Why is it important that more Christian authors in your country write and get published? Babatomiwa Moses Owojaiye of Nigeria responded in this article for the LittWorld 2012 Writing Contest:
In his 2011 convocation address, the President of Asbury Theological Seminary, Professor Timothy Tennent, said to his largely American audience that, “in the 19th century, God commanded us to Christianize Africa. In the 21st century, He may well be calling us to Africanize Christianity.” In a similar vein, Professor Andrew Walls predicted that “it is inevitable that the religio-cultural transformation of the 20th century will place Africans and Asians more and more in positions of leadership in world Christianity.”
If Nigeria as widely recognized by observers of African Christianity, is a major block in
world Christianity; the question then arises: what will the church in Nigeria contribute to the growth of the wider church? I believe God’s decision to shift the center of numeric gravity of the contemporary world Christianity to the global south is not a call to competition, rather it’s a call to a higher ministry. According to Walls, “that Africa will bring gifts to the church is widely recognized, and many see those gifts as including a zeal for Christ, unembarrassed witness to him, energy and delight in worship, and fervency in prayer, all of which will bless the wider church.” Walls however adds that Africa must bring intellectual and theological leadership to the wider church too.
One significant way to contribute is to be intentional in writing and publishing. According to Tennent, the new development in world Christianity “cannot be approached by a “business-as-usual approach”; it cannot be approached by a “pastor-as-comfortable-career-option approach; it also cannot be approached by a, “I’m going to spend my time preoccupied with my salary, my pension plan and parsonage” mentality; neither can it be approached by a “climb the denominational ladder” strategy.” It is a call to the ministry of quality writing and publishing by all stakeholders within our faith community!
Learn how you can submit articles and win cash in the LittWorld 2012 writing contest, “Blogging for Global Impact.”
Image above courtesy of Salvatore Vuono, freedigitalphotos.net
Yes! We all need to be more intense in our writing, in the way we reach out to our community and outside our community. That’s the only way we can spread the word round the world. If we all are intense authors, then our focus will be on outside world because the message would have gone round our community.
Thanks for the challenge sir!!!
Sister Sharon, I truly appreciate you comments. Thanks.
Thank God for such a challenge as this. The time is now for us to arise, write and read. IT is one thing to write and another thing to read.
Second ECWA Ilorin-Nigeria, I truly appreciate you comments. Thanks.
Hmmm! How passionate we should be towards putting in print our Christain understanding of the Biblical Christianity.
We, if we’re serious, cannot lose sight of what God’s mind about the world is in the present and in the future. Why? Because His revealed mind was well documented by the ancient holy people. What they wrote outlived them to bless us and generations to come.
In the same vein, our biblical understanding needs being documented for the generations to come; in this same way, we reach, through our writings, people across the world whom we could not have reached personal. However, we Africans must shelf our laziness and lack of commitment in writing and reading. PEACE!
Brother David, I truly appreciate you comments. Thanks.
The best way to reach out with the world of God is to publish out as a good writer,will must know how to approch in good way’s and preach the world of (GOD) tanks for the challenge at this time.
Brother Oladipo, thanks so much for reading and also for your comment.
Brilliant thoughts and a challenge to the church/ academy in Africa
Professor Wambua, thanks so much for reading and also for your comment.
as a children minister who writes for children i am more challanged.
Rev. Ola, thanks so much for reading and also for your comment.
Spot on brother Moses. What is interesting to note is that there is so much pastoral and grassroots theology of what is being done, sang, practiced by ordinary, non-literate Christians. It is all waiting to be written; the shortage is not of ideas but of people to pen then down and goodwill to publish them.
Professor Gitau, thanks so much for reading and also for your comment.
It has been a great blessing to read Owojaiye’s blog: very insightful and well rooted in the context. Congratulation!
Professor Atido, thanks so much for reading and also for your comment.
Great blog, great inspiration, great insight! Congratulation.
Dear Jacqueline, thanks for reading and also for your comment.
The word ought to spread to the world through you and me, the propagation of the gospel is a challenge for every believer, now is the time for planting cos a time is coming whereby Harvest will be the paramount and only the Christlike will be qualify.
Brother Gbenga, thanks for reading and also for your comment.
Indeed, when it comes to professional writing, christians have been left behind. There is therefore great need for christian writers to engage their christian worldview and help publish more so that men and women of God can be inspired and challenged to be all they can be by the help of God. Great challenge Moses!
Thanks for your kind sentiment, Sister Dorcas.
Not that we do not have excellent Christian authors in Nigeria, but the challenge is that they were not encouraged. it pays average Nigeria’s Christians to spend their money on sophisticated things i.e expensive handsets than using it on books. not until this is changed, it may be difficult for people to invest their resources on something that people will not appreciate nor buy talk less of reading.
To get more Christian authors will not be the problem, if those on board are encouraged by even the church, and the general publics. the church should give a clarion call for its member to changed their attitude towards writing and reading. with this challenge of my colleague, I believed that it will challenge us to raise to the challenge. well done pastor! I am proud of you .
Rev. Olaniyan, Thanks for your kind comments.
Congratulations, Sir, for this article. Writing and publishing is the only way African scholars can share their views, thoughts and suggestions concerning the Church and the African society at large. Failure to publish while one has the potential to do so amounts to ‘intellectual selfishness’. Congrats, once again, for this challenge.
Thanks for your kind observation and comment, Brother Teme.
I agree with you brother. We need to nature talent and ecourage more Africans to write for Africa from a good African understanding. God bless you as you keep writing as an African in Africa for Africa in an African language.
Thanks for your kind comment, Brother David.