The Langham Voices website (voices.langham.org) provides the opportunity for Christians in developed nations like Australia to have access to Majority World Christian theologians and thinkers, and to learn from their insights. This is of great importance to the Church in the West. It is a mistake to think that the purpose of developing and equipping Majority World writers is for the benefit of their own context and culture only.
Ian Darke, who has worked in Spanish language Christian publishing for nearly twenty years, explains in an article on the website how the history of the church has always been one of movement: where the once strong bastions of Christianity give way to new, vibrant Christian leadership from elsewhere. From the origins of our faith in the Middle East, then throughout the Roman world and on through the Churches of Asia Minor, today the heartlands of evangelicalism in Europe and North America have given way to the global south, where more than 66% of Christians live in the Majority World.
This shift is reflected in the growth of theological reflection and application of biblical truths to the world coming from the dynamic locations of Church growth and mission. In future, it is the West who will be relying on Christian thinking arising from Africa, Asia and Latin America, and we will be filling our bookshelves with books originating from the Majority World Church.
Darke says “The publishing of relevant and biblical books, by authors sensitive to the needs of their culture and who write in the language of the people, is essential for in-depth church growth within the Majority World, as well as for the invigoration of the Church in [developed nations].”
Darke suggests three steps to make this a reality:
- Identify and equip writers.
- Grow mentor-editors.
- Strengthen publishers.
Darke says, “Ministries like Langham Partnership are playing a key role in enabling Majority World leaders to study at an advanced level, to return to their home context, and to share their learning through books. Increasingly, these scholars are being helped to turn their learning into practical and accessible texts for the local community. Specialized writers’ workshops help “de-academicize” the research in order to communicate important truths to a wider public.” Langham Literature is also involved in training editors and strengthening publishers in the Majority World.
To read the whole article, go to: voices.langham.org/why-your-bookshelf-needs-majority-world-authors
Please join us in prayer for …
SCHOLARS
These are ongoing prayer needs (same as last month… please keep praying!) –
Pray for Egyptian Scholar George Bishai who was in Australia before the pandemic. Pray for him as he seeks to complete his PhD back in Egypt this year. Pray also for Joseph Byamukama from Uganda, being supported specifically through Langham Australia. Pray for Joseph as he studies at home in Kampala and looks forward to visiting Ridley College in Melbourne when borders are open to Africans.
Pray also for Riad Kassis, Director of the Scholars Program, as he lives and tries to work in very difficult circumstances in Lebanon.
PREACHING
A virtual Facilitators Workshop will take place for facilitators working in Colombia. Please pray for the National Committee, Jorge Atiencia and Dionisio Orjuela (Regional Coordinator) as they coordinate and lead this training. Pray for the participants and for a significant impact on the preaching movement through what they will learn together.
The Langham Preaching Global leadership team meet each week by Zoom. Please pray that these times will continue to be productive and that their plans to meet together face to face in March 2022 will go ahead. By that time it will have been three years since they’ve been together in the same place.
Pray for these Preaching events (where countries are considered sensitive, the region is given):
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14-20 November |
Burundi, Colombia |
5-11 December |
Costa Rica, All Africa meeting of Preaching Coordinators |
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21-27 November |
Burundi (4), Burkina Faso, Kenya |
12-18 December |
Burundi |
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28 Nov – 4 Dec |
Cambodia, Central Africa, Burundi, Sweden (leaders forum) |
Thank you for your prayers! |
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LITERATURE
Pray for the final touches on the Amharic Africa Bible Commentary, as the commentaries and articles are inspected to insure that they are ready for printing (Amharic is a major language of Ethiopia). Pray for Christians in that country as it is currently experiencing political unrest.
Continue in prayer for believers and ministries in Myanmar during a very troubled and uncertain time. Two of our writing/publishing partners and their families have battled COVID, one being seriously ill. Pray for stamina and creativity that would help them adapt and manoeuvre through these challenging days.
ADMINISTRATION
Thank God for the Leadership team and International Council meetings held last month. Although the participants were unable to meet in person, important discussions were had and decisions taken. Please pray for International Director Tayo Arikawe as he continues to get to know the various teams within Langham. Pray that he will know God’s help and guidance as he seeks to lead.
Gillean Smiley writes …
What a strategic ministry we have the opportunity to be involved with! Supporting the education of Christian leaders and equipping them to write in accessible, highly relevant ways is not just critical for the believers of their context but for the futures of our own churches, and contributes to the growth in depth and unity of the whole global Church.