Gideons Presentation (6-8 Min.)

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Good morning. For a moment, I would like you to picture a hotel room in Veracruz, Mexico. The first image in your mind may be of a beautiful scene. Perhaps a relaxing holiday. However, in this case it happened to be the place where a young lawyer, who was suffering from a disease that that had crippled his extremities, had checked himself in with the purpose of killing himself. Yet, before he was able to commit the act, he opened the drawer of the nightstand beside his bed. In it, he found a Gideon-placed bible. He pulled it from the drawer, and he decided to read a few pages. He decided to read more. He was soon captivated by that Bible, and he read as much as he could throughout the night. It transformed him. By morning, not only had he repented of his desire to commit suicide, but he also believed in Jesus as his Lord and Savior. That is what can happen when we get copies of the Word of God into the hands of people.

Informational

I want to thank you for allowing me to speak to you about The Gideons International. First organized in 1899, the Gideons is an association of Christian business and professional men and their wives. We are united by one goal: to win men and women, boys and girls, to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We achieve this goal through (1) the proclamation of the gospel and through (2) the distribution of Scriptures throughout the world. Globally, we are organized in 199 countries. Last year, we distributed more than 56 million Scriptures in 109 different languages. Since 1908, the Gideons have distributed more than 2.5 billion scriptures into what we like to call the “traffic lanes of life.” These traffic lanes not only include hotels and motels, but also prisons, hospitals and nursing homes, schools and colleges, and elsewhere. We also support the military. For example, every young man or woman who enters the service through Ft. Sam, can receive a personal testament to take with them wherever our country may send them in the world. However, the value of what we do rests in the hundreds of testimonies we receive each year, like this.

Testimonial

The Ukraine is a big issue in international news. Many years ago, we received the personal testimony of a Ukrainian man named Victor. When Viktor was young, he began to smoke and use drugs. It wasn’t long before he became seriously addicted. He began committing crimes to get money to support his addiction and he was eventually arrested and put into prison, again and again. The third time he was sent to prison, he was given a Gideon testament. Nothing changed right away, but he always carried that testament with him. After his fourth arrest, he began to read his testament, and God revealed Himself to Viktor in a life-changing way. Through the power of Scripture, Viktor trusted in Christ as his Savior. God delivered Viktor from his drug addiction and gave him a new life. Viktor was freed from prison and has been preaching the Gospel. With the war in the Ukraine, we don’t know where Viktor is, but we know his eternal future is secure. We pray for his safety.

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If you feel called to support the distribution of Scriptures through the Gideons, here is how you can help.

First – pray. The Gideon ministry cannot accomplish its goal without the power of the Holy Spirit. Effectual and fervent prayers ensure that everything we do is by the power of God alone and for His glory alone.

Second – remember. The Gideons has established the Gideon Card Program to enable individuals to send cards to friends and loved ones and donate funds, which are used for the printing and distribution of Bibles. We supply churches with free In Memory, In Recognition, and Thinking of You cards. I encourage you to pick them up from your Gideon Card rack located <where>. You can also go online to the Gideons website, or search for ‘Send the Word,’ to find and send many more cards for a variety of occasions.

Third – join. We are always looking for qualified business and professional men to join the Gideons and spread the Gospel. Our ministry is an extension of our local churches and our members come from churches such as yours. If you want to distribute Scriptures to a lost and dying world, you can speak to us after the service.

Fourth – give. Your donations ensure that copies of God’s Word get into the hands of needy people around the world. Please know that every penny that you give to the Gideons goes directly to the printing and distribution of God’s Word and not one cent to administrative or overhead costs.

I want to thank your pastor and the church family for allowing us to fellowship with you and to let you know about the work being done by the Gideons to further the Kingdom of God. I pray for God’s special blessings upon this church and all His children here in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior.