Lord willing, the team will be involved in the following ministry opportunities:

•  5 major conferences in 5 cities across Luzon.  We anticipate over 1000 participants at these conferences.  Pastors, church leaders, and children’s workers will be in attendance.
• Speaking at as many as 10 different churches.
• Visiting the Children’s Hospital inManila
• Training seminar for a national missions team.
• Teaching time in the classrooms at area public schools.
• Training with college students.
• Distribution of materials from the 44,000 pound 40 foot container being ship in advance of the team.

 Opportunity for involvement:

Each of the Pastors participating in this conference will need financial assistance to attend.  Many will have to come by bus and will not have the funds to purchase a ticket.  Very few would have the money to purchase their lunch the day of the conference.  It is likely that none of them would have the funds to pay for Bibles, books and other materials needed for their ministries.

CRI is going to help provide all of this.  In addition to the teaching, preaching and love each will receive at these conferences there will be a bag of CRI materials given to every participant.

Lunch and snacks for break times will be provided for them as well.  For those that need it, even their bus ticket will be a gift to them.  It is a big undertaking, but it is the only way for these dear people to take advantage of these conference opportunities.

Your gift of $10.00 per Pastor will make all of this possible.  In the Philippines, that is enough to help with the costs of bus tickets, meals, and materials.  A life changing blessing for a struggling Pastor for $10.00 is a rare and wonderful opportunity.  Remember that each Pastor participating will have a full day of encouragement, preaching and teaching, fellowship, food, and most of all a gift of Bibles, books, teaching materials, and other resources made available by friends of CRI just like you.

December is a month that many of us reflect on the past year and what has been achieved.  At the beginning of 2011 I was reading through the Bible and there were two key verses that really ministered to me.  The two verses really go hand in hand.

Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (KJV)  Proverbs 29:18

 And the LORD answered me, and said, Write the vision, and make it plain upon tables, that he may run that readeth it.                 Habakkuk 2:2 (KJV)

 This year CRI’s goal was to send and receive more Bibles and Christian teaching tools than ever in the history of the ministry.  God has accomplished just that this year through your kindness, faithfulness and obedience to the Lord Jesus.  We were able to send something more spiritually tangible than food or housing.  We were able to send the living, breathing, life changing Word of God!

We continually praise the Lord for working so mightily throughout the year so that hundreds of thousands could be introduced to the grace, mercy and love of a powerful baby Jesus.  As we celebrate His birth this month, we are so thankful for what He has provided thus far in 2011.   In order for us to finish out this year debt free, and to ensure we are good stewards of God’s resources, $50,000 is needed to meet our annual budget.  We trust God to provide and look forward to blessing many more pastors & reaching more lost souls in 2012.  I thank you in advance for your prayers and financial support as well.

Just as Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, was the ULTIMATE gift, we pledge to continue to send HIS Word to those in need so they can received the gift of salvation!  This past year we sent eleven sea containers filled with Bibles and Christian teaching tools to nine different countries.  The Word of God is the best gift that we can give our brothers and sisters in Christ on the other side of the world.

Along with my wife Maria and my children we join you in taking a stand for Christ this Christmas.  He is the reason we celebrate this day in our great nation, the United States of America.  We pray that you have a joyous holiday season and you take time to remember the Ultimate gift: God’s son, Jesus.

To God be the Glory,

Jason Woolford and family

To view entire publication – December Touchpoint

Dear Miss Sanna,

Thank you so much for your help with my mission’s class.  It was a success.  I had nine students, 3 girls and 6 boys ages ranging form 4-11.  Each received a Bare Your Bookshelf kit.  Besides learning about each country and praying for the recipients, the children raised money by collecting cans and bottles, donations from other home-schooled children and a bake sale.  They earned enough money to mail all nine packages of Bibles and books plus sent $20 to another ministry.  What a blessing for everyone!

 Operation Bare Your Bookshelf

#1—Request a BYB packet

#2—Fill the envelope with Bibles and Christian Teaching Tools

#3—Mail it for $13.95

 Click here to view the entire publication – Touchpoint Oct 2011

It was just another day at Christian Resources International as one of our staff members collected the mail.  As she sorted through the mail she saw an envelope that had a postmarked stamp, but no address or writing of any kind on the envelope.  The letter did not have CRI’s  address, but inside the envelope was a letter from a pastor requesting Bibles & Christian teaching tools.  We believe this was a supernatural miracle.

