Publishing – ABH

Biblia ya Kujifunza: A Bible for Learning

AdminFran — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 16:29:32 +0000

by Erin Ensinger

Edward Sabibi ran into an unexpected problem when he began translating the ABH
Study Bible. With no term in Swahili for “study Bible,” he found himself forced to coin the
phrase “Biblia ya Kujifunza” or “Bible for Learning”—the perfect title for a tool that
teaches pastors how to study God’s Word.

Most Tanzanian pastors prepare their sermons with no study notes or commentaries to
guide them. They can’t consult various translations since generally the sole version
available to them is the Swahili Union Bible. According to one scholar, the SUV uses
vocabulary familiar only to highly educated readers. The sentence structure follows the
original languages rather than imitating contemporary Swahili speech. Although the
SUV was updated in 1997, most pastors can only access the 1952 version.

Even pastors fortunate enough to attend Bible college face an uphill climb in unfamiliar
territory.

“I have personally seen during my time in Bible school how pastors from rural areas,
and even some from cities, struggle,” said Sabibi. “They struggle with terminology and
foreign concepts after being brought into a completely new world of theology, especially
with everything being taught in English.”

ABH Board President Howard Joslin aspires to arm pastors with a new translation and
an arsenal of study notes. He chose four qualities to guide his work:

• Accuracy—reflecting theologians’ best understanding of the original authors’
intended meaning.
• Simplicity—replacing unfamiliar theological terms with definitions of what the
terms actually mean. For example, “three yet one” replaces the term “Trinity.”
• Freshness—choosing synonyms so the Bible for Learning reads differently than
traditional translations. “Readers naturally pause when they see unexpected
words,” Joslin explained. “This enables students to uncover additional details
they might have overlooked.”
• Consistency—using repeated words in the same way as the original text.
Whenever a passage repeats a Hebrew word, the Bible for Learning uses the
same word in English and Swahili. This consistency teaches readers to look for
the significance of repeated words so they can more accurately interpret the
passage.

The Bible for Learning also follows a consistent format, laying out the steps a pastor
could follow in his own personal Bible study. First Joslin provides a “visual translation,”
breaking down each passage with subtitles, bullets, and other markings to allow readers
to “see” the structure and emphasis.

Then he encourages readers to ask seven crucial questions: “nani? nini? kwa nini?
wapi? lini? namna gani? ngapi?” English readers know these questions as “who? what?
why? where? when? how? how many?” Close observation forms the foundation of Bible
study as readers scrutinize the text to answer the questions.

More questions challenge readers to scrutinize their souls: “What does this passage
teach me about God?” “How should it change my thinking and behavior?” “Do I really
believe what the biblical author wrote?” Heart change, not merely intellectual
understanding, fortifies readers with a worthy motive for study.

Like ABH’s other books, the Bible for Learning will be printed as a series of bite-sized
books, with the first installment— God’s Perfect World: Genesis 1:1-2:25—available this
spring. Our Broken World (Genesis 3:1-6:8) and Jesus: God’s Perfect Son (John 1:1-
3:51) continue the story of redemption, supporting pastors in their efforts to teach the
gospel.

Joslin envisions the Bible for Learning as a team effort. He prays for others to join him in
working on translating and creating study notes for individual books of the Bible.

“God’s work is always bigger than one person,” Sabibi agreed. “I believe the Bible for
Learning is going to bring massive transformation to all those who will embrace it, I
being one.”

A Big Vision for Small Books

AdminFran — Tue, 25 Feb 2025 21:01:40 +0000

by Trevor Meers

You need a lot more than efficient shipping to deliver solid biblical training to every corner of the world. Take language alone. Native speakers translate books into their language while editors translate scholars’ words into concepts accessible for the target audience. Sometimes biblical training may even mean dipping into the farming business. At Authenticity Book House’s tenth anniversary dinner, I learned about a ministry that keeps finding ways to bridge any gaps encountered on the way to training ministry leaders.

