Bringing glory to God by making evangelical Christian literature available to all nations so that people may come to faith and maturity in the Lord Jesus Christ.
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clc.org.uk/clcworld
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Author 6 -7 Interview
In this issue:
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Container for Mozambique
Project 8-9 Update:
CLC News & 4 - 5 Warehouse
CLC Testimony: Little is Much, When God is Involved!
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27 - 31
CLC WORLD
REVIEWS &
How To Get Involved!
OTHER BOOKS WE RECOMMEND!
CLC International
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From the editor
Amanda Lutes
Dear Reader Welcome to CLC World! This free mission magazine enables us to share with you, our faithful supporters, current news, testimonies, as well as prayer and praise points, illustrating how we are daily impacting thousands of lives in over 50 countries. As I contemplated what ‘discipleship’ theme to focus on for this issue I kept being struck by things in my own life that affect our joyfullness. Perhaps you have health issues, like me or there are situations that you are facing that really seem to be stealing your joy. So, feeling led to go in this direction, I began my research. During this process I watched the new film, War Room, a film I highly encourage anyone interested in improving their prayer life to view. Within the film, I was truly impacted by the verse in John 10:10 (NLT) that says, The thief’s purpose is to steal and kill and destroy. My purpose is to give them a rich and satisfying life. One of the main characters in the film, Miss Clara, tells us that we are not to let the enemy steal our joy. I was struck by the thought that if ‘the joy of the Lord is your strength’, (Neh. 8:10 KJV) does this mean when our joy is lacking, our strength is diminished? If so, then how do we find that joy again? Thankfully, I was interviewing Stormie Omartian and decided to ask her some tips to rediscovering joy, and I Novel: 9781496407283 hope you are as encouraged by Price: £10.99 DVD: 5060424950034 her response as I was. Price: £12.99
Throughout this issue, we’ve chosen to highlight mission news, testimonies, project updates and recommended resources that we hope will help you on your journey to rediscovering joy in the Lord and in your life! Let that joy then overflow into those around you so that they want what you have! May we all once again be filled afresh with ‘the joy of the Lord’! CLC is registered as a charity in England & Wales (1015793) and in Scotland (SC037939)
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CLC Central Asia (CA2): God’s provision
After waiting for three and a half years, our second CLC Central Asia team have finally received a shipment of Russian books. We thank God that while the stock was low, He provided the If you see this logo, then that CLC team is on Facebook. much needed revenue through government orders for text books. However, selling tourism and academic books are not our priority. The team would greatly appreciate your prayers as they now communicate with churches and other Christian organisations about the availablity of these new Christian resources.
OM’s LOGOS HOPE: Let your hope keep you joyful, be patient in your troubles, and pray at all times. Romans 12:!2 (GNB)
ELS/CLC India:
2016 Annual Conference - Team photo below Following India’s Annual Conference at the end of January , Justin Chellapan, the National Director, sends the following: “I am writing to thank you very much for remembering the ELS Staff Conference in your prayers. We indeed experienced God's presence on all the three days, and God spoke very definitely and purposefully to all of us through His servants. By the grace of God, everything went well at the conference, and we really thank God for the blessed time we had together. We would like to thank the CLC World, too for upholding us in their prayers. We continue to look to God for His guidance and wisdom for the rest of the year (2016).”
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The Ship Visits Mozambique “The OM ship, LOGOS HOPE, arrived in the port of Maputo and opened to the public at the end of February. Our CLC team in Mozambique were actively involved in supporting the ship’s preparation team through hospitality, publicity and the sale of tickets for events on the ship. The ship was harbored in Maputo for three weeks, and we praise God that these weeks were a time of great blessing and for the literature that was sold on board the world’s largest floating bookshop!” Liz Patten, CLC Regional Director for Africa
Eddie Olliffe:
UK’s Interim General Manager In early March, Eddie Olliffe suffered a stroke while working at the old CLC Wholesale warehouse. Fortunately, the medical interventions took place quickly thanks to the emergency services, and he seems to be making good progress. However, he is finding communication difficult and is undergoing speech therapy. Please keep Eddie and his family in your prayers.
New from Jill Briscoe!
CLC USA Publications presents: We are very excited about this new CLC USA title from Jill Briscoe as it fits so well with our theme this quarter. In Heartstrings, Jill guides the reader through the ‘weeping willow trees’ of conflict, grief and the daily grind that have ISBN: 9781619582194 Price: £9.50 caused Christians to ‘hang up’ their joy like abandoned harps. She eloquently illustrates how Christian—like the exiled Israelites—can regain their joy in God’s presence and play their harps in front of a watching world.
Portugese Bibles For Africa: Project Update
Thanks to CLC UK’s efforts to raise funds for the Portuguese Bibles for Africa Project, at the end of 2015, CLC Portugal was able to send 370 Bibles to the people in Mozambique, São Tomé and Príncipe, and to Angola. These Bibles were given freely to those who could not afford to purchase them!
CLC Miami Bookshop:
Thanking God for seeds that are sown... Unfortunately, the Miami (USA) Bookstore which is run by the CLC Colombian team, will be closing down. For over a year, the team has been doing all it can to survive in its current location, but it just isn’t working. While the shop’s lifespan was short, it certainly made a huge impact on lives, spreading from the Dominican Republic (DR) all the way up to Canada. A church mission group from New Brunswick (NB), Canada contacted me (Amanda Lutes) at Christmas time to ask about how they could get hold of some last minute Spanish tracts. Every year, in January, they take a mission trip to the Dominican Republic. The Miami manager, Jennifer, was quick to respond to my enquiry, and her team’s prompt service sent the mission team some amazing and affordable outreach resources for men, women, and children—they even added in some free Gospels. In the two weeks the NB team was there, 86 people gave their lives to Christ! Praise God for the lives that have been changed and the many seeds that have been sown! We know God will bless both of these ministries for their faithfulness to Him.
Thank you to all our supporters and also to the many partners that enabled CLC Portugal to ship these Bibles without any extra costs!
CLC Panama:
Book Club Well done to CLC’s team at the Albrook Mall in Panama for providing fun yet faith-maturing things for their customers to attend. They regularly hold an evening book club meeting at their shop!
CLC Ecuador:
Celebrating their 15th Anniversary: Congratulations to our team in Ecuador, who celebrated their 15th anniversary in February. May God continue to bless the CLC ministry in this country.
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Journey to Joy:
Amanda Lutes interviews best-selling author, Stormie Omartian
Stormie, thank you so much for taking the time to answer our questions for this interview. Many of our readers may wonder how you overcame such childhood trauma and that you couldn’t possibly have anything to be joyful about. However, the Scriptures say ‘Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!’ (Neh 8:10b). Was this true for you and, if so, how vital did you find that expressing your joy in life and in the Lord was to overcoming the abuse you experienced as a child? I know that without the Lord and His liberating and healing power working in my life I would never have gotten free of the depression, anxiety, and hopelessness I struggled to rise above every day. All of my own efforts to find meaning, purpose, and a reason to live only made my life worse. Finding joy was never even a distant hope. Survival was. In fact, I never even knew what joy was, and I 6
certainly never experienced it until I received Jesus at twenty-eight years old. I had come to the point of believing there was no way out of the painThis I felt, soUSA I wasBookLink collecting CLC enough sleeping pillsshipment to put isme nowto on sleep its forever. But a friend I worked with told me she way to CLC LIBERIA could see I was not doing well and asked if I would I go with her to meet her pastor. I agreed to go because at this point I was wiling to try anything that might help me find a reason to live. I ultimately ended up receiving the Lord in her pastor’s office and I began to feel hope for the first time that I can ever remember. After that, my friend and her husband took me to church every week and I heard eye-opening teaching from the Bible. People in the church prayed for me every time I was there. But where I experienced unfathomable breakthrough was in the worship time. We all could sense the presence of God as we worshiped and praised Him, and it was during worship that I first had that amazing sense of joy. As the Lord poured His peace and joy into my heart, I felt His freeing and healing love that changed everything.
