Used Bibles can change a church

By April 22, 2015
With the help of their supporters, CRI sends resources to believers all around the world.  (Image courtesy CRI)

With the help of their supporters, CRI sends resources to believers all around the world.
(Image courtesy CRI)

USA (MNN) — Old Bibles. Old books. They typically sit on our bookshelves collecting dust. What if they could literally transform the life of a pastor, or even better, an entire church?  That’s what can happen when you donate them to Christian Resources International in Fowlerville, Michigan.

CRI Executive Director Jason Woolford says, “For the last 60 years, we’ve encouraged people around the United States to send us their extra Bibles and Christian books sitting on their shelves. Then we have taken those and sent $272 million worth of donated Bibles and Christian books to over 170 nations.”

These are books requested by Christians around the world. Woolford says they’re going to “people…who are yet to be saved, to the person who got saved, the person who wants to be a leader, the person who wants to be a pastor.”

Some people in nations requesting Bibles can purchase them, but many “don’t have the money to even buy Bibles, even if they are there. So, for them to be able to get a Bible or a Christian book, and look at the back of it and see that when it was new it was $50 or $60, that’s half of their income for a month. They’re so blessed.”

CRI_philippinesHow many requests for Bibles and books does CRI receive? Woolford says they receive “literally hundreds of thousands of requests…whether they come from the mail or a telephone call.”

Woolford says while there are many who send used Bibles and Christian books, equally as important is funding. Without that, the books would stay in Michigan. How much does it cost to send a Bible or Christian book? “It usually works out to about $1 a book.”

Research indicates that each Bible or book is shared by 19 other people. The books or Bibles you donate or fund can be the difference in a pastor preaching from the Word of God, or preaching from what he remembers hearing from the Word of God.

This is a great project for a family, Sunday school class, or entire church.

If you can help support CRI with a donation of Bibles and/or books, or through a generous financial donation, click here.

32 Comments

  • Reg Forder says:

    To what address do we send our used Bibles.

  • I am a lecturer and called to ministry in Kumasi- Ghana. Praise Glorious Church Kumasi, Ghana.
    We are currently in attendance: Adults 38 and Children 22.
    Your assistance will create word power in Christian teachings. We are outlining to embark on village evangelism. Thanks for your kindness and support. With best regards. Apostle Michael Yeboah.

  • DEAR BROTHER
    GREETINGS IN THE PRECIOUS NAME OF OUR LORD
    with Belgian nationality, I have been here in Congo for 8 years .
    I am managing a Bible school ,where we are teaching pastors and servants of lord.
    we have a library but this one has only 28 books.,this situation doesn’t allow our students to know better the scriptures
    we need your help.will it be possible to send us french books and english one ; will you kindly send us also some english bibles for our students
    Looking forward to hearing from you .
    yours faithfully
    MICHEL VAN ROTEN
    ECOLE BIBLIQUE BILINGUE DU CONGO
    BP 306 KINSHASA 20
    REPUBLIQUE DEMOCRATIQUE DU CONGO

  • Sir,I am a pastor in Ghana,handling about three hundred members average each Sunday.many souls are complaining for Bibles and we can also used some for evangelism work.thank you.Rev Ben K Annan.email: [email protected]

  • betsy maria says:

    Good day sir/madam;

    i am betsy maria v. zalsos-uychiat from iligan city, mindanao, philippines. i have a space that i am planning to use as a bookstore where people can purchase bibles/books at a low cost.. part of the proceeds will go to charitable and community services where our group does regularly.. and the rest for admin cost.

    is it possible for our group to avail of your Bible and other Christian literature?

    thanks and God bless..

  • We are Chelston Baptist Church situated in Lusaka, Zambia. Over the years we have been yearning to establish a Church library for the benefit of the members.

    Up until now, we have a handful of books enough. We request that you consider assisting us with bibles and other christian books that may be available.

    Yours in His Service

    Captain Miyambo Kasakula (rtd)

  • Please my church members will be happy if you can send us some Bibles and books to help them.From Ghana Rev Emmanuel Asamoah

  • Osaro Ogbewe says:

    Dear Brethren,

    I am Bro Osaro Ogbewe of Living Faith Church, Benin City, NIGERIA.

    I write on behalf of hundreds of souls who are being turned into the body of Christ on daily basis here in our local church who need to be nourished by the word of God to enhance their spiritual growth.

    This has become somehow difficult because most of the new converts do not have a copy of the Bible. My aim is to see these new converts grow spiritually, and I am writing your ministry if you could partner with me in the area of getting regular supplies of used or new Bibles for this converts. This will really help.

    Please kindly consider. I will be eagerly and prayerfully waiting for your first shipment soonest.

    Please direct all mail to the address below:

    Bro Osaro Ogbewe
    P.O.Box 454, Benin City 300001,
    Edo State, NIGERIA.

    Phone: +234 8038378633

    Thanks and God bless you

  • Praise the lord,greetings form Bihar-state(India) or Nepal.we are a fully independent Apostolic,Pentecostal ministers for Bihari or Nepali congresation.in parsent times ;we want a Hindi or Nepali lengues in somes Holy-Bible or tracts.can you support by pray or moral-helps with meterials.pze,pray.

  • Sharon Felten says:

    You may contact World Missionary Press to obtain Scripture booklets in Nepali. Here is the Web page you will need: http://www.wmpress.org/languagesavail.shtml.

  • I’m a retired pastors with quite a few bibles/books. (30-40 small moving boxes)
    Where/how do I get them to you?