I headed to the dinner with both excitement and a question in my mind. I shared ABH’s burden for worldwide theological training. But I also wondered: “Does the world really need another startup Christian publisher?” Every year seems like we may have hit “peak Christian publishing,” but the feeling goes back much further than that. In the stylus-and-scroll days, the writer of Ecclesiastes already noticed that “of making books, there is no end” (Ecc. 12:12).

But Howard and Fran Joslin didn’t take long to convince me that ABH fills a very real niche ignored by big publishers who need scale to make a profit. Ten years in, ABH proves that thinking small can actually create big results. Key ideas I heard clearly at the anniversary dinner include:

Clear writing isn’t lesser writing.

Most ministry books pile on words like “perspicuity” and “immutability” when the writer could just as easily say “clarity” and “unchanging.” Maybe too many pastors (and authors writing for pastors) feel haunted by the thought of an old seminary professor popping up and deducting points for talking too much like a commoner.

ABH writers aren’t talking to the academic world, so they keep their books simple and actionable. Editors coach writers to speak understandably to a rural pastor who probably has a Bible, a roughly 7^th grade education, and little else in terms of training or resources. First, ABH writers produce English sentences that deliver meat-and-potatoes truth for hungry church leaders. Then the translation to Swahili, Spanish, and more begins.

Smaller travels better.

A key moment of truth for ABH came when Fran traveled to a major conference and saw herself surrounded by bigger players already doing what she attempted. Then she and Howard found the courage to reimagine ABH’s core offering. The answer lay in realizing that less truly could be more. The team dropped the original concept of regular-size books and started producing pocket-size books. These bite-size books are cheaper to produce, simpler to read, and easier to transport around the world and across borders. ABH landed on a model purpose-built for spreading biblical resources as widely as possible around developing nations.

Books aren’t always enough.

Wisdom calls for doing one task well. But sometimes you need to take an extra step before you can even get started on that one task. ABH’s mission is training church leaders. But in Tanzania they realized that people suffering from hunger struggle to study the Bible. So ABH provided a shipment of single-furrow plows that let pastors ramp up their agricultural production from around two acres to seven or more acres. Producing more food in less time gives pastors extra energy and capacity to use ABH books to grow their skills and make disciples.

My own travels show the clear need for ABH’s work. I’ve worked with church leaders in developing nations on three continents. And in every country, I’ve found leaders with a sincere desire to teach the Bible accurately but almost no training or reference materials to guide them. In ABH, I see a ministry committed to a simple proposition with the potential to transform churches. And with a network of African pastors in place, ABH has the local connections to get their books into the right hands.

ABH convinced me that the world does have a place for another Christian publisher with a very specific target. And I’m looking forward to helping wherever I can.

10 Fail-Proof Writing Tips

AdminFran — Mon, 29 Apr 2024 16:59:32 +0000

by Fran Geiger Joslin

Writing can feel overwhelming and difficult, especially when getting started. I recommend writing a paragraph or blog-length article first. Then go back through your piece, tweaking it with each tip below to gain more interesting content. The more you practice following these rules, the more your writing will improve.

