What Africa Can Teach Us AllSample

African Readers Mark Their Place

To understand people’s reading habits is to get a glimpse into their lives. Today’s Missiographic gives you insight into the patterns of African Christian readers in three countries (Kenya, Angola, and Central African Republic) as discovered through the Africa Leadership Study. 

Africa’s 1 billion people are geographically, linguistically, and politically diverse. So are the books they read! In the 3 countries covered by this study, 57% identified a favorite author who is Christian (such as Joel Osteen or John Maxwell), 42% identified a favorite author who is African (such as Pepetela, Pierre Sammy Mackfoy, or Ngugi Wa Thiong’o), and only 9.5% identified a favorite author who is both African and Christian (such as Zacharias Tanee Fomum). African Christians expressed a strong desire to read books that are Christian while also African.

Would you be surprised to learn that, according to the American Bible Society, approximately 10% of people in the USA say they read the Bible every day, while 50% of people in these 3 African countries say they read the Bible daily? While there aren’t enough Christian books available by African authors, they are readily reading the Bible as a key form of inspiration. 

Personal Reflection
Everyone has a bookmark! Each person has a place in the grand narrative of the world’s knowledge and insight. Because of this, many different books and ideas have impacted each of us. What are you reading right now? Perhaps in the USA, readers have so many books to choose from that the Bible can be drowned out. We need to remember to give the Bible priority in the midst of so many resources. Carefully consider what books you will read next!

Prayer
Dear God, thank You for this picture of readership among Christians in Africa. Bless each reader as they seek to learn more about You and their world through the many books that are available. We also pray that You would raise up African Christian authors and give them the platforms and opportunities to communicate to believers in their countries, on their continent and around the world. Amen

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