WCLCRLD W RLD clc.org.uk
M
A
clcbookshops.com
G
A
Z
I
NM EA
G A-2018 Z World I N E 2017 Report
Your support allows us to make evangelical Christian literature available around the world. This helps thousands of people each day progress on their spiritual journey to know God.
9781433562105
The ESV Global Study Bible is a one-volume study resource for globally minded Christians everywhere. It is designed to be highly accessible and priced for distribution on a global scale, with notes and maps adapted from the best-selling ESV Study Bible. FEATURES • • • • • • •
Complete ESV Bible text 12,000 clear, concise study notes 14 articles written by global Christian leaders Nearly 900 highlighted Bible facts 120 Bible character profiles 120+ maps and illustrations throughout 80,000+ cross-references
Available in-store at CLC and online at clcbookshops.com and clcbookcenter.com.
A Note From the Editor, Amanda Lutes: First and foremost, I’d like to apologise for the extreme delay in getting this magazine out to everyone. Last May, as I was working on this magazine, I started experiencing migraines, which became a continuous pain, interspersed by major flare ups. By the end of the month, I was unable to work at all. Nearly six months later, I am finally seeing some improvement. Praise God! He has been so faithful to me during this difficult time, and I am so grateful to my CLC family for their prayers, love and support. A special thank you to Neil and Sheena Wardrope, Alessandra Plantania and Jacqui Burne for their major assistance in helping to complete this magazine. Thank you for your patience, and I hope you will find this magazine has been worth the wait!
Colourful. Diverse. United. Colourful, diverse and united are probably among the best words to describe the work of CLC around the world, and you will be able to feel that throughout the pages of this World Report. It’s delightful to see how people from 47 countries with varied cultural backgrounds and experiences and with different spiritual, social and economic realities can be united with the same purpose and vision.
Bible Distribution:
In many African countries, there is a need for affordable Bibles. Thanks to funds from several CLC countries and gifts from foundations and individuals, at the end of the year, a shipment of 10,000 Bibles in Portuguese was sent to Mozambique. Christians in the country were excited to receive these Bibles. We will now start similar projects for Spanish and Englishspeaking countries.
Global CLC Publications Project: The CLC
Project to double Global Publishing started in January 2014. At that time, our ‘publishing inventory’ was 2.000 titles, published in 15 countries and 16 languages. We provide ongoing training to ensure that our work is of a high standard. With some generous donations, we have been able to subsidise the publishing efforts in a number of countries. In the past three years, CLC has been able to cooperate with Josh McDowell Ministries to print many of his books in various languages—including the bestseller More than a Carpenter in Dutch
and Italian. Now our CLC teams in Italy, France, Russia and Poland are beginning to work on the translation of the updated version of Evidence that Demands a Verdict. Praise God that by December 2017, CLC had 2.865 titles in print in 22 countries and in 22 languages, a significant increase from just four years ago.
CLC Digital Project:
The digital world continues to be our ‘great challenge’. This year we have been able to take some concrete steps that we hope will give abundant fruit in the coming years. The digital project not only covers selling online—that is already a reality in many of our countries—but also the launch of a digital platform for the distribution of eBooks, and access to a Printon-Demand platform. In this way, we can face the new challenges with more confidence. We are very grateful to the team of people that is anonymously working behind these global CLC projects, and without them, this significant progress would not have been possible. We are also thankful that God has provided the necessary resources through people and organisations willing to support the extension of the Kingdom of God by these projects.
Gerardo Scalante, CLC International Director Please note: Approximate population statistics shared in this magazine are from the CIA World Factbook and the precentage of Evangelical Christians are via Operation World.
3
The Caribbean & North America: Antigua: Population: 94,731 (19.9% Evangelicals) Date CLC work began: 1961 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Manager: Arah Martin (Photo below: Arah on the right with colleague , Royal, on the left)
Bestsellers: Bibles, Prayer Reign, Prayer Passport 200-page book cost: $20 USD We give God thanks for keeping us safe! At one point in the year we had a bomb scare and the police evacuated four blocks, including ours. Thank God it was a false alarm, but what a scary few hours! We were grateful to God for protecting us from major hurricane destruction although a large number of people came over from the totally devastated island of Barbuda. Please continue to pray for us! We also thank God for the funds to do some exterior renovations on our shop, especially after the hurricane season. Renovations are needed inside as well, and we are praying for these funds as we believe these changes will attract more people and encourage them to spend more time in our shop
Monday - Antigua:
Our country continues to struggle economically, which affects every aspect of life, including our ministry. We continue to hold strong to the Word of God. Please keep praying for us! CLC has a mandate to spread the Gospel. Week 49
Tuesday - Barbados:
We praise God for the new bus stop that was erected just outside our bookshop as this has increased the number of people who pass by or wait outside our shop. We also give thanks for the Thompson Chain Bible Seminar we were able to host this past year, and for all the leaders who 4
Barbados: Population: 292,336 (34.2% Evangelicals) Date CLC work began: 1957 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Manager: Wilbert Charles Bestsellers: My Prayer Book (Concordia), The Man God Uses, Absolute Surrender 200-page book cost: $17 USD Highlights: A wonderful opportunity was for us to have a book table on OM’s Logos ship for two weeks when it came to Barbados. We have developed the idea of sidewalk book tables, and we did a number of these. A new bus stop has helped to bring people into the vicinity of the shop. We are grateful to now have someone helping us with social media, enabling us to have a presence on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. We were able to improve our store in a number of ways: the store front was renovated; new carpet tiles were laid down; and a new air conditioning unit was donated. Challenges: Books and Bibles were previously tax free but a 10% import tax was added, and that has been a significant challenge for us. We still need to carry out further repairs on our shop as the roof is leaking badly. We also need to install a new security system.
were able to attend.
Wednesday - Barbados:
Our nation is still going through a financial crisis so we would greatly value your prayers.
Thursday - Trinidad & Tobago:
We thank the Lord for answered prayer. At one of our shops a gentleman visits the store daily
Trinidad & Tobago: Population: 1.2 million (20.2% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1951 Ministry: 5 Bookshops Director: Sandra Robinson (also Director of Antigua and Barbados) Bestsellers: Prayers that Rout Demons, The Power of Prophetic Prayer, Prayer Rain 200-page book cost: $17 USD During the year we came to the conclusion that we could no longer stay within the four walls of our shops and expect to make the same level of sales. Yes, we are affected by the internet, but the economic decline impacted us as well. Churches had stopped taking book tables, so most book tables are done by staff members at their local church. We also decided to take book tables to the streets. For Mother’s Day and Father’s Day we got permission to use a bank car park. We also visited both government and private enterprises.
Dominica: Population: 73,897 (16.8% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1947 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Manager: Davis Laudet Bestsellers: My Prayer Book, Prayer Rain, He Came to Set the Captive Free 200-page book cost: $20 USD We were delighted that during the year we saw an increase in the sale of Bibles. We also love to share with the people that come into the shop. Our prayer and witnessing ministry is something that is very important for us. At the end of 2017, we experienced the category 5 Hurricane Maria. This devastated the whole island, and it meant we had to close the shop for two months because of flood damage. We do pray for greater protection from severe storms as we are in their pathway.
We continue to minister to the needs of those who come into our stores and we focus on changing lives through the selling of literature and by the workers being open to the Spirit of God, sensitive and discerning. Our greatest achievement is that although businesses are closing down because of the crime rate and the inability to obtain foreign exchange, CLC has managed to obtain foreign currency relatively easily and thereby maintain a great credit rating with our suppliers. This has enabled us to maintain affordable prices for our customers.
and, in effect, operates as a security measure for the two female staff members. During the year he required a hip replacement. The operation did not go well but we prayed and his recovery was
Every October, we have an event called CLC Bible Exposure. During this time, we make every effort to spread the Word of God—we offer special discounts; we have the public reading of the Bible outside the shop; there are Bible games; testimonies are shared; tracts are given out; and there is a special time of ministry in song. supernaturally speedy.
Friday - Trinidad & Tobago:
Please pray for divine ‘sales strategies’ and that the Lord would give us favour with the pastors and that they would encourage reading in their congregations.
The Weekend - Dominica:
We praise God that despite the hurricane, we 5
Canada:
United States:
Population: 35.4 million (7.7% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1944 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 3 Shops Director: Antoine Roberge Bestsellers: Bibles, Pilgrim’s Progress, My First Bible (CLC) 200-page book cost: $20 USD All of our shops are in Montreal, and the majority language is French although we do have books available in English as well.
6
Population: 326 million (28.9% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1947 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 2 Shops Director: David Scouler Bestsellers: Bibles, Anxious for Nothing, Improving with Age, Jesus Calling 200-page book cost: $15 USD
Although it has been a very challenging few years for us as our distribution warehouse had been in a loss-making position for several years, we have been able to make significant progress. We introduced a major overhaul of the staff and the structure and, at the end of the process, we started making a modest profit. This has greatly encouraged us. The team has been characterised by self-giving, and this has enabled us to make some difficult decisions while maintaining the unity and strength of the team. It is crucial for us to return to a position of financial health.
We have been delighted with the growth of MultiLanguage Media over the last two years. We have been able to serve books and Bibles to many language groups across the United States. We have approximately 1.500 titles, representing some 100 languages. There is a growing demand for these resources.
We thank God for the book tables we have been able to provide several churches around Montreal. We also have 10 church / ministry book deposits in other locations in the city.
We have been working on our websites. A new publishing site was launched, and there are plans to renew all the sites. Eventually, we hope to have them all on one platform.
We have been able to increase our publishing activities and, while still small, this has potential to grow. Indeed, CLC titles were among our bestsellers.
We had to make the hard decision to close one of our store locations. This deeply affected our workers and our customers. Our other two stores were able to pick up most of the church and Sunday School accounts, for which we are thankful. Please pray that our store teams will be sensitive to the needs of our customers and take time with them to encourage, challenge and pray with them.
were able to meet all our financial responsibilities. Also, we are thankful for good health. Please pray for the ongoing situation regarding the bookshop. After many years in the same location, we were given notice to leave in 2017. We are grateful that this notice has not been enforced yet, but we would ask for prayer regarding the future. It is in a good downtown
Praise God! The Myanmar Study Bible is now in stock at CLC USA in their Multi-Language Media department.
location.
Monday - Canada:
Please pray that the Lord would continue to strengthen our financial health and give us innovative ideas to help us future-proof our ministry in this French-speaking region of Canada. Week 50
We are aware that we need to re-structure our publishing with new emphasis on leadership, marketing and inventory management.
Tuesday - United States:
Please pray with us for God’s provision of new members for key leadership positions. Pray specifically for David and Roelina Scouler (from Australia). David has agreed to be our National Director, but they need long-term visas.
