In Cairo, the capital city of Egypt, skyscrapers dominate the skyline alongside minarets, and cruise ships dock on the banks of the Nile. The contrasts hint at the city’s diversity. People from varied cultures and religions mingle in Cairo, but Christians are the minority. According to available census data, roughly 5 percent (1) of Egypt’s population is Christian, while 95 percent of people follow Islam.
The people in Cairo need the hope of the living God, and He has not forgotten them. Through the Cairo International Book Fair, thousands of people were introduced to the Precept™ Bible Study Method, and many left with resources to help them know God through knowing His Word.
The 51st Cairo International Book Fair
Both the oldest and the largest book fair in the Arab world, the Cairo International Book Fair is considered one of the most significant cultural events in Egypt. At the beginning of the year, thousands of people from across Africa and the Middle East come to the fair to explore books from more than 900 publishing houses representing 35 countries—including the local Precept team.
This year, the Precept team had a prominent location near the fair entrance. During the day, people gathered around the table to flip through Precept’s materials, leading to conversations about Precept’s ministry. For many people, this was their first encounter with Precept and Bible study materials.
The Islamic Community
During the fair, many Muslim visitors from several countries stopped to look at the Precept books. After talking with the Precept Leaders, some purchased the study Lord, I Want to Know You.
Some young Muslims came to the booth specifically to debate with the Christians. The Precept leaders were able to respond to their questions with wisdom and grace, and they praise God for giving them the words to speak!
Visitors to the booth included people from Saudi Arabia, Libya, United Arab Emirates, and Tunisia. Many people said that the Precept resources presented an amazing method of study that ensures correct understanding, without confusion. The Precept Leaders answered their questions, and they showed them how to study for themselves using the Precept Method.
Coptic Christians
The book fair is one of the best opportunities for Precept leaders to start relationships with Coptic Christians, an orthodox community that has been rooted in Egypt since the first century.
A Coptic priest and his wife stopped at the booth for around an hour, talking with the leaders about the Precept model. They were especially interested in the Arabic New Inductive Study Bible. The priest’s wife is a middle school principal, and the couple decided to purchase three studies to use as curricula for her classes.
Before they left, the priest asked the Precept team if they could host a training workshop for leaders in his church, saying, “The inductive method is wonderful—it neither imposes doctrine nor depends on personal interpretation. It is a guideline for Bible study.”
A group of Coptic monks visited the booth, and they enthusiastically looked through the studies. One of them was particularly excited about the Arabic Bible, and said, “I used to write my notes in papers and then lose them, but now I can keep them all. The New Inductive Study Bible has solved my problem—this is what I’ve been looking for.”
The Precept team in Egypt needs your prayers.
Please pray for the local trainers in Cairo as they follow up with connections made during the fair. Ask that through trainings, study groups, and partnerships with the Coptic church, people across Egypt would learn how to study Scripture.
Precept resources are more than just books. They are the first step towards helping you know God more deeply through knowing His Word. This outreach is only possible because of givers like you. Thank you for faithfully partnering with us to build His eternal, global kingdom!
1. Pew Research Center, 2011. https://www.pewresearch.org/2011/02/16/how-many-christians-are-there-in-egypt/
