STL UK was established in the late 1950’s by visionary and missionary pioneer George Verwer and is now the global leader in distributing Christian resources. Based in Carlisle, England, STL’s operations include exclusive wholesaling of both UK and USA Christian resources for leading names such as HarperCollins Religious, LionHudson, Hodder & Stoughton, Thomas Nelson, Tyndale, Moody, NavPress, Baker, as well as contract distribution and fulfillment services for publishers such as Kingsway Communications and Zondervan. STL UK is the largest provider of Christian product in Great Britain and Europe.

A portion of all revenue goes into the STL Trust which supports leadership training and development, evangelism and social action and relief throughout the world. Group CEO, Keith Danby’s goal has been to set up a global distribution network – structured as a non-profit organization, run in a professional manner, and supporting the literature needs of the developing world. To this end all business units in the UK and the US operate as not for profit corporations.

In 2003, STL UK acquired OM Literature and formed STL US. For 15 years, OM Literature, also a ministry begun by George Verwer, specialized in providing low cost, quality Christian literature for distribution into the developing world, primarily to regions in Africa and Asia. OM Literature also included Gabriel Publishing and provided fulfillment services as Gabriel Resources. STL US has now expanded its family of companies to serve the Christian publishing and retailing community with excellence.

In July 2005, STL US had an opportunity to further its ministry by acquiring industry leader Appalachian Distributors. STL Distribution (formerly STL/Appalachian) is now the largest Christian owned wholesale Christian product distributor in the U.S. STL Distribution will continue to serve stores through its Johnson City, TN and Sparks, NV facilities. You will continue to receive the highest level of service, fill rates, and speed of delivery from a distribution partner that you know and trust.

STL Distribution is the industry’s most comprehensive source for your store’s homeschool material needs. The Homeschool Headquarters program gives you instant access to over 6,000 titles in this flourishing category. You can also draw on the expertise of the Homeschool Headquarters staff by utilizing pre-selected product assortments and marketing resources. STL Distribution will continue the tradition of excellence by providing you with the most complete line of homeschool resources available today.

With the purchase of Appalachian Distributors by Send the Light (STL) Ministries, we have the chance to build another distribution company to serve C.B.A. Retailers, a Christian not-for-profit company, based on sound biblical principles and dedicated to excellence in service.

We have a long journey ahead and we know it. We have a list of things we must change about our operations and I trust that you won’t lose patience with us as we do. However, there is one thing that we have absolutely right already and that is any money that we make from doing business with you goes to our not-for-profit purpose of "Advancing the Christian Faith."

Please let us know when we serve you well - and when we do not earn your business. Remember...your encouragement and suggestions will help us build a wholesale distribution company for Christian products that is second-to-none, a company that no one of us owns, for it truly belongs to the Lord.

I'm serious, please let me know how we are doing. Call me at 423.282.7714 or e-mail me at glenn.bailey@stl-distribution.com.


Glenn Bailey
President, STL Distribution
former C.E.O. of Spring Arbor Distribution