God brings people into our lives who forever change our direction and ministry. Arthur Bush experienced this in a powerful way.
Born and raised in Many, Louisiana, Arthur grew up in church and accepted Christ as a young boy in large part due to the influence of his mom, a home economics teacher, and his dad, a World War II veteran and lead custodian at a local school. Arthur was baptized in August 1968 at Bethel Baptist Church. As he matured in his faith, he served in various volunteer capacities at church.
Years later, while working as a special education teacher for 5th-8th grade students, Arthur saw Gideons passing out New Testaments to students at his school. Little did he know that what he witnessed would one day become his passionate calling and personal ministry. For a long time, Arthur hesitated to apply for membership in The Gideons, because he never saw much ethnic diversity in his encounters with Gideons. He wondered if he would be accepted. Now, as a member, he enjoys diversity as he serves with men of every race and ethnicity, at home and around the world.
A life-changing meeting at a baseball game
Arthur met Joe Ladner at a little league baseball game one day. Joe was wearing his Louisiana State University class ring and Arthur, his LSU apparel—they enjoyed a conversation about their affinity for LSU. Joe mentioned he was a Gideon, and Arthur felt the Holy Spirit impressing on his heart there was something Joe needed to tell him or show him. Arthur did not know what would come of this but believed he “needed to be around him.” When Joe invited Arthur to a home Bible study he was leading, Arthur immediately agreed.
a community of brothers
Arthur attended this home Bible study for the next seven to eight years. Through this, the two men built an incredible friendship.
Joe Ladner, Arthur Bush’s mentor
Joe approached Arthur about joining The Gideons in 2003; however, Arthur delayed joining until 2006. Initially, Arthur felt overwhelmed by the invitation because of the vastness of the ministry—it was a lot to process.
However, Joe never gave up on Arthur. After Arthur became a Gideon, Joe began mentoring him by taking him to church rallies, camp meetings, and other ministry-related events. To this day, Arthur is eternally grateful for Joe’s mentorship, because it allowed Arthur to gain a deep understanding of the ministry through personal experience instead of simply being told about what the ministry entailed.
Other seasoned Gideons from Texas and Louisiana have also played a huge role in Arthur’s life. A group of men from the Hemphill/San Augustine Camp in Texas mentored Arthur and made him feel welcomed to the Association. Another group of Gideons told him that he could reach his goals and he had great potential within the ministry. In fact, Gideon John Lawery saw so much potential in Arthur, he encouraged him by saying, “You can do a whole lot more than you are doing.”
He encouraged him by saying, “You can do a whole lot more than you are doing.”
In 2010, Arthur began to see this encouragement to do more take root. He spoke at a small Pentecostal church in Pineland, Texas. After speaking, a lady came up to him and said, “The Lord told me to tell you, you keep doing what you are doing. Do not quit. He has great things in store for you.” On his way home, still processing what she told him, Arthur became overwhelmed by emotion. He pulled his car over to take in the moment and regain his composure.
Arthur’s faithful friend and mentor, Joe Ladner, passed away in 2016. In the last six months of Joe’s life, a very meaningful conversation took place with Arthur. Joe said, “Arthur, aren’t you glad you joined The Gideons?” Full of heartfelt emotion, Arthur replied, “Mr. Ladner, you don’t realize how much I love this ministry.”
“The Lord told me to tell you, you keep doing what you are doing. Do not quit. He has great things in store for you.”
Three Bibles in Dad’s Bedroom
Arthur would lose another person close to him a couple of years after the passing of Joe Ladner. His dad, Arthur James Bush, passed away on June 10, 2018. He was 51 days away from 100 years old.
A month after Arthur’s dad passing, Arthur’s mother, Evelyn Bush, invited him to her house. She wanted to give him something.
Arthur’s father’s Bible with the inscription, “This Bible was placed by The Gideons”
When he arrived, there were three Bibles on his dad’s bed. Arthur did not previously realize these Bibles existed, but he now knows it was the Lord’s plan for him to learn of them all at once.
The first Bible was large, heavily taped, with his father’s name on it. The inscription on the Bible read, “This Bible was placed by The Gideons.”
