International (MNN) — Change is brewing for Christian Resources International. Some of it has all taken place. All of it seems good.
In October 2010, a new Executive Director was installed to oversee CRI. Former president Fred Palmerton stepped down from his position to entire the world of retirement. Pastor and evangelist Jason Woolford rose up to take his place.
Woolford said he was first introduced to CRI while at a banquet for the ministry. Given his background in outreach, Woolford thought an organization dedicated to sending out the Word of God would be a good group to partner with. Little did he know what a very close partnership he was soon to have.
After the banquet, Woolford visited CRI for a tour and fell in love. "This place was reaching the entire globe with Christian literature," says Woolford. "At the time I took a tour, I had no idea what God had planned."
When the position came up, though, it was clear to Woolford, Palmerton and the CRI board that Woolford should take over. He has a vision for the ministry and affirms the CRI's mission to send Bibles, theological texts and Christian literature to the world as vitally important.
"Out of all the things that we can do, if we send the actual Word of God, we're helping peoples' faith to be built," Woolford explains. "God says that faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God. What better way to do that than to send the Word of God to the entire world?"
Woolford is excited for the places the ministry will head in 2011. An overarching goal is to increase the poundage of Christian books sent overseas by 30 percent. In 2010, over 300,000 pounds of books and Bibles were sent by CRI to Christians in need.
More specific projects include containers to "two places in India, to Liberia, and then also we have a container that's going to be headed to the Congo."
The container being sent to the Congo is an especially important endeavor. 17,000 books will be sent to restock a Bible college which was raided by Muslim extremists. The college lost its accreditation as a result, and the CRI container will help them gain it back. You can help CRI with important projects like this at cribooks.org.
Prayers are in order for the growing ministry as they approach 2011. Pray for wisdom for Woolford as he leads the organization. Pray that the Lord would provide sponsors for CRI's Great Crate shipments of Bibles and literature across the globe, as well as an influx in Christian books to send.
If you feel God calling you to be an answer to some of these prayers, click here and help CRI today.
