How the Gift of the Bible Is Transforming One Kenyan Church

An Opportunity to Support the Global Church

Does everyone in your church have access to a Bible of their own? This may seem like a strange question to ask if you live somewhere with Amazon delivery one click away. But it’s not unusual in other regions of the world where finding a Bible is challenging due to financial and accessibility constraints.

We recently visited Antony Waswa in his home just outside Nairobi, Kenya. Antony serves as a teacher at the Rafiki Foundation and as an elder at his church. Although he lives in a populated area, accessing Bibles remains difficult. Thanks to the generosity of donors to Crossway, Antony’s church received a shipment of ESV Bibles and his children were among the grateful recipients who received their very first Bibles.

Antony shared about the impact he has personally experienced through having a Bible, and the encouragement it’s been for his church family and children to have Bibles of their own too.

Give the Gift of a Bible

Your gift of $3.50 will provide a Bible to someone in need. Crossway is providing one million Bibles to men and women who may not have their own copy. Join us in this effort and allow someone to read God’s Word for themselves. Would you consider partnering with us? Learn More.

How did you come to know Jesus as your Savior?

I grew up in a family where . . . there was a Bible but just to keep our home secure—like a good luck charm. It was not to be cherished or to be read. But when I reached high school in 2007, I met Haron, a friend who preached the gospel to me. He shared with me that the only solution to my sin was to flee to the Lord Jesus Christ. And he led me to faith.

When did you come to understand the value and power of God’s Word?

I got an opportunity to come to the Rafiki Institute of Classical Education with the aim of studying to be a certified teacher by the government of Kenya. And when I came I realized that Rafiki teaches the Bible. The first lesson in my classes every day was a Bible lesson. I started learning things I never knew about the Bible, even though I was preaching the Bible. It caused me to start questioning my understanding of the truth of the Bible—whether I really understood what the Bible was all about and what I was teaching as a result.

What is the Word of God teaching you right now?

One thing that has stood for me clearly from what I’ve been studying in the Bible is knowing God—not through what men say or what others think—but knowing God through what he has spoken about himself in his Word. And knowing God causes another thing: it leads us to know ourselves. I can know who I truly am in light of knowing this God who is holy and highly lifted up, and constantly remembering who I am. I am not able to face him on my own; I need Christ because I’m a sinful man.

How have you seen your church family be impacted by the ESV Bibles you recently received?

Our church received Bibles last year, and especially in the Sunday school class we are seeing the benefit of having them. Each child has their own Bibles and can enjoy reading God’s Word together.

I’ve always been an advocate of people having the physical Scriptures in their hands. I know people that say, “I can see it on my phone,” but a lot of distractions come when using your phone to read the Bible. And when people have the Bible in their own hand, they can read and share God’s Word more easily with others. When visitors attend our church, they can use one of the Bibles from the church library, some of which are the ESV Bibles we received.

Being an elder of the church I have the opportunity to listen to the testimonies of people—how they have come to faith—and some of them have the experience of coming to faith by just studying the Bible. I mean that there was not a believer who shared the gospel with them, it was just by studying the Bible and seeing God reveal himself through his Word in a way that is understandable. This was through using the ESV Study Bible. . . . The Lord enables us when we simply read the Word of God and are reminded of who God is and who we are. It continues to strengthen our faith.

How has the ESV Study Bible helped to equip you in your role as an elder?

The ESV Study Bible is structured in such a way that even one who has not attended seminary or received theological training, but who has only the diligent study of the Word of God, is able to prepare their sermons in a way that would be beneficial to the people who are listening. . . . And therefore it makes our preparation more meaningful. I don’t want to say it’s easy, but it makes it more manageable, especially for those of us who started preaching without theological training. I don’t mean that the study notes should substitute the reading of the Word, but it can be used as a helpful tool when you come to passages that are difficult to understand. In those moments you can consult what others have studied and the Lord has revealed to them.

How has the truth of God’s Word impacted your calling as a father?

The Word of God tells me what my responsibilities are as a parent. I’m not just here to provide my children with meals or education, the physical things. I need to be concerned, even much more concerned, about their spiritual wellbeing. And so the Word of God has just changed my worldview by showing me the right lens through which I should view every aspect of my life, including parenting.

The Bible talks about children obeying their parents in the Lord. Where do they learn that obedience apart from reading the Word of God? When our daughter Jael was still in the womb, I was told by one of my friends to start reading Proverbs to her. Even while she was still in the womb! This instilled in me the truth that the Word of God needs to be preached to all, irrespective of age.

What is your prayer for the global church, and especially for the church in Kenya?

My prayer has always been to see people be more and more like the Lord Jesus Christ in their work, in their character, and in their relationships. And it is also my prayer that more would come to faith. There are many who come to church, but not all who come have come to faith. Though we might like to see the financial situation in our countries change, the most urgent need is for people’s hearts to be changed—that will then influence other changes. And they can only be changed when they have access to the truth of God’s Word.

We praise God for the opportunity to partner alongside many generous donors who make it possible for Antony, his family, and his church to have access to Bibles of their own. Every gift will provide Bibles to those in need throughout the Global South. 100% of your donation will go directly toward the distribution of these Bibles!

This fall, you have the opportunity to support Bible distribution in places of great need as we seek to distribute one million Bibles throughout the Global South. Our goal is to raise support by December 31, 2025 for the initial distribution of 250,000 Bibles. This will allow many other churches like Antony’s to receive Bibles so that everyone in the congregation has their own copy. Lives are being transformed and faith is being deepened.

Would you prayerfully consider joining us in this effort to provide the Word of God to those who need it most?