Wednesday - United States:
Please pray with us that God will help us with new marketing strategies in Multi-Language Media, Publishing and Retail. Please also continue to pray for our BookLink project as we prepare to send secondhand books to other CLC countries, such as Myanmar, Liberia, India, Dominica and more.
ARE YOU READY TO BEGIN TAPPING INTO JESUS AS YOUR TRUE SOURCE OF RENEWAL? Too often we think it is all about our initiative and our effort when, in fact, that is the worst way to live the Christian life. The phrase ‘there is power in the blood’ means that the source of our spiritual strength comes from the power of Christ’s blood. When we truly commit to communion with God, our hearts change, the lifeblood flows and our actions become a result of our commitment to rely on God’s power. Join CLC author, John Brandon, on this journey of renewal through Christ’s LIFEBLOOD.
7
“We think it is all about our initiative and our effort when, in fact, that is the worst way to live the Christian life.” - John Brandon, CLC Author of LIFEBLOOD
TAPPING INTO JESUS AS THE TRUE SOURCE OF RENEWAL An interview with John Brandon, CLC Author of LIFEBLOOD Why did you decide to write this book?
I was living in a cabin on a lake, and I had relocated my office to a garage. I was writing a daily column while working in an area surrounded by boxes and fishing gear. One of my columns that summer was about being driven—how it’s important to keep pushing yourself. Since I typically write about leadership and management, it seemed like an interesting topic because many leaders in business tend to drive forward under their own power. Companies like Facebook or Google initially started because of one or two people promoting a crazy idea. That got me thinking about Jesus and about my own Christian life. One thing led to another, and I found myself writing an entire chapter of a book. I wanted to write about how Christians often try to do the same thing as entrepreneurs in business—that we push and push and push. We think it is all about our initiative and our effort when, in fact, that is the worst way to live the Christian life. It ends in failure and burnout. I felt a tug on my own heart that I was the one making all of the decisions in my life about how to be a good Christian. It wasn’t working. So I decided to write about how God has propelled me instead—those Holy Spirit moments when it’s obvious that the only way to ‘succeed’ spiritually is to let God do the driving.
Why did you decide to write about marriage, friendships, and community?
They say to write about what you know. In my ‘day job’ writing a column for Inc. Magazine and Fox News Network, I tend to cover topics that are well within my own expertise. I was a corporate manager for about a decade, and I write about those experiences often. For many years, I tested products and reviewed them, so I still write about gadgets. But there’s one area where I’m more personally experienced than any other, and it is in living my own Christian life for the past 30 years. I’ve seen how God has worked in my marriage, in friendships, in the workplace—it’s amazing to see His hands of grace guiding me.
Who is your audience?
I’m glad you asked! I do have a reader in mind, and it is someone who is struggling to move forward spiritually. I guess that is all of us in a way. Even the most spiritually mature person in the world is not always moving forward or finding great spiritual success. We might experience periods of tremendous growth, but then we stall out. We might finally confront an inner demon, only to see another one pop up out of nowhere! I know how this all works. Lifeblood is really intended as a message to struggling Christians, and the main message is to realise that it is the Holy Spirit inside of you who brings about real change and growth. In many ways, the message is to relax. To stop worrying so much. To let God have all of the control.
Why is this book worth reading?
8
I realise there are many, many books available—most of them are probably more interesting! The one reason to read Lifeblood, though, is to hear a message of hope that you can live victoriously and without the guilt of feeling as though you have to be in charge of your own spiritual destiny. Lifeblood is not intended as a ‘self help’ book but a ‘Jesus help’ book. It’s a total transformation in how we view our Christian lives, how we make decisions and how we advance spiritually. It is not under our own power. It is by Him and through Him.
Rees Howell’s Intercessor by Norman Grubb (Updated)
How did the faith and prayers of a humble coal miner affect the course of WWII? Find out in Norman Grubb’s updated biography of Rees Howells, who progressed in faith until his prayers affected even world events. Written with humanity and humour, this book uncovers the rich truths of the Spirit. ISBN: 9781619582286
RHI Study Guide by Mina Kohlhafer also available. ISBN: 9781619582866
More Great Classics From CLC Publications:
Available in-store or online at clcpublications.com (USA) or clcbookshops.com (UK) Through these 30-day devotionals, Murray teaches us that when we persistently pursue God, our lives and faith are strengthened.
9
Asia / Pacific Region India: Population: 1.28billion (2.2% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1954 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 22 Shops Director: Justin Cheppellan Bestsellers: Bible Concordances, Pilgrim’s Progress (CLC), Torn Veil 200-page book cost: $1.25 USD God enabled us to open a bookshop in North East India on the campus of a Christian hospital in Dimapur. This is a long way from our HQ in Chennai (almost 3.000km by road), and we are thankful for a good response to this expansion. Future plans include: increased publishing; acquiring a van for book tables in and around the city of Chennai; and using land we own in Chennai, near a shop we are currently renting, construct a building of our own. All of these plans are dependent on God’s provision of the necessary funding. Although the implementation of Goods and Services Tax (GST) has affected our sales, we have had some encouragements as well. God provided for us to move from our small shop space in Pondicherry to a larger and better location on the same Christian hospital campus where customer flow is also much better.
Thursday - India:
Praise God that we have had the opportunity to open an outlet in a well-known college in Chennai —the Women’s Christian College.
Friday - India:
We are currently in the process of publishing a book in English, entitled Immortal Witnesses for Christ. Pray that this book will be a help and blessing to our readers. 10
Indonesia: Population: 260.1million (5.6%Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1954 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 2 Shops Director: Donny Kairupan Bestsellers: Devotionals, The Church of the Open Door, Bibles 200-page book cost: $7 USD Praise God for His faithfulness to the ministry although we face difficulties. We have been very blessed to be able to serve our loyal customers and community. During the year, Donny Kairupan had an opportunity to visit CLC USA. He had a wonderful time of fellowship and training. It was the first experience for him to meet the CLC family there. Our team also attended two very large events with book tables—one was a Seminar Conference for Pastors and the other was a Revival Meeting. In both cases, more than 4,000 people attended. Plans for the immediate future include working together with several lecturers from Bible seminaries and theological schools to publish some new books.
The Weekend - Indonesia:
Please pray for us as we continue to look for opportunities to distribute Gospel tracts and Christian literature to needy areas and to expand our publishing work.
Monday - Indonesia:
Pray for the members of our CLC Board, some of whom have Week 51 been dealing with health issues recently. We are very grateful to CLC Board members around the world who give of their time, wisdom and experience freely while carrying a big responsibility for the work.
Japan:
Korea (South):
Population: 126.4 million (0.5% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1950 Ministry: Wholesale & 6 Bookshops Director: Satoru Nakano Bestseller: Sinkaiyaku 2017 (Bible) 200-page book cost: $15 USD A new version of the Japanese Bible, the Sinkaiyaku 2017, was produced. It has proven to be popular with the churches and a bestseller for CLC. Many churches purchased copies in bulk. However, the situation for us, and other Christian booksellers in Japan, is still serious. Several bookshops and wholesalers have closed. We need to see the church in Japan growing and becoming vibrant in these days. We have six bookshops in Japan. The principal bookshop in Ochanomizu, Tokyo, is owned by CLC. The team also owns the HQ office property in the suburbs of Tokyo, part of which is rented out to tennants. Despite the hard work and commitment of the team, losses are being made each year. Two issues affect the finances for CLC Japan. First, CLC’s discount from suppliers is only 25%, which is standard for the book industry in Japan. Secondly, due to the very high cost of publishing in Japan, the team has done very little to grow their publications in recent years.
Tuesday - Japan:
Please pray for CLC Japan that they would find ways to advance the ministry and become more financially sustainable. May God give them wisdom and guidance as to how best to tackle the specific problems they face.
Wednesday - Korea:
Please pray that we would be able to reduce the stock that we have in our warehouse. As serve as a bridge between CLC International and the Pyungkang Cheil Church pray, too, that God would help us to translate The Tabernacle and
Population: 51.1 million (16.8% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1975 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 1 Shop Director: Young-Ho Park Bestsellers: Expository Preaching, Survey of Israel’s History, Theology of Reformation 200-page book cost: $10 USD Highlights of the year include receiving an award from the Korea Christian Publishers Association and CLC Korea becoming affiliated with the Miral Agency, which will help us develop commercial relationships in Europe and the USA. Our publishing work continues to grow, especially in our relationship with P&R Publishing from the USA. It was a joy to help with the Myanmar Study Bible. We facilitated the printing of the Bible in Korea, and then we assisted the shipping of these Bibles to the USA, Singapore, Thailand and Myanmar. It was expensive to send these books on, but we were happy to donate significantly to the cost as we believe in the importance of spreading God’s Word. It was also difficult to get customs’ permission for the shipment to Thailand, so we prayed every morning as a team, and the Bibles eventually arrived there safely. Significant advances were also made to help the ministry of the Pyungkang Cheil Church in Seoul to translate The Tabernacle and The History of Redemption series in a number of other languages through CLC International. CLC Korea team with a few other visiting CLC Directors
The History of Redemption series of books into more languages. Pray also for plans to publish ‘seasonal books’ for Christmas and Easter, and for ongoing changes to both the page and cover designs of our titles.
Thursday - Korea:
Praise God for the recent ‘Proclaim 2018’ conference at the Pyungkang Cheil Church that was attended by CLC teams from eight 11
Myanmar: Population: 55.1 million (5% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1992 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 1 Shop Director: Jacob Mung (Photo below: on left) Bestsellers: Bibles, Bible Commentaries 200-page book cost: $1.25 USD
Papua New Guinea: Population: 6.9 million (25.7% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1959 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Director: Vere Babona Bestsellers: Bibles, When God Prays, We All Have Our Demons 200-page book cost: $5 USD We faced many challenges in the past year regarding the availability of much needed materials like books, Bibles and gift items. We thank God for two local suppliers that met some of this need with a supply of Bibles in English and in the Pidgin dialect. We are grateful for a shipment of 30–40 boxes of books from Book Aid Australia, which will help with our stock, and we have plans to incorporate a gift section with faith-based products sourced from local suppliers, which should save on importation costs.
The main highlight of the year was the completion of the Myanmar Study Bible that was printed in Korea. The end product was a very high quality publication. This is the very first Study Bible to be published in Burmese, and it is a wonderful resource for the churches. We thank God for the wisdom and strength to do this work and for the provision of the funds so this project could be completed. We were very grateful for the help and advice of Martin Manser, a British editor with connections in Myanmar. This is a truly amazing accomplishment in our eyes. There have been a number of challenges in different areas throughout the year. We need an additional translator for the publishing work. Our plans for a purpose-built warehouse and CLC staff housing have not been realised yet. We are also hoping to open a second bookshop in Yangon.
