By Donna Marable
Disciples of All Nations Spreading the Good Word. (Matthew 28:19)
In the fall of 1898 two traveling salesmen sharing a Wisconsin motel room realized a common desire to spread the “Good Word”. They met again the following year and, joined with a third salesman, decided the goal of their association would be to unite traveling salesmen for evangelism. This led in 1908 to the official formation of Gideons International, an association of Christian business and professional men and their wives dedicated to telling people about Jesus and His offer of salvation by sharing testimonials and providing copies of the “Good News”.
Full Bibles are placed in motel rooms, pocket-sized New Testaments are distributed in institutions of learning, medical facilities, prisons, fire stations, militaries around the globe-to all who want them-and to those who may not know they need them-at no cost to the recipients. The Gideons and its Auxiliary are supported by dedicated members and by prayers and donations of supporting churches and others. All donations go toward the printing and transportation of Bibles. The Testament books also include Psalms and Proverbs, scriptural references for various times of need, translations of John 3:16 or The Lord’s Prayer in a variety of languages, a brief description of salvation and a place to sign and date a confession of Jesus as Savior. Literally thousands of miraculous testimonies are revealed because of the Gideons dedicated presence in various situations: wars (including Pearl Harbor), weather disasters, even the collapse of the 12-story Champlain Towers South condominium in Surfside, Florida, June 24, 2021.
Headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, they are organized worldwide into small, local groups called Camps meeting together for support and activities such as blanketing areas with Scripture Blitzes (internationally this month in Zambia and Indonesia). Over 300,000 men and women in 200 countries are personally witnessing and giving away Bibles or New Testaments in over 95 languages. To date over 2 billion copies of God’s Word has been distributed. While the first vision was not for this worldwide mission field, they always believed in making a powerful impact drawing on the strength of the Bible character Gideon who was willing to do exactly what God wanted. His characteristics of humility, faith and obedience became the standard of measure the organization strives to establish in all its members. Their logo, a pitcher with torch, symbolizes Gideon’s victory over the Midianites in Judges 6-7. Their purpose to bring every man, woman, boy and girl to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ will never burn out.
To learn more you may contact Brad Speegle, Alabama/northwest Florida Association (speegle64@aol.com) or south Baldwin County passionate Camp members James and Ruth Ann Stallworth (james4stallworth@gmail.com).
