(Photo courtesy of Christian Resources International)
International (MNN) – In 1 Timothy 6:10, Paul explains how the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil.
While this is true, sometimes money, coupled with passion for the Gospel, can make a difference for eternity.
Christian Resources International is one organization that has witnessed this. Since 1956, CRI has sent over $272 million in Bibles and Christian books to over 170 nations around the globe. Every year, CRI sends millions of dollars’ worth of resources in large sea containers to reach those Christian resources.
“Each sea container is filled with half a million dollars’ worth of Christian books and Bibles, and so it reaches the unsaved, all the way up to those wanting to be pastors, to those that are pastors wanting to continue theological seminary, etc,” says CRI Executive Director Jason Woolford.
The only problem is: CRI is heavily dependent on donations. The Bibles and books, as well as the cost of shipping the container, come primarily through generous donors. And that’s where you come in.
“We have some people that can call and say, ‘Hey, I’d like to send an entire sea container for $11,000.” CRI’s sea containers are “filled with half a million dollars’ worth of God’s Word,” Woolford says. “Then we have other people that say, ‘Hey, I’d like to come alongside and support you at $30 a month.’
“What’s so exciting about that is last year alone…we sent $6 million worth of free Bibles and Christian books…to 15 different nations with only a paid staff of 5 people and the rest volunteers.”
You’re support isn’t just helping sending Christian resources to countries that need them. CRI is currently setting up a distribution center in Kenya, where one million dollars’ worth of books will be sent every year. A pastor there will also train others for ministry and foster spiritual growth.
Joseph, a CRI missionary working in Kenya
(Screenshot courtesy of Christian Resources International)
This is an exciting thing for us as we are sending God’s Word…to Kenya, where we have a CRI missionary on the ground who will be training up pastors every month, as well as giving them the Word of God that they need for themselves, also for their congregations, and having that center to where people can come and just shop for free.”
You can watch a short film about CRI’s work in Kenya here.
Want to help CRI continue spreading the Gospel across the world? Click here for ways to donate your extra Bibles or Christian books, or donate financially. By doing so, you’re making a difference for eternity.
“God says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God, and that without faith it’s impossible to please God, and that faith is the substance of things hoped for and the evidence of things unseen,” Woolford says. “So when you look at that, and you look at God calling us to be a people of faith, it’s impossible to have Him if we don’t have His Word.”
When you reference scripture, please be sure that what you say is accurate. This article began with a common, but very destructive misquote of Paul’s words in 1 Timothy. It does not say, nor does the Bible teach that money is the root of all evil. What the Bible says is that “money is the root of all sorts of evil.” Big difference! Money is an inanimate object and is neither good or evil. The evil comes when we make it our god and use it in evil ways.
Roy, He did say “all kinds of evil”, he did not misquote the scripture.
Roy: Thank you for pointing that out. I just fixed it.
Money is a magnifier it makes you more of what you all ready are. I understand the intent, no worries.
Jason,
Sorry about that. I hope what I said wasn’t too misleading.