together for their first training, delivered by MAI-Africa (Media Associates International) trainers Lawrence Darmani from Ghana and Barine Kirimi (PhD) from Kenya. They worked on four potential books with a powerful message of spiritual truth and hope for Christian and general readers. The following year, 2014, the workshop had to be moved to Nairobi due to continued fighting. The writers continued to work on the manuscripts that became the first books written locally by the new nation, amid the civil war. One such book was Prayers for South Sudan, published in 2015.

2019 was marked by a three-day writing workshop in Juba, South Sudan, organized by Archbishop Joseph Garang Atem, former bishop of Renk and Diocesan Bishop of the Diocese of Malakal, and led by MAI-Africa trustees Dr. Barine Kirimi and Rose Inziani Birenge from Kenya.

In June 2022, a group of 15 participants gathered in Juba for the publishing process training and orientation program, in preparation for the publishing house’s establishment. The two-day training focused on the identity, vision, mission, core values, purpose, completed projects and new and upcoming projects of the Christian Life Publishers. It also introduced participants, made up of staff and governance team members as well as friends of the publishing house, to the understanding of publishing and the publishing process, including acquisitions, contracts, manuscript development, art direction, pre-press production, digital printing and distribution, as well as book marketing.

In a society scarred by years of civil war, Archbishop Joseph Garang sees locally written books as key to “nation-building” and a means of implanting Christian values. The book Days of Light in Darkness for instance, shares the stories of resilience, faith and hope in God, told through the experiences of the Episcopal Church of South Sudan during times of conflict. This book highlights the Church’s role in these challenging times and the experiences of Church leaders serving their communities amid adversity.

The Projects

Christian Life Publishers is now based in Juba, but the vision is to expand. “We have ten states in South Sudan, and many universities. So, we are looking to open some offices for Life Publishers in many different states. But not now. Step by step,” says Archbishop Joseph Garang.

The main challenge for the publishing house is the lack of editors. For the moment, the publications are in Dinka and English, with plans to add Arabic soon. One of the most important projects in the Dinka language was the Bible translation project. The Dinka people are a Nilotic ethnic group native to South Sudan with a large overseas diaspora population. Dinka Christians were eager to have Scripture in their language so they can grow spiritually and reach out to others.

The Wycliffe Bible Translators has been working with a local team to produce the entire Bible in the Dinka Cam language. Archbishop Joseph Garang was one of those first people to do the translation for the Dinka Bible before he went for further studies to the US and come back to open the Renk Theological Seminary. The Dinka Bible is now finished but not yet launched. 

Challenges and Projects 

Dr. Zechariah Manyok Biar PhD, Diocesan Bishop of Wanglei Diocese in the Episcopal Church of South Sudan, author and editor at Christian Life Publishers shares that their current challenges are printers and binders.“We have secured a printer, but the binder is still coming. When we begin to receive many books to be published, our small printer will be a major challenge. We pray to have a more giant printer and binder as soon as possible,” he says.

 

Current projects include translating the ECSS handbook from English into Dinka, publishing Forgiveness by Archbishop Joseph Garang Atem, and Women and Religious Roles: Exploring the Growing Roles of Women in the Episcopal Church of South Sudanby Zechariah Manyok Biar, PhD.

As a final word, Archbishop Joseph Garang Atem adds: “We need to be known all in Africa, even abroad. Because we’re going to serve people of God and other people to know Jesus so that they can be saved. That is our dream. And we are happy to invite many different editors, writers, publishers to come and help us, to see what we’re lacking, so that we can fill that gap.”

Please join us in praying for Christian Life Publishers, that God will provide for their needs, including a larger printer, and that they will be able to fulfil their publishing plans.

To connect with Christian Life Publisher, contact them through their website www.christianlifepublishersss.com or connect with their Managing Director, Ajak John on his Africa Speaks Community profile.

Article By Africa Speaks

3M Publishing is the publishing branch of Madagascar 3M ministry, founded and chaired by theologian and publisher Dr. Faly Ravoahangy. Dr. Ravoahangy’s involvement in Christian literature dates back nearly two decades, when, after graduating as a polyvalent officer in the merchant navy and marine mechanical engineer, he volunteered aboard MV Doulos, the floating bookfair which was then docked in Penang, Malaysia.

He served there for 10 months as a second officer. Later, after starting a family, his life took a new direction away from the maritime industry. He earned a master’s degree and then a doctorate in theology, specializing in textual preaching.The idea of creating the Madagascar 3M ministry came to him after realizing the lack of theological knowledge among the body of Christ in Africa, as well as the poor quality of locally printed books in Madagascar.

3M Publishing was then founded to offer high-quality, affordable Christian books written in clear, accessible language for the Malagasy people. Its aim is also to provide spiritual resources that nourish faith, deepen understanding of the Bible and strengthen believers.

As for Madagascar 3M’s vision, it is to identify and equip the next generation of Malagasy pastors, by providing biblical training through an expository preaching seminary in Madagascar. Pastors are trained in three roles that are at the heart of their vocation: preachers of the Word of God, shepherds of God’s people and servants of God; hence the three M’s for the Malagasy words for preacher (mpitoriteny), shepherd (mpitandrina) and servant (mpanompo).

A New Transformation Objective

3M Publishing house, launched on November 13, 2023 to print high-quality books on demand, publishes three types of books:

• Books in French, in partnership with the publishing houses ‘Publications Chrétiennes’ (Canada) and ‘BLF Éditions’ (France), which have granted them representation rights in Madagascar.
• Books translated from French or English into Malagasy by a team of translators.
• Books in Malagasy written by Malagasy Christian theologians, pastors and teachers.

As well as meeting the demand for quality Christian resources in Madagascar, 3M Publishing is also working to:

• Promoting a culture of reading in Madagascar;
• Working with bookshops, local churches, associations and businesses to spread the Good News;
• Offering a print-on-demand service, 3M Printing, to meet the need for books, brochures, posters, leaflets, magazines and other communication media with precision and quality.

A library was added to the 3M ministry in June 2024.

Among the titles available are French and Malagasy translations of God’s Design for the church and Your Discipleship Manual, by Zambian author and preacher Dr. Conrad Mbewe.

In April 2024, Dr. Ravoahangy took part in an intensive training course on Christian publishing in Cape Town, South Africa, organized by Desiring God Ministries and challenging the traditional approach to publishing in Christian circles. The speakers invited Christian publishers to focus on spreading ideas, referring for example to the Reformation era, when pamphlets helped spread Luther’s ideas throughout Europe.

This workshop was a game-changer for 3M’s publishing, leading to a new transformation objective: to transform lives in Madagascar and beyond through Scripture-centered resources designed to raise and equip Preachers of God’s Word, Shepherds of God’s people, and Servants of Christ in local churches.Dr. Ravoahangy stresses the importance of written resources for the edification of the church.

“The church needs available resources if it is to grow stronger. There is teaching in the church, but we also need to take advantage of the cloud of witnesses who have shared their testimonies with us through books,” he says.

The Challenges of Christian Publishing in French-speaking Africa

In an interview with Africa Speaks in November 2023, on the occasion of the visit to Madagascar of the ship Logos Hope, the world’s largest floating bookshop, Dr. Ravoahangy stated that one of the main obstacles to the realization of publishing projects at Madagascar 3M is the lack of editors.

“We are in great need of a qualified person who will do all the work of revising the manuscripts of local authors or theologians,” he said, pointing to the lack of training opportunities in editing, particularly in the French-speaking countries in Africa. While there are many literary and journalistic training schools to produce good writers, there is still a long way to go in the editing field.

However, Dr. Ravoahangy remains positive about the future, as initial reactions to “3M Publishing and Printing” have already been favourable. Demand is growing, including from Christian associations who want to print training manuals and evangelism materials. Print-on-demand means better quality locally printed books, while avoiding the storage and customs problems associated with importing books.

To ensure the success of the publishing industry in French Africa, he also resounds the need for greater collaboration between countries, so that, for example, books by West African authors would be available in Madagascar and books by Malagasy authors would be available in West Africa.

Africa Speaks was created to serve publishers like Dr. Ravoahangy and to facilitate exchanges between the various players in African Christian publishing. Join our community to network with other professionals, access online forums and the member directory.

Article By Africa Speaks

A Cameroonian proverb says: “The mouth that speaks is not lost.” This perfectly describes the essence of The Writers Blog Talk Show, hosted by Vickie Amoah in Accra, Ghana. The show provides African authors with a unique platform to amplify their voices, share their work, and ensure their creations don’t get ‘lost’ on bookstore shelves.

Vickie Amoah: A Multifaceted Visionary

Vickie Amoah founded Reveal Multimedia Ltd., in 2019, specializing in editorial services, including transcription, editing, proofreading, and book publicity.

However, Vickie quickly realized that many authors struggled with post-publication marketing – a gap she sought to fill with The Writers Blog Talk Show. Furthering her passion for literacy and education, Vickie and her team organize impactful literacy events and community programs aimed at fostering a culture of reading, writing, and lifelong learning.

The Writers Blog Talk Show: Connecting Readers and Writers

Broadcast weekly on SUNNY 88.7FM, SUNNY TV, and PCG TV in Ghana, and streamed globally via social media platforms, The Writers Blog Talk Show is a vibrant space where authors and book lovers connect. The program has featured over 200 author interviews, reached thousands of listeners worldwide, and hosts more than 10 annual book events. Its podcast has achieved remarkable success, ranking 9th in the Books category and 16th in the Arts category on Apple Podcasts in Ghana.

Authors benefit from the show’s unique promotional strategies, including personalized social media campaigns and direct engagement with listeners. The impact is tangible: books are sold on-site at the radio station, listeners call in to purchase more, and authors are invited to events.

“We sometimes sell up to 10 copies on-site, with more orders coming in later,” Vickie shares.

Reveal Impact Initiative: Events that Inspire

In addition to the Writer blog Talk show, The Reveal Impact Initiative organizes a variety of book-related events to inspire and empower. These include symposiums focused on mentoring young men and women in life skills, parenting workshops, writers’ workshops for aspiring and established authors. A highlight is the Nyansapo Mentorship Program, which nurtures young readers, writers, and artists, culminating in the publication of Nyansapo Tales, a collection of stories written by children in collaboration with Leap Publishers and Africanbooks.com. You can get a copy here

Expanding Horizons: Collaborations Across Borders

The show has fostered international partnerships, such as a recent appearance on the show by Nigerian author and Chairperson of Africa Speaks, Mrs. Modupe Ehirim – who first met Vickie Amoah at ASROCO in Nairobi in March 2024. On the show, she shared insights from her book Marriage is NOT a Trap. Again, Mrs. Ehirim featured on the show’s Virtual Parenting platform sharing on “Building Bridges: Fostering Openness and Trust in Your Family.”

In addition to her literary experience, Mrs. Ehirim, former president of the Christian Booksellers Association of Nigeria and a board member of Oasis International Ltd, founded The Right Fit Marriage Academy, guiding young professionals in building lasting marriages.

Her appearance on The Writers Blog Talk Show made her realize that there is a market in Ghana for her book and materials. However, she faced challenges with payment systems between Nigeria and Ghana. “I learnt that I needed to build a sales funnel for my products. I didn’t have in place a plan or process for ongoing connection with the audience that I was exposed to,” she shares.

On the other hand, Bookie Adekanye; a Nigerian author based in Canada on November 16, 2024 appeared on the Writers Blog Show to share from her book, Happily Whenever After published by Oasis International.

Ugandan publisher Lena Pirembe has also worked with the team on the launch of Nyansapo Tales, a celebration of young African voices.

A Vision for the Future

To sustain and expand its impact, The Writers Blog Talk Show is actively seeking partnerships with corporate organizations to support children’s books and educational materials.

The aim is to give African authors all over the world an opportunity to showcase their works to Ghanaian book lovers and others worldwide.

“My prayer is that God will equip us with the grace and resources to keep transforming lives through books not just in Ghana but beyond. Similarly, we hope that through what we do, many will come to know Christ,” says Vickie.

Discover more about The Writers Blog Talk Show and its initiatives on their website and social media channels. Join the movement to inspire Africa’s next generation of readers and writers!

Article By Africa Speaks

Since the sad news of Dr. Daniel Bourdanné’s passing on 6 September 2024 reached the Christian community, tributes poured in from around the world, expressing grief but also gratitude for his legacy. Dr. Bourdanné’s life and ministry had borne abundant fruit across multiple continents, particularly in the publishing sector.

“It was a long time ago when Bob Reekie [founding President of Media Associates International (MAI)] commended Daniel Bourdanné to the Tyndale House Foundation; a capable, godly young man likely to become a leader. That was the first time I heard his name,” recalls Edward Elliott, trustee of Africa Speaks and founder of Oasis International Ltd.

He remembers Dr. Bourdanné as a gracious man who never hesitated to speak truth on behalf of his beloved Africa. From his modest childhood in a village in Chad with no access to books, relying solely on oral tradition, Daniel’s parents, first-generation Christians, taught him the alphabet, but it wasn’t until he was 10 that he was able to choose to read a book on his own. Despite a lack of financial resources, he pursued his passion for books, eventually becoming a writer and publisher.

He is the author of several books, including: Ces évangéliques d’Afrique, qui sont-ils? (Who Are African Evangelicals?), PBA,1998, L’Évangile de la prospérité, une menace pour l’Église en Afrique (The Prosperity Gospel, a Menace to the African Church), PBA,1999. Under his direction, the book, Leadership pour l’excellence (Leadership for Excellence) was also published by PBA in 2002, featuring articles by seven prominent leaders in Africa.

“I am a richer man for having known Daniel,” said Edward Elliott.

Daniel Bourdanné’s impact on the publishing world spanned several generations, as many leaders of French-speaking Christian publishing in Africa can testify.

Leading Presses Bibliques Africaines (PBA)

Dr. Bourdanné served as the director of Presses Bibliques Africaines (PBA) from 1995 to 2006. Based in Benin, PBA is an initiative of the Groupes Bibliques Universitaires d’Afrique Francophone (IFES Francophone Africa). Under his leadership, numerous successful titles were published, and PBA’s influence expanded across various regions and nations.

The current PBA director, Georges Laté, acknowledges that it was Dr. Bourdanné who truly structured and developed the organization, creating a solid foundation.

In his last interview in July 2024 with Gathuku Kibunga, Executive Secretary of Africa Speaks, who was visiting him in London, Dr. Bourdanné expressed his appreciation for Georges’s work and reminisced about the early days when PBA had to relocate its headquarters from Abidjan to Benin due to socio-political unrest.

“I didn’t have the chance to serve at PBA at the same time as he did,” Georges Laté recalls. “But I worked with him in other parts of GBU, and I remember him as a man deeply committed to the cause of the Gospel. He showed the world that great things can come from Africa. It is a great honour for me to follow in his footsteps at PBA Editions and to ensure that Christian publishing remains a vital mission.”

Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Centre de Publication Evangélique (CPE)

While General Secretary of the GBU (Groupes Bibliques Universitaires) in French-speaking Africa and Director of the Presses Bibliques Africaines (PBA), Daniel Bourdanné was invited to chair the Board of Directors for the publisher CPE (Centre de Publications Évangéliques), as Dr. Jules Ouoba, CPE International Director and Vice President of Africa Speaks, recalls.

Jules Ouoba was appointed Executive Director of CPE in June 1996, after completing his studies in France. Faced with a growth crisis that led to major restructuring, the Board of Directors decided to entrust the management of CPE to Africans. Of Daniel Bourdanne’s impact on CPE, Dr. Ouoba comments that he fulfilled his role with excellence until 2008, bringing new energy to the organisation and implementing vital structural reforms.

“Dr. Bourdanné was a humble and deeply cherished friend, an exceptional leader, and a devoted servant for whom no sacrifice was too great in service to the Lord,” he said.

Representing Francophone Africa Globally

When Dr. Bourdanné conceived the idea for the book Leadership pour l’excellence, he reached out to Dr. Joanna Ilboudo, founder of ACTS-Burkina Faso, Editions CONTACT, and the magazine of the same name launched in 1992. He entrusted her with the task of writing the article “Diriger en tant que femme chrétienne dans l’église en Afrique” (Leading as a Christian Woman in the Church in Africa). Leadership pour l’excellence features contributions from prominent African leaders offering valuable insights for those aspiring to lead the Church and society toward excellence.

Dr. Ilboudo and Dr. Bourdanné had numerous opportunities to collaborate for the advancement of Francophone Christian publishing. Dr. Bourdanné participated in the Christian Publishers’ Forum organized by Dr. Ilboudo in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso, where he delivered the closing address, encouraging Christian writers to use their pens as tools to build and beautify God’s Temple.

They also represented Francophone Africa at various events organized by Media Associates International (MAI) in the United States and contributed to the Africa Leadership Study (ALS) from 2012 to 2018, researching the challenges and opportunities of leadership within the African Church.

Their final encounter was in the United States in 2018, at the launching of Africa Speaks, an informal network uniting global publishing professionals with the goal of creating a sustainable and flourishing Christian publishing industry in Africa. In his keynote address at the first Africa Speaks meeting, The Call to ‘Contaminate’ Africa, Daniel Bourdanné pointed to clear and visible signs that the time has come for the Christian publishing industry in Africa to flourish. He also wrote The Resilient Christian Publishers of Africa, in which he highlights the difficult conditions facing African publishers, who therefore need to encourage each other.

“I thank God for Daniel’s life. He was a tremendous encouragement to me. When I started Contact Editions, beginning with the magazine, it was rare to find people who understood the vision, but he was one of those who not only understood but also supported, encouraged, and actively participated,” reflects Joanna Ilboudo.

One of His Final Pieces of Advice to Christian Publishers in Africa

Throughout his life, Dr. Bourdanné shared his experience and wisdom countless times, leaving many with valuable insights. One of his last pieces of advice, given during his final meeting with Gathuku Kibunga in July 2024 provides a fitting conclusion.

“We need to focus on a good editorial line. What do we want to do? What is the niche, the portion of market God calls us to serve? I can be producer of banana, but God may call me to be producer of apple. Why should I mix up? I will lose. If I am known as a good producer of banana, people will keep coming to buy the banana. […] Think carefully about your editorial line. What is your niche to serve? If you want to serve this kind of audience, stick with that and serve them faithfully. And don’t go left, right, up or down, you will not survive for a longer time,” advised Daniel Bourdanné.

The Africa Speaks Community joins the family, colleagues and friends to say, “Good night. We will meet on resurrection morning” to Daniel Bourdanné, a champion of Christian Publishing in Africa.

Article By Dr. Tim Welch

A fantastic opportunity has arisen for 13,000 pastors in French-speaking West Africa. Starting in August 2024, “Pastors Book Set” conferences will begin in West Africa.

This project aims to equip pastors with Christian books in French that are both beneficial to their ministries and doctrinally sound. The project was begun by the mission SIM (Serving In Mission) over forty years ago, with books in English for Christian workers in Ghana. The basic idea of the project is to provide pastors with a mini-library (usually around thirty books) at a modest price. This is the third time French-speaking Africa has benefited from this project, which was also carried out in 2001 and 2012.

In the past, SIM has organized similar projects in other parts of the world, providing Christian books in French, English, Spanish, Amharic and Hausa. Depending on the language, the books included in each project are chosen by pastors who will be served by the project in Africa, Asia or Latin America. In the case of the French-language books, a title has never been repeated from one project to the next.

This time, 13,000 pastors in seven countries will benefit from this project, namely pastors in Senegal, Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Niger, Tchad and Cote d’Ivoire. Each participant will receive 36 books in all: eight printed books and 28 e-books, including 14 audiobooks. If you were to buy all these books in a bookstore, the cost would exceed 535,000 FCFA (880 USD). But each participant will pay only 35,000 to 40,000 FCFA (58 to 67 USD) to take part in this project. What’s more, each participant will attend a conference that will address themes of importance to the African church.

One of the special books included in this project is the French edition of the Expository Dictionary of Bible Words, a dictionary that has been translated especially for this project. This dictionary gives the meaning of Hebrew and Greek words in the Bible. Another special title is the second edition of the African Study Bible. This Bible emphasizes the African presence and participation in the biblical text. This project will mark the first time that this Bible is available to Christian leaders.

Please pray that the Lord will use this project to deepen the maturity of pastors and to transform His Church in French-speaking West Africa.

Article By Africa Speaks

On Friday, March 8, 2024 in Nairobi, as the Africa Speaks Roundtable Consultation (ASROCO) drew to a close with a talent contest whose winners were preparing to receive their awards, copies of the book Coming of Age: Strides in African Publishing, a collection of essays honoring Dr. Henry Chakara on his 70th birthday, little did they know that Dr. Chakara had passed away that very morning, at the age of 77.

Dr. Henry Miyinzi Chakava was a distinguished Kenyan publisher and award-winning author whose influence extended beyond the borders of Kenya. He began his career in 1972, as editor and then editor-in-chief of the international publishing house Heinemann Educational Books, where he helped publish and promote leading African writers such as Nigerian Chinua Achebe.

In 1992, he took over the establishment and began a process that led to the creation of East African Educational Publishers (EAEP), a wholly Kenyan-owned company, which he later expanded in Uganda and Tanzania.

In the educational field, Dr. Chakava has helped to change the narrative that was previously heavily influenced by a Western point of view. He has published many educational and cultural books from an African perspective that have been of major importance in East Africa. In addition to books in English, he published in local languages, at a time when local languages were still considered subversive by governments and authorities. Henry Chakava was also a visiting lecturer at Oxford Brookes University.

One of his greatest contributions as an author was his book Publishing in Africa: One Man’s Perspective, published by Bellagio Publishing Network in 1996, in which he explored the issues of publishing in Africa, and for which Chinua Achebe wrote a brief introduction.

The book Coming of Age: Strides in African Publishing is a Festschrift dedicated to Henry Chakava, featuring sixteen chapters contributed by prominent figures in African literature and publishing. Notable authors like Ngugi wa Thiong’o, Simon Gikandi, and Micere Githae Mugo, along with colleagues from Kenya, Uganda, Nigeria, and internationally, pay tribute to Chakava’s significant contributions to African publishing. The first five chapters honor Chakava’s work and evaluate his impact on publishing and literary development in Africa.

The subsequent eleven chapters delve into various aspects of African publishing, covering topics such as scholarly publishing, copyright issues, the digital age’s influence on publishing, the international market for African books, professional training, and the importance of research and documentation in African book industries.

Dr. Chakava was also a founding member of African Publishers Network (APNET), a collective voice of publishers in Africa, and one of the founders of ABC (African Books Collective) working with publishers in other African countries to take control of their own distribution and participate in their own voices on the international stage. Together, they have fought to make ABC the voice of African publishers, and a non-profit enterprise promoting the independent publishing and distribution of books from the continent.

Dr. Henry Chakava, acclaimed as the father of publishing in Kenya, leaves a tremendous literary, publishing and cultural legacy to African posterity that will continue to bear fruit for a long time to come.

Article By Huguette Cyubahiro

Who of you is left who saw this house in its former glory? How does it look to you now? Does it not seem to you like nothing?’ (Haggai 2:3, NIV)

In May 2022, there was an exciting book launch in East Africa and other parts of the world. The book was Africa to the Rest: From Mission Field to Mission Force (Again), co-authored by Sam Ngugi and Dr Yaw Perbi.^[1] Our team had the honor of organizing the launch in Rwanda and I was inspired by the authors’ vision that, with the right discipleship, Africa could turn its numerical (number of Christians) strength into a mission force. Soon after, together with some friends, we presented a copy of the book to an immensely influential church leader. We asked what he thought about the challenge presented by ‘Africa to the Rest’, whether Africa would become a mission force. To our dismay, he said he doesn’t believe that Africa can be a mission force. He presented us with pragmatic facts to support his position; such as the lack of resources necessary to send missionaries, and the inability to provide the education needed to send quality missionaries to the unreached, among others. The pessimism! His words could well have killed our enthusiasm if we had not been basing our confidence on the faithfulness of God whom we had experienced as missionaries on the frontiers. This African mission vision, pragmatically, was poised to fail.

The Great Commission as a central theme in Christianity cannot be overemphasized. Certainly, the magnitude of this mission is matched by its difficulty.^[2] This article will relate parts of the book of Haggai, as a portrait of a people whose passion could not move them beyond the discouragement of their elders. We will see what the Israelites suffered when their materialistic outlook replaced God’s promise and guidance for his mission. We will conclude by reflecting on how the church in our time can surmount such discouragements in fulfilling God’s purpose.

His words could well have killed our enthusiasm if we had not been basing our confidence on the faithfulness of God whom we had experienced as missionaries on the frontiers.

Motivation is No Issue, Longevity is

The fourth chapter of Ezra provides a background for Haggai. The elders in Israel, looking at the temple foundation, felt that it failed miserably in comparison to the temple they had seen in Solomon’s time. The book of Haggai opens with a call to rebuild the temple that still lay in ruins 16 years after the decree of the Persian Emperor Cyrus, which permitted the people to return to Jerusalem. When the first party of exiles returned to their homeland under the leadership of Zerubbabel, they made an enthusiastic start on rebuilding the temple which had been destroyed by the Babylonians, but were unable to proceed beyond the foundation.^[3]

Various authors are of the opinion that it was opposition which caused the people to halt the rebuilding of the temple in Ezra 4.^[4] To me, this is the superficial reason. God’s people are usually able to move beyond external obstacles in obedience to His will, as long as their view of God is right. There was a bigger obstacle, more difficult to surmount than the opposition from the Samaritans. It was the discouragement from the older generation that saw the foundations of the temple as ‘less glorious’ compared to the temple Solomon built in their time. Let’s look at the scene as depicted in Ezra chapter 3:

‘And all the people gave a great shout of praise to the Lord, because the foundation of the house of the Lord was laid. But many of the older priests and Levites and family heads (emphasis mine), who had seen the former temple, wept aloud when they saw the foundation of this temple being laid, while many others shouted for joy. No one could distinguish the shouts of joy from the sound of weeping, because the people made so much noise. And the sound was heard far away.’ (Ezra 3:11b-13, NIV)

Glory in Israel signified Yahweh dwelling among his people and taking pleasure in them. In this case, it was reminiscent of the glory of the Lord that had filled the Temple in 1 Kings 8:1-21 supposedly because it was a temple worthy of Yahweh, in the way it was adorned and built according to his instructions. This notion, in my view, sapped the energy and enthusiasm of a people who had already paid a high cost to leave the prosperous Babylon for Israel that could not promise the same material prosperity they had forfeited.

Humble Beginnings

Rwanda (then Ruanda-Urundi) has a glorious history of the East African revival in the 1920s and 1930s,^[5] which swept the region and had influence in worlds beyond. Some elders in this generation lived in its wake. It has been only ten years since I came to the knowledge of God’s purpose to redeem the nations and the church’s responsibility in the task of world evangelization. According to facilitators of the Kairos Course, systematic envisioning of the Rwandan church (mobilization) started in 2008 with Kairos Course 3rd Edition. They targeted pastors as well as lay leaders, yet this didn’t necessarily translate into meaningful participation in world evangelization. In 15 years, only a handful of missionaries have been sent out from Rwanda. This is because, although our Christian leaders understand the theological rationale of mission, they mostly keep a safe distance when it comes to publicly encouraging others into missions, specifically to least reached nations. Time and again, when young mission leaders make small but costly strides, they are confronted with the fact that our elders can’t join in the celebration. Those who do will not do so publicly. These are small beginnings. Small budgets, small numbers, small everything. To such leaders who are at the height of ministry, it must be a shame to associate with such a small vision, unless they see with God’s eyes.

