When Nazarene Missions International announced its 90th anniversary project, Books for Pastors Tools for Ministry, they had a goal to raise 3.5 million (U.S.) to provide libraries for pastors around the world.
Books for Pastors—Tools for Ministry prompts writer’s workshops on Africa Region
Tuesday, August 21, 2007
Johannesburg, South Africa
Regional Education Coordinator Filimao Chambo worked with the Africa Region Course of Study Advisory Committee and established a committee to ensure funds provided would have a lasting impact through writing, translating, and printing texts needed by pastors for effective ministry.

Though it was originally anticipated several titles would be written by authors on the Africa Region, at the end of the strategic planning stage just The History of the Church of the Nazarene in Africa. This text was earmarked for production—from writing to translation, printing, and distribution—by Africa Region personnel.

Enoch Litswele, historian for the Church of the Nazarene on the Africa Region, agreed to head up the development of this text. The Africa field strategy coordinators selected key individuals from each field and country to work on the project. The African field education coordinators agreed to liaise with these individuals in addition to Litswele, Chambo, and Nazarene Education and World Mission Literature Services.

It was also determined that some project participants might require training in various aspects, including interviewing and writing skills. To accomplish this, workshops were scheduled throughout the Africa Region as funds were designated for the workshops by the Books for Pastors task force.

In recent meetings held by this task force, which is comprised of members from the international church, it was decided that training workshops should include writers from various areas of the Nazarene church. This includes those who write Sunday School and discipleship materials, not just those designated to develop the Africa history text.

The goals of the workshops are to equip Nazarenes to write effectively within the African context by providing general training skills to writers, training writers in specified critical areas, providing an opportunity for writers to practice learned skills by completing writings in assigned areas, and producing partial and/or finished products in the three critical areas of need: the Africa history text, Sunday School, and discipleship materials.

An initial workshop for writers has been scheduled for September 16-21, at the Good News Convention Centre in Johannesburg, South Africa.

According to Chambo, “We are excited about this possibility of having many potential writers trained in the necessary skills for not only today, but as writers of the future. We have been aware for a long time that the church in Africa needs to start writing. We have much to tell and a great message to write about. This is a good time for us to take our place with other church authors around the world, for the ongoing development of the Kingdom of God, and for building a stronger church here in Africa.”
--NCN News-Africa