Somehow the letter made it all the way from Myanmar (Burma) to us here at CRI!  Upon sharing this story with Jason Woolford, Executive Director, we are excited to share that we will be sending this pastor a complete Pastor’s Library so he may share God’s love & grace with the people of Burma!

Supernatural letter

To view the entire publication click the link below:

Touchpoint Nov 2011

Burned seminary needs books within next few weeks

Congo-Kinshasa (MNN) ―Months ago, a seminary was attacked and burned to the ground by Muslim extremists in the Democratic Republic of Congo.

“When the war broke out and the rebels were trying to take over the country, they came into the existing seminary. They stole everything that was of any value to them, and they burned the rest,” Christian Resources International’s John Lowrey reflects. “The university was destroyed, the library was destroyed, all the books were burned–they were just left with nothing.”

Mission Network News reported on that back in April. Since then, CRI has been working tirelessly to collect the thousands of books necessary to rebuild the seminary’s library, a necessity not only for the school to turn out well-trained pastors, but to even apply for re-accreditation.

Over the summer, CRI went on a number of Road Trips across the United States collecting theological books and guides and raising awareness for this serious need. The ministry was even able to travel from their home base in Michigan to Washington state to visit a Congolese pastor who, after fleeing to the States as a refugee, will soon be risking his life to return to Congo and work at the seminary.

Unfortunately, the summer has now come and gone, and CRI still does not have all they need to fill the 30,000 volume container they hope to send within the next six to seven weeks. The ministry has enough books to fill the container, but some books are being replaced by those that would be better suited for a seminary. Plus, CRI’s just trying to pack the container as full as possible to help train as many Christian leaders as possible.

“We really believe that the only way that [Congo] will ever see a stable government, and a good economy, and all the things that are an evidence of God’s blessing is if God is restored as the One the people look to.”

Lowrey adds, “By getting the university established, by getting the seminary established, getting the pastors trained, and taught, and out into the countryside, seeing people converted to Christ–that’s ultimately going to be what truly will bring hope to that country, where Christ will be the center of things and people will begin to look to God again.”

At this point, the ministry needs all sorts of books, especially in French. “[The seminary is] looking specifically for pastoral training kinds of books and materials. So the commentaries, and the Bible study helps, and the language studies (the Greek and Hebrew), and all the kinds of things that would be good for a seminary to train pastors, teachers, leaders–that’s really the key that they need to fill their library.”

To send books to CRI or donate them through their Web site, click here.

There are other needs, as well. The shipping is also incredibly complicated. Particularly since the infrastructure in Congo has become notoriously unreliable, trekking the crate across the large country from the western entrance to the seminary on the eastern border involves a high level of risk. As a result, CRI has decided to ship the container through Tanzania and across Lake Tanganyika. This shipping method is much safer and certainly decreases the possibility that the container will be attacked by extremists, but it is also much more expensive. To help with the shipping costs, click here.

It will be a difficult feat, but at the end of the day, CRI is excited to help in an effort to spread God’s Word. “How can you turn the people down? They’re willing to put their life at risk to go in and work at this seminary,” says Lowrey. “Certainly, the least CRI can do is to gather some books and some bucks, and help make this thing happen.”

For the article posted on Mission Network News click here

Christian Resources International

SPECIAL EDITION

Here at Christian Resources International, we thank God each day for allowing us to be a part of something greater; something that changes the world for His Kingdom.  We thank you for your continual part in teaming up with CRI to share the love of God through His Word, The Holy Bible.  In place of the September Touchpoint, we wanted to send this Special Edition to honorAmerica.

There are those events in history that will never be forgotten:  World War II, Pearl Harbor and 9/11.  On behalf of our Executive Director, Jason Woolford and the entire CRI staff, we want to take a moment to honor and remember the over 3000 Americans that lost their lives in the 9/11 tragedy.  September 11, 2011 marks the 10 year anniversary of this American tragedy, and it gives us a very grim reminder of the events of that very day.