The second Bible was torn and tattered, making it hard to tell what it was. It was a small New Testament with a bullet hole on the front cover. His father, who served on the frontlines in World War II as a gunner, had been shot during the war. While Arthur’s dad was already a born-again Christian, this Bible saved his physical life that day.
Arthur’s father’s Bible he received as military personnel from President Franklin D. Roosevelt
The third Bible was also heavily taped. When opened, the words “White House” and “Washington” were on the first page. What followed was a personal note from President Franklin D. Roosevelt encouraging military to read the Bible while serving in war. Only 56,000 of these Bibles were printed.
Arthur treasures these Bibles because of the impact both his father and The Gideons International have had on his life.
Author Bush’s life and ministry has been completely changed by how God has used him and others through the ministry of The Gideons. Being a Gideon has allowed him to overcome previous fears and embrace a worldwide ministry that reaches people for Christ. This is a calling and passion that will never leave Arthur.
Ephesians 3:20 (ESV), “Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us”
Thanksgiving is much more than sharing a meal with family and friends or a polite response when you experience a kindness or receive a blessing. Thanksgiving is a vital aspect of our personal relationship with God. Paul sums this up in 1 Thessalonians:
“Rejoice always,pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”— 1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (ESV)
All three of these commands—rejoice, pray, give thanks—indicate a state of the heart and involve communication. These are the proper responses of people in active relationship with the Heavenly Father—spiritual sons and daughters who have right standing before God through His Son Jesus Christ.
To be consistent and focused in rejoicing, praying, and giving thanks increases the depth of your faith and the impact God has on this world through you. Further, the degree to which you exhibit thanksgiving is a signal of other healthy aspects of your walk with Christ. When you are thankful in all circumstances:
You acknowledge your relationship with the Heavenly Father—God gives good gifts to His children. What’s more, acknowledging God as the ultimate priority keeps your relationship in healthy perspective, while the fleshly world seeks fulfillment in anything but Him. Finally, to the extent you give thanks to God in ways others can see, your actions may provide opportunities to share Christ with them.
You are more aware of God’s activity in your life—Otherwise, who would you thank? Plus, you become more perceptive of His presence and responsive to His leading.
You practice humility—Giving thanks to God indicates you understand the true source of blessing. You are correctly attributing your success or blessing to the Master Giver and not the result of something you did.
You strengthen your faith—Thanksgiving in all circumstances includes times of trial. Trusting Him in difficult times can be a much harder obedience, yet it is through trials that we are refined and prepared for even greater intimacy with God. Remember “suffering produces endurance, endurance produces character, and character produces hope.” (Romans 5:4 ESV) It’s that hope we are able to turn around and share with others when trials come upon them. —2 Corinthians 1:3–4
The encouragement of 1 Thessalonians 5 is not all Paul has to say on the importance of thanksgiving. In 2 Corinthians, Paul indicates as we experience God’s blessings, we are to be generous in every way.
“He who suppliesseed to the sower and bread for food will supply and multiply your seed for sowing andincrease the harvest of your righteousness.You will be enriched in every way to be generous in every way, whichthrough us will produce thanksgiving to God.For the ministry of this service is not only supplyingthe needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.”
—2 Corinthians 9:10–12 (ESV)
Here Paul calls the results of Christian generosity a “harvest of your righteousness,” and points out that God enriches us in order for our generosity to increase. More than that, Paul says the ministry of generosity is “not only supplying the needs of the saints but is also overflowing in many thanksgivings to God.” The results of our generosity and service should not be selfish attention. We are to point others to God. The passage continues:
“By their approval of this service,they will glorify God because of your submission that comes from yourconfession of the gospel of Christ, and the generosity of your contribution for them and for all others. . .” —2 Corinthians 9:13 (ESV)
Sharing of resources is important, but it is a small reflection of the most important gift that we must also share: the Good News. Elsewhere in 2 Corinthians, Paul says it this way:
“Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, ‘I believed, and so I spoke,’ we also believe, and so we also speak, knowing that he who raised the Lord Jesus will raise us also with Jesus and bring us with you into his presence. For it is all for your sake, so that as grace extends to more and more people it may increase thanksgiving, to the glory of God.”