A main event for us was participating in the PNG National Book/Literacy Week by holding a book table at a mission school run by the Salvation Army. From time to time, we also have book tables right outside the bookshop. At the end of the year, we celebrated the 58th anniversary of CLC in PNG; it was a small but significant event for the ministry.
countries and helped to develop our publishing partnership.
Friday - Papua New Guinea:
We praise God for a new ‘Fresh Food’ market that has opened on the same street as the bookshop here in Boroko, Port Moresby. The market has attracted lots of people who walk past us every day. It has been a great encouragement to have 12
new people entering our shop every week as a result.
The Weekend - Myanmar:
Please pray for the ongoing projects that CLC Myanmar has had in mind for a long time but they have not yet been achieved—the building projects for a new warehouse facility and staff accommodation, and the opening of a second bookshop in Myanmar. Week 52
Monday - Myanmar:
Pray, too, for the ongoing publishing
finding faith
Inspiring Conversion Stories from around the World
In her new book, Naomi Reed shares 13 remarkable testimonies of people from other faiths and cultures who have come to know Jesus. What was the most enjoyable part of writing this book? I loved meeting all the people and hearing their honest stories of faith. It was such a privilege, and I felt humbled by it. It was also deeply encouraging to be reminded, over and over again, that it’s God who draws us in, in his time. But as well as that, all the interviewees also described a particular friendship or church experience as part of their conversion. We’re all part of God’s amazing body of Christ worldwide and that’s a needed reminder and encouragement! Which testimony has impacted you the most? There was a moment, when I was interviewing Michael (from Iran) and he described reading the Gospels for the very first time. He paused and he said to me, “That’s when I fell in love with Jesus.” He said it with such warmth, and I could tell it was the most incredible thing that had ever happened to him. And it stirred the same memories in me of when I also heard the Gospel for the first time and responded. I think that’s actually the best part of faith stories – the way they powerfully connect us, and remind us of our own first love for Jesus. Has writing this book taught you anything new about God? I have seen, time and time again, that our heavenly
Father is beyond our imagining. The ways he reveals truth to each of us is as varied and surprising and wonderful as indeed we all are – uniquely formed by him, and part of his marvellous creation and story. I love the way these stories of faith reflect that! What do you hope readers will get out of reading Finding Faith? I hope they will be encouraged by the grace and love of God, through Jesus. God is at work everywhere, in all things, in all places, regardless of our background, language, resources, and even our religious understanding. Wherever we are and whoever we are, God wants us to know him through his Son Jesus, and he reveals himself to us, in his time, and in his ways. I’d also love it if the book encouraged us as believers, to keep praying for, and sharing with, our non-believing friends. We can expect God to work in their hearts! AND I’d also love it if the book could be read and enjoyed by people who are not yet believers. Maybe they will read it and find their own questions in the stories somewhere, or get a glimpse of what God is like, and how much he loves them. That’s my biggest hope and prayer for the book!
Inspiring Conversion Stories from around the World 9781780784625
‘These lovely life stories, all true, and written in Naomi’s easy-to-read style, declare wonderfully that God is most powerfully real, vibrantly alive and at work.’ Rose Dowsett, mission writer and researcher
Pakistan: Population: 204.9 million (0.6% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1961 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 1 Shop Manager: Sohail Javed Regional Director: Romualdo Macinas Bestsellers: Henry Blackaby’s Experiencing God Day by Day (Urdu) 200-page book cost: $5 USD First and foremost, thanks be to our Lord who took care of our ministry and protected our bookshop and workers. After serving with CLC for fifteen years, most recently as National Director, Justin Javed felt the Lord calling him into full-time pastoral ministry. His departure from CLC has been a huge challenge to overcome as he managed both the bookshop and the accounts. Sohail Javed, who looked after CLC’s publishing efforts, stepped in as bookshop manager and National Director. The accounts were, initially, handled by someone else, but this person has now also moved on. Due to the changing circumstances, we missed the opportunity to take books to the Annual Sialkot Convention this year, which was a disappointment for us. Our publishing and building projects were also put on hold. However, we did take books to a few events, and we are grateful for support and encouragement during this time from Romualdo Macinas, our Regional Director.
projects. Most of our books are translated from English, so we need wisdom in the selection of the right titles and the competent staff to see the projects through to publication.
Tuesday - Pakistan:
Please pray for Sohail Javed, that he would have the help and support he needs to maintain the ministry—covering the bookshop, the accounts, publishing and events. 14
Philippines: Population: 104.2 million (12.3% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1957 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 6 Shops Director: Romualdo Macinas Bestsellers: Willmington’s Guide to the Bible, The Outline Bible, You and Me Forever 200-page book cost: $6.50 USD We celebrated our 60th Anniversary this year! As well as a celebration service with ministry partners, colleagues and friends, we had an anniversary sale in our shops and online. The theme for our annual staff conference was ‘Ablaze!’ and we strive to be that amidst some daunting challenges: health issues among our staff; sales with our biggest ministry partner having declined significantly; two new bookshops opened near our Karuhatan store that drastically affected its sales; the need for more workers; and the desperate need for sales in CLC Cebu to increase for it to be sustainable. We thank God for the opportunity to participate once again in the Manila International Book Fair, the biggest book fair in the country. Another annual event, and part of our ministry, is running a Daily Vacation Bible School (DVBS) seminar with training for church leaders. Book tables are important in our ministry and we have around 10 a month in Karuhatan alone, plus others elsewhere. We also have books out on consignment, including in more than 50 national bookstores (secular) and around 50 Christian bookshops.
Wednesday - Pakistan:
Please pray regarding plans CLC Pakistan has to publish two specific books in Urdu. They need to get the publishing rights and the finances in place for this important project to go ahead.
Thursday - The Philippines:
We would like to open a new bookstore within,
Thailand: Population: 68.4 million (0.5% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1958 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Director: Don Veldboom (Interim) Bestsellers: Bibles, Purpose Driven Life, Thai / English Dictionary of Bible Terms 200-page book cost: $6 USD
n giving!
AND
BLE ECT
-to-read Bibles d in Thailand!
There were many changes during the year. Don and Betsy Veldboom took on a more active leadership role and started doing more sales through book tables in churches and conferences. In the bookshop, some rearranging of layout and in assigning categories took place as well as some staff changes. in partnership with
It was a bit dissapointing to have a slight drop in sales compared to the previous year, but we feel we are in a good position for the future. One highlight in the shop was when a young, recently married couple came in to buy Bibles for their parents, none of whom were believers. They were so excited to be able to purchase these gifts. We made progress with the project to have affordable easy-to-read Thai Bibles produced in a joint venture with The Bible League. This took
longer than expected— one delay was due to the printing company running out of specialised Bible paper. It was year of learning, with opportunities and some frustrations, but we move forward in faith, trusting God to provide for our needs. or just outside, metro Manila. This would be an amazing area for outreach as it is a highly populated area. However, finding a suitable place at an affordable rent is not easy. We would also like to buy a new and reliable van for our delivery and book mobile services. Please pray for God’s direction and provision in these matters.
Friday - Thailand:
Don and Betsy Velboom have been helping CLC Thailand for almost 3 years but were told recently that their visas were not valid for voluntary work in the bookshop. By the time you read this, we trust the situation will be resolved. Praise God for the new Thai lady managing the bookshop in the Veldboom’s absence—sales are up, especially of Bibles, and 10,000 tracts have gone out.
The Weekend - Thailand:
Please pray for the ongoing, and complicated, situation regarding the sale of the previous shop property in Bangkok, which is owned by CLC. We really need to see a resolution in order to make progress in other areas.
Anxious for Nothing by Max Lucado 9780718098940, 240pp
Book Review by Amanda Lutes, CLC World Editor I just wanted to share with you all how Max Lucado’s book Anxious for Nothing has revolutionised the way I think and how I approach stressful things in life. I seriously did not think I had any anxiety issues: I mean everyone is a little stressed... but I’m doing fine, right? Yet, from the very first chapter of this book I realised I had a lot to learn from it. These days, everywhere we look we see people impacted by mental health struggles. Even within the Christian community, we honestly have no idea that we are carrying around a lot of unnecessary ‘extra baggage’! At this time in my life when I am being called to leave full-time ministry with CLC (although I’m hoping to remain a volunteer!), I am so thankful for Max’s book. It gives such clear spiritual and practical help on how to lean more on our Heavenly Father. To handle the little and big stress points in your life better or provide an encouraging gift for a friend, then this is definitely the book you need! 15
CRUCIAL QUESTIONS BY R.C. SPROUL
NEW
HOW CAN I BE RIGHT WITH GOD? PAPERBACK, 71 PGS 9781567698374
16
WHAT CAN WE KNOW ABOUT GOD? PAPERBACK, 70 PGS 9781567698381
WHAT DO JESUS’ PARABLES MEAN? PAPERBACK, 86 PGS 9781567698398
WHO IS JESUS? PAPERBACK, 65 PGS 9781567698480
WHAT IS THE CHURCH? PAPERBACK, 69 PGS 9781567693294
WHAT IS REPENTANCE? PAPERBACK, 37 PGS 9781567693720
WHAT IS FAITH? PAPERBACK, 67 PGS 9781567692075
WHAT IS BAPTISM? PAPERBACK, 69 PGS 9781567692600
CAN I HAVE JOY IN MY LIFE? PAPERBACK, 51 PGS 9781567692952
WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT? PAPERBACK, 72 PGS 9781567692990
DOES GOD CONTROL EVERYTHING? PAPERBACK, 65 PGS 9781567692976
WHAT IS THE TRINITY? PAPERBACK, 63 PGS 9781567692594
HOW CAN I DEVELOP A CHRISTIAN CONSCIENCE? PAPERBACK, 57 PGS 9781567693270
WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO BE BORN AGAIN? PAPERBACK, 69 PGS 9781567692068
CAN I BE SURE I’M SAVED? PAPERBACK, 72 PGS 9781567692082
WHAT IS THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN CHURCH AND STATE? PAPERBACK, 56 PGS 9781567693744
WHAT CAN I DO WITH MY GUILT? PAPERBACK, 57 PGS 9781567692587
ARE THESE THE LAST DAYS? PAPERBACK, 55 PGS 9781567693768
WHAT IS THE GREAT COMMISSION? PAPERBACK, 54 PGS 9781567694987
CAN I LOSE MY SALVATION? PAPERBACK, 65 PGS 9781567694994
HOW SHOULD I THINK ABOUT MONEY? PAPERBACK, 67 PGS 9781567695076
HOW CAN I BE BLESSED? PAPERBACK, 59 PGS 9781567696943
ARE PEOPLE BASICALLY GOOD? PAPERBACK, 57 PGS 9781567696981
WHAT IS THE LORD’S SUPPER? PAPERBACK, 63 PGS 9781567693287
CAN I TRUST THE BIBLE? PAPERBACK, 61 PGS 9781567698497
DOES PRAYER CHANGE THINGS? PAPERBACK, 88 PGS 9781567691788
CAN I KNOW GOD’S WILL? PAPERBACK, 102 PGS 9781567691795
HOW SHOULD I LIVE IN THIS WORLD? PAPERBACK, 99 PGS 9781567691801
Dr. R.C. Sproul has written this engaging, concise booklet series, answering many commonly asked questions while conveying essential, biblical foundations of the Christian faith. A quick introduction to definitive Christian truths for those new to the faith or for those seeking to articulate their beliefs more clearly, this series offers succinct treatments of important issues.
17
Latin America Bolivia: Population: 11.1 million (16.2% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 2013 Ministry: Wholesale & 1 Bookshop Director: Gamaliel Padilla Bestsellers: Purpose Driven Life, books by Yiye Ă vila, The Power of a Praying Wife 200-page book costs: $8 USD It has not been an easy year. We were obliged to move the bookshop to a more commercial area. Despite the economic and political situation in the country, we are grateful that we were able to see an increase in sales. We thank the Lord for the new shop and its better location. However, the ministry is still not self-sustaining, and we are looking to the Lord to supply ways to advance the work. We appreciate all the financial help we have received from our brothers and sisters in CLC Latin America that has made it possible for us to continue in Bolivia. We have been able to be present at two International Book Fairs, and we would like to increase this in the future. We also provided 10 book tables in various churches. We are investigating the possibility of printing in Bolivia. Being a land-locked country, the importation costs are high, and printing is relatively modest here. This would save both time and money.
Monday - Bolivia:
Please pray with the team to find new ways of growing the work Week 1 to the point of sustainability. We look to the Lord for His direction and guidance. Pray too for Gamaliel and Marlene Padilla in their concern for friends and family back home in Venezuela. 18
Chile: Population: 17.7 million (18.4% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1958 Ministry: Wholesale & 7 Bookshops Director: Patricio Romo (Photo below) Bestsellers: The Bible for Children (CLC), More Than a Carpenter (CLC), 5 Love Languages 200-page book costs: $9 USD A great highlight for us was an encounter in our Talca bookshop. A Jehovah’s Witness came in asking for Bibles, but she was clearly confused. In conversation with her, it became apparent that she was fearful and had no peace with God. She did not know which way to turn for help. The shop team were able to share the Gospel and pray with her. She accepted Jesus as her Lord and Saviour and has found a local church. With a reduction in numbers of customers coming into the bookshops, we have: redoubled our efforts to have more book tables (more than 30 across the country); to work with our 50 book agents; and to reorganise our mobile work. We are praying for a new van and younger personnel. We have had a number of events with Dr Samuel Pagan, promoting the Key Word Study Bible, and we trust that many of these Bibles will be distributed. We try to promote a specific book during the whole year and this year it has been Called to be Servants of God by Warren Wiersbe. In this way, we encourage people to read books that we can wholeheartedly recommend. This programme has been running for a number of years.
Tuesday - Chile:
We are grateful to the Lord for being able to celebrate 40 years of bookshop ministry in Temuco. It is impossible to know the full impact of all the books and Bibles that have been distributed. We are grateful for the support of pastors and leaders, the colporteurs and especially those with limited financial resources. We thank the Lord for the
Ecuador:
Colombia: Population: 47.7 million (7.5% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1973 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 10 Shops Director: David Pabón Bestsellers: Bibles, Purpose Driven Life, The Power of a Praying Wife, 5 Love Languages, 200-page book costs: $11 USD In an answer to prayer, we thank God for the opening of a CLC bookshop in the city of Quibdó in the Choco Department as this is often a forgotten territory of Colombia. In an effort to provide a mobile library for those living in the west of our country, we also acquired a new Book Van.
Population: 16.2 million (8.5% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 2001 Ministry: Wholesale & 4 Bookshops Director: Monica Rojas (photo below) Bestsellers: Childrens’ Bibles, A Worman After God’s Own Heart, 5 Love Languages 200-page book costs: $5 USD We thank the Lord that we have been able to implement a new computer system that links our accounts with the order processing. This has made a huge difference and enables us to comply with all government regulations more efficiently. We are grateful that we have been able to cover all our expenses, maintaining our level of sales. This has been achieved despite ongoing instability in the national economy. To adjust to the current realities, we closed one of our bookshops in Guayaquil. Despite all of this, we are grateful to see a turnaround in sales.
We are also in the process of relocating our bookshop in Tunja to an area with greater footfall (people walking by). Please pray for God’s wisdom to help us increase our sales, especially as Amazon is set to begin selling in Colombia later this year.
We continue to plan and pray for the building of a new headquarters and warehouse in Guayaquil. This is a long-term project for which we have already bought the land. We would like to provide a better service to the Christian bookshops across the country as well reaching the secular market.
We are working hard to improve our services —online, wholesale, bookshop, publisher partnerships, catalogues, etc. We would greatly value your prayers that God will keep us ‘Faithful and Firm to His Call’ and provide a way for us to set up twenty literacy projects in twenty different towns throughout Colombia by 2020 as part of the work of our Social Foundation.
Another aspiration is to have a second bookshop in the capital, Quito, in a commercial area close to the International Airport. We have the shelving, the stock and the staff necessary, but we are waiting for the Lord’s confirmation to go forward.
Moreno Donoso family who initiated the work.
Wednesday - Colombia:
Join us in thanking God for the privilege we have to work in a number of prisons. We are blessed to be able to freely distribute Bibles to the prisoners. These Bibles have been very warmly received.
Thursday - Colombia:
Please continue to pray for the sale of our Miami property. Pray, too, for the many Thompson Bibles Seminars we are holding
throughout different regions of Colombia. These events help to train pastors and teachers that do not have the opportunity to attend a Bible Seminary.
Friday - Colombia:
Praise God for the opportunity to establish a strategic partnership with Editorial Unilit to distribute our CLC Colombia publications throughout Latin America. Please also pray for our editorial team as it makes plans to develop a website specifically for our publishing house. 19
Mexico:
Panama:
Population: 124.5 million (8.3% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 2014 Ministry: Wholesale & 1 Bookshop Director: Maria del Carmen Castañeda Bestsellers: RVR Bibles, A Woman After God’s Own Heart, 5 Love Languages 200-page book costs: $12 USD
Population: 3.75 million (19.3% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1976 Ministry: Wholesale & 4 Bookshops Director: Milton Cheng Bestsellers: The Power of a Praying Wife, 5 Love Languages, Purpose Driven Life 200-page book costs: $10 USD
We are grateful to the Lord for the growth in sales that we have experienced. This has enabled us to put on events such as the International Children’s Day, which we use both for evangelism and to give workshops for parents.
During the year, many changes were made to the local leadership and the way we work as a team and with the CLC International Office in the hopes of future-proofing our ministry. Due to economic challenges, we needed to stabilise the finances of our ministry and make sure necessary supplier account payments were made for the good of the mission and its partnerships. It is our hope that going forward we will be able to acquire a new head office and warehouse locally.
It is a joy that we have been able to participate in the Thompson Bible Seminars and a pastors’ event coordinated with Tyndale. We have also visited Bible Institutes to inform students of the Bible study materials available. An important part of our mission is to support both current and future leaders. We hope to work even more closely with publishers to host events at universities, seminaries and churches to help people grow in their faith. It has been a challenge to ensure that our government registration is in order. This has required both time and money, and has been a significant distraction for us.
The Weekend - Ecuador:
Thank the Lord that we have been able to continue with the Thompson Bible Seminars, the mobile work and the 15 book deposits on consignment. This enables us to reach parts of the country beyond the bookshops.
Monday - Ecuador:
Please pray for continued stability in the economy and for Week 2 the government to know how to handle the influx of Venezuelans fleeing the crisis situation in their country. Pray, too, for the financial resources necessary to undertake the major project of building the new headquarters 20
We thank the Lord that we were able to participate in Panama’s International Book Fair. Around 100.000 people attend each year. A major highlight for our team was the event for Christian booksellers and distributors that we held with the support of several of our principal publishers. This time of fellowship was both encouraging and informative for all involved. May the new conversations that started at this event lead to beautiful partnerships that further God’s Kingdom through the distribution of Christian resources.
in Guayaquil. We thank the Lord for the possibilities of this new building that will enable us to expand our ministry in a number of ways.
Tuesday - Mexico:
We thank the Lord for the growth in our sales and that we have been able to connect with a wide variety of church denominations and Bible Institutes via direct sales, book deposits and book tables at events. Pray for more opportunities.
Wednesday - Panama:
Thank you, Father, for the book tables we were able to hold at events throughout the year. We also give You praise for the many book
Uruguay: Population: 3.36 million (6.2% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1948 Ministry: Wholesale & 2 Bookshops Director: Humberto Urrutia Bestsellers: 5 Love Languages, Lift Up Your Eyes, Purpose Driven Life 200-page book costs: $10 USD During the year, we have seen God work through the ministry of CLC, for which we give Him thanks. We have seen significant numbers of non-Christians coming into the bookshop located next to the bus terminal and also Catholics wishing to buy our books. The mobile ministry is especially important for us because it represents 27% of total sales, and services the large areas of the country outside Montevideo. We were able to arrange an event with Tyndale House and the author Christopher Shaw to present his new devotional book, By Day and By Night. We were delighted to sell all of the books brought in for the event, and we trust that these devotional readings will help many grow in their faith. We are planning to launch the Thompson Bible Seminars for the first time in Uruguay, with events planned in Montevideo and Paysandu, a city six hours from the capital. This is a big challenge for our small team given the time commitment that they require. We want to see development of our website as we recognise that more and more people are choosing to buy online. We need to introduce an online payment system.
deposits we now have throughout Panama. These deposits allow people in areas without a Christian bookshop to find the Bibles and Christian resources they need locally.
Thursday - Uruguay:
We thank God for His provision. In spite of the difficult economic climate and a volatile currency exchange rate, we are trusting the Lord for a 5% growth in real terms.
Friday - Venezuela:
Please pray for the spiritual, political, social and
Venezuela: Population: 31.3 million (10.8% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1970 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 10 Shops Director: Delvis Blanco Bestsellers: Bibles, The Love Dare, 5 Love Languages, The Power of a Praying Wife 200-page book costs: $5 USD Venezuela has been living through an extreme situation of political and social chaos and hyperinflation. Basic goods are hard to obtain, and many people have left the country. In such conditions, it is very hard to keep the bookshops open, but we give thanks to God for his protection and provision. We also thank the Lord for the support of the CLC family, particularly in Latin America. National Christian events, that have taken place in the past have been suspended due to the situation in the country. As a consequence, we have not been able to make our books as available as previously. We did not have a single book table during the year. We are aware that we need to restructure our operations in order to maximise the resources and personnel that we have available. We want to operate in such a way that we can see beyond the current crisis.
economic renewal of our country. We need God to intervene in our nation as the crisis is so difficult to overcome. Pray for the changes that are needed in the government for the situation to improve. Pray for protection and provision for the ministry of CLC – and all of the people that make up our team.
