Rejoice as these 130 young Nigerians get new Bibles!

In Nigeria, the most violent place in the world for Christians—ranked No. 6 on the 2023 World Watch List—access to Bibles can be difficult, particularly in the north, where Christians are in a significant minority.

So in March 2023, Open Doors field partners handed out more than 130 Bibles to Christian youth in northern Nigeria to support and encourage them in their discipleship journey and deepen their understanding of the Word.

For many, this is the first time they will have their very own personal Bible.

Each day, these young believers experience both marginalization and violence because of their faith in Jesus Christ. They are the minority in their communities, yet these young brothers and sisters have demonstrated resilience in the midst of increasing persecution. Our local partners share that these young Christians are salt and light in their community—and, as a result, many have come to faith.

“I am so happy to have a new Bible that I can call my own!” Dorcas said, after she was given her new Bible. “To me, this Bible is a weapon to overcome and win the battle in life. I believe the Bible will be of great impact in my spiritual journey because it is the foundation on which we should build our lives, and knowing God for yourself, the Bible is the Word of God, and being rooted in God's Word will be the best way of living in this world.”

Matthew, a young man in his 20s was thrilled to receive his Bible. “We only have one Bible that is shared amongst members of my family, and I can’t carry it around or read it on my own time,” he explains. “For me to have my own Bible... I am so grateful to God. The Bible will help and change a lot in my life, especially in my spiritual journey. I trust that reading the Bible and obeying the instruction of God will bring a lot of changes in my life because the Word of God is light.”

He read his favorite verse—John 3:16— to our field team. “I love this verse because God shows how much He loves us that He gave his only Son to come and die for us,” Matthew says. “If He didn’t love us, He wouldn't have done that for us, and if He didn’t do that for us, then there would be no salvation for us Christians; this is how great the love of God is.”

Matthew is grateful that Open Doors gave him a Bible, and he prays that God will bless the ministry and everyone who supports Open Doors. “May God open more doors for growth and to reach out to more people in need,” he says.

Likewise, Dorcas thanks and prays for Open Doors supporters—people like you!—for giving her the Word of God. “I pray for everyone that contributed in one way or the other for the Bible to reach me and other people in my community,” she says. “I will share it with people who don’t have a Bible and win souls for Christ so that the name of Jesus will be glorified.”

Please lift up these 130 young Christians as they gain access to their own copy of God’s Word. Ask the Lord to open their hearts to the prompting of the Holy Spirit, and that through Scripture, they would be able to follow Jesus more deeply. Thank you for your support and continued prayers!