—2 Corinthians 4:15 (ESV)
Grace generates gratitude—a surpassing gift offered, received, acknowledged, and celebrated. And the Giver, glorified.
“Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!”
—2 Corinthians 9:15 (ESV)
“Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” —1 Thessalonians 5:16–18 (ESV)
Aulton E. Herbert, Jr. grew up in Harlem, New York. As a young man, Aulton got involved in selling drugs. In December of 1989, he was arrested. From Aulton’s perspective, God arrested him, but God used the police to do it, as he was arrested for something he didn’t do. What started as an argument over a cab fare ended with the driver telling the police Aulton was attempting to rob him at gunpoint, which was not true. Due to his past record, he was taken to the Manhattan Detention Complex in downtown New York City. Anybody who has been there calls it by a different name, though. They know it as “The Tombs.” Aulton was placed in a cold, dark jail cell. As he sat in the darkness, his life began to flash by him. He had lost his mom six years prior and had buried his dad on his birthday earlier that same year, 1989. Aulton was in prison, completely alone, with no bright future.
“God, if you are real, come into my life”
Aulton didn’t grow up in church. He was into Islam, mysticism, transcendental meditation, and spent a lot of time in occult bookstores. He didn’t know anything about Jesus and didn’t want to know anything. But in that moment in that cell, Aulton fell to his knees. He said, “God, if You are real, come into my life.” After crying out to God, he looked over, and saw a Gideon-placed New Testament. He was unaware the New Testament was there previously. Yet, at that exact moment when he cried out to God, Aulton, for the first time, saw the Testament. He opened it and on the first few pages he read, “The Bible contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its history is true, and its decisions are immutable. Christ is its grand subject, our good its design, and the glory of God its end.” After reading those words, a peace that couldn’t be explained came over Aulton—he now knows it was the presence of the Holy Spirit.
For the next 13 months, Aulton went back and forth to trial. No matter where he went, the New Testament went with him. The more he read, the more the Holy Spirit made the Bible’s teachings clear. When he was in occultism, he would read the Bible solely to prove its tenets were wrong. But now, because of the transformation that happened in his heart, Aulton understood who He was in Christ.
God uses Aulton
Aulton ended up being sentenced to three years in prison, and he served his time in Wyoming Correctional Facility in upstate New York. The entire time he was there, he fed on the Word of God, and God began to do a work in his life. In 1992, Aulton came home on his first pass, and he was scheduled to be released in October of that year. He saw his family for the first time in two and a half years, and after seeing him, they were amazed at his life-transformation. His family would tease him and say, “Now we know there is a God, because we knew the man who left, and you are not him.”
Aulton remembered reading about the demon-possessed man in the Gospel of Mark. The man would hurt himself day and night and nobody could control him – until he saw Jesus. He cried out, and the Lord healed him. When he told Jesus he wanted to follow Him, Jesus said no and told him, “Go home to your friends and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.” (Mark 5:19 ESV) That story really resonated with Aulton, so that’s exactly what he did. At the time, none of Aulton’s family had a personal relationship with Jesus. Praise God Aulton ended up leading all four of his sisters to faith in Christ. Today, all of his nieces and nephews are also followers of Christ.
“Now we know there is a God, because we knew the man who left, and you are not him.”
Partnership with The Gideons International
Aulton soon became the director of an environmental service at a nursing home. It was while he was working at the nursing home in Queens that he had his first true encounter with Gideons and Auxiliary. As he saw the placing of Bibles, Aulton began sharing his testimony. This led to numerous opportunities to share his testimony with different people and places.
Pastoral ministry was the furthest thought in Aulton’s mind, but God had different plans. Today, he is the senior associate pastor at Christ Family Community Church in Bronx, New York—a position he has held for the past 13 years. As Aulton and other ministry leaders see strongholds in New York, they also see how partnering with The Gideons in evangelistic outreaches greatly impacts communities. “One of the hardest things in ministry is getting people Bibles. People are ready and willing to receive them—this is where the Gideons play a part,” says Aulton. New York City is wide-open, and Aulton looks forward to tremendous things happening as a result.
