At this year’s Conference for Pastors, our bookstore will contain over 8,000 titles—more resources than any pastor or church member would ever need. In the meantime, across the Atlantic, the vast continent of Africa will be suffering from the opposite extreme—far too few spiritual resources, for both pastors and their sheep.
Africa is the largest French-speaking continent. Over 100 million people in 31 nations speak the language (see the blue countries in the image to the right).* Embracing the spiritual needs of this demographic is clearly a substantial and strategic ambition for serving God’s kingdom.
What can we do?
During Desiring God’s 2010 National Conference, many of you joined together to help us serve English-speaking pastors around the globe. Because of what God provided through you, we were able to secure double our original goal— 10,000 20,000 copies of The Supremacy of God in Preaching.
In the same way, to serve the French church in Africa, we will be hosting another drive the week of our Conference for Pastors (January 31 through February 4). Our goal will be to raise enough money to print 28,000 copies of Au Risque d'Être Heureux (The Dangerous Duty of Delight).
We’re letting you know now so that there is time to think and pray about it. You may also wish to discuss it with your congregation or missions council.
While we’ll be focusing mostly on text-message giving at that time of the conference, individuals or churches who desire to participate can also send checks to Desiring God (noting “French translation” in the memo line), bring a check to the conference, or simply call 1-888-346-4700.
More details on this project coming soon.
* Stats and image courtesy of Wikipedia.