What tips would you suggest to readers to help them reclaim their joy?
What is it that you are praying that your readers will discover as they read your testimony?
For people who have lost their joy, start worshiping God for all that He is and praise Him for all He has done in your life. Worship is healing because it opens up your heart like a funnel and God pours His love, peace, and joy into it. He shares Himself with us when we worship Him. Isn’t that the best? Also, ask people to pray with you and for you. Find a prayer partner or two and pray for each other regularly – even over the phone. Jesus said that where two or more are gathered in His name, He is there in the midst of them. That promise of God’s presence when we pray together with someone is not to be ignored. His presence is His greatest gift to us. In His presence we find His love, peace, and joy and much, much more. We find everything.
As people read my testimony, I pray that they will find hope for every area of their lives. If I can overcome all that I have endured in my life—even the seemingly impossible situations I faced after I became a follower of Christ— anyone can find that for their lives as well. I have learned that there is nothing too hard for God, and I want people to believe that with all their heart. I want people to know the Lord as the God of the impossible who can do great things in their life that they can’t even imagine. He is the answer when we can’t see one for ourselves and our situation. Thank you again Stormie for sharing with us about your journey to joy and I hope all our readers will pick up a copy of your biography.
Out of Darkness Best-selling author, Stormie Omartian, shares her compelling story of a childhood marred by physical and emotional abuse that eventually led her into the occult, drugs, and tragic relationships. Finding herself overwhelmed by fear and on the verge of suicide, she shares the turning point that changed her life and reveals the healing process that brought freedom and wholeness beyond what she ever imagined. In this poignant drama, there is help and hope for anyone who has been scarred by the past or feels imprisoned by deep emotional needs. It is a glorious story of how God can bring life out of death, life out of darkness. ISBN: 9780736968065 Price: £7.99
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Mozambique Container: Project Update By Petra Nemansky and Liz Patten
Our shop in Maputo is located in a theological seminary. When we moved from the previous location (a garage belonging to a Baptist church) a few years ago, we took our old fixtures with us. It looked rather nice, but then we discovered a big problem: TERMITES! There were many of them and. unbeknown to us, they had been eating our bookshelves and our books! Most bookshelves had to be burned and all heavily damaged books had to be thrown out. The shop was then fumigated and afterwards all looked rather bare. Now we desperately needed new fixtures for CLC Maputo, but also for the CLC shop in Beira that had just relocated to a bigger room (our bookshop there is also located in a theological seminary as we can’t afford commercial rents) but didn’t have fixtures to go with it. The solution? CLC UK was just in the process of refitting their newly acquired shop in Birmingham (Carrs Lane); a good number of fixtures were not required there and were donated to the project – the start of a long journey, with the help of many people! With the voluntary help of some great guys from Birmingham City Mission, the fixtures were picked up from Carls Lane and depostied in Yellow Storage to await further transport (June, 2014).
While we were waiting for the next step in transport, the fixtures needed to be taken apart 8
as much as possible, and decisions needed to be made as to what was really suitable for transport and for the shops in Mozambique. Old parts needed to be disposed of, and all had to be packed as compactly as possible so they wouldn’t get damaged in transport. Richard Carver and Neil Mackinnon to the rescue! These guys have put in many hours of hard work, as well as many hours in traffic between London and Birmingham. Disposing of old and broken fixtures turned out to be one of the more difficult things to do if one wanted to do it as economically as possible (i.e. not paying for removal!). A van was hired for transport to and from London and, bit by bit, things got sorted (September, 2014). Then the day came when all was packed on pallets and picked up by McBurney Transport to be taken to Northern Ireland. Stephen, the driver, gave us helpful advice regarding securing the pallets and helped us with the loading (October, 2014). Free transport to Northern Ireland was McBurney’s contribution towards our project! In Northern Ireland, the shipment was stored and then consolidated with goods from the missionary organisation, Transforming Lives and Communities. All was shipped together by sea container in April, 2015 and arrived in Maputo at the end of June. Once through customs, the items were delivered
to a mission base in Khongolote, just outside of Maputo City, and stored in their container. Missionary Melvin Kelly had very kindly organised this consolidated shipment, and we really couldn’t have done this without him! From Khongolote our fixtures were moved with various vehicles to the seminary where our bookshop is located, and re-stored in a container from the One Mission Society which kindly allowed us to use it. When we wanted to start putting the fixtures together, we made a disturbing discovery: everything had arrived... but the box with special screws was nowhere to be seen. We were unable to investigate further until December when, as a last resort, we took every single item out of the container and stacked it in our bookshop. And lo and behold— there was the box with screws, nicely stuffed inside one of the display boxes! Now we could start planning which fixtures would go where.
In February, 2016 Claudia Middendorf (the German AIM missionary who oversees our shop in Beira) will come by car and take away the fixtures for the refurbishment of the shop there. And as this will free up some space in our shop in Maputo, we can then start putting our fixtures here together. Some items, like the counter, don’t need much assembling and have already been put in place. What a difference that makes! We want to say a big THANK YOU to all of you who gave so generously towards this project! Without you, we wouldn’t have been able to do this at all! And thanks also to all those who helped us along the way; may the Lord bless you in your service to Him!
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Join us in this work. Lend us a hand through prayer so that many will give thanks for the gift that comes to us when God answers the prayers of so many. 2 Corinthians 1:11 (VOICE)
March 28th - April 1st
Week 14: Testimonies & Encouraging Stories Monday (28th) - Hamburg, Germany:
“Quite often, we don’t always see the fruit of our labour but, recently, an elderly lady who regularly shops with us shared with me about the time she got a book from us, around 20 years ago, that completely changed her life! I never knew this, even though she is continuously buying books to give away to nonbelievers. What an encouragement to our team! Join me in praying that, some day, one of the non-believers she is giving books to will encourage her by sharing how that book changed their life, and how they are now sharing God’s love.” Valentin Schweigler, CLC Germany National Director.
Tuesday (29th) - Port of Spain, Trinidad:
In January, Gerardo Scalante, America’s Regional Director, and David Almack, CLC USA Director, visited the CLC teams in Barbados and Trinidad. After returning home, David shared that, “On the last day, we spent a morning with the Trinidad team leaders for each store, and with Sandra Robinson, the newly appointed National Director. We celebrated all the events that had taken place in the last six months since the sudden and unexpected death of the former leader, Marlene Ramroop. Each store received a facelift, a new store opened on the sister island of Tobago, and their Christmas season was better than that of the prior year. Yet, even with all these accomplishments and exciting developments, there was a clear sense that this was only the beginning of what God has in store for this team. We dreamed and prayed together about new technology that would ignite these teams with resources they did not have, resources for which their customers were asking and, most importantly, new methods of working together. Whatever happens in the days ahead, one thing is certain, our Trinidad team is facing the future with a holy anticipation of a new move of God that will impact this island nation for generations to come.”