  • Adrien Koiba says:

    Dear Brother in Christ,
    Seen the realities in our country, the minority Christian population
    living amount the majority Muslims population, the lack of free bibles
    and literatures, to equipping Christian ministries, make impossible
    for Christian to growth spiritually. To broke the gap, and for Guinea
    to be open to the Gospel, I would like for you to please ship a
    containers of bibles, tracts and Christian training materials to help
    equip churches and ministries in Guinea.
    I am hoping to hearing from you soon
    Adrien Koiba

  • juan vasquez says:

    Hello my name is juan vasquez hope is well my reason for this email is because i am interested of donating used Bible from members from our church could you please email me back or call me 7189260552 for information

  • Dear Sir ,
    Request for the used bibles and other Christian books from your organisation. Am a pastor in Zambia, am based in Ndola city and am heading evangelism department at presbytery level. During evangelism crusade people ask for bibles. Please assist us so that we can also help others who are in need. My address is Rev. Emmanuel Mtonga, Box 290256, Ndola Zambia.
    I will very much appreciate if my request can be granted.
    Emmanuel

  • Pauly Thomas says:

    Dear Sir,
    I am a Christian Minister, working in India, need of used Bibles in my ministry. kindly send me, God Bless You.
    Thanks you

    My address:
    Pauly Thomas
    INDIA

  • Sharon Felten says:

    Brother Thomas, You may send your request CRI via this contact page: http://cribooks.org/request-to-receive-books/. May God supply your need!

  • May God bless you as you are ministering to our needs

  • 11900 Chasi road,
    Dzivaresekwa two,
    Harare,
    Zimbabwe

    Greetings in the name of our lord and savior Jesus Christ, many thanks for the work that you are doing all over the world. May God continue to bless you and enable you to reach many. I am a Founder and a pastor of the ministry called LIFEHOUSE TO THE NATIONS INTERNATIONAL MINISTRIES, we also have the challenges of the bibles in our ministry especially to those who give their lives to Jesus Christ. I would like to request 60 bibles for new members and for Evangelism. I will be grateful with any assistance from you.
    Yours faithfully
    Apostle Wellington Hadebe

  • I just was saying to my wife I wish I had the money to buy bibles for the children in our city because they need to learn the word Ito may change their way of thinking and save lives. So I went online to see if there is a place that donate bibles in to my surprise here you are. Now how can I get some bibles to give out to the children of Mount Vernon ny?

  • I have a missionary friend whom needs 100 English Bibles. I looked all Thru eBay and Amazon and can’t afford 100 bibles but am wondering if there is an option for used bibles for them. They are in Kenya. Please let me know if there is some possibility here, and what my cost would be. I can likely do a book drive for your cause but am not able to get the 100 bibles for my missionary friend and have been praying and fervently seeking the lord for this need.

  • Greeting in Jesus Christ our Lord. My names are Blessings Ndhlovu and am Pastoring a local Church Called Faith Baptist Church Twatasha. Am requesting by Gods grace if you could helps us with Bibles and Christian books. We have 80 members, we have an Active Facebook page user name is Faith Baptist Church Twatasha if you could visit us will be grad.

    Your Servant inThe Lord.

  • Bay brown says:

    Hello my name is bay brown and I am an usher in my church and we see a lot of adults and children come thru the door without bibles just wondering how can I get some bible from you all

  • Tye says:

    Greetings In Christ Jesus, I’m searching for place who would be able to spend free bibles to our ministry as we continue to spread the word of God, as we do street evangelism. Thanks in advance!!

  • April White says:

    I have a package ready to send of Bibles and a few others books, where do I send it to?

  • Request for gospel resources
    I am humbly making a request for copies of Holy bibles and Christian literatures for the use of Christian brethren here who can not afford to buy and own them. We are having a Standard Christian Research Library here meant for studying God’s words and borrowing of Christian resources at no cost.
    We shall be grateful indeed if this needs can be met urgently.
    Thanks in anticipation.
    Yours in his Vineyard
    Blessing Tunde Adeleke
    Post Office Box 17,
    Otun Ekiti 372004,
    Moba Local Government ,
    Ekiti State,
    Nigeria
    West Africa

  • Greetings
    I am a pastor of a new church in rural kenya. The people here love and rspond well to the gospel but they need bibles (mostof them cannot afford it).
    I would be glad tohave 500 copies of the bible in English to distribute.
    Thank you in advance.
    God bless you.

  • Tajudeen Ola says:

    i am an evangelist in Nigeria,please i need bibles for my church members and to reach out to the unsaved,
    Thanks for your help

  • Your Name says:

    I am a Christian missionary involved in rural villages evangelism faced with the challenges of providing Bibles, evangelical tracts,Christian books that can help them spiritually for those converts. Some even order for French Bibles.
    we also gather brethren for the follow up of those converts and are in need of any Christian faith lifting books that can encourage us to persevere in the face of end times discouragement. We would be glad if God can use you as an Encouragement for us. Thanks in Anticipation
    ADEBAYO SAMSON GBEMILEKE, MARANATHA CHAPEL, OPPOSITE SKYE BANK, OJU ODO, ABAYOMI BUS STOP, IBADAN, OYO STATE, NIGERIA.

  • Tajudeen Ola says:

    I am evangelist Tajudeen,please i need free bibles to distribute in the church,hospital,schools etc.to reach out to the unsaved,
    Thanks for tour help.

  • i have been purchasing the old puritan books and bibles to give to my church members..

    how can i get much of it

  • I thank God for the good works that you are doing. May our Almighty God richly bless you.
    More Grace.
    Pastor Kayombo Reuben
    Bridge of life Ministries
    Chingola
    Zambia.

  • Your Name says:

    I am Nelson Nyaneti, elder of New Life in Jesus Centre, Nakuru Kenya. Just a request for second hand books for church library and my library, thanks.

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