Christian writers, editors and publishers throughout the world share one thing in common: faith in Jesus. But might there be that something special, unique strengths and gifts that God has given His people—suited to their particular place, time and culture? Hear directly from our regional Board Chairs about the things they’ve observed and come to love about Christian writers and publishers in their part of the world.
Unity and collaboration in Christ amidst cultural diversity
Aaron Lee (MAI-Asia): There’s a great diversity in the Asia region that perhaps is even more pronounced than in other parts of the world. Asia and the Pacific is just so incredibly diverse with people from every kind of culture, background and faith and language. But what brings the Christians, the gospel communicators, together is our unity because of the bond of Christ. It’s something that really just very rapidly overcomes cultural barriers, language barriers.
We fellowship and share as brothers and sisters in Christ. We are all about the Great Commission. We know how important it is that people in every part of the world should hear the gospel and be able to read the Bible in their own heart language, and also to hear stories and testimonies of people who are journeying in a spiritual life with Jesus. Even in that diversity among all these different groups in Asia, when you’ve seen them come together, there is this unity. It is so special, that ability to cross cultures like that and be able to work together.
I always believe that we can do more together than by ourselves. I would love it if churches and Christian communities everywhere would partner with MAI in what we do, and to be able to network, collaborate and partner together in this mission. It’s a very unique and distinctive mission that MAI has, but I believe that we can really benefit from a lot of synergy and collaboration.
Strong storytelling gifts used to foster understanding
Rose Birenge (MAI-Africa): We have great storytellers because we’ve been and we still are an oral society. As we’ve grown in terms of biblical theology or literacy, and sermons have been preached more by Africans, you find the storytelling gift is really strong. Most pastors who have wonderful sermons and can give a good story may not be good writers; I feel there could be a gap for ghostwriting so that these stories can go on to posterity.
I’ve also seen growth in terms of editing and cover designs. When I was growing up, I’d go to a bookshop and it was so discouraging to find that African-written books looked so drab on the cover, and even the paper they used kind of looked cheap. But there’s been so much growth. There’s better quality. I’m happy that we’re growing. We still have a way to go in terms of editorial, but I feel we’ve come a long way. Our books are competing on the global stage in terms of content, in terms of excellence, in terms of contextualization.
Now it’s so encouraging to get books on parenting written from the African perspective. It feels like home because the concepts used, the examples used are things that are familiar to those who are reading it.
Christianity is always lived out in a context. You have to contextualize Christianity into that reality, the contextual reality of the culture. Sometimes you’d read books from the West and some of the concepts were not very familiar because they’re not our concepts.
When you find somebody who can write a good book that is based in the African cultural context, then people are able to identify with it better. And not just for Africa, but also the world is able to tell, “Wow, this is the context that these people are living in.”
We are contributing to people getting knowledge, people getting understanding, getting ideas on how to live life because it’s always a gift from each and every culture across the world. Ensuring that we can critique each other in a loving way to help us produce good content that can be a blessing not just to Africa, but to the rest of the world. Just like we have also been blessed by content from across the world. I feel we have depth within the continent.
Generous and persistent creativity
José Carlos Gutiérrez M. (MAI-América Latina): I would say creativity, service, giving to others selflessly. That’s been one of the things that I admire from people in Latin America. Even though they don’t have all the resources they would want, they keep publishing and sharing and training and inspiring other people. Self-publishing their books, writing blogs, in any way they can. So that’s really encouraging. That kind of, “Oh, well, we can’t do these things, but there are all these other ways we can bless others.”
Faithfulness in trial and joy in open doors
Janet Wilson (MAI-Europe): I’m thinking about the people who grew up behind the Iron Curtain. When the Iron Curtain came down, they used everything they possibly could to set up Christian publishing houses and to encourage Christian writers, not just in Bulgaria but all over the region. And some of them are still publishing and writing, so it’s a real testimony to the Lord’s grace of what He has done. At the Balkan Forum, we had people from all around the Balkan region go to this conference center in Bulgaria. It was a very special place because during the times when the Iron Curtain was still up, it was very difficult for Christians to meet together in Bulgaria and obviously many other countries in the region.
For the pastor who had this vision to set this up, it was really such a wonderful thing for him. He had tears in his eyes as he was taking Anna Shirochenskaya and myself around this facility to say, “We just never dreamed that this would be possible for Christians to meet together and have camps for the children, conferences for the pastors, for women’s conferences, men’s conferences, and now writers’ conference.” It was really moving to see this place and to think how it had been before, and now how open it was.
It was so lovely to meet writers who had been faithful to the Lord through all those difficult years, when it wasn’t easy to be a Christian, but they had held on through everything. Through difficult times and easier times, He will still give what is needed to His people and He will still provide for them and help them through it all.