OUR STORY

OPAL was founded in 2003 by Geoff Ruston and John Lewis. Both were at the time extensively involved in Christian book selling in the UK and USA. They became aware of the desperate need, and hunger for, affordable Bibles and good-quality Christian literature in the Majority World (Africa, Asia, Latin America). 

Here the church is growing fast, there is a passion for evangelism, and there are many training programmes. Those involved in church planting, training and discipleship, desperately need resources. Some struggle to be able to find Bibles and Literature that are accessible in local languages. The vision of OPAL (Overseas Publishing And Literature) is to help address these needs.

Since its beginning, the work has steadily grown. OPAL has been able to send Bibles and literature to over 80 countries worldwide. Through partnership with Christian publishers and local Bible Societies we have been able to obtain Bibles and suitable books at special prices, which makes them accessible to Christian leaders and churches in the Majority World. In 2005 a distribution hub was established in Chingola, Zambia, from which books are accessed from across Central and Southern Africa.

In 2013 OPAL USA was established to expand the work across America, with a warehouse for storage and preparation of books and Bibles for distribution. In May 2020, Ian Shaw was appointed CEO, and John and Geoff took up ambassadorial roles. OPAL works closely with fellowships and mission partners in the Majority World, especially assemblies in the Christian Brethren tradition, supporting and facilitating their mission work.