KISS—The acronym, “keep it simple, stupid” works well in writing. Although I love great descriptive words, I recommend shying away from words the average person won’t know. You lose readers when trying to impress with big words.
Put great action words to use. Instead of saying, “George had some cherries,” say, “George gobbled up a handful of cherries.”
Eliminate as many “to be” verbs as possible (am, are, is, was, were). If you use them sparingly, they will pack a bigger punch. Instead of saying, “Sarah was going to the store in anger,” say, “Sarah stomped angrily to the store.”
Replace words like “have, had, and has been” with action words. Instead of saying, “Ralph had played baseball for the Texas Rangers,” say, “Ralph played baseball for the Texas Rangers” or “Ralph once played baseball for the Texas Rangers.” The past tense usage of the word “had” can often take a hike. Instead of “Sharon has pneumonia,” say “Sharon contracted pneumonia.”
Repeat words sparingly. Only use repetition to make a point. Utilize your thesaurus to find great words. I highlight repeated words and then one by one find new words to replace them.
Never begin a sentence with a preposition: In, with, about, etc. Instead of saying, “In February, I put up my Christmas decorations,” say, “I finally packed up my Christmas decorations around Valentine’s Day.”
Instead of vague words like “it, them, they, this, etc.” use clear subject words even if you restate the subject for clarity.
Welcome editing. Even the best writers need editors. Make your editor your best friend. It’s his job to make you look good. Embrace the learning and “tweaking” process.
Join a writers’ group. Writing without input and guidance from others will fall flat.
Hone your craft. Constantly challenge yourself to better writing, and practice, practice, practice.

Publishing Perils

AdminFran — Wed, 31 Jan 2024 16:38:25 +0000

by Fran Geiger Joslin

If writing a book ever crossed your mind and you investigated publishing, you know all about publishing perils. I spent some time this last month reading about the perils of traditional Christian publishing. The number one peril, it appears, is the necessity of a platform. Understandably, for-profit Christian publishing houses must sell books to make a living. A book needs to sell—and it needs to sell well—or it won’t make a profit. That’s basic business 101. Understandable.

A time existed long ago when a publisher believed in a well-written book with a great message, and they spent money advertising it to be sure it sold. Somewhere along the line publishers started expecting writers to also be great marketing execs.

That said, amazing authors exist out there who will likely never turn the eye of a publisher. Why? They aren’t public enough, celebrity enough, or have a large enough following. No huge numbers exist to translate into sales. They get tossed to the curb even if their book may make a huge difference to the Kingdom.

That leads us to the next peril: self-promotion. It seems one must promote self—or hire someone else to promote you—to build the needed platform. And then the question becomes, “Is it godly behavior to promote self in an effort to promote Jesus?”

This poses a huge conundrum. If God gives us a message, how might we get that message out without crossing the line by promoting self instead of promoting Jesus? I struggled with this when I wrote my first book, Widowed: When Death Sucks the Life out of You. I wanted to encourage and help widows, but I didn’t want to praise self. I also didn’t have the time required to work at marketing the book full time. I had a job. “Lucky” for me, I run a publishing house myself. Mine just happens to exist as a non-profit publisher which provides books to rural pastors and church leaders around the world.

So, what might we find as an answer to the platform and self-promotion conundrum?

We must look at—and pray through—several factors:

What is God’s plan for your life? Honestly ask God what he wants for you and your writing. Wait for him to make the answer clear to you.
What is your personality and your gifting? Honestly look at whether you are cut out for the promotional stuff. Do you have the time, energy, and desire to do it? Is it worth the time and effort for you?
How might you use your writing gift to honor the Lord even if you don’t publish a best seller? Research other options. Maybe you can publish in a magazine or in a smaller scale publication.
What is the goal of your book? Consider your audience, your message, and your financial needs and goals.

Honestly listen to God’s direction. Can God use your book in smaller settings? Can you afford to give it away? Would you be satisfied to sell it on Amazon as a self-published book? Would you feel honored if it changed only one life?

If you could find satisfaction in getting your message out and changing lives without making money on your book, ABH could fill the publishing need for you. Platform isn’t an issue for us. The message, the writing at a junior high reading level, and the usability in other cultures are the issues for us. Although we pray this changes over time, we make very little money on our books ($50.00 in 2023). We raise money to give them away. The satisfaction level for me, though, far outweighs the loss of income. When I hear that my book changed one life, I rejoice that God knows who needs the book, and he uses my experience to change lives.

Maybe that can also be your story.

God Wants More for Your Writing…Do You?