“When you get around Gideons, you get stirred to go after souls. It really challenges you.”
The aspect Aulton loves the most about The Gideons is their priority in reaching people for Christ. Aulton encourages pastors and ministry leaders to get involved with The Gideons. He says, “When you get around Gideons, you get stirred to go after souls. It really challenges you.”
In Isaiah 6, the Lord asked, “Who will go?” Isaiah replied, “Send me!” Aulton prays this will be the heartbeat of all Christ followers, as the world needs to experience the love of Jesus.
Carmen Powers was born and raised in Duluth, Minnesota. She was the eldest of five children and attended a Catholic school for most of her early childhood. Her dad was an alpha male. Though a very successful businessman, he always valued family life. He put God first, and he had a special gift of always fixing things. He often took Carmen and her siblings with him when he traveled. Each time they would stay in a hotel, she would check for a Bible in the drawer—something about it gave her comfort and assurance she was staying in a good place. When she married her high school sweetheart, Jon, her dad became a strong example of male leadership to him. Jon came from a broken family, and he admired Carmen’s dad and looked to him for guidance in many ways.
Not long into their marriage, Carmen’s father was diagnosed with cancer. The family knew he wouldn’t make it, but when he passed away shortly after the birth of Jon and Carmen’s first child, it hit them extremely hard. They grieved his death. Suddenly, the person they had always leaned on wasn’t there anymore, and their lives became confusing. They struggled to maintain their finances. As they were trying to put together a plan, a friend came to them and offered them a deal. He told them they could make US$100,000 by completing a one-time “transaction” for him. It sounded simple, until they were informed the transaction was selling cocaine. Jon and Carmen knew the offer was wrong, but it was too tempting to refuse. With that kind of money, they could build a house and start a savings account.
one time too many
Before Jon and Carmen knew it, one transaction turned to two and then to many more. Eventually, the product transactions turned to product using. They discovered it doesn’t matter who you are or what you tell yourself, once you have that much cocaine in front of you, it becomes hard to resist. This behavior lasted for about three years. Jon and Carmen had two children, and she would use drugs at night when they were sleeping. They were profitable, but we were far from satisfied. They continued spending more than they were making. Now, they were again in financial trouble and also addicted to drugs.
Wanting to get out of the situation, Jon and Carmen visited a friend in Florida, hoping time away would help them get some clarity. During that time, and with her friend’s help, Carmen decided she and the kids were going to move out of Minnesota, regardless of whether Jon wanted to join. When Carmen told Jon the plan, he agreed to come with them. “We’ve been through the mill,” he said, “I’m at the end of my rope.” So, they moved to Florida and opened a small pizza shop. For a little while, life was good. But not long after, they realized they didn’t move away from the cocaine but closer to it. Men who were part of the same cartel in Minnesota found Jon and Carmen, and before long they were sucked back into their old way of life.
Through the hope found in this Bible placed in a hotel room, Carmen came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
When it all became too much, Carmen flew to Chicago for a weekend. She had no reason to go there other than needing to get away. She spent the entire weekend crying in her hotel room. On the last morning, Carmen stood in front of the bathroom mirror getting ready. Her thoughts flashed back to being in hotel rooms as a little girl, looking for those Bibles—and more importantly, looking for that feeling of comfort and assurance. She opened the bedside table drawer, and sure enough, there was a Bible from The Gideons. She didn’t have much time before her taxi arrived, and she questioned the implications stealing a Bible would have on her already dire situation. But for whatever reason, she felt she had to take it. On her flight home, Carmen opened the Bible, and God began His work.
one final escape
At the beginning of the Bible, Carmen noticed John 3:16 written in several different languages. For many years, she struggled with understanding why there were so many denominations in Christianity. Seeing Christians so separated was one of the main reasons she didn’t want much to do with religion. Seeing that verse in all those languages told Carmen that this Word, this Bible, was for everyone—even sinners like her. God knew that would get her attention. God also knew it would encourage her