The original vision for NEW LIFE RESOURCES (NLR) came from Steve Douglass, current president of Campus Crusade for Christ International. He envisioned Campus Crusade for Christ having a “presence” in cities throughout America where churches and ministering Christians could find the best resources to accomplish all aspects of ministry from evangelism, through discipleship and spiritual multiplication.
In the early stages, this strategy was known as the Here’s Life Christian Resource Center. The concept was to provide resources for ministry divided into the categories of Win, Build, and Send or “Evangelism, Discipleship, and Leadership Development.” It was not to be a “bookstore” but a training center where Christians could come and receive help with ministry.
When Dr. Bill Bright adopted the name NEW LIFE 2000® as the master plan for Campus Crusade to help fulfill the Great Commission; our name was changed to NEW LIFE RESOURCES because we were to be the resources ministry in support of the master plan. The ministry continued to evolve and greater emphasis was placed on being available, not through a physical presence, but through direct marketing of ministry resources. A telemarketing center was established and resources were offered through letters, catalogs, card decks and other direct marketing methods.
At first New Life Resources was quite small and shared office space with the Legacy, Prayer, and Prison Ministries, occupying only 1,100 square feet. Beginning in the early-nineties, several Campus Crusade ministries asked New Life Resources to provide warehouse and distribution services in support of their trade publishing efforts and the distribution of the JESUS video into twenty million homes across America.
Over the years, through faithful service, God has blessed and New Life Resources has grown from the initial location to Peachtree City, GA. In March 2000, NLR moved into their current facility, which is 22,000 square feet of office and warehouse space.
In 2001, New Life Resources assumed responsibility for distribution of resources to the staff members of Campus Crusade. The number of ministry resources that are offered has grown over the years to provide many hundreds of titles.
In year following September 11, 2001, New Life Resources provided logistical support for an emergency outreach centered on the terrorist attacks called the 911 Remembrance Project. This evangelistic outreach saw the distribution of 12-and-a-half million magazines and thousands videos. Then in 2003 NLR assumed responsibilities for publishing Campus Crusade’s essential materials.
Pat Pearce, former director of the Mass Media Ministry of Campus Crusade in California, relocated his family to Georgia in 1989 to help Campus Crusade develop this resource ministry. Pat was the first and is the only Executive Director to serveNew Life Resources.
New Life Resourcescontinues to serve as a ministry resource to further the Great Commission to equip and mobilize churches and individual Christians with a heart for ministry. By equipping other believers to reach their own spheres of influence, the impact of New Life Resources has been far beyond what could be done through traditional direct ministry alone. Serving the servants of Christ with these resources is a strategic way to advance the fulfillment of the Great Commission.