Wednesday (30th) - Lugano-Agno, Switzerland:
“One day last December, a customer, upon entering the bookshop, met a friend. Speaking of this and that, the customer had strongly suggested the book Crazy Love, saying to his friend that this book had changed and challenged his life. Overhearing this conversation, another customer began asking questions about the book. As I myself find this book amazing, I was thrilled to discover that we sold four copies of the book that day. We love to witness when customers recommend good Christian books to their friends as their personal testimonies continue to be the most impactful.” Carlo Ciafani, CLC Bookshop Manager, Lugano-Agno.
Thursday (31st) - Barquisimeto, Venezuela:
A customer visited the bookshop and, while she was at the counter waiting to pay, she received a message on her phone and began to cry. When a member of staff asked what was wrong, she replied that she had just had confirmation of her divorce. She had come to the bookshop specifically to look for books that would help her in this difficult situation. The shop staff was able to recommend books that would help her, and prayed with her. She left the shop very grateful for CLC’s support.
Friday (1st) - Bo, Sierra Leone:
“One day, a woman came into our Bo shop, in the Southern part of Sierra Leone, looking very sad. I tried to enquire as to the reason she was upset, and she opened up and told me she was encountering a serious situation in her marriage. I prayed for her and she left encouraged after purchasing a couple of 11
recommended books, Love and Respect by Dr E. Eggerichs, and His Needs, Her Needs by W.F. Harley. After a few weeks, she returned to the shop testifying about the impact those two books had made in her marriage and requested other marriage books that she could also utilize.” Matthew Hanciles, CLC Bo Bookshop.
The Weekend (2nd/3rd) - Central Asia (CA2):
A few years ago, a woman bought a Bible for a family friend who was in prison. She said she went with little faith, but wanted to do her part to share the good news with him. She shared some with him and left him the Bible. She didn’t know if he’d know where to read but just trusted God could use it. He read that Bible and accepted Jesus as his Saviour. Out of the joy of finding forgiveness and hope, he shared it with others in prison. They also became believers and started meeting and reading it together. Sometimes, they would call out loudly down the halls to each other, “May Jesus protect you.” There were some other prisoners there who were religious extremists. They accused these others of betraying their religion. But these new Christians showed them this Bible and challenged them to see what it said. Now they are reading it! Praise God and pray that this continues! April 4th - 10th
Week 15: Chile & Mexico Monday (4th) - YWAM Author, Darrow Miller, to Visit Chile:
CLC Chile, together with local publishers and pastors, are bringing author Darrow Miller to Temuco and Santiago. Darrow Miller is a highly regarded international speaker and an author at YWAM publishing. He will be giving a seminar entitled ‘Transforming Cultures’ during the first week of May in both cities. We would appreciate your support in prayer as CLC will be taking on the majority of the responsibility for organizing these events.
Tuesday (5th) - CLC Chile Connecting with Churches:
The most direct contact we have with many churches is through our mobile ministry. It allows us to display a good selection of literature in a variety of locations. This service is particularly appreciated by churches that are a long way from a CLC centre or any other Christian bookshop. In the south of the country, churches receive a CLC visit every two months.
Wednesday (6th) - CLC Chile’s Answer to Prayer:
In partnership with the publishing houses Portavoz and Unilit, it was possible for CLC Chile to arrange a visit from Jim and Elizabeth George, authors from the USA of a number of books. Conferences were held for men, women and couples in the cities of Santiago and Temuco, with around 2,000 people participating. Included in the price of an entrance ticket for the conference was the right to a book or two from CLC.
Thursday (7th) - CLC Mexico’s Ministry:
We give thanks to God because His Word is being taken to a country with a population of more than 122 million people who are seeking to overcome conflicts in society. We are pleased because the bookshop has become a centre for counselling. In recent days, we have been sharing with a destitute, young person who was experiencing family problems.
Friday (8th) - Mexican Mobile Ministry is Essential:
We pray that CLC Mexico will continue to expand and become recognised as a ministry. In order to do that, we feel that we need a small van as part of our work already involves making personalised visits to churches and other ministries. Culturally, in Mexico, family ties are very strong and you need to find a way to be welcomed into the fold. For this reason, we are taking every open opportunity to attend events and seminars that we are invited to in order to present a living Gospel to the people. 12
The Weekend (9th/10th) - CLC Mexico’s Answer to Prayer: In January, Maria del Carmen, the manager of the bookshop in Mexico, and her fellow co-worker, Daniel, had to leave Mexico to return to Colombia due to some apparent problems with their visa paperwork. Maria and Daniel were the two Colombian missionaries CLC sent to begin the work in Mexico in 2014. Praise the Lord that, by mid February, they were granted a provisional visa from the Mexican embassy in Bogota which allowed them to return to Mexico. Upon arrival, it was validated for a year, with the possibility of renewing it from Mexico at the end of that period.
April 11th - 17th
Week 16: Philippines Monday (11th) - Manila International Book Fair:
The selection process for booths and spaces at the 37th Manila International Book Fair (MIBF) was held at the end of January. We were pleased to be able to secured six booths for this year’s event, which is to be held September 14 - 18 in Pasay City. This book fair is attended by more than 10,000 people from Manila and the nearby provinces. Last year, CLC had very good sales for the five day event. Please pray with us as there is plenty of work to be done regarding the stock, staff, and the promotional campaign. Also pray that this year’s MIBF would surpass last year’s sales.
Tuesday (12th) – Philippines Website:
CLC Philippines has partnered with LAZADA, the Philippines’ biggest online shop, to sell books through their online store. Many books and Bibles have been sold through this partnership. Please uphold us in prayer so that more people will be able to access their site, resulting in more book sales.
Wednesday (13th) - Importing Books:
CLC plans to increase the importation of books in 2016 in order to fill the gap in the market. While others have stopped their imports due to limited resources, CLC would like to take the opportunity open for us to be active in this area. Please uphold us in your prayers so that we will be able to meet the desire of the people for literature.
Thursday (14th) - The Filipino Bookshops:
Please uphold in prayer our two provincial bookshops in Cebu City as they are struggling to increase their sales. Please pray that the staff will be able to cope with this challenge. Our branch in Davao City needs your prayers as well. There is huge potential for this branch as shown by their performance. Unfortunately, the manager is planning to resign and, currently, there is no one to replace her. Please pray for God’s direction in filling this position.
Friday (15th) - Connecting with Churches:
Praise be to God for the successful anniversary celebration of one of our partnering churches (Jesus Is Lord Church). It was a great blessing for us to be invited as one of the exhibitors at their event. With an attendance of more than 5,000 people, many books and Bibles found new homes. It was a very glorious day to celebrate! We also have regular book displays at different churches every 3rd and 4th Sunday of the month. We are serving at least eight churches during those weeks. We praise God for all the opportunities He is giving our CLC Ministry. 13
The Weekend (16th/17th) - CLC Philippines’ Answer to Prayer:
For CLC Philippines, 2015 was a very successful year. Almost all of our income-generating units have shown an increase in sales, with some surpassing their target goals. We praise the Lord for all these blessings! The coming year, 2016, will be a challenge for us as we are looking to God for the strength and guidance to surpass last year’s targets. April 18th - 24th
Week 17: Facing the Challenges Ahead Monday (18th) - Switzerland/Italy Editorial Committee:
CLC Switzerland does not publish books locally, but Carlo Ciafani, their bookshop manager, is also a member of CLC Italy’s editorial committee. This year, among other things, they have been engaged in the reviewing and updating of an Italian book of daily meditation, originally published about 100 years ago. The book is titled Più presso a Te Signore (Closer to You, Lord) and is a wonderful book that touches the heart. So far, the process is going extremely well. Please remember Carlo as he assists this committee and also works to fulfil all his duties as the manager of the Lugano-Agno shop.