AdminFran — Mon, 30 Oct 2023 21:50:12 +0000

by Erin Ensinger

When I asked ABH President Fran Geiger Joslin to speak to my freelance writing class at Cairn University in 2017, she challenged me to think twice about whether I really wanted her input. She never gives the typical advice on topics such as how to get published, make a full-time living as a freelance writer, or market work on social media. Her message encompasses something far more simple yet far more earth-shattering.

Fran’s message? Write to change just one person’s life. Write to advance Christ’s kingdom.

Why hadn’t I thought of that? Why had I never encouraged my students in this way?

Somewhere between the campfire services of my youth, where I yielded my whole life to God, and the mediocrities of my suburban Philadelphia life, my eternal perspective blurred.

Yes, Lord, I’ll go to Africa, Kosovo, Haiti, anywhere. I’ll do anything you ask, I promised in my teens and twenties.

But in my thirties, that “anything” started to look a little different.

Will you give up the possibility of full-time teaching and writing to stay home with an infant and toddler?

Oh boy. Well, I never really considered myself a kid person, but since you asked, I’ll give it my best shot.

Will you focus on worshipping me instead of worrying so much about doing things for me?

Hmmm, since you gave me two kids who are allergic to sleep, it’s going to be a little tough to squeeze you in, but I’ll see what I can do.

Those “anythings” kept me so busy I wondered if I had only made up a third “anything” whispering beneath the frantic din of life with my two-under-two.

Write. Use this gift I gave you. Stop making it so complicated. Start with the opportunities right in front of you.

For years I struggled with a haunting fear that if I took my writing seriously, it might become an idol in my life. Of course God would require me to sacrifice the thing I love most, right? Isn’t that how it worked for Abraham with Isaac?

Enough of crippling guilt! I took the plunge. I stopped dreaming of becoming a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and started writing for my local newspaper, academic conferences, book review websites—anything and everything that seemed within reach.

These somewhat scattered efforts yielded the pleasurable adrenaline rush of seeing my words, my name, in print. Like experiencing a runner’s high, I basked in the glow until it inevitably faded. A rush. Is that really all I sought from this writing life?

“Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” (Matthew 6:33)

I sang the song to my girls on countless sleepless nights, but when Fran spoke to my writing class, I realized I was the one who had fallen asleep.

One groggy morning I flipped through Jennie Allen’s book Anything looking for something besides coffee to sustain me through the day. These words beckoned from the page: “And God is saying, Look up. This is going fast. Your life here is barely a breath. There is more, way more,” (2011, 71).

More than my name at the top of an article. More than a check in the mail. More than a “well done” from an editor. My coffee grew cold in the mug as I stared unseeing out the window, pondering the new dreams beginning to unfold for my writing. Dreams of no longer conforming to the writing and publishing patterns of this world. Dreams of writing to make God famous, to heal one heart. Dreams of storing up treasure in heaven even if I never earned one cent on earth.

With the baby still blessedly sleeping, I grabbed my computer and dashed off an email to Fran. I told her I didn’t know how her words impacted my students, but I for one would never think about writing the same way. Could she help me find a way to write for the kingdom? And so my journey of writing and editing with ABH began.

As a staff writer now for ABH, I’ve spent the last six years wrestling with the “more” God might want for my writing. I knew from the first that ABH offered no promise of fortune and fame; I realized later that God also never promised to save multitudes through my writing. He may want to touch just one, and I need to be okay with that.

Our great God is also the God of the widow’s mite, the mustard seed, the little boy’s little lunch. He’s the heartbroken father lavishing all he has on one prodigal son. I can’t simply replace earthly ambition with spiritual ambition and pretend I am writing for the kingdom. Each day I must take my eyes off myself and release my work into his hands. Each day I must pray he distributes the loaves as he sees fit and feeds whomever he chooses with them.

As my former writing dreams fade, my soul awakens to a grander prospect. How about you? What if God wants more for your writing than you ever dared dream? Will you bring a mighty God the small offering of your writing? And will you trust him whether he heals one hurting heart or multiplies your offering to the multitudes?