Daniel Bourdanné: A Life of Service and Impact

By Dr. Joanna Ilboudo

As a sister in Christ and colleague in Christian publishing, I am writing to celebrate Daniel’s life and legacy whose influence as a servant of God will continue to inspire many long after his passing away on September 6, 2024. His passion for Christian literature and dedication to training Christian writers and publishers in Africa has left an indelible mark in my personal life and certainly on many countless lives.

My dear brother Daniel understood the transformative power of words, particularly those rooted in faith and the gospel of Christ. He devoted his life to equipping African writers to share messages of hope, truth and love with the world. This brought him to mobilize Christian leaders from different countries in Africa to write and publish the book Leadership pour l’Éxcellence (“Leadership for Excellency”) in 1997. Through his guidance and mentorship, he empowered a new generation of Christian writers to boldly proclaim their faith and share God’s Word through books by creating Presses Bibliques Africaines (PBA), a Christian publishing house which is well known across Africa.

With humility and unwavering commitment, Daniel Bourdanné attended a great number of conferences organized by MAI. During the training sessions, he not only showed himself as a skilled teacher but also as a compassionate mentor, always willing to listen and offer guidance.

The last time brother Dr. Bourdanné and myself met was at the launching of Africa Speaks by Tyndale House Foundation in the USA, during which he gave a powerful message on how Africa speaks and must speak to the world. As a former Secretary General of the International Fellowship of Evangelical Students (IFES), he was instrumental in shaping the first consultation of Africa Speaks, which is continuing to impact Christian publishers across Africa.

Brother Dr. Bourdanné’s life reminds me of the words in Romans 10:15, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!” He embodied this scripture, not only by bringing the good news himself but by helping others find their voice to do the same; I am one of these people he helped.

While we grieve the loss of our dear brother, we take comfort in knowing that his legacy lives on through the African writers and publishers he inspired. We will forever remember our dear brother Dr. Daniel Bourdanné for his dedication and his tireless work in advancing Christian writing and publishing in Africa. Daniel has run his race of faith well and is now resting with the Lord. I am confident that he has heard these words from his Master, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”