Tuesday (19th) - Miami Bookshop (CLC Colombia):
Sadly, news has come in that CLC Colombia’s bookshop in Miami (Florida, USA) closed at the end of February. Various factors have contributed to this decision, but the location was proving unsuitable and CLC Colombia has made a change in their strategy concerning the Spanish book market in the USA. As a result, both the bookshop and the adjoining wholesale building are up for sale. Please pray for God’s leading and guiding in this situation as the CLC staff seek Him with regards to the next step.
Wednesday (20th) - Amsterdam Bookshop (CLC Netherlands):
Last December, the decision was made to close the Amsterdam shop due to ever-increasing overhead costs and the inability to find a new shop location that would fit our budget. This was hard on all the team, but they knew it was the Lord’s will and timing. “It was sad, but also special to dismantle the shop. On the last day, we stayed open after closing hours and had a special time of sharing, praying, singing, talking, eating and reminiscing. It showed that our shop had never been a ‘normal’ place. It had been a welcoming place where Gods presence was felt. We can honestly say that God really went before us throughout all these years! We want to give Him all the glory and honour for all the undeserved favours, which we so richly enjoyed. With all our hearts we will strive to see His work continue through the books and other items we sell on the internet, through our publishing efforts and our shop in Apeldoorn.” Els Oosterhuis, former CLC Amsterdam Manager.
Thursday (21st) - CLC Japan Team:
The CLC ministry here continues to struggle due to sales decreasing each year and their ever-increasing financial problems. The team asks for prayer for their health—physically, mentally, and spiritually—as they continue to try to improve the situation. Please pray that the Lord will ‘find a way’ for them through these trying times and that they will be open to making whatever necessary changes He asks of them.
Friday (22nd) - CLC Warehouse, Indonesia:
At the time of writing (end of February), we received word that our warehouse in Surabaya, needs some repair work done due to termite damage. Please pray that this damage is minimal and that they will quickly be able to make the necessary repairs. 14
The Weekend (23rd/24th) - CLC France Publishing:
Praise God! We have now translated (into French) and published these three new books: Wisdom for Women by Denise Glenn, You and Me Forever by Francis and Lisa Chan, and Resisting Gossip by Matthew Mitchell (CLC USA author). Publishing plays a key role in our ministry’s future, and we continue to ask for prayer in dealing with all the new and varied challenges that come along with it. April 25th - 31st
Week 18: Venezuela Monday (25th) - The Country of Venezuela:
Join us as we continue to pray for the political, economic and social situation that affects the whole country. If you are following the news, you know that there are continuing struggles that only God can remedy. You may not know this, but the supply of foreign currency is state-controlled. There have been no funds released to us in over a year, and we urgently require US dollars to pay our suppliers.
Tuesday (26th) - God’s Provision:
Join our team in praying for God’s provision for this country. May God supply, in supernatural ways, the basic products like food and items for personal hygiene that are so scarce, but so necessary, in our homes. Please also pray that God would protect all the CLC staff from the different illnesses and viruses that are in evidence. At the moment, a lot of medicines are also in scarce supply.
Wednesday (27th) - Publishing:
We are grateful to God for the possibility of starting local production of the devotional book, Una Pausa en tu Vida Vol.4 (A Pause in your Life), together with the calendar, El Autor de tus Dias (The Author of Your Days), both of which are published by CLC Colombia. We give thanks to God and CLC Colombia for this opportunity. It is our hope that we, in the coming months, can produce more titles locally.
Thursday (28th) - Website:
CLC Venezuela has been working to improve and advance the website clcvenezuela.com, and it is satisfying to see that we are winning the trust and confidence of our online customers. We have seen increased user traffic on the site and a considerable number of orders annually. The most satisfying thing is to see how we are reaching distant cities, where there are no bookstores or distributors and, thus, meeting the needs of churches and believers in such areas. We trust that God will continue to allow the growth of the online market in Venezuela.
Friday (29th) - Encouraging Story from San Felix Bookshop:
A customer visited the bookshop asking for the book, Love is a Decision, by Gary Smalley. She was surprised that we had the book as she had been looking for a copy for a long time. In fact, she had borrowed a copy, but had to give it back. She explained how the book had been a blessing for her marriage and now wanted to use it in giving advice to other couples going through similar problems.
The Weekend (30th/1st) - CLC Venezuela’s Answer to Prayer:
We have seen God’s answers in sustaining the ministry of CLC Venezuela in the middle of the crisis that affected the whole of our country. Every one of our bookshops continues to serve the public and local churches even though other independent bookshops have been forced to close. 15
May 1st - 8th
Week 19: Mozambique & Kenya Monday (2nd) - New Board Members (Mozambique):
Praise God! CLC Mozambique have recently added three new members to their CLC Board of Trustees. Let’s pray that these members will settle into their new responsibilities quickly and that they will be united in seeking what is best for the mission through intercessory prayer.
Tuesday (3rd) - Investigating Nampula, Mozambique:
One of the new Board members has a real vision for us to open a new bookshop in Nampula, Mozambique. At the time of writing, he and his wife (who used to run a Christian bookshop in Burundi) were preparing to move to Nampula. It is both his and our hope that his wife would be able to run the shop in Nampula, while the mission would provide the ‘oversight’ needed to make this vision a reality. Please pray for the Board’s investigation into the area and the essentials that would be required to get this new ministry started.
Wednesday (4th) - Kenya’s Print-on-Demand (POD):
We are so grateful to God and to CLC USA for our POD system. Its arrival was a timely one for CLC Kenya in terms of revenue and ministry. Join us in praising God once again for His provision and the real blessing this system has been for our ministry in Kenya.
Thursday (5th) - Publishing Rights for CLC Kenya:
We are thankful to now have the printing rights for the books from CLC USA and Oasis International Publishers. These have allowed us to minister to so many people who need specific titles. This answered prayer has also increased our variety of titles, something we have been trusting God for such a long time.
Friday (6th) - Kenya’s POD Automatic Binder:
At the time of writing, our team was working on an order of 500 copies of a 390 page book, with more orders still coming in. However, this increase in productivity does cause a problem: the cutter and binder that we have is purely manual and does not allow for many copies to be processed in a timely fashion. It also demands more manpower. We are trusting God for an automatic binder and a new book trimmer/cutter from Publish4All. This will shorten our bookmaking process, improve on quality and increase production.
The Weekend (7th/8th) - CLC Kenya’s Answer to Prayer:
Since the Print on Demand system was installed in our Nairobi headquarters last year, nearly 4,000 books have been printed by our team. It is wonderful to note that a good proportion of these books are by local authors. They were previously unable to publish their books because of the capital outlay involved in a normal print run of 1,000 copies or more. With Print on Demand, they are able to print 25 or 50 copies, sell them, and then come back for more. Praise God for this new technology at an affordable price. May 9th - 15th
Week 20: CLC UK Developments Monday (9th) - New Focus for the Leadership Team:
Having moved the warehouse in 2015, the leadership team wants this year to concentrate more on the retail operation. Pray for them as they consider ways of strengthening the shops at a time when trading on the High street continues to be difficult. 16
Tuesday (10th) - Changing of the Guard:
John Watkins
Geoff Fanning
With the retirement of John Watkins, the Northern Regional Manager, after conference in May, Geoff Fanning will oversee all the UK shops. To help with this task, a system of ‘cluster mentors’ is being developed where more experienced shop managers help a number of other shops in their area. Please pray that this new arrangement will be a support and encouragement to all the shop teams and raise the standard of our retailing.