‘The pragmatic mindset says, does it work? if it’s visible, demonstrable and tangible we will take it. If you get numbers, you’re doing the right thing. If God supplies the money, then you must be doing the will of God.’^[6] In our time, the need of the hour is world evangelization, people group by people group, and we are to work our way through obstacles, both collectively and individually, in order to respond in obedience. Failure to do that is failure to function in our identity as his people.

In our time, the need of the hour is world evangelization, people group by people group, and we are to work our way through obstacles, both collectively and individually, in order to respond in obedience.

What Resulted?

They sank into consumerism. ‘ . . . is it time for you yourselves to be living in your paneled houses, while this house remains a ruin? (emphasis mine)’ (Haggai 1:2, NIV) The Jews in Haggai’s day weren’t merely meeting their need for houses to live in. They were building luxurious houses.^[7] Human beings have innate ambition. And when God isn’t the center of that ambition, materialism becomes their pursuit. We talk about not having enough money to support missions, but when the missionary returns from the field, he finds a new luxury car in the parking lot. Ultimately, the question is whether God’s mission is seen as a priority in our lives, not whether we have resources.

Responding with Faith in God’s Promise

God has in the past used the young to open the eyes of their elders. One such example is William Carey. When he started sharing his burden for reaching the heathen, the most aged and respectable ministers thought it wild and impracticable and therefore gave him no encouragement. At a meeting held soon after his ordination, he suggested as a subject for their discussion, ‘the duty of Christian people to spread the gospel among the heathen’. The elder Ryland, who had baptized him a few years earlier, rose sternly to his feet with the rebuke (emphasis mine), ‘Young man, sit down! When God pleases to convert the heathen, He will do it without your aid or mine!’ Carey’s tenacity eventually yielded fruit, and by God’s grace a missionary society was formed.^[8] Here are some of the recommendations from William Carey’s example, that we can apply, as we trust God to change the status quo.^[9]

1. We need to be students of mission
We need to study God’s word to understand his Mission for ourselves. Carey’s message in his little 87-page book, ‘An Enquiry’, was packed with up-to-date statistics of peoples, their geographical locations, and their religious status. It was a masterpiece of factual accuracy. His message was relayed so passionately and persuasively. It is going to take more than minimum effort on our part to mobilize our leaders into God’s mission. He has provided all that is needed; we must give it our utmost!

2. Our plea needs to speak into current missiological issues of the church.
In Carey’s days the prevailing attitude was that the Great Commission was exclusively for the apostles to whom the words were originally addressed. Therefore, he wrote portraying the Great Commission as being just as valid for modern Christians as it was for the apostles. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to help us discern the predominant attitude that causes our leaders to be indifferent to mission, and speak into it.

3. We need to document our stories and reflections.
I have only recently learnt that we have had African missionary pioneers through the book ‘Africa to the Rest’!^[10] What if most of our pioneers had documented their struggles and victories? Wouldn’t that have given us some kind of benchmark to which we could refer as we trace our own missionary journey? Sometimes biographies of western missionaries can be out of context for young African leaders. God is at work in Africa through Africans. His victory needs to be sounded in the global arena. If Carey’s message hadn’t been communicated both in word and print, it definitely wouldn’t have had an effect across the Christian world.

4. We need to develop relevant mechanisms for the practice of mission in our context.
Carey’s little book had a long title that went thus, ‘An enquiry into the obligation of Christians to use means for the conversion of the heathens’ (emphasis mine). The means advocated were the practical structures required to get the task accomplished.^[11]

5. We need steadfast faith in our God (This point cannot be overemphasized.)
The mission of God is a school of faith. That we lose passionate young leaders to the discouragement of their elders, ultimately, is something to do with their own faith. The success stories of missions are stories of endurance and the faithfulness of God. Isaiah 50:7 says ‘Because the Sovereign Lord helps me, I will not be disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint, and I know I will not be put to shame (emphasis mine).’

6. We need to be committed to pursuing maturity through discipleship
We need to realize that God didn’t call us because we were the perfect fit. We need to be accountable to God and his people. We need not be running for platforms, but take time to grow through discipleship so that our character can be helped. Once we are in positions of influence without accountability it’s very hard to go back to the foundations and get the discipleship we need.

Conclusion

The Bible provides a solid understanding of the mission of God. Like the nation of Israel, the church has the divine commission to ‘bless’ all nations. Additionally, in our time, God has provided the ministry of mobilization to reignite the fire of missions. Yet, in many cases, our key leaders continue to treat world evangelization as an afterthought. They won’t participate meaningfully or encourage those they lead to be involved in it publicly. This to me is because the story of mission in Rwanda and other African countries is a story of small beginnings whose glory escapes our pragmatic leaders. As Caleb and Joshua would say in Numbers 14:8 ‘If the Lord is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us.’

