Africa Bible Distribution
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Africa Bible Ministries - 1,000,000 Bibles
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The need is urgent!
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The Need:
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Baby Christians die without spiritual food.
Most Africans cannot afford a personal Bible. The African church's growth and maturity in Christ depends upon God's eternal Word in the hands of the people of God. |
... Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, |
The Goal:
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Provide 1,000,000 Christians who are thirsty for God's Word with a Bible so that they can
- engage with God and - impact their communities Deliver 175,000 Bibles per year through 2027. We pray that each person impacts at least five other family members or friends for a total impact of reaching 5,000,000 souls. |
...For the word of God is alive and active." Hebrews 4:12 |
The Target:
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Our target is the poor, the young and the refugee, most of whom cannot afford a Bible and who represent most of the African church.
We began with a test in 2018 in Uganda. In 2019, we began working by regions in Uganda. As more partners in prayer and funding continues to grow, we are seeing God bless individuals, churches and communities. |
The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free." Luke 4:18 NIV |
Why provide a bible to those thirsty for God's word but can't afford one?
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“As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path...Some fell on rocky places...Other seed fell among thorns...Still other seed fell on good soil, where it produced a crop—a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown. Whoever has ears, let them hear.” - Matthew 13:3-9 NIV
If the African evangelist preaches and many are saved, but then can't receive spiritual food each day...they often fall away... If an African Christian attends church every Sunday and hears the Word, but in their daily life has no Bible at home to study the Word...it is difficult to mature spiritually and often they fall away... But, if a Christian hears the Word and has someone to explain the Bible and has a Bible to study, they can produces "a crop - a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown..... " We make Bibles available to Christians who are thirsty for God's Word but can't afford one. We expect to see Kingdom growth. "...when you received the word of God...you accepted it not as a human word, but as it actually is, the word of God, which is indeed at work in you who believe." 1 Thessalonians 2:13 NIV |
God is on the Move!
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...but the word of the Lord endures forever..." 1 Peter 1:25 NIV |
God is on the move putting Bibles into the hands of Africans today! His Word goes forth daily, but most do not have this enduring Word of God in their hands.
- Unfortunately, the cost of a Bible is too much for most, especially, the poor, the youth and refugees.
- You can be a part of this victory for Jesus. We are praying for His name to be glorified in every village and home in Africa.
- Unfortunately, the cost of a Bible is too much for most, especially, the poor, the youth and refugees.
- You can be a part of this victory for Jesus. We are praying for His name to be glorified in every village and home in Africa.
Africa and the African Church Is Growing
- Half of the world’s population growth will be in Africa through 2050.
- By 2060, 6 of the 10 world’s countries with the largest Christian population will be in Africa. - Nigeria, DR Congo, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Ethiopia.
- Uganda Is Stable, Open to Christianity and Centrally Located within This Projected Growth
- Refugees Are Coming to Christ in Great Numbers in Africa
- The countries surrounding Uganda hold over 4.7 million refugees - Uganda (1.1 million), Sudan (1.0), Ethiopia (0.9), Congo (0.5), and Kenya (0.4).
- Christian refugees flee with barely the clothes on their backs and without Bibles and immediately seek to rebuild their faith communities.
- Muslims, freed from cultural and village constraints, are turning to Christ.
- BUT, while the church in Africa is forecasted to have great growth, without a Bible, the growth of the individual Christian and the church will be severely hampered among the largest populations which are the poor, youth and refugee.
WHO CANNOT AFFORD A BIBLE? The poor, the youth and the refugee
The Rural and Urban Poor
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If you cannot afford a Bible, you will not mature, share and disciple others well.