Wednesday (11th) - Implementing Chreos (IT System) into our Bookshops:
By the end of June, most of the UK shops will hopefully have transferred to the new Chreos computer system. Pray for the staff as they get used to it, and David Scouler (project manager) and the Chreos team as they make any necessary adjustments. Pray that both the warehouse and shops are able to use the new system to maximum advantage in order to benefit our calling to sell and distribute Bibles, Christian books and other resources.
Thursday (12th) - Bookshop Developments and Changes:
UK shops are always changing and developing. Newcastle writes: “Praise the Lord — our refit and new staffing is resulting in extra sales and a fresh feeling to the shop and our mission in the city”. In Birmingham, with the end of the lease at Stephenson Street in June, prayer is required so that our shop in Carr’s Lane will flourish and that customers transfer across.
Friday (13th) - CLC UK Conference:
The UK Annual Conference takes place 15–17 May, 2016, and will be followed by a meeting of the UK Trustee Board on the 18th. Pray that the Conference will be a time of refreshing and inspiration for all who attend, and that our fellowship and friendship will be deepened. Pray also that the trustees will have Godly wisdom as they oversee the direction and objectives of CLC in the UK.
The Weekend (14th/15th) - A New Bookshop for CLC UK!
Praise God! Towards the end of March, the Tonbridge Christian Book Centre became part of the CLC chain of shops. Pray for the staff team there as they adjust to new ownership and new ways of working. Give thanks for this opportunity, and pray that CLC can build on the good work of the previous owner. Look for more information on this bookshop in our next issue. May 16th - 22nd
Week 21: CLC Indonesia & CLC Myanmar Monday (16th) - CLC Bookshop in Genteng Besar (Surabaya, Indonesia):
“At the end of 2015, a Marine soldier came to our shop and bought around 100 Bibles in different sizes and models. He explained that the Marine Corps needed these Bibles to be distributed throughout East Indonesia (Sulawesi, Ambon, Papua) at social activities, like medical checks. Please pray that these Bibles will touch the lives of those who have received them. We believe that the Holy Spirit will speak to their hearts so that they come to know, grow and mature in Jesus Christ (2 Peter 3:18)” - Donny Kairupan, CLC Indonesia.
Tuesday (17th) - CLC ‘Kiosk’ Shop at the CITO Mall (Surabaya, Indonesia):
“Two separate Muslim women who were wearing Jilbabs/Hijabs (head coverings) recently visited our CLC ‘kiosk’ shop. The first woman asked to buy a small souvenir cross as she wanted to put it in her car. We were very confused by this, but she explained that she ‘felt saved’ when she saw the cross. The second woman came and bought a Bible. She wanted to study the Bible to find ‘the way, the truth and the life’. She believed 17
that the Bible would have the answers she was searching for. Please pray for our worker, Mrs. Mardiana, as she meets many people in the CITO Mall. Pray that the Holy Spirit will continue to give her the ability to speak and testify about our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Please pray for the Muslims in Indonesia that they can come to faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.” – Donny Kairupan, CLC Indonesia.
Wednesday (18th) - CLC Myanmar Study Bible:
Our team is working very hard on the first ever Burmese Study Bible, which will be used in discipling both lay people and church leaders in Myanmar. Please pray that the translation work (from English) will soon be finalised so that we may begin to work on the layout and design of the Study Bible. Our hope is for the Study Bible to be printed in 2017.
Thursday (19th) - Seminary Students in Myanmar:
In June, many seminary students will be returning to the Bible School and will be visiting our shop to buy their books for the upcoming year. Please pray that our teams will be prepared for this influx of students by making sure the right books and the necessary quantities are available for them.
Friday (20th) - Heavy Traffic in Myanmar:
Due to the heavy traffic nowadays for those traveling to and from the city, many are finding it more difficult to visit our bookshop in the downtown area. Please pray that our customers will continue to make the effort to visit us so that our sales will increase. We have quite a few ongoing projects that require steady and available funds to continue.
The Weekend (21st/22nd) - Thankful for God’s Provision:
What a blessing! In just a single day last February (2015), we were able to sell 1000 Bibles. Praise God for His provision! Now, a year later, as we reflect on this gift from God, we are filled with gratitude for all that He has allowed us to accomplish. May 23rd - 29th
Week 22: Making Connections Monday (23rd) - Connecting with Children in the Philippines:
CLC Valenzuela and CLC Malolos have a children’s area in the bookshop where children can browse and read books. Please pray that this little corner in the shops can be a blessing to children who enter the shops and find solace in these corners. Pray that the books will minister to their young hearts.
Tuesday (24th) - Connecting with Churches in India:
“We used to only visit churches/seminaries during November and December so that we could offer book tables that featured seasonal stock. However, we are now making it a practice to visit churches with book tables whenever and wherever the Lord opens a door for us. We have been appreciated and have received positive responses from the congregations, especially in churches where people find it difficult to visit our shop. We praise God for every opportunity to reach out with His word. Please pray that God will move in the hearts of the people as they read His Word.” - Justin Chellapan, CLC/ELS India National Director.
Wednesday (25th) - Publishing Connections for CLC Philippines:
CLC Italy and Papua New Guinea (PNG) have purchased copies of Tagalog and Ilocano Bibles through us for the many overseas Filipinos based in their countries. It is wonderful to be able to provide these Bibles so that they may acquire a Bible in their own language. These orders are increasing each year, so please pray that this partnership will continue to progress.
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Thursday (26th) - Connecting with Children in Germany:
Recently, we built a little play area for children visiting our shop. We don’t have a huge amount of space, so it’s fairly small, but it has two places to sit inside with lots of little things to do! From the outside, it looks like an old castle on one side and like a car on the other. It even has a lock on both sides, making it a bit more challenging and exciting for the little ones. This play area allows parents a few peaceful minutes to browse and helps to ensure that we have fewer damaged books. A win for all!
Friday (27th) - Connecting with Churches in the Philippines: Three Sundays a month, CLC Valenzuela has bookstalls or book tables in different churches in Manila. People who are unable to go to bookshops can purchase their needed books, Bibles and other novelties from these. CLC Malolos, CLC Cebu, and CLC Davao have the same programme as CLC Valenzuela, enabling them to bring the literature one step closer to the people.
New Play Box for children visiting CLC Hamburg
The Weekend (28th/29th) - CLC France and CLC Canada Connecting:
We are so thankful to God that our teams are able to support each other’s ministries in a variety of ways. You may remember earlier that we mentioned how CLC France is making publishing a key role in their ministry. This has been a huge blessing to our Canadian team as CLC France is beginning to send them the necessary art work and electronic files to begin locally printing CLC France’s publications as their own. In Canada, the same Christian book in French can sometimes cost double the amount of the English one due to all the shipping costs involved. (Most French Christian books are published in Europe). This has been a huge support to their ministry and to the French Canadian people. May 30th - June 5th
Week 23: Canada & USA Monday (30th) - CLC Canada Is Hopeful:
Up until recently, the survival of CLC Canada was very uncertain. What put us in this difficult situation was too much change in too short a period of time. We were then forced to take drastic measures to address the situation but, thank the Lord, things have greatly improved. Although we are not yet ‘out of the woods’, there is cautious optimism for the future of the ministry. Thank you Lord!