The Weekend - Venezuela:
Please pray for the new National Director, Delvis Blanco, in his responsibilities at this time of great trial in Venezuela. 21
For CLC USA publications, visit clcpublications.com
22 CLC Colombia
CLC Kenya
CLC France
CLC Romania
CLC India
CLC Poland
CLC Italy
CLC USA
CLC Portugal
CLC Korea
CLC Russia
CLC France
CLC Colombia
CLC Italy
CLC USA
CLC Netherlands
The First-Ever Study Bible in Burmese!
CLC Korea
CLC Poland
CLC India
CLC Russia
CLC Netherlands
CLC Portugal
CLC Romania
CLC France
With updated language and culturally relevant explanatory study notes, CLC’s Myanmar Study Bible will help Burmese pastors, leaders, Bible students and congregation members to understand how the Scriptures are relevant to their context... ...in their own local language!
www.clc-blagovest.by • www.clc.bg • www.clcchile.com • www.clccolombia.com • www.clcfrance.com www.clchungary.com • www.elsindia.org • www.clcitaly.com • www.cblafrica.com • www.clcnederland.com www.clcphilippines.com • www.clc.org.pl • www.clcportugal.com • www. clcromania.ro www.philadelphiabooks.ru • www.clcbook.com • www.clcuruguay.com • www.clcpublications.com
*Visit clcinternational.org for more information about these publishing CLC countries. 23
Nick Vujicic at the 500th Anniversary of the Radziwill Bible in Brest
Photos above: Nick meets people with disabilities in Brest. Top-Right Photo: Nick speaking at the Bible celebration conference. Right-hand Photo: Oksana Ivanova, CLC Belarus’ accountant (on the left) with a bookstall volunteer. Photo Below: Ilona Pinkovich (CLC Belarus Director’s daughter) in between two bookstall helpers. Bottom-Right Photo: Customer
24 24
Europe & Central Asia: Belarus: Population: 9.5 million (1.3% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1994 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 1 Shop Director: Lina Pinkevich Bestsellers: Bibles, You and Me Forever (CLC), Nick Vujicic’s books 200-page book costs: $5 USD We were able to take part in the celebrations recognising the 500th anniversary of the translation of the Bible, printed by Franzisk Skaruna, into the Belarussian language. It is known as the Brest Bible or Radziwill Bible. With the help of Thomasz Kalisz (CLC Poland), we were able to acquire some facsimile copies—and there is one displayed in the City Library. The anniversary was celebrated as a major cultural event in the city of Brest but, for us, it had a great spiritual significance. As part of the festivities, an event was organised with the author Nick Vujicic. For us, it was a great achievement (and lots of work!) to get permission to sell Nick’s books at the event. The outcome was wonderful—we sold all of Nick Vujicic’s books that we had, as well as, all of our CLC Publications titles that we had with us. This was a great opportunity to be at a secular/ Christian event and see so many people buying good books. We trust many people will be impacted by Nick Vujicic’s story.
Monday - Belarus:
We have been able to publish two children’s Bibles in the Week 3 Belarussian language. It is our dream that they will become available not only in our bookshop and church deposits, but that they would be available to the secular market as Belarus is largely an Orthodox country.
Central Asia (CA1): Population: 5.7 million (0.7% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1996 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Bestsellers: Childrens books (Ages 6-7) 200-page book costs: $6 USD There is a continual supply of free Christian books to our country. While this is a blessing for many people, it undermines our ability to sell the Christian books and Bibles that we import. It has become the norm that books are free. As a result, sales have been very slow. In 2016, we prayed and decided to transform part of the store into an apartment and rent it out. This has been a great help, and the income from the rent supplements the sales significantly. This has been a great answer to our prayer. We are aware that we need to develop a website, and we hope to do so with help from the team in Moscow. We also need to become active in social media. At the same time, we want to grow the number of book tables that we provide at conferences.
Tuesday - Belarus:
Pray for the development of the website. It is complicated by the fact that it must be hosted in Belarus, making it difficult to be updated from the International Office.
Wednesday - Central Asia (CA1):
Please pray for a renewed interest in the books that we supply and that our customers will be prepared to pay a realistic price. Pray, too, that the free evangelistic tracts, that we leave outside the shop, continue to be picked up by passersby. 25
Bulgaria: Population: 7.1 million (1.99% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1993 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 1 Shop Director: Lidia Dimitrova Bestsellers: Bibles, Blessing or Curse, Crazy Love (CLC) 200-page book cost: $7 USD A highlight and encouragement of last year was God’s provision of our first Bulgarian volunteer helper who, for us, was a miracle! Another miracle, and an answer to prayer, was that one of the two big Bible publishers in Bulgaria, who had previously not given us any distributor’s discount on their Bibles, changed their policy. This has helped greatly in standardising prices and in improving our relationship with the publishers. We had two opportunities to hold book tables at national Bible competitions—one for teenagers that was organised by Scripture Union, and the other was for university students. As part of the initiative from the CLC International Office to publish more books, we have published a second title by Francis Chan—You & Me Forever.
Thursday - Bulgaria:
Sales have decreased considerably, and we have had unexpected costs affecting our debt to suppliers and, sadly, our volunteer has left to start a regular job. We are going through a tough time, and we have a great need to hear what God is saying to us in this situation. We need to see some changes and pray that it will be done according to God’s will.
Friday - Central Asia (CA2):
The bookshop relocated in 2018. The new location is good, and improvements to the interior were made straight away but permission 26 26
“Go into the world. Go everywhere and announce the Message of God’s good news to one and all.” Mark 16:15 (MSG)
Central Asia (CA2): Population: 9.9 million (0.2% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1997 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Bestsellers: 5 Love Languages, The Jesus Storybook Bible, The Hiding Place 200-page book cost: $3 USD Praise God, what an eventful year for us! First, we won our court case enabling us to continue selling Christian books in our shop. We now have the rights to sell 19 Christian titles, which is a real blessing. Secondly, we needed to find new shop premises in the same vicinity. God, once again, stepped in and provided exactly what we needed. Although we are unable to publish Christian books, because we have government permission to bring in Christian literature, we assist several churches in registering for permission to import or print Christian literature. It is our hope that this legal practice will help us all in the future to import resources more easily. We thank God that we are able to import English language books with relative ease. This is an encouragement to many of our customers. The importation of Russian language books is much more complicated as each title has to be approved by the authorities every time we receive a shipment.
for using it as a Christian bookshop took much longer than expected. Praise the Lord the situation started to resolve itself later in the year, and we are trading again.
The Weekend - Central Asia (CA2):
Please pray that we will continue to develop closer partnerships with churches and for the ongoing
Cyprus:
France:
Population: 1.2 million ( 0.8% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1981 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Director: Eva Photiadou Bestsellers: Bibles, Bonhoeffer (Greek), Beyond Broken (English) 200-page book cost: $10 USD
Population: 67.1 million (1% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1951 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 13 Shops (includes Guadeloupe and Martinique) Director: Hervé Lessous Bestsellers: Bibles, Study Bibles 200-page book cost: $16 USD
As we are the only evangelical, non-Orthodox, Christian bookshop in Cyprus, we feel privileged to provide Bibles in different languages (Greek, English, Punjabi, Hindi, Chinese, Vietnamese, Russian, Rumanian, Bulgarian, Arabic, etc.). We also supply other Christian books and resources in Greek and English for churches and fellowships throughout the island. We often have customers from other countries and faiths—mainly refugees or asylum seekers who come to the shop to do photocopying. Quite often, these visits enable us to share the Gospel with them through conversation or tracts. Please continue to pray that the Lord will work in their hearts and that we will have more of these opportunities.
Praise God that the sales in our biggest shop — Paris—are growing again after many months of decline. We are also grateful for two special Paris events that were held during the year: a worship service with the Canadian group, Héritage, at the
There has been a real ministry through the distribution of Greek and English calendars with verses and daily readings. Many are still commenting on how much these help them, particularly in the lead up to Christmas We still visit many churches across the island. Sotos often preaches, and Eva is able to supply a book table. This work is greatly appreciated by local churches, particularly the ones for whom a trip to the bookshop is difficult.
importation of Christian books into our country.
Monday - Cyprus:
Our landlord sold the shop Week 4 property to the bank to pay off a loan. According to European law, the bank now needs to sell the property within two to three
grand re-opening of the Paris shop at its new location, and at the 10th anniversary celebration held at our warehouse in Montélimar. We have a problem that is common to many countries—the move away from buying in bookshops to buying online. We are trying to manage this process by making our website as effective as possible, while creating a good customer experience. We continue to diversify through the logistics we provide for a number of publishers at our warehouse. This is a mutual benefit to both publishers and CLC France. We also continue to help supply several Frenchspeaking West African countries via Livr’Afrique. We are considering extending the warehouse by a further 500m2 because of the amount of stock we hold.
years. This could mean we will need to leave. May the Lord rule in our favour in this situation.
Tuesday - Cyprus:
One of our volunteers gave a New Testament and some other books to a young girl who has mental health struggles and epilepsy. In answer to our prayers, this young girl is now regularly attending 27
Germany: Population: 80.5 million (2.1% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1948 Ministry: Wholesale & 1 Bookshop Director: Valentin Schweigler Bestsellers: Bibles, Jesus Our Destiny, Jesus Calling, Just Pray 200-page book cost: $15 USD
Population: 9.85 million (2.8% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1993 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 2 Shops Director: Annamaria Karpati Bestsellers: Fervent (CLC), Ten Girls / Boys Who Changed the World (CLC) 200-page book cost: $12 USD
It is a privilege for our team to continue to serve those who value having a local bookshop. Each day is an encouragement for us as we see people’s lives blessed through the books we stock, and the encounters between Christians visiting the shop and with our staff.
The greatest thing for us during the year was the publishing of four new titles. This was an encouragement and a major step forward, having just started publishing the previous year with only one title! As a result, we have received a lot of appreciation and good feedback from our customers. We praise God for our growing publishing ministry and a renewed interest from customers in the Budapest shop.
Although the G20 meetings were held in our city resulting in many violent demonstrations and damage, the Lord protected our team, customers and shop. We took the opportunity to use our window display to encourage those passing by. This was later picked up by a Christian newspaper and shared throughout the country. We thank God for His protection and that a lot of Christians were involved in the clean up afterwards—what a good testimony. It is encouraging that our bestselling title is an old evangelistic title, Jesus our Destiny, by Wilhelm Busch. It is a joy to facilitate evangelism in our city and beyond.
church and a Bible study, and daily grows in her faith.