Many of us can remember exactly where we were and what we were doing when we first heard.  In the days following 9/11, we heard the stories of American’s working together to save those still trapped, news of those heroes who died trying to save others, and the many Americans that flocked to the Lord in this great time of trouble.

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for his inheritance.  Psalm 33:12

We will never forget this day.

It will take up pages in history books and be talked about each year on the anniversary of the tragedy, but it is up to us as believers to remindAmericathat God is a loving God that cares for us deeply. We are thankful that this day reminded Americans that we ARE one nation under God and that God still blesses America.   CRI continues to “remind” others about God’s love through His infallible Word!  Our mission is to continue sending Bibles and Christian teaching tools, month after month and year after year to ensure all the world hears and knows.

We encourage you to join with us in celebrating the freedoms that we have because of the lives that have been sacrificed.

Together, we will remember.

The news about what CRI is doing is spreading all over the globe and more of the GOOD NEWS has been shared with individuals, pastors, Bible school students and new believers than ever before!  To date this year, we have sent 7 containers and 765 Bare Your Bookshelf packets.  In containers alone, that represents $2,443,000 of Bibles and Christian literature!

 This would not have happened without you.

We received the letter below recently and it was so encouraging that we wanted to share with you.

“In May a Christian young man who works at a bookstore called a missionary and said he had 1000 Bibles and wanted to know if he could use them.  He said, “Yes,” and took what he needed, but there were still lots left over.  There were some that he could not use or store so he asked around to see who could make good use of them.  A gracious companion of CRI suggested that they donate the remainder of the Bibles to CRI.  On their first trip they brought over 1500 lbs. of Bibles & Christian literature and the second trip over 5500 lbs.  They continue to collect and store Bibles to donate to CRI. We are so thankful that everyone involved worked together and got the literature to CRI.

Here at CRI, it is important to us that we are adequately equipped to continue the Lord’s work with excellence as we continue to fight the good fight of faith, collecting and distributing the WORD OF GOD!  In our mission to do God’s work with excellence, we want to make sure that the donations that we receive are housed in an environment where they stay in the best possible condition.  Currently, we have had some challenges with our roof and siding of our 2^nd warehouse building, as well as, the cracked concrete between our warehouse and our main building making it extremely difficult to get the forklift over.  It is important to us that we keep our building and property in safe, working order for the many that visit, for our volunteers and for our staff.  We want to be good stewards of the Bibles and Christian teaching tools that are so generously donated so we are asking for your help.    We want to say thanks, in advance, to you, praying and believing you will come alongside of us and support the ministry’s building, property and four remaining sea containers, as together we continue the challenge to get the Word to the World.

 2 Corinthians 9:7

For God loves a person who gives cheerfully.  And God will generously provide all you need.  Then you will always have everything you need and plenty left over to share with others.

Our goal:

Roofing  $15,000

Concrete $5000

Containers $43,600

For complete letter click here:  August 2011 Letter

Democracy is not a spectator sport.  It is a privilege offered to every citizen.  We thank the Lord for the independence provided for me by those who have paved the way before us.  What a blessing to be able to celebrate and live of life of freedom and independence this 4^th of July.   July 4th has been a federal holiday in the United States since 1941; however, the tradition of Independence Day celebrations goes back to the 18th century and the American Revolution (1775-83). In June 1776, representatives of the 13 colonies who were then fighting in the revolutionary struggle, weighed a resolution that would declare their independence from Great Britain. On July 2nd, the Continental Congress voted in favor of independence.  Two days later its delegates adopted the Declaration of Independence, a historic document drafted by Thomas Jefferson. From 1776 until the present day, July 4th has been celebrated as the birth of American Independence.  Typical festivities range from fireworks, parades and concerts, to more casual family gatherings and barbecues.

As I spoke with one of the missionaries a few days ago I was reminded of the eternal, spiritual and physical independence that people just like you are bringing to the east.  This Christian leader has received over $780,000 worth of Christian literature from CRI. He has been able to reach over 700,000 people and minister to political refugees giving them much needed Bibles and teaching tools.  Some of these recipients number in the thousands and are refugees who are coming to Hong Kong to escape religious persecution from their families or home countries.  The refugees are from Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh to mention a few.  The Christians who come to escape death or beatings are now joined with other refugees where drug use and prostitution are rampant.  My brother speaks of the drug dens and the young women who are prostituting themselves.  Food, help, money:  none of these has an effect on them like the Word of God that has and is being sent.  People are being set free by the power of the Word of God because of your faithfulness.