Tuesday (31st) - Staffing Situation for CLC Canada:
Only a few years ago, we were a team of 15 people, but today we are down to six full-time workers. Soon, Esther will be leaving to have her second child and Hernan, our controller (computer, internet and techie), will be moving to Japan. We have quite a challenge to replace these two. Please pray that we might find the right people and that they will quickly learn the systems and ministry.
Wednesday (1st) - CLC Canada’s Website:
Our internet sales are increasing year by year but, so far, this aspect of the ministry is not yet profitable. Presently, we are in partnership with a former CLC worker who looks after most of the maintenance for the site. Please pray that we might find the right formula to reach people who can’t or don’t want to come into the stores. Also pray that the internet might become profitable.
Thursday (2nd) - Cedarbrook Plaza (Philadelphia, USA):
We need to find a new store manager for the Cedarbrook Plaza store in Philadelphia. Our current store manager, Sarah Quach, will be moving out of the area as her husband has just graduated from seminary. Please be praying for us as we search for the right person to fill this role. 19
Friday (3rd) - Multi-Language Media (USA):
Please pray for the successful acquisition and integration of Multi-Language Media into CLC USA this June. MLM provides foreign language Christian books, Bibles and other media to people all over the United States. After 30 years, the couple currently running the ministry is retiring and turning it over to CLC to continue into the future. You can visit their website at www.multilanguage.com to learn more about this ministry.
The Weekend (4th/5th) - Retirement (USA):
Bill and Marge Almack will formally retire from the CLC ministry in April. They have been faithfully serving with CLC for 47 years and we’d ask you to pray for them as they adjust to this new stage in their lives. There was a special retirement celebration at the end of CLC USA’s annual Team Conference in April to honour them. We thank God for their many years of service to CLC’s ministry and for showing so many of us how to serve the Lord with both commitment and love. May 30th - June 5th
Week 24: Sierra Leone, Côte d’Ivoire & Burkina Faso Monday (6th) - Ebola (Sierra Leone):
For the past two years, we have been fighting with the Ebola scourge that devastated our economy. In November, 2015, the World Health Organisation declared us to be Ebola free. What a big relief for our ministry and the entire country! Recently, we heard about a case that emerged in the northern part of Sierra Leone. Please join us in prayer that this time it will be effectively contained and addressed.
Tuesday (7th) - Radio Stations in Sierra Leone:
We thank the Lord for our involvement in our local radio stations in the city of Bo, Sierra Leone, where CLC has an outlet. The Lord provided an opportunity to partner with two radio stations, one called Radio New Song, and the other, Voice of Faith. We have been highly privileged to use the media facilities to evangelise and, at the same time, advertise our available materials. We also normally conduct a Bible quiz competition via phone calls, with answered questions being rewarded with prizes. Please pray that this type of partnership extends to other radio stations and also strengthens our relationship with the ones with whom we are presently working.
Wednesday (8th) - Sierra Leone Building Project:
Presently, we are occupying a shop space at 2 Bojon Street, Bo, Sierra Leone, that is owned by an ardent Muslim who has tried on so many occasions to evict us due to our nature of operations. To facilitate our leaving the property, he has been constantly increasing his rent and has even informed us that this year’s rent will be increase by 50%. Due to the difficulties in acquiring a suitable and reasonable shop space around the city centre, we have no option but to remain where we presently are. Please join us in praying that the Lord provides the funds for a building project in Bo City.
Thursday (9th) - CLC Apartment in Abidjan, Côte d’Ivoire:
We continue to request prayer in order to sell the CLC apartment that the Abidjan team owns in Côte d’Ivoire. The funds from its sale are needed quite desperately to help pay off suppliers, like Livr’Afrique, who have already been very patient. It remains very difficult for Directors, Liz Patten and Prosper Weda, to push the sale forward since they don’t live in the country. Please pray that God will bring the right people along to purchase the apartment. 20
Friday (10th) - Tax Exemption for Côte d’Ivoire:
Please continue to pray for Abidjan Shop Manager, Martine, as she battles to get tax exemption for their ministry. CLC is registered as a not-for-profit organisation within the country and so they should be entitled to tax exemption, but it has not been granted as yet.
The Weekend (11th/12th) - CLC Burkina Faso’s Answer to Prayer:
Some of you will remember that there was an attack on a hotel in Ouagadougou in late January, not far from our shop. An Australian couple, both in their 80s, were also kidnapped from the medical clinic that they have been running in the north of the country for over 40 years. Many Christians were directly affected in these incidents. Prosper Weda, the CLC National Director, writes: “Just to let you know that CLC staff and our families have been under Divine protection during the terrorist attack on Ouagadougou, which left 29 dead and more than 60 wounded. The hotel [where the attack took place] belongs to our former CLC landlord. Ouagadougou is still in shock, BUT God is good and He will remain good.” Join us in thanking God for his protection of our team and their families, but do please pray for Burkina Faso as it continues to recover from this tragedy and for CLC’s ongoing ministry to the people of this nation. June 13th - 19th
Week 25: Answered Prayers for CLC Monday (13th) - CLC Thailand:
After praying for many years that an ‘English-speaking’ missionary would join the CLC Thailand team, God has once again exceeded our expectations by giving us not one, but two! Praise God with us and remember to pray for Don and Betsy Velboom (CLC USA) as they settle into life in Chiang Mai, Thailand. They are a mature couple with a lot of experience and expertise in missions and bookselling, and will be a great help to the CLC ministry. However, learning to live in Thailand and, in particular, learning the Thai language is a demanding task. Please pray for God’s blessing and equipping as they study Thai.
Tuesday (14th) - CLC UK:
We thank God for a young Dutch lady who has left her home in the Netherlands to work in the Sheffield, UK CLC bookshop. Marieke de Water arrived in the middle of February, and the plan is for her to help in the shop for the next six months. Please pray for Marieke as she settles into life and work in Sheffield.
Wednesday (15th) - CLC Cyprus:
This year, there was an unexpected increase in the demand for Greek calendars which the churches and individuals buy to give to relatives and friends. These calendars have a daily reading from the Bible and a short accompanying story. Please pray that this increased demand is a genuine thirst for the word of God and that many will be touched by the various messages in them.
Thursday (16th) - CLC USA:
Praise God that the new CLCPublications.com website was launched in December and is working very well in making CLC’s books even more widely available. We also were able to complete our remodel of the Philadelphia ‘Center City’ store, which included replacing the flooring and the addition of several new fixtures.
Friday (17th) - CLC Philippines:
Many of you will remember that we have been praying for a Print-on-Demand (POD) system for our team. Praise God with us as we just received word that they’ve acquired a POD system! This system will enable them to better serve other ministries and allow our team the ability to do small print runs for books that are limited in their demand. This will dramatically improve our service to our customers. Please remember the team in prayer as they now learn how to use this new technology properly and efficiently. 21
The Weekend (18th/19th) - CLC France:
Praise God! We have moved into the new Paris bookshop. This one is bigger, brighter and more affordable for the ministry. Please pray that our customers will continue to find us at this new location. We are so thankful to God for His provision.
