Luke 18:17 says, “Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it” (ESV).
In 2024, the team at Concordia Gospel Outreach (CGO) was introduced to a student who has faith in Jesus and wants to share the Gospel light with those in need in her community. Wynnie, a student at Christ Church Lutheran in Phoenix, volunteers at the local food bank that the church partners with to hand out food donations. While volunteering at the food bank, Wynnie was inspired to share God’s Word during her interactions with families. She shared how she was inspired, and CGO was able to bring her idea to life with a new Arch® Book donation program.
Arch Books Make an Impact
Through Wynnie’s idea, CGO sends hundreds of Arch Books, covering different Bible stories, to her every week so that she can give them to families who visit the local food bank. Wynnie and her mother, Kirsten, are up at 5:30 a.m. every Wednesday morning to hand out food and share the Gospel message.
“It’s really inspiring to see her [Wynnie] share Christ through her actions, and the books we hand out are very well received. Most families who come by accept our offer of an Arch Book and are repeat visitors. Seeing how these books impact these families and how much they love them is magical.”
—Kirsten, Wynnie’s mother
Kirsten also said how the Arch Book program particularly helps the Spanish-speaking families who visit the food bank in Phoenix. The Arch Books are great tools to use for ESL classes and learning English at home. Leftover Arch Books are also donated to the local women’s shelter.
Flourishing in 2025 and Beyond
Now, there are two dozen food banks and care programs that are receiving Arch Books from CGO. Beginning with Wynnie’s idea, CGO was able to develop a program that sends each location hundreds of Arch Books for the children and families they serve.
CGO plans to continue to expand the program in 2025 so that thousands of Arch Books are provided to families all over the country. These short, simple Bible stories convey Scripture in an easy-to-learn way and are made to plant the seed of faith in the youngest in our communities. With the continued support CGO receives from donors, that plan will flourish in the next year and for years to come.
Scripture: ESV®.
When you give a gift to Concordia Gospel Outreach, you support programs like these, putting Gospel-based books in people’s hands around the world.