You and I are sending Bibles into areas where the government restricts use of the internet, and blocking Bible online programs, You Tube and other sites.  Standing with God, I will in the name of Jesus, with your help, exercise my freedom and independence to spread the greatest message that has ever been told.  That is the good news of Jesus Christ through His Word.

Thank you for putting works with you faith,

Jason Woolford, Executive Director

To view the entire July 2011 Touchpoint click link below:

July 2011 Touchpoint

10 days Inspirational Tour of Israel

Day 1: Depart USA

Day 2: Arrive in Israel (dinner along the Mediterranean, sunset over the Great Sea)

Day 3: Caesarea, Megiddo & Nazareth (travel by private motor coach to the Mediterranean Sea to Caesarea where the Good News was first heard from Peter & people were baptized, Roman Amphitheater, Mt Carmel, Armageddon battlefield, Cana & Nazareth, Dinner overlooking the Sea of Galilee

Day 4: Capernaum, Dan, Caesarea Philippi & Mount of Beatitudes (after breakfast a visit to Peter’s house, ancient synagogues, Mount of Beatitudes, Boat cruise of the Sea of Galilee)

Day 5: Jordan River Baptism Site, Beth Shean & Dead Sea (Jezreel & Jordan valleys, Walls of Beit-Shean, Land of Milk & Honey, Jericho, lodging near the Dead Sea and time to float before dinner!)

Day 6: Masada, Ein Gedi, dead Sea Scrolls, Abraham’s Tent (Cable car ride to mountain top fortress of Masada, Western shore of the Dead Sea, Qumran Caves where the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered, Genesis Land/Dinner in Abraham’s Tent, lodging in Jerusalem)

Day 7: Around Jerusalem, Bible times & Holocaust Museum (Upper Room, Zion Gate, Israeli Museum, Dead Sea Scrolls, Yad Vashem, Holocaust Museum)

Day 8: Jesus’ Steps & Last Days (You will walk where Jesus walked, Mount Moriah, Dome of the Rock, Mount of Olives, Garden of Gethsemane, House of Caiaphas, Wailing Wall, Judgement Hall of Pilate, Pool of Bethesda, St Ann’s Church)

Day 9: Way of Suffering, Garden Tomb, Pentecost, Bethlehem (Via Dolorosa, place of crucifixion, Golgotha, Temple Mount)

Day 10: Depart for the USA

Prices & More Details will be available soon! If you would like to be put on a list to receive more information please feel free to email us at jamie@cribooks.org. Thank you and we will see you in ISRAEL 2012!

$3499 per person based on double occupancy
Please feel free to call or email our office to request a registration form or complete secure registration below.

We look forward to having you on the trip!

Click here to download ISRAEL Reservation Form

Where Two or More are Gathered…..

We wanted to share this amazing testimony of what God continues to do through His people.  Doug Burnie, a CRI board member, shares this story of his recent missions trip to Mexico.  “Every time I go to Mexico, the Lord moves so mightily.  Before my most recent trip to Mexico, I packed my van full of Christian literature and other materials.  Once we arrived, we spent two days going into remote areas passing out the materials.  After that we still had a half of a van of materials and literature.  I asked the Lord what he would like me to do and He directed me to take the materials to the Mexican Department of Social Services.  When I arrived, I asked for the director and was told she was not available because she was out looking for donations to fill their empty storehouse.  I was directed to come back.  When I arrived later, I asked the director to come out to my van and opened the doors.  The look on her face was PRICELESS when she realized that we had the materials they so desperately needed!  The Lord then prompted me to be BOLD and ask her a question.  I asked her, “Could you do something for me please?” and I proceeded to ask her if she would distribute the Christian literature we had to every person who received material.  SHE SAID YES!!  So not only was she blessed with materials for the local people, but she committed to sharing the Word of God with them as well!  Praise the Lord!

 For the full interview, feel free to visit our Facebook page:  www.facebook.com/cribooks