In the early days of World War II, a young couple, Ken and Bessie Adams, heard Jesus’ call to ‘feed my sheep.’ Together they worked with the Friends Evangelistic Band in England, holding tent meetings and visiting homes. On many of these visits, they found that they had been preceded by others who left literature, especially Jehovah’s Witnesses. Ken declared, “I cannot stand by and … not do something about spreading the truths of the Gospel.” So he and Bessie visited homes armed with good Christian literature.

 

Fired by his passion for literature distribution, Ken rented some upstairs rooms in Colchester, named “The Evangelical Publishing House”. This took place even when the government was severely limiting publishing and the opening of bookshops in wartime England. The Adams felt led to align themselves with the WEC International, with plans to help that organization establish bookshops in England. Norman Grubb of WEC was thrilled with the potential of a string of bookshops. Requests, opportunities, and funding began to present themselves to Ken and Bessie, resulting in the formation of CLC as an autonomous ministry established on 1 November 1941.

 

By the end of the war, there were six literature centres across England and a work serving German Prisoners of War. Growth continued with God’s grace and blessing and today CLC serves in 57 countries where 700 men and women of diverse nationalities are joining hands to feed a world hungry for print.

Global Expansion and Impact

 

Driven by a growing vision to bring Christian literature to people around the world, Ken and Bessie Adams initiated the global expansion of CLC. Through the pioneering efforts of their colleague, John Davey, the first overseas CLC bookshop opened on the island of Dominica in 1947. Together with a dedicated group of overseas workers, they continued to establish bookshops in various countries throughout the world. Their dedication to providing quality Christian resources in different languages contributed to the growth of the organization. In 1948, Ken and Bessie moved to North America to establish a new CLC headquarters and ended up settling in the Philadelphia area where they lived for most of the rest of their lives. The Adams leadership and passion inspired countless individuals to join the CLC ministry. The organization expanded its reach by partnering with local churches, hosting book exhibitions, and engaging in evangelistic campaigns. Through these initiatives, CLC International played a significant role in introducing people to the Christian faith and nurturing the spiritual growth of believers worldwide.

 

 

 

To see people come to faith and grow in their love of Jesus through reading good Christian books and, above all, the Bible!