The blessing of reading good books
13 apr 2026 We are grateful that UFM asked us if we could contribute an article for their 4 corners magazine... Here it is:
While working as an anaesthetic nurse in a mission hospital in Benin I was invited to the home of my Beninese colleague Jeremy and his wife Esther for a well-prepared African meal. It’s what happened afterwards that makes me remember that particular evening, now more than 20 years ago, as if it was yesterday.
“Let’s read Spusjéon!” Esther said to Jeremy as she opened the copy of Spurgeon’s Morning and Evening. Totally captivated, they read the passage slowly out loud, not once…not twice…but three times; pausing after every sentence, delighting in each insight, and savoring every encouragement! Like two very dry sponges, they soaked up everything they squeezed out of the passage. Afterwards Jeremy asked: “Is Spusjéon still alive?“
Jeremy’s question makes us smile…but Esther and Jeremy, as West African believers, simply had never ever come across Spurgeon! Reflecting on what I had just witnessed, I realised how difficult it is for those of us who are inundated with books to grasp the importance of good Christian books where there is a drought of printed resources. In fact, still today, ordinary believers in much of French-speaking West Africa have virtually NO access to affordable Christian books. Well-stocked Christian bookshops simply do not exist and online access to books is still very limited. I certainly had not fully realised what a blessing I had given them when I gave them this book a few months earlier.
Little did I know, back then, that one day I would move to the neighbouring country of Togo and marry a Togolese pastor-librarian with a passion for books. Or that today, I would be working on raising the funds for a micro Print-on-Demand (POD) system that will revolutionise access to books in West Africa!It was during the time that the elders of our churches and the architect were discussing the building plans for expanding Tyrannus Bible Institute that we found out about the possibility of microPOD printing. Immediately it was decided to incorporate a printshop. Not only will the printshop, alongside a conference hall, add to Tyrannus’ sustainability by generating revenue, we also realised the potential for blessing pastors, theology students, and ordinary believers with books:
• No longer will books need to come by ocean freight and the hassle of customs; instead they will ‘arrive’ in PDF-form and can be printed locally, affordably, and on-demand.
• No longer will pastors depend on receiving ‘pastor-book-sets,’ containing books chosen for them; alternatively they will be able to choose themselves those books that address the specific issues they are facing in their churches.
• No longer will imported books dominate but local authors will be able to address the problems African churches face and published directly in French and/or in the local languages.
In the 1500s God providentially orchestrated raising up the great Reformers to coincide with the invention of the Gutenberg press, and it was thanks to this press that Reformation light spread rapidly throughout Europe. West Africa too is in need of a Reformation and the rapid spreading of true Gospel light to dispel all false prosperity gospels and much doctrinal confusion. But might it be that God will use the books that will roll off these microPOD presses, which are currently being installed in many West African countries, as the means to bring such light?
Please join us in praying that God would provide the funds to purchase the microPOD press and that it will be used mightily by God to introduce countless Togolese believers to the blessing of reading soul-enriching books!