Wednesday- France:
We are adding a large extension to our current warehouse as we need more space to stock the titles we distribute for our ministry and on behalf of other publishers. Please pray for the Lord’s guidance and wisdom.
Thursday - France:
Like many teams, we are struggling to balance the books, and to find a way to do so without closing any shops. However, it remains a challenge to find 28
Hungary:
After six years of operation, we had to close the CLC bookshop in Debrecen. It was a sad but necessary decision. We plan to do some renovation work of the Budapest shop, and we need to find another member of staff for the bookshop in Miskolc.
new ways of encouraging people to visit the shops when shopping online is so convenient. Pray for God’s wisdom with regards to our shops and online stores.
Friday- France:
Praise God that along with approximately fifteen book tables held at different events this past year, we also currently have fifty-five book deposits where people can purchase our books at central Christian locations throughout France.
The Weekend - France:
We have continued to increase our publishing programme with a wide range of titles. The bestselling of all our publications is the Bible, which was published with a view to making
9781527102392 £9.99 $14.99 9781527102392 £9.99 $14.99
9781527102682 £4.99 $7.99 9781527102682 £4.99 $7.99
9781527102668 £9.99 $14.99 9781527102668 £9.99 $14.99
29
Netherlands: Population: 17 million (4.3% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1962 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 1 Shop Director: Bertus Keuter Bestsellers: A Quiet Center (CLC), A Wind in the House of Islam (CLC) 200-page book cost: $10 USD
Italy: Population: 62.1 million (1.1% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1956 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 8 Shops Director: Samuele Di Ruocco Bestsellers: Childrens Bibles, Fervent (CLC), Radical (CLC), Follow Me (CLC) 200-page book cost: $15 USD Due to the high personnel costs in Italy and the decrease in sales in bookstores, we are being forced to make some tough decisions for the survival of the work. One result of this is that we will be obliged to decrease the economic support we give to our collaborators.
During the year, we published four new titles in Dutch, and we saw a real growth in partnerships with other mission organisations, such as WEC, OMF, and Frontiers. We give thanks to God for the twenty-five book tables we held at events and for Wilco van Haaren, who joined our team. Our hope is that we will be able to complete the Event with CLC author, publication of David Fitch ten new titles this year and renovate our head office so we can rent it out as an apartment to generate extra income for the ministry.
Going forward, the main objective is to grow in marketing and communication and in the number of events and partnerships with other Christian ministries. We are establishing an evangelistic programme in Florence connected to the bookshop there, which is reaching out to many tourists in the area. Our Florence bookshop is situated directly opposite the museum housing the famous statue of David by Michelangelo, and there are always long queues of tourists.
We are very concerned about our shop since its sales continue to decline. Our online sales are good, and our publishing department is now a vital part of our ministry, so it is important that we invest our funds wisely. A new website will enable us to promote ourselves online more effectively.
The team keeps very busy preparing and organising events in the area. In particular, the two biggest events of the year were the International Book Fair in Turin, with 130,000 visitors, and the Christian Expo in Naples with 5,000 visitors.
moment, the pressure is off and we can make some improvements of our own, like a coffee area, and take our time in planning a longer-term strategy.
Tuesday - Hungary: affordable editions available in Africa.
Monday - Germany:
We were concerned that our landlord wanted to redevelop his Week 5 property and we started looking for somewhere else to rent. Praise the Lord we have been told that work can’t start until 2022 so, for the 30
Please pray that we would find more good and relevant titles to publish for our readers. Pray, too, that we will be able to reach a much wider audience with our books and ministry.
Wednesday - Italy:
We thank the Lord for the opportunity to participate once again in the Turin International Book Fair 2018. There were over 144,000 visitors,
Poland: Population: 38.5 million (0.3% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1991 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 1 Shop Manager: Ewa Rymer Regional Director: Gary Chamberlin Bestsellers: Mornings with Tozer (CLC), Ten Boys / Girls that Changed the World (CLC) 200-page book cost: $7 USD Certainly a highlight for us is a faithful customer who continues to purchase 10 copies at a time of Jesus our Destiny by Wilhelm Busch to give away to friends and family. Space in the back of our bookshop is a big challenge! Since we are now publishing significant quantities of books, our back office is filling up with stock and it is becoming too cramped. We need to find new, affordable storage space. We are delighted that we have been able to publish more titles, bringing the total number of titles to 35. Some of these are highly appreciated —most notably the series of 10 Boys / 10 Girls Who Changed the World and 10 Boys/ 10 Girls Who Made a Difference. We plan on continuing the expansion of our publishing with some excellent titles, including the autobiography of Josh McDowell, titled Undaunted.
and we had many contacts. We also had two public conferences that gave us a lot of visibility. Thank God for every committed volunteer and all the staff, and pray for more capable and willing volunteers who can help with these activities.
Thursday - Italy & Netherlands:
Praise God for the evangelism project in Florence, Italy, being led by Rudy Kuijer (CLC Global Mobilizer) and CLC Italy. Many tourists line up outside the shop to see Michelangelo’s statue of David, so it is an ideal location for outreach. Contact and participation between local Dutch and Italian pastors is growing, and CLC is working
Carlos with Abel of CLC Mozambique
Portugal: Population: 10.8 million (3% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1985 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 1 Shop Director: Carlos Cunha Bestsellers: Women with History (CLC), God’s Night (CLC), Starter Bible (CLC) 200-page book cost: $7 USD Praise the Lord for a continued growth in sales. In September 2017, Vinicyus Fortes from Brazil joined CLC Portugal as a part-time worker. This was an answer to prayer as there was a great need for help, and he was a blessing for the ministry. It had been a challenge to be able to do all the work—bookshop, events, book tables, publicity, website and publishing—with just one full-time worker, and the lack of staff limited our growth. We are planning to grow our publications by a further 2 - 4 titles, and perhaps sell the rights to two original Portuguese titles. We would love to cooperate more with CLC Mozambique. In particular, we would like to make some titles available for them to publish locally with a Printon-Demand facility.
hard to unite them in their ministry.
Friday - Netherlands:
Please pray for clear guidance from God in setting priorities, selecting new titles to publish, approaching new ministries to cooperate with us, and searching for new people to help us in the ministry worldwide.
The Weekend - Poland:
Praise God for our publishing projects and pray that we will be able to distribute our books more effectively through Catholic bookshops than at present. 31 31
Romania: Population: 21.6 million (5.4% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1991 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 2 Shops Director: Ronela Micula Bestsellers: Pilgrim’s Progress, Switch On Your Brain, Boundaries, One Thousand Gifts 200-page book cost: $7 USD The year could be summed up as a year of answered prayer and God’s provision! We prayed for God’s help when we wanted to renovate the bookshop, and He provided the people and resources. We needed financial help and wisdom to continue our increasing publishing activity, and we were able to complete all the publishing projects we had planned. Praise God for good advice in choosing books to publish; we plan to publish a further 10 titles in 2018. We prayed for wisdom in working with honesty and integrity in an environment where corruption is a daily reality. We prayed for the much-needed new website, and we are thankful that it will be launched very soon. We praise God for His help throughout the year concerning all our needs, and we give Him all the glory.
Monday - Poland: Week 6
Please pray for clarity of purpose and unity of vision for our team.
Tuesday - Portugal:
Please pray for a legal immigration document that Vinicyus Fortes is waiting for to allow him to live and work officially in Portugal. This would benefit both Vinicyus and CLC. Pray, too, for continued good sales and better profit margins, which will help with a salary for a part-time staff member 32
Russia: Population: 142.3 million (1.2% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 2006 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 1 Shop Director: Nikita Sapunov (Photo: on right, Gary Chamberlin on the left)
Bestsellers: Economy Bible, Childrens’ Bible (CLC), Tramp for the Lord (CLC), 200-page book cost: $6 USD When we thought that a cash deficit seemed to be inevitable, God provided for us in order to publish three titles during the year without any problem whatsoever! Praise the Lord! Shop theft is an ongoing challenge. We are praying that the Lord would use the stolen books for His glory; teach us to serve customers better; and stop books from being stolen. Another challenge is finding the right balance between keeping the shop from being overstocked and yet keeping the order waiting time short. Plans for the future include organising a Redemption Series Seminar in cooperation with a church in South Korea. We hope to publish some of their books in Russian and hold events to explain and promote the books.
and in reaching more people in our country to God’s glory.
Wednesday - Romania:
Following on from the writing of this report, we praise God that the website is now functioning, and we are seeing both an upturn in sales and renewed interest from our customers. Please pray with us that we will learn new online marketing strategies that will enable us to reach out more effectively with the website.
CLC Spanish Bible Project To learn how to help us make the Spanish Bible readily available and affordable in Venezuela, Spain and Bolivia, turn to page 42!
INTERNATIONAL
Times get hard for everyone. At some point in your life you came to the realisation that you would never ‘be enough’ or have enough resources to fix all your problems. When that happened, you started seeking answers outside of yourself, looking for a deeper meaning. You eventually found the Bible and God.
But what would have happened if the cost of the Bible was more than you could afford due to your country’s economic struggles?
Help us make sure that doesn’t happen! 33
Spain Population: 49 million (1.0% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1966 Ministry: Wholesale and 3 Bookshops Director: Gary Chamberlin Bestsellers: 5 Love Languages, A Woman After God’s Own Heart, Pupose Driven Life 200-page book cost: $11 USD During the year, we worked hard to re-establish relationships with a number of local churches. This has been achieved by working alongside them to support them in a variety of ways. We have supplied book tables at eight major events, and we have at least 40 book deposits in churches. There is no doubt that the Thompson Bible Seminars have helped us to connect with churches, and they are widely appreciated. It is a joy when we can help people better understand and communicate the Word of God. The economic situation for many people continues to be a challenge, even though the national economy is growing. Still around 50% of young people under 30 are unemployed and, for many, their prospects are limited. They continue to look overseas. This has implications for families as young people struggle to become independent. With this in mind, we would like to initiate a project to supply affordable Bibles, both for those on low incomes and for evangelism (see page 42). It is a privilege that, as CLC, we can work with publishers to help make this a reality.
Thursday - Russia:
Please pray for wisdom in the decision regarding a new sales outlet. Moscow is a huge city, and the location of the new outlet will be crucial. Pray for the necessary financial and human resources to make this a reality.
