EDUCATION


in Prague, Budapest, Berlin and Jordan. Located in these learning centers are libraries that bring the knowledge of God to countries where Christian teaching and resources have been limited, restricted or ignored. Former Jessup adjunct Willard Black


PHYLLIS LANYON:


Using a Jessup Degree to Open Doors for Christ


It’s never too late for God to use our passions and talents. Just ask Jessup alumna Phyllis Lanyon. “I remember praying that God would take away my desire to earn my degree but He had other plans.”


In February 1999, after Phyllis raised her children, she made the decision to go back to school full time and complete the degree she started years prior. In 2001, she received her BA in Business Management and Ethics from San Jose Christian College. While at SJCC, Phyllis began working at the Institute for Christian Resources, an organization that would later become her calling and passion. While there, she worked part-time as a bookkeeper but it wasn’t long before her duties increased and launched her into a director of operations role after she completed her degree. In 2009, Phyllis became executive director, a title she currently holds today. Just two years later, the Institute for Christian Resources


officially changed its name to Open Door Libraries to more accurately reflect the mission of the ministry. Although home base is in San Jose, Open Door Libraries is a ministry that operates four public learning centers across the world


is best known for his work as Founder of the Institute for Christian Resources. Black is credited with beginning the foundational work of building networks and infrastructure to facilitate the distribution of Christian resources in Eastern Europe. With the fall of communism also came the realization that many of the existing church leaders were woefully ignorant due to a deficit of Christian information. Black spent three months walking the Vienna woods praying and asking God what could be done to help this deficit of information. God gave him the vision of providing public Christian libraries. The first library opened in 1999 in


Prague Czech Republic, just 10 years after the country denounced communism. Budapest was the site of the second library opened in 2005, Berlin in 2007 and Amman, Jordan in 2010. God continues to work mightily in these regions through the use of these libraries and the people that come through their doors every day. In Jordan, Open Door


Libraries is the only library in the country that allows children. With a 30 percent illiteracy rate, programs supporting literacy are of utmost importance to the Queen. The Minister of Culture has requested Open Door Libraries who is working to open another library in the region to offer young people opportunities that will keep them from becoming radicalized. “It is amazing to see the Muslim government


coming to a Christian organization and asking us to help them fight their own war on terror,” Phyllis said. In Berlin, an Iraqi refugee by the name


of Omar found the library, developing a strong relationship with its’ directors Larry and Teri Lewis. Omar was baptized and hopes to go back to his home one day. Meanwhile, he continues to be a powerful witness to the other refugees who frequent the library. When recalling a conversation she had with Omar, Phyllis explained, “His powerful words were, ‘Jesus Christ is the only hope for stability in the Middle East.’” Five years ago in Prague, a young boy


named Tomas led several of his friends to the library. He watched an animated Bible story movie and within a few days, he was on fire for the gospel. Sadly, Tomas lives with his grandmother because his father is in prison for killing his mother. Tomas continues to find hope and healing through the library. In Budapest, five churches have been


planted out of the library and two are now meeting at the library. Although these regions are difficult


“IT IS AMAZING TO SEE THE MUSLIM


GOVERNMENT COMING TO A CHRISTIAN ORGANIZATION AND ASKING US TO HELP THEM FIGHT THEIR


OWN WAR ON TERROR.”


fields to cultivate for the Lord, Open Door Libraries has done tremendous works in Europe as well as the Middle East and continues to bring hope and light to these parts of the world. “Each library is very unique and has its own personality,” Phyllis added. “It is a great ministry to be a part of and I am blessed to be a part of it. Totally blessed.”


8 JESSUP MAGAZINE


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