June 20th - 26th
Week 26: International Council Meetings Monday (20th) - France:
Please pray for the CLC International Council being held just north of London. On Wednesday, June 22, more than 60 delegates will be arriving from more than 50 different countries. Please pray for all the practical details of their trips, safe arrivals and getting over jetlag. Some will be experiencing food, language and climate that is unfamiliar to them, but it will be a wonderful coming together of many cultures. Please pray that we will experience the Lord’s presence in a special way. The Council is always a time for assessing where we are as a ministry, reviewing the last four years, and looking ahead to the next four years.
Tuesday (21st) - Important Appointments:
Please pray for the important appointments that will be made during the Council. Gerardo Scalante is the single nominee for the role of International Director, and the new Regional Directors (RDs) will be confirmed in their roles. The selection process for RD’s for Africa and Asia will also be completed during the days of the Council. Please pray for an anointing on these people for the important responsibility they will carry for the next four years.
Wednesday (22nd) - Guest Speakers:
Please pray for Louis and Susan Sutton, International Directors of WEC International, as they open up the Word of God during the Council devotional sessions. Pray for a sense of the leading of the Holy Spirit as we listen to the Word.
Thursday (23rd) - Council Business:
Please pray for the Council business that will be done during the conference. The new International Constitution will be agreed upon; there will be discussion regarding the meaning of the CLC name; and we will review the established and dependent status of CLC countries. Pray that these will not be simply administrative decisions but, rather, they will help propel CLC forward in a relevant way.
Friday (24th) - Good Fellowship:
It is not all hard work at the Council! On Saturday, June 25, there will be an excursion to central London, visiting some of the main sites and, of course, the CLC bookshop. Pray for a good time of fellowship. Relationships that are formed at such conferences are of great benefit to the work.
The Weekend (25th/26th) - Celebration Day!
On Monday, June 27, we will officially be celebrating the 75th anniversary of CLC with an open day and some special events. We want to express our gratitude to God for sustaining and growing CLC over these years. Our prayer is that we will be faithful to His calling for the years ahead. 22
New Devotionals for Young People Beautifully Brave Delve into topics such as living daringly, using the armour of God, being empowered through praise, and being unified with other girls and women of God. ISBN: 9781782595205
Take Courage Learn about prayer, how to overcome doubts and fears, and all about David – a young man who needed courage from the day he stood up to Goliath right through his life. ISBN: 9781782595199
Ideal for ages 11–15
RRP: £4.99 each Various authors
The Lost Series by Bob Hartman A brand new series of colourful story books based on parables for young readers.
Have You Seen My Coin? ISBN: 9781782594512
Have You Seen My Son? ISBN: 9781782594536
Have You Seen My Sheep? ISBN: 9781782594529
Ideal for ages 3–6
RRP: £5.99 each
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‘Little is much’ when God is involved!
By David Almack, CLC USA Director God can use even the smallest things to accomplish His greater purposes. Bob was excited to show me his pictures. As I looked at them, I was reminded once again how God can use even the smallest things to accomplish His greater purposes. Deb and I were in Lancaster County (Philadelphia) again this weekend at Westminster Presbyterian Church’s annual missions conference where we host a mega book table. Bob is on the Great Commission Committee of this church and has been a fan or our ministry for some time. These pictures were the proof that CLC really is a unique organization and that our partnership with this particular church had reached a new level. Several months before, Bob had contacted me about a problem he had and wanted to know if we could help. A Burmese refugee named David had been attending their church for a while and Bob had been getting to know him. As David’s English improved and their friendship developed, he began to tell Bob about the courageous work that his sister (photo above) was doing in Myanmar (Burma) with orphans and how she was a Christian with very limited resources. Eventually, Bob decided that he and the church would do something to help David’s sister and discovered that she really needed Bibles in the Burmese language and Christian books. His first thought was to connect with Multi-Language Media as they likely had Burmese Bibles in stock, and then he realized that this might not be the best plan after all. These Bibles were going to be very expensive to ship to Myanmar and they would probably never make it through customs. This was when Bob called me. He had suddenly realized that I had mentioned CLC’s work in Myanmar on our last visit to the church. It was a long shot, but he wondered if we could have our local team deliver the Bibles and books to this woman if they provided the funds. After contacting Jacob, the leader of our work, it became clear that this would not be a problem. In fact, by purchasing these items through CLC in Myanmar itself, Bob and his church were able to fund a far larger number of books and Bibles. Just a few weeks ago, I got confirmation that these 24
items had been delivered and Bob was delighted. His pictures showed the large number of titles that she had received in addition to 50 Bibles. David’s sister was very happy too and was going to be able to use these resources immediately in her ministry. As I reflected on this story, I was reminded once again that ‘little is much’ when God is involved. Jacob (photo on the right) and his team have done a remarkable work in Myanmar over the last twenty years and have been directly involved in publishing over half of all the Christian literature available in the Burmese language. Today, he and his intrepid team are embarked on their biggest project to date. They are involved in a multiyear partnership with the Langham Literature Publisher Development Program in the UK to produce the first-ever Burmese Study Bible. This will be a real game changer for the church in Myanmar when it is finally completed. Being a link in the chain to get the books and Bibles to David’s sister in Myanmar is a small part of my job and yet it is some of the most important work I do. It is my joy and privilege to connect people to Christian resources in nations all over the world. Who knows what impact these items will have for eternity?
Nian Lian, the CLC Yangon Bookshop Manager, and her team setting up a book table for a special event.
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Did you know that CLC International has & Publishing: set Translating itself a goal of doubling its publishing Please pray for our teams across Europe! efforts by 2024? One year in and we’ve Many of them teams— of made a very good are startvery withsmall the addition with only 1 or 2 members—but they are Print-on-demand systems in two countries, making a huge impact in their country! and more teams taking up the challenge to translate and publish in on their Half of the shops listed thelanguage/ left are country. Contact us if you’dand likepublishing to learn how involved in translating youBibles can beand involved. other great Christian books!
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CLC (UK) Wholesale:
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A Few New Faces We’d like to officially welcome these new faces at CLC Wholesale to the UK team. Join us in praying that they will quickly settle into their new roles and feel a part of their Rashid Masih & Daryl Wearring new family. Rashid is our Backlist Purchasing Assistant and Daryl is our Marketing & Promotions Manager
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WHY NOT SERVE WITH US?
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For 75 years, CLC teams have been impacting lives across the UK. If you enjoy working in a team environment and believe, like we do, that Christian books CHANGE lives, why not visit our website to discover more about the different opportunities available to serve with us?
New members of the CLC warehouse team!