Most Africans cannot afford a Bible. In Uganda, 85% of the population lives in poverty. In these areas, 75 to 90% of the Christians do not have a Bible. 70% of the world's poorest people live in Africa. Quotes from recipients of the Africa Bible Project Bibles: |
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When I got my first Bible a few months ago, I had to be taught how to open it and find a passage. This is a predominantly Muslim area. They always ask, “how do you know this about Jesus?” I have credibility now because I can show them in the Bible. None of them have or know the Koran. I am now confident about sharing with a Muslim. I did not know how to preach. But my pastor taught me the basics, and I can preach now.” - John is 27 years old and a Christian for 5 years.
Many of us go preaching without Bibles. Without a Bible, we have to answer questions hoping we remember what the Bible says. We received 10 Bibles, and this helps us study and preach. Many are being added now because we have Bibles. Those getting saved and those who have been saved long ago still need Bibles.” - Paul is a pastor in an impoverished island group off the coast of Uganda on Lake Victoria.
The Youth
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In Uganda, like most of Africa, 46.5% of the population is under 15 years of age.
If their parents can't afford a Bible, neither can the children. National, regional and local Christian leaders voice great concern for the youth's growing disinterest in the church or skepticism about the truth of the Bible. Of course, without a Bible to read and study, it is difficult to help them to develop spiritually. Increasingly, family and village values are being eroded by easy access to media focusing on violence and immoral behavior. In many cases these youths are Christians who are being drawn away from their faith. Quotes from recipients of the Africa Bible Project Bibles: Scripture Union has agreements with 6,160 primary and secondary schools throughout Uganda. They teach the Bible four days a week in each school. The program is popular among all ages and kids want in the program. |
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The Bible is our primary teaching tool. Children love Bible study because the stories of the Bible give them hope when most cannot see a future for themselves. The Bible is full of hope. But very few have their own Bible. Yet, these 4 to 14-year-olds are forming their values now, and we hope we are helping to instill a thirst for God’s Word. We need over 400,000 Bibles to give each child in our programs each year.” - Executive Director of Scripture Union Uganda
“Students do not see the future consequences of their actions. They are creating other gods who are flexible, who will do what they want. We must create in them a hunger for the Bible. They must have a solid foundation for their hope. We hope they ask their hardest questions so we can get beneath the flimsy veneer of their flexible gods.” - Dr. Julius and his ministry interacts with in every university in Uganda.
The Refugee
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20 million refugees live in Africa. They are displaced from their homes, villages, cultural and religious values, and enduring great hardship to live day to day. Christians flee their homes without a Bible.
Muslims are more likely to turn to Christ than they would in their home village. But without access to a Bible, how can you grow, witness and multiply the Kingdom. Quotes from recipients of the Africa Bible Project Bibles: We need Bibles. We are training children who walk many miles to our school. If they could buy a Bible, they would sell their shoes to get one.” - His Voice Global ministry |
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THIS IS URGENT. We are in a fight for the lost. When they are dislocated, they lose hope. The Gospel needs to advance with speed. Their only answer is the Gospel. It is the answer to war, tribalism, violence, a multitude of sins in the camps. Millions are dying without Christ today. We have to reach these people and Muslims...THE LORD HAS GATHERED THEM IN CAMPS. We have to reach them now. How can we effectively disciple without a Bible? THIS IS URGENT!” - Edward Dima, church planter, pastor, and evangelist to refugees in Africa
How the Bibles are distributed
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- We distribute only through church associations and ministries, who commit to walk with the recipient of each Bible.
- We distribute by area to save logistics costs. - We distribute by language needed in each area. - At the local level, each local church or ministry provides us each recipient's name and mobile. - We randomly check up on those receiving the Bibles. And follow up personally as needed to assist anyone needing help understanding the Bible. |
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Lowering the cost of each Bible
We print and ship 10,000 Bibles at a time.
The most efficient way to ship and deliver Bibles to Africa is in shipping containers of 10,000 to 13,000 Bibles at a time. Currently, no printer in Africa is capable of printing a quality Bible that will last at least 5 to 10 years in an African hut.
We print the African languages needed and ship them in containers to ports on the African coast. From there, the containers are shipped overland to the intended country.
