Fifteen years ago the mission team working in Kisumu , Kenya developed a concept of trying to mature Christians and strengthen church leaders by strengthening their knowledge of God's Word. They realized they could not be teaching at every congregation regularly and struggled with how to help mature the newborn Christians and newly planted churches around Lake Victoria .

Because of this need they developed a correspondence program that could be read and understood by Christians with limited Bible knowledge using English as a second language. One of the things that was different was that these courses required more from the students. Each of the courses they developed requires the student to do Bible reading, memory work, study the course book and successfully complete an exam before moving on to the next course. The basic courses with which the students begin are, "How to Understand and Study the Bible", "The Church We Read About in the Bible" and “Living for Jesus” (Christian Ethics). The 33 course books they developed cover every book of the Bible and many topics. At this time, they are in the process of paring down the course list to around 10 essential books to make the program more manageable and usable as follow-up material by World Bible School teachers and others.

The acceptance of this program has been phenomenal! Initial contact letters were sent to about 400 churches and church leaders in Kenya . The courses have spread out to 11 countries and over 30,000 courses have been sent out. They have an office in Piqua , OH and a field office in Kisumu , Kenya . The elders of the Livonia Church of Christ in Livonia , MI are overseeing the work.

World Christian Literature Outreach material is being used in the prison system in Kenya . The chaplain at the prison near Kisumu , Kenya began taking our courses and then set up a learning center in the prison for the inmates. Russ said, "We never expected it to be put to that kind of use, but I guess God did. Last year while I was in Kenya I visited the prison and the chaplain. He told us that the courses were making a difference in the lives of the prisoners. Men were being converted and leaving prison to go back to their homes to begin churches in their villages. He stated that other prison chaplains throughout Kenya were so impressed they have requested to have the material available for all of the prisons.”

World Christian Literature Outreach is beginning to make their books available via the Internet. They have one book posted on the website with several others nearing availability. Students and teachers will be able to download the books right to their own computers or print them out at the local Internet café.

Recently Brother Lawson was joined by Ralph Royse formerly of One Nation Under God . Together they are raising funds for materials and expanding their ability to make materials readily available. If you would like to contact World Christian Literature Outreach you can do so at WCLO, 324 W. Ash St. , Piqua , OH 45356 , Call (937) 615-9777 or through their website at www.wclo.net. You may also email Russ at rlawson@wclo.net or Ralph at ralroy@wclo.net