From left to right: Dave Lightfoot, Simon Hughes, Phil Blackman, John Roberts, and Peter Day, who is the new Warehouse Supervisor
Email your enquiries to
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Christian Focus Publications partners with Grace Publications Trust for the new
GRACE ESSENTIALS COLLECTION
THE EXPERIENCE THAT COUNTS Jonathan Edwards
LIVING WITH THE LIVING GOD John Owen & George Smeaton
9781781917190 £6.99
9781781917206 £5.99
www.christianfocus.com 01862 871011
CHRISTIAN FREEDOM Samuel Bolton 9781781917213 £5.99
The Contrast: Happiness vs. Joy
An Excerpt from Stop Your Complaining by Ronnie Martin
What people really want, and what they typically mean when they talk about the pursuit of happiness, is really the attainment of joy. The difference between the two may not feel incredibly different, but they are different, although not entirely opposed to one another. The best news in the world is that there is no conflict between your greatest possible happiness and God’s perfect holiness. Being satisfied with all that God is for you in Jesus magnifies him as the greatest treasure and brings you more joy—eternal, infinite joy—than any other delight ever could. Joy is sometimes defined as a feeling of great happiness. The beauty and effectiveness of joy is that it moves beyond mere feeling, while never ignoring that the emotions of happiness can be good and God-given. Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. (Heb. 12:2) The writer of Hebrews gives us a working definition of joy from the perspective of the most joyful person who ever walked the earth, Jesus Christ. It was because of the joy Jesus had in obeying His father and fulfilling the work necessary for the redemption of mankind that He was able to endure something as horrific as 28
ISBN: 9781619582057 Price £7.99
the cross. For Jesus, joy consisted of more than momentary lightness and positivity. If it didn’t, the Bible wouldn’t describe Him the way it does, like in Isaiah 53:3 where the prophet says, “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.” Or on the night before His crucifixion, when Jesus was in agony over what would shortly transpire: “And being in an agony he prayed more earnestly; and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down to the ground”. (Luke 22:44) And yet, in the midst of the single greatest sacrifice since the creation of the world, there was a joy that ran deeper. It’s fair to say from the text that Jesus was not “happy” during the height of His suffering and sacrifice, but His joy was of a deeper, richer and altogether more infinite quality than any temporary feeling of relief could have provided Him. It was “for” and “because of” joy that the “unhappy” circumstances leading up to and through His death couldn’t diminish. Happiness is always dependent on the “if.” “If” this happens, then I’ll be happy. Joy, on the other hand, is always “because of.” “Because of” this, I’m already content. For example, one might say, “If I just get this job promotion, it will make me happy.”
And that may be true, in the moment. But joy exists outside of the push and pull of present circumstances or fate. Joy is this: “Whether I get this job promotion or not, I trust that God has my future in His hands and it’s this never-changing truth that will be a constant source of gladness.” Happiness hangs in the balance of realization, but joy remains resolutely grounded on what’s already been realized. In other words, happiness has to continually be earned, like a person working for wages. If he works, he earns, and he can take temporary comfort in those things that his wages earn him. But joy is a gift bought and paid for, completely dependent on a giver whose gifts are eternal and unfading. In a nutshell, joy is grace. For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, not a result of works, so that no one may boast. (Eph. 2:8–9) Joy is also a guarantee, because the Holy Spirit seals the source of joy, the gospel, in our hearts. In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory. (Eph. 1:13–14)
The apostle Peter adds to what Paul said by calling this message of good news a “living hope”: According to his great mercy, He has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. (1 Peter 1:3–5) According to Peter, the cause for our hope, and the subsequent joy that follows, is our new birth in Christ through the effective power of His resurrection from the dead. What we receive is an everlasting inheritance, like God literally writing our names on His will, stating we will receive an infinite supply of riches that He’s guarding through our faith by His power. So the full measure of those riches are still forthcoming, but we get a portion of them now through the Holy Spirit’s sanctifying work in our lives. This is part of the “already/not yet” reality for the Christian. We’ve been given so much, and so much is still yet to come. Christ has provided justification and sanctification, but we await the day of our glorification, when our joy will be uninhibited by our natural inclination toward earthly pleasures. Excerpt: Stop Your Compaining, CLC Publications, Pages 77 - 80
CLC World Reviews: Our Recommendations The Bible: An Authentic Book by Brian H. Edwards Review by Rev. David Barnes, CLC World Reviewer
ISBN: 9781846254659 Price: £8.00, 192pp
It is fashionable today for documentaries to undermine biblical truth, usually at key points in the Christian calendar, and for subjective and post-modern tendencies to make Christianity into whatever one desires, even within some Christian circles. These errors spring from a rejection of the Bible as God’s inspired and inerrant Word. So Edwards’ book, and those like it, are vital in showing the Bible is reliable and fully authentic. A great strength is the interaction with critics like Richard Dawkins, where Edwards painstakingly lays down the evidence in the face of negative generalisations. He is precise in his observations and has an eye for detail. Edwards rigorously examines, among other aspects, the narratives, letters, genealogies (which he makes come alive with interest), history, geography and silences of the Bible. In both Old and New Testaments (Part One of this book) we see authenticity displayed time after time. Parts three to seven make up less than half the book, but contain interesting outlines that chart the chronology of events within the Old Testament, the last week of the life of Christ, and Acts. A thoughtful Bible reading programme, and helpful devotional aid ‘A daily time with God’ are also included in this section. 29
CLC World Reviews: Our Recommendations Street God by Dimas Salaberrios
Review by Rev. Brian Butler, CLC International Trustee
ISBN: 9781496402783 Price: £10.99, 285pp
This is an amazing story. Reared in New York City, Dimas became a drug dealer and a gang-leader. He diced with death on numerous occasions, but eventually (not until page 145) he was wonderfully converted. The rest of the book follows his Christian pilgrimage, his call to the ministry and the eventual birthing of a church in the unlikely soil of the Bronx. Much of the book you will find hard to believe, but it is an amazing story of the triumph of grace in very unlikely soil.
God is my Strength by Patricia A. Ennis
ISBN: 9781781916421 Review by Dr. Wilma Brock, CLC World Reviewer Price: £7.99, 240pp This book is a much needed resource for women of the twenty-first century who are faced with a myriad of challenges. In a very practical and sensitive way, Ennis has selected 50 key issues and answers difficult life questions from a solid Biblical perspective. The critical areas relate to God, Self, Relationships, Home and the World It is a textbook to be ‘worked’ through, meditating on the principles and practical approaches designed to steer the reader for a lifetime of honour to Christ. A very helpful book to promote spiritual growth and the comprehension that God is always our strength.
When We Can’t, God Can by Catherine Campbell
ISBN: 9780857216120 Review by Jean Mintoft, CLC World Reviewer Price: £7.99, 192pp This book consists of 10 stories, divided into 5 chapters. Each chapter takes a theme: God is able when… “Life devastates”, “When I walk in darkness” and other similar themes. The first story in each chapter is a retelling, in wonderful detail, of a Bible story, and the second is a concise biography of a person living in modern times, who faced similar situations to the Bible character, and for whom God proved to be able. All the stories are told in a realistic, easy-to-read way, and are gripping. The main thrust of the narrative is to encourage the reader to trust this God who is able to do so much more than we can do. This is definitely not a book for anyone who wants theology or in-depth spiritual insight, but ordinary Christians who feel daunted by the challenges of the Christian life are likely to be encouraged by reading it.
A Widow’s Journey: by Gayle Roper
ISBN: 9780736959582 Review by Dr. Wilma Brock, CLC World Reviewer Price: £7.50, 144pp In this thoughtful, moving and inspiring book, Gayle Roper writes of her emotions following the loss of her beloved husband, Chuck. It is a book of reflections on walking alone through dark and lonely days. Gayle’s thoughts are based on ordinary, everyday activities, events and encounters which she reflects on with insight and compassion. Each reflection includes a scriptural reference. While Gayle knows that a widow’s pain is deep, she also makes clear that God’s love is even deeper, and it is in His love that one finds deepest comfort. A very helpful book for a person experiencing the loss of a loved one. 30
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“I have a burning desire to tell people who are hurting that there is a way out of their pain. There is hope for their lives.” – Stormie Omartian Learn more about Stormie’s biography, Out of Darkness, and read our exclusive interview about her journey to joy on pages 6 and 7.
ISBN: 9780736968065
7.99
Price: £
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