In country, our ministry partners hand deliver each shepherded Bible into the hand of one thirsty for God's Word.
The most efficient way to ship and deliver Bibles to Africa is in shipping containers of 10,000 to 13,000 Bibles at a time. Currently, no printer in Africa is capable of printing a quality Bible that will last at least 5 to 10 years in an African hut.
We print the African languages needed and ship them in containers to ports on the African coast. From there, the containers are shipped overland to the intended country.
In country, our ministry partners hand deliver each shepherded Bible into the hand of one thirsty for God's Word.
Our Pilot - hand deliver 10,000 Bibles
2018 Bible Distribution
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2018 PILOT - Not free but accountable and shepherded Bibles
Based on feedback from pastors and ministry leaders in 2017, all strongly suggested that instead of giving Bibles away, each recipient should feel they are owners of the Bible. Culturally a free hand out is something you should take, even if you don't need it. In 2018, we asked for a donation of 2,500 shillings for each Bible donated. After the pilot was completed in 2018, pastors and ministry leaders said the donation should be increased to 5,000 shillings which we did in 2019. The donations for the Bibles is now used to assist in the cost of "on the ground operations" including printing training materials, a light meal for the day long training, and transporting our teams via rented vehicles as they deliver Bibles. When the poor digs into their pocket, they are making a commitment to use it. Plus, it ensures that someone wanting to resell the Bible, which costs over 30,000 shillings in Uganda, will not be tempted to resell the Bible, which is not our intent. Some of our Bibles translations in languages which do not have many native speakers are sold for more than 50,000 shillings because the language is printed/shipped in small quantities. |
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To ensure accountability, each recipient of a Bible is required to sign for the Bible, indicate their church and provide their phone number. We randomly call each person and also speak with each pastor to get feedback on how the Bible is being used.
You can provide one thirsty souls with a Bible for as little as $7.
About Uganda - One country's need for the Bible
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COUNTRY FACTS
- Uganda is a landlocked East African country of 41.5 million people. - The official language is English. - Uganda is one of the fastest growing populations in the world. RELIGION
- Many Ugandans identify as Christian by tradition (Catholic and Anglican), but they are often not active church members and know little about Christ. - Evangelicals make up 35% of the population. - 9% are considered “unreached.” - Muslims believers are growing fast. |
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BIBLE AVAILABILITY
- The Bible has been translated into 16 complete local language Bibles and 6 others have New Testaments.
- Bibles translation is in progress for seventeen of the 35 remaining languages are in progress.
- The Bible has been translated into 16 complete local language Bibles and 6 others have New Testaments.
- Bibles translation is in progress for seventeen of the 35 remaining languages are in progress.
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BIBLE OUT OF REACH FOR MOST
- The cost of the Bible is out of reach for those in rural Uganda, the youth, and refugees. - Most hear the Word preached but do not have a pew Bible or a personal Bible. - Thousands are trained each year in evangelism, discipleship, preaching, and theology without access to a personal Bible. - If retention is difficult without notes, how much harder is it without God’s textbook? |
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RURAL UGANDANS, YOUTH, REFUGEES
- These three groups represent over 85% of Ugandans. Most in these three groups have little or no access to a personal Bible. - Our test provided 10,000 Bibles to these three groups. The test clearly showed that not having a Bible stunts the maturity of these believers, while having a Bible changes the dynamics in a church or ministry. |
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MARGARET WITHOUT A BIBLE
Imagine Margaret, who for more than 20 years sat in church and never owned a personal copy of the Word of God. She couldn't witness from the Bible to her family and friends. She sat in church each Sunday listening to the pastor but had nothing to follow along with or to take home and study.
Today, she does!
Imagine Margaret, who for more than 20 years sat in church and never owned a personal copy of the Word of God. She couldn't witness from the Bible to her family and friends. She sat in church each Sunday listening to the pastor but had nothing to follow along with or to take home and study.
Today, she does!