Friday - Spain:
Pray with us that we can continue to grow the relationship with local churches. We are planning 34
Switzerland: Population: 8.2 million (4.4% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 2008 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Manager: Carlo Ciafani (photo below: on the left) Regional Director: Gary Chamberlin Bestsellers: My Journey (CLC), Peace with God (CLC) 200-page book cost: $20 USD I (Carlo) have been hoping to collaborate with other believers in spreading the Gospel to better fulfil our mission. A friend of mine proposed I start a study group specifically focused on what the Bible says about Israel. I have seen God’s hand in this but wanted to be sure that this was really God’s will. My friend then said we could cooperate with a pastor in Israel, and I was surprised to discover I knew the pastor 30 years ago but had not had contact since then! We plan to organise a conference with the ProIsrael Association. Other plans for the year include a book table at an Open Doors conference and one at an annual regional churches’ conference. We will also hold an event in the bookshop in cooperation with the organisation Compassion. We continue to search for a new shop location at a reduced rent. A complication to this is that we need to give six-months’ notice on our current shop. However, it is hard to find and secure a new place so far in advance.
events in our bookshops to provide encounters between different groups and to become a Christian cultural centre.
The Weekend - Spain:
Pray for our new relationship with the Bible Society in which we have entered into a distribution agreement and fulfil the orders on their website. It is good to work closely with like-minded ministries.
Photo of those who attended the 2018 CLC UK conference.
United Kingdom: Population: 65.6 million (8.8% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1941 Ministry: Wholesale & 13 Bookshops Director: Neil Wardrope Bestsellers: Bibles, 5 Love Languages, Book of Mysteries, £1 Classics (RHP) 200-page book cost: $14 USD The retail environment in the UK gets ever more difficult with the notice of closures of large wellknown chains being announced on a regular basis. CLC is not immune to those pressures. However, within that context, we are glad that the spiritual impact of our work continues to be evident. In Sheffield, a Muslim lady who had ‘converted’ to Christianity when she got married realised that she did not have a genuine faith. In Blackpool, a lady was given a copy of Journey into Life—she not only found Jesus but discovered that she no longer needed her medication!
Monday - Switzerland: Week 7
Please pray for wisdom regarding the relocation of the shop. Pray, too, that the Lord would open the doors at the right time.
Tuesday- Switzerland:
Please pray for developing relationships with the churches in the region. CLC Lugano is in the Italian-speaking canton of Switzerland, and the majority of our stock is in Italian.
Wednesday - United Kingdom:
Praise the Lord for the team members that the Lord is bringing to us. Our people are our
As we manage the struggles on the High Street, we have seen the development of both wholesale and our digital platform. Distribution from the Chester warehouse has grown considerably in recent years, and we continue to investigate new channels including the general market and supply to Europe. We have launched a new retail website as well as managing websites for other organisations. In the next year, we will be developing a Print-onDemand platform called CLC Virtual. Initially this will operate in the UK, but it has the potential to be used in many parts of the world. Technology requires us to work in different ways, but there are also new opportunities as, for example, to supply foreign language books. While much of our attention is focused on the UK, we love to participate in overseas projects. We were challenged by the project of CLC Mozambique to supply 10.000 affordable Bibles in Portuguese. It is a joy to see those Bibles being distributed across the country, and we trust that further print runs will be required to cope with the demand.
greatest asset.
Thursday - United Kingdom:
Pray for the vision to see the new opportunities that the Lord wants us to become involved in. The world has changed and continues to change, so our methods must change. But the Gospel remains the same. Words written in the Bible 2,000−3,000 years ago still touch the human heart. Pray for opportunities to hold out the ‘Word of Life’. 35
ENGLISH STANDARD VERSION
RED LETTER EDITIONS Our Red Letter ESV collection use British text, and feature words of Christ in red.
Recognised for its accuracy, the ESV is essentially a literal Bible translation that combines word-for-word precision and accuracy with literary excellence, beauty and readability. 36
Only available in the UK. Please visit or contact your local CLC team to discover what versions are available from The Bible Society in your region.
Africa Benin: Population: 11 million (8.3% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1998 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Director: Emmanuel Ladeyo Bestsellers: Bibles, 5 Love Languages, Purpose Driven Life, Pilgrim’s Progress 200-page book cost: $11 USD We have had to face a number of challenges over the past year. The biggest has been the decline in sales as our sub-region is going through a period of economic crisis. Proof of this can be seen in our annual sales when, previously, they were around 40,000,000 CFA but, for this year end, they were only 32,600.000. However, the Word of God is being distributed among the Beninese population, and it will do its work. 2018 is the 20th anniversary of the CLC ministry in Benin. This gives us an opportunity to celebrate and to make ourselves more known in the country. A plan we have for the future is to open another CLC centre in the country. This is one reason why we want to see an increase in sales—to fund this expansion—but we look to the Lord for the opportunity to do this at the right time.
Friday - Benin:
We often ask God to help us cope with challenges, and He always does! Many times, our landlord has considered selling the land on which our bookshop stands but, praise God, he changes his mind every time we pray.
The Weekend - Benin:
Please continue to pray that the Lord will bring about the opportunity for us to own our own property, and that we would find new ways to future-proof our ministry.
Burkina Faso: Population: 20.1 million (8.9% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1991 Ministry: 1 Bookshop Director: Sami Luc Noufé Bestsellers: Bibles, Daily Devotionals, books from Éditions Vida (Publisher) 200-page book cost: $12 USD During the year, our team of three had to be reduced to two as we could not cover the costs. Our sales had taken a real dip after having to move the bookshop twice—once due to increased rent and then moving from what proved to be an unsuitable location. Although down to two staff, we worked really hard to make ourselves known in the latest location, which is near the city centre. We concentrated on getting publicity out, and getting new signs up outside the shop and on the corner of the street. We are thankful that we are starting to get on top of things again after the moves! We had a big clear out in the office, and we feel much better for that! We are also grateful to CLC Colombia for their help with a loan that enabled us to make stock purchases. Our priorites now include repaying the loan we recieved and looking for more opportunities to host book tables at events.
Monday - Burkina Faso:
Our prayer is that we can be faithful with the loan repayments Week 8 and do everything on time, and that, at the same time, the Lord will lift the ministry back up again so that we can really be an influence for the Gospel in our country.
Tuesday - Burkina Faso:
Now our previous customers are finding us again, after two changes of location. We would value prayer for increasing numbers of new customers as well. 37
Kenya:
Côte d’Ivoire: Population: 24.1 million (10.5% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1961 Ministry: 2 Bookshops Director: Martine Foto Bestsellers: Power of a Praying Wife, Smith Wigglesworth titles, Purpose Driven Life 200-page book cost: $12 USD With help from a pastor, CLC Abidjan was able to start its first church book deposit, which is looked after by a church member. CLC Bouake was able to attend a number of events with books during the year thanks to a friend of CLC who helps us by doing book tables.
Population: 47.6 million (48.9% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 2007 Ministry: Publishing, Wholesale & 2 Shops Director: Patrick Omukhango Bestsellers: Led to Lead (CLC), Africa Study Bible, Daring Faith, books by local authors 200-page book cost: $12 USD ($3 with POD) This year we celebrated our 10th anniversary with a wonderful time of fellowship, encouragement and planning for the future. Having set up a Print-on-Demand system in 2015, we started to facilitate self-publishing for local authors, with three titles completed fully ‘in house’ by the end of the year: It’s About Time by Washington Blessing, Staying Married (devotional) by Njeri Gikonyo and Conceive Achieve by Julius Mwebia. Our IT infrastructure was not good enough, and we are grateful for help from the CLC International Office to get the computers we needed to do our work efficiently.
A challenge for the year was to pay off our Social Security debts. This was a complicated situation that we were able to negotiate with the authorities and arrive at an acceptable solution. We are grateful to God for His protection in Bouake during a time of military mutiny and unrest on the streets. Book Testimony: A customer came in and asked for a book that would help a friend who was temporarily living with him due to a crisis in his marriage related to his wife’s unfaithfulness. We suggested the book Forgiveness, the Power that Liberates. The customer later told us that after reading the book, the friend had overcome his disappointment and was settled back at home with his wife.
We are keen to implement our Training/Book programme in which we provide training based on specific books. Recent examples of this are using the books Leaders who Last and Coaching Based Ministry with a group of pastors and key church leaders. We also used the book Serving Christ in the Work Place in a programme designed for marketplace professionals.
possible unrest and attacks. May God protect us and our families.
Thursday - Côte d’Ivoire: Wednesday - Côte d’Ivoire:
Please pray for the CLC shop, staff and the general situation in Bouake as well as the rest of the country. There are currently many political rumours going around, causing a lot of fear and a slow down in sales. As a result of the predictions that are circulating, people are not willing to spend because they are afraid of 38
Please join us in praying for a spiritual revival in our country.
Friday - Kenya:
Please pray for the newly launched Authors Club through which we hope to give potential authors the training, encouragement and platform for them to publish their works. It is particularly important that a voice is given to
Liberia
Sierra Leone:
Population: 4.6 million (14.6% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1947-95, 2012- Present Ministry: 1 Bookshop Director: James Cooper Bestsellers: Led to Lead (CLC), CLC Bible Companion, NLT Life Application Study Bible 200-page book cost: $20 USD
Population: 6.1 million ( 3.9% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1966 Ministry: Publishing and 3 Bookshops Director: Donald John Bestsellers: Study Bibles, Purpose Driven Life, The Power and Purpose of Authority 200-page book cost: $8.50 USD
During the year, we participated in a regional conference of the Bethel World Ministries and hosted a Church Leaders’ Summit in Ganta, Nimba County, which brought together 250 pastors and church leaders. We have plans to host these summits again in the future.
We thank God for the 50th Anniversary celebrations of CLC in Sierra Leone. We are also grateful for the Print-on-Demand (POD) equipment and training we were given. With the POD system, we now have a publishing and printing department and a Book Mobile ministry to help with distribution. This past year we were also able to set up around fifteen book tables at events.
We were also able to successfully distribute our products through our book mobile work. However, in general, our sales dropped drastically. These low sales are attributed chiefly to the presidential elections and the general political and cultural climate. Also, the majority of our stock is priced quite low; much of it comes from the CLC USA BookLink project and is second hand. We need to sell high volumes to achieve the same level of sales as with new books. Nevertheless, we have been told that we have the best Christian bookshop in Liberia, so we pray that more people invest in the Bibles and books we have to offer.
African authors. Print-on-Demand and our inhouse services can help make this a reality.
The Weekend - Kenya:
Please pray for the initiatives that CLC Kenya has, like the Training/Book programmes, that we will find the right resources and partners with whom we can work to achieve our mandate.
Monday - Liberia: Week 9
Please pray for the distribution of the Africa Study Bible. Pray
By God’s grace, we are hoping to expand and cater to the printing needs (books, posters, magazines, etc.) of the Sierra Leonean populace but, in order for this to happen, we will need more equipment. This added service would help us to further sustain our ministry. The lack of necessary stock (including Bibles) and, for all Sierra Leonians, the economic problems in the country have proved incredibly difficult. Due to this economic breakdown, it was hard for book lovers to visit the shops, which meant that we were not able to achieve our budgeted sales targets.
that this unique resource will be used by many pastors and church leaders, to help them deliver Bible-based but culturally relevant scriptural applications to their congregations.
Tuesday - Liberia:
Please continue to pray for economic stability for CLC Liberia and for more ministry opportunities in other accessible towns and cities outside of Monrovia.
Wednesday - Sierra Leone: 39
Mozambique: Population: 26.5 million (11.1% Evangelical) Date CLC work began: 1966 Ministry: 2 Bookshops Director: Liz Patten Bestsellers: NIV Economy Bible, books by C.S. Lewis & Tim Keller, Beloved Timothy 200-page book cost: $14 USD The main highlight of the year was the LORD’s blessing on our ‘Mozambique Bible Challenge.’ Because of this, 42,000 Euros were raised to publish 10,000 copies of an affordable edition of the Bible in a modern Portuguese translation, courtesy of the Bible Society. The Bibles arrived in December, and we held a dedication launch event in Maputo on the same day. On a more personal note, Abel (CLC Maputo) passed all his university exams for the year and his co-worker, Johane, got married. However, we also experienced great sadness as Sacramento (CLC Beira) lost his wife to malaria. The distance between our two bookshops is a challenge. It is a day and a half drive on dangerous roads or an expensive two hour flight. Another major challenge continues to be the fact that 95% of our stock comes from Brazil, thereby incurring high costs for international freight and local customs’ clearance. This drives up the cost of the books and makes it difficult for customers to buy them. We pray regularly together and have seen many answers over the year—the most dramatic was the fund raising when the money came in much faster than we had anticipated! To the glory of God, all bills have been paid! Please continue to pray for our nation as we are transitioning from one government to another. Pray that the Lord will use this new government to bring great transformation in the lives of Sierra Leoneans.
Thursday - Sierra Leone:
Please pray that we would find good national Christian authors who would benefit from publishing via our Print-on-Demand services. Although we want to offer other services, this is the main objective for the POD department. 40
Encouraging Story: The Centro de Liderança (CDL) is a Bible School and guest house with conference facilities. Although they have a library, probably two thirds of the books are second hand and in English instead of Portuguese, the local language! CDL was founded by Dr Isaias Uaene in the rapidly growing, new town of Matola (outskirts of Maputo). He recently asked us for help in setting up a ‘book deposit’ of Portuguese titles. So we did, and it’s basically a bookshop in a filing cabinet!
Praise God for Partnerships! This ‘mini-CLC bookshop’ is in the study room part of the library, allowing locals to actually buy relevant books and Bibles in their own language! We’ve even managed to arrange for students and teaching staff to get regular discounts. I can only say that my heart was just brimming with joy! Honestly, I have long concluded there is nothing better in life than serving God. - Liz Patten, CLC Africa RD
Friday - Mozambique:
We have been trying to increase our contact with different seminaries around the country in the hope of supplying their libraries. We have had a measure of success, but there is room for more. The disappointing thing is that in many cases, there is a lack of funding to buy the books. Please pray.
The Weekend - Mozambique:
Please praise and thank God with us for the provision of the funding for the 10,000 Bibles! Pray that we can sell all the Bibles within a twoyear period. The idea is that with the monies raised, we can repeat the project and it becomes self-sustaining.
NEW
THE MISSION OF GOD Our Lord Jesus Christ gave His people the Great Commission to make disciples of all nations. This is a significant task, yet it is one that the Holy Spirit enables us to accomplish as we rest in the authority of Christ over all things. In this series, Dr. Burk Parsons walks us through every phrase of the Great Commission, carefully examining how Christ calls us to fulfill the Great Commission in our homes, our churches, our communities, and to the ends of the earth.
AVAILABLE STUDY RESOURCES WITH THIS SERIES: DVD 9781567699883 B L U - R AY 9 7 8 1 6 4 2 8 9 0 0 5 1
CD 9781567699890
STUDY GUIDE 9781642890013
Now distributed by CLC Wholesale | CLCwholesale.com
41
CLC Spanish Bible Project Your purchases at CLC bookshops and online store help us to distribute Bibles, Christian books and resources in 48 countries worldwide. THANK YOU! However, access to these resources is not as easy in some places as it is in most Western countries. Just try for a moment to imagine your life, and your Christian journey, without a Bible! There is a huge need for Bibles in a number of Spanish-speaking countries. At the moment, CLC International is raising funds for the CLC Spanish Bible Project. In particular, there’s a huge need for affordable Bibles in Venezuela, Bolivia and Spain! These three countries have been severely affected by the economic crisis and/or political and social turmoil. Printing and purchasing even an economic Bible in these countries is often a financial burden, precisely at a time that the Word of God needs to be distributed widely. In particular, CLC is still able to get Christian books and Bibles into Venezuela, which is going from one crisis to another. The time to act is now. CLC International wants to encourage spreading God’s Word in these countries through the CLC Spanish Bible Project that will make the Bible very accessible for everyone. This important project will also help to sustain the CLC ministry in these countries. The goal is to print a total of 45.000 economical Bibles in Spanish to promote and facilitate evangelism (20,000 for Venezuela, 5,000 for Bolivia and 20,000 for Spain). The estimated budget for this important and ambitious project, including printing and shipping costs, is €67,000 ($77,000 USD or £59,000 GBP). How can you help? We invite you to pray for this need and then consider helping us by donating to make this project become a reality. Each Bible costs only €1.50 ($1.70 USD or £1.30 GBP). Perhaps you or your church could donate the equivalent of just 1 or 10, or even 1,000 Bibles! Thank you for helping CLC International spread the Word of God in Venezuela, Bolivia and Spain!
To learn how to make a donation to this Bible project, please see our donation form (page 43). 42
CLC International (UK) Unit 5, Glendale Avenue, Sandycroft Industrial Estate, Sandycroft, Deeside CH5 2QP
A SINGLE GIFT OF: £
4 Ways to Give: Please make cheques payable to:
CARD NUMBER: MAESTRO ISSUE #:
CLC International (UK)
ISSUE DATE:
Regular monthly giving:
SIGNATURE:
BACS Donation
VISA / MASTERCARD / MAESTRO (CIRCLE ONE)
SECURITY CODE: /
EXPIRY DATE:
/
DATE:
/
/
For a single gift payment use:
Debit / Credit Card Donation Give online securely via the Stewardship website:
my.give.net/clcuksupport
FOR REGULAR GIVING: BANK NAME: ACCOUNT HOLDER: ACCOUNT NUMBER:
DECLARATION FORM Make every £1 gift(s) go 25p further! Boost your donation by 25p of Gift Aid for every £1 you donate. Gift Aid is reclaimed by the charity from the tax you pay for the current tax year. Your address is needed to identify you as a current UK taxpayer. I want to Gift Aid my donation of £........... to CLC International (UK). I am a UK taxpayer and understand that if I pay less income tax and/or Capital Gains tax in a tax year than the amount of Gift Aid claimed on all of my donations in that tax year, it is my responsibility to pay any difference. NAME:
SORT CODE: BANK ADDRESS:
POSTCODE: PLEASE DEDUCT (amount in words):
FROM MY ACCOUNT ON (date): AND THEN EACH (circle one): UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE
/
/
MONTH / QUARTER / YEAR
This standing order REPLACES / DOES NOT REPLACE (circle one) an existing standing order to CLC International (UK)
ADDRESS:
POSTCODE: PHONE: EMAIL:
PAY THIS SUM TO: CLC INTERNATIONAL (UK) A/C 71184539 SORT CODE 40‐05‐03 SIGNATURE:
PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY
________________________________________________ SIGNATURE (space above ) DATE:
DATE:
/
/
FOR BANK USE ONLY: Paying bank please ensure that all backdated payments are made and the following reference number is quoted with all payments:
Please use my gift: Where needed most Spanish Bible Project Towards this CLC Project: (write below) __________________________________________
Thank you for your gift!
43 25
We Hope To See You Soon! Unit 14, The Academy, Belmont St. ABERDEEN, AB10 1LB Tel: 01224 641 620 aberdeen@clcbookshops.com
112 Nethergate DUNDEE, DD1 4EH Tel: 01382 226 859 dundee@clcbookshops.com
2 Church Street SHEFFIELD, S1 2GN Tel: 0114 272 4663 sheffield@clcbookshops.com
7 Carrs Lane (Church Centre) BIRMINGHAM, B4 7SX Tel: 0121 643 2991 birmingham@clcbookshops.com
23 Castle Street INVERNESS, IV2 3EP Tel: 01463 238 876 inverness@clcbookshops.com
5 Lower Hillgate STOCKPORT, SK1 1JQ Tel: 0161 480 1467 stockport@clcbookshops.com
45 Abingdon Street BLACKPOOL, FY1 1DH Tel: 01253 624 160 blackpool@clcbookshops.com
16 St. Matthew’s Street IPSWICH, IP1 3EU Tel: 01473 255 346 ipswich@clcbookshops.com
23 The Broadway TOLWORTH, KT6 7DJ Tel: 020 8390 5400 tolworth@clcbookshops.com
129 Deansgate BOLTON, BL1 1HA Tel: 01204 532 384 bolton@clcbookshops.com
3-4 Ave Maria Lane LONDON, EC4M 7AQ Tel: 020 7248 2356 london@clcbookshops.com
13 Upper Wickham Lane WELLING, DA16 3AA Tel: 020 8301 4641 welling@clcbookshops.com
88A Regent Street CAMBRIDGE, CB2 1DP Tel: 01223 352 727 cambridge@clcbookshops.com
Or shop online at:
clcbookshops.com
CLC International
Mission Site: www.clcinternational.org CLC International Office (UK):
291 Abbeydale Road, Sheffield, S7 1FJ
UK Mission Site: UK Online Shop: Personnel Enquiries:
clc.org.uk clcbookshops.com
personnel@clcbookshops.com
UK Headquarters & Finance Office:
Unit 5, Glendale Avenue, Sandycroft Industrial Estate, Sandycroft, Deeside CH5 2QP Email: gerald.sidery@clc.org.uk
CLC International Office & USA Headquarters:
701 Pennsylvania Avenue, P.O. Box 1449 Fort Washington, PA 19034 clcusa.org multilanguage.com info@clcusa.org clcusa.org/give
USA Mission Site: USA Online Shop:
Inquiries: Donations: For Overseas Opportunities: To Subscribe:
missions@clcusa.org clcworld@clcusa.org
office@clcinternational.org
CLC Ministries International is registered as a not-forprofit 501(c)3 organization in the United States and as such can accept charitable donations and provide tax deductible receipts
clcworld@clcbookshops.com
CLC International (UK) is registered as a charity in England & Wales (1015793) and in Scotland (SC037939)
For Overseas Opportunities: To Subscribe:
Magazine Editor: Amanda Lutes, Global Communications Director