End Notes

1. Yaw Perbi and Sam Ngugi, African to the Rest: From Mission Field to Mission Force (Again) (Maitland: Xulon Press, 2022).
2. Steve Richardson, Is the Commission Still Great? (Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2022).
3. David Pawson, Unlocking the Bible: A Unique Overview of the Whole Bible (Newcastle upon Tyne: True Potential, 2017), 451.
4. Pat and David Alexander, The Lion Handbook to the Bible (Jordan Hill Rd: Lion Hudson PLC, 2009).
5. Living Springs International, Kairos: God, the Church and the World (Living Springs International, 2005).
6. Elizabeth Elliot, ‘Quality Life: The Vitality of the Crucified Life,’ (February 23rd, 1992). https://elisabethelliot.org/resource-library/lectures-talks/the-vitality-of-the-crucified-life-quality-of-life/.
7. Pawson, Unlocking the Bible: A Unique Overview of the Whole Bible, 451.
8. Eduard A. Annett, William Carey: Pioneer Missionary to India (Georgia: National Sunday School Union, 1932), 24-27.
9. William Carey, An Inquiry into the Obligations of Christians to use Means for the Conversion of the Heathens: In Which the Religious State of the Different Nations of the World, the Success of Former Undertakings, and the Practicability of Further Undertakings, are Considered. (Leicester: Ann Ireland, 1792).
10. Ngugi, Africa to the Rest: From Mission Field to Mission Force (Again), 2-17, 31-32.
11. A. Skevington Wood, The Inextinguishable Blaze: Spiritual Renewal and Advance in the Eighteenth Century (Eugene: Wipf and Stock, 2005), 240.

Article By Isaac Phiri

If Jesus were in the world today, and was an author, what would He write about? And, would He get published?

From what we know of Jesus, it is safe to say that most of His writing would be about love for God, for neighbors, for enemies. Jesus would want His readers to understand God’s love for humanity—that He became one of them and died in their stead. This simple but profound truth is often lost in contemporary Christian publishing.

Jesus would also want to write books that stir a love for God in our hearts. Jesus would want readers to develop a greater passion for God—to be in His presence more, to worship Him more, to enjoy His Word more, to serve Him more. Clearly, this quality of spirituality lacks in most of our lives.

Love for neighbors

Jesus’ books would also challenge readers to love others—their neighbors. He would not be a people-pleasing author. He would make readers uncomfortable by His definition of neighbor—not a selected inner circle but one including even those we know (and love) the least. The homeless. The sickly. The poor. The lonely. Those who are different from us in culture, race, ethnicity, social status, and religion. Jesus’ books would expose our prejudices.

Love for enemies

In the U.S.A., September 11 is remembered as the day when enemies caused much death and destruction. The world responds to these circumstances by calling for the Old Testament’s eye-for-eye justice. Vengeance is the norm. What would Jesus’ line of books say about how we should live in these times? You guessed it—forgive and love your enemies. I can imagine Jesus appearing on a television program to answer a series of questions about His books.

“What do you say about those who fly passenger planes into buildings?” Love and forgive. “What of those who plant explosives and kill us?” Love and forgive. “What of those who drop bombs on our cities?” Love and forgive. “What of the religious fanatics who set trains and our homes on fire?” Love and forgive. “What of those who cut off our limbs?” Love and forgive. “What of those who plunder our national resources, leaving us in abject poverty?” Love and forgive. “What about those who treat us badly because of race, ethnicity, gender, nationality?” Love and forgive. “What about those who abuse our children?” Love and forgive.

At this point I imagine the interviewer would turn to a learned Latin-and-Greek speaking seminary professor to respond to Jesus’ ideas. “He must be from out of this world. Only God can do what this man says,” he contends. The interviewer turns back to Jesus for a response. “Yes, it is as you say,” Jesus smiles.

You did not publish me

Sadly, if Jesus wanted a publisher, many—myself included—would turn Him down. My reasons for rejecting Him would be valid. Jesus has no credentials. He is a first-time author. He is a Palestinian Jew who once fled to Egypt to elude authorities. He has no constituency to market to; His followers are a band of poor fishermen, former prostitutes and dubious tax agents. To make things worse, His ideas are offensive to many. He is not the kind of author any self-respecting Christian publishing house wants.

In the Gospels, Jesus tells of how at the end of time, we will stand before Him and give an account. He will say things like “I was hungry and you did not feed me.” If our books lack His authentic message of love, He could turn to us Christian publishers and say, “You did not publish Me.”

The original article was done for Interlit, David C. Cook (published with permission)

Article By Lawrence Darmani

Workshops are essential for identifying and training beginning writers. But to develop skill in any discipline, one must practice, then practice some more. Follow-up is indispensable for leading writers to maturity. Follow-up must whet a trainee’s appetite for practice.

Provide practical help

Following are some ways you can help your writers practice and develop skill in their work:

1. Arrange follow-up workshops. Many of the writer training programs sponsored by Step Publishers follow-up previous events. Seminars for follow-up include: discussion of questions and concerns, sharing of published works, and reviews of works in progress since the group last met. Our trainers emphasize that an hour of practice writing is worth more than many hours of lectures.

2. Give writing assignments. Skill development requires practice, so one should assign trainees practical work to do. We have published several assigned articles in our magazines, but one does not always have to publish such work. Our cities are full of publishing opportunities: newspapers, magazines, book publishers, journals. Follow-up involves helping the trainee to get published. Seeing their work in print motivates writers more than a thousand lectures.

3. Press for re-writing. Show a writer that there is no good writing; there is only good re-writing. If you have reviewed a writer’s story, point out the positive things about the story, and suggest ways to strengthen the weak areas.

4. Provide reading material. I have always benefited from handouts, reference books, or articles on writing sent to me by my mentors. Once, I sent copies of Writers’ Digest to a young writer. He said the magazine kept him working at his craft.

5. Write letters. The Bible is full of letters that offer heart-felt instruction as a follow-up to the church planting work Paul had accomplished. You also can offer encouragement through e-mail, letters and short notes. Recently a friend asked me, “Have you had some time to work on your novel?” That simple question in a letter revived my enthusiasm to work on my novel.

6. Nurture by role-modeling. “Action speaks louder than words” in our desire to nurture writers. My writings may encourage another to persevere. I have often met people who say to me, “I read your column in the newspaper,” or “I read your book,” or “I read your article.” A mentor or role-model will seize the opportunity to ask the reader about his or her own writing efforts.

Motivate your writers

All the practical steps outlined above are not enough. You must also remind, enthuse, encourage, and urge your writers.

1. Remind writers about the key issues taught at the workshop or training programs or activities they attended. Preoccupation with other activities often brings forgetfulness. A trainee who wanted to write a book might forget that he even had it as a goal.

2. Enthuse the trainees about the goals and the aspirations that brought them to the training (for example, a clear sense of calling). Perhaps the trainee lacks enthusiasm to write that article or book. Lack of enthusiasm comes with time and procrastination. Your role is to build their excitement again by getting them to talk about their writing. Point out all the great things about the project. A mentor once said to me, “I’m eager to read your story—please get back to it.”

3. Encourage writers not to abandon their goals and aspirations. Too often, discouragement comes with failure or mounting problems. Your writer started the manuscript, but could not complete it because he is stuck on character development, or maybe he needs more ideas. Your writer may be discouraged because of rejection slips. At one of our workshops, I met a writer who would not submit any articles because of the repeated rejections she had experienced. I encouraged her not to take rejection slips personally, since she lost nothing if an article is rejected. I described how she could break into the secular newspaper market by submitting articles with a Christian slant. After our talk, her very first submission was accepted.

4. Urge writers to persevere. Reminding, enthusing, and encouraging are all coaxing. Urging is like pushing the writer a little bit. Once I sent paper, a pen, and a file to an aspiring writer and said, “Here is paper, pen, and a file to hold them. Now get to work and write!” She has published three small books since then. Urge your writers to pursue their writing goals.

Follow-up is time-consuming

Nurturing writers is hard work. Follow-up requires you take time to read their work and make comments, time to talk and offer encouragement, time to look out for opportunities. However, your investment in nurturing a writer can yield exciting rewards for your publishing house, for the writer, and for your readers.

The original article was done for Interlit, David C. Cook (published with permission)

Article By David Waweru

And God said, “Let there be light” and there was light. With light came visual perception; color, beautiful and ugly; symmetry and asymmetry. With light came graphic cognition, communication and competition. And light made it possible to appreciate good design – and to sneer at the mediocre.

In a study published in 1982, researchers W.H. Levie and R. Lentz identified four functions of graphic design. These are: attention-getting, affective, cognitive, and compensatory. A designer must marry the objective of the author or editor to the message of the book to accomplish these four functions. The importance of each function varies depending on the subject matter and audience of the book. Failure to communicate with your reader occurs when you do not pay enough attention to one of the functions.

Capturing customers’ attention

A print design project, such as a book or promotional tool, communicates a message, but that message will go unnoticed unless the project has the visual impact to capture the intended reader’s attention. You can fail to get attention with a boring design or poor execution—or you can get too much, or the wrong kind, of attention!

Our cover design for a book on love, sex and relationships floundered. The color, typography and image used were deemed too “sexy” in a culture that treats the subject as taboo. Booksellers reported that some customers literally looked over their shoulders when presenting it to the cashier. Some who bought it immediately covered it up. Parents who would have selected it for their teens feared the book was about hot tips on sex and relationships. We were told that someone even asked whether it had photographs and other illustrations. We had not considered the fact that good design should say not only “I am here!” but also “Pick me up.” We learnt from the school of hard knocks that what matters is not how pretty a design looks—but what results it gets.

Our cover for a marriage book, Beyond the Vows, was an outright winner. The symbolism, color, proportions and typography were all just right. Its aesthetic message tied up quite well with the title.

The affective effect

A design can fail to connect with the intended readers because it does not appeal to their emotions. It would be considered unwise not to use red in designing a project for the Maasai of Kenya and Tanzania. One rite of passage for the Maasai boy is to hunt down a wild animal, such as a lion, and spear it to death. The most common and popular meal among the Maasai is comprised primarily of raw cow blood. While the color red may be repulsive in another culture, it immediately evokes feelings of belonging among the Maasai. It is the dominant color in Maasai traditional attire.

Matching the message

You can fail because you do not pay attention to the cognitive message of the design. Because designs from the West are typically well executed, there is always the tendency to assume that their symbolism will be effective in another culture. This is not necessarily true. A book on how couples can work out their differences with a cover depicting pillow-fighting would not work. The pillow-fight concept is quite foreign in the African context, and it is almost inconceivable to imagine a couple sorting out their differences this way.

Aiding comprehension

A design can fail by neglecting the compensatory function. Children who are learning to read, as well as poor readers, need the help of pictorial clues to decode the text. Your drive in design should be effectiveness in communicating with your audience.

Excellence in design

Kirabo Lukwago, one of Kenya’s most respected graphic designers, says that the pursuit of excellence has more to do with attitude than the amount of money we can allocate to a project. It is quite possible to have an expensively done design that does not communicate. Conversely, it is possible to have a high impact design simply produced.

I concur with Lukwago: it is not a question of money, but of attitude. Our publishing house cannot afford designs that do not resonate with readers, and which result in slow-selling titles or dead stockpiled in the warehouse. The right attitude asks: “How can we attain excellence inexpensively?” It does not conclude: “Quality is too expensive. We can’t afford it!”

Publishers and other Christian communicators must realize that we are expected to be good stewards of the resources God provides. And He expects excellence of us, not constant griping. It is what we do with what we have that counts, not what we might do with what we do not have! If we are driven by excellence, we will refuse to settle for anything less.

The original article was done for Interlit, David C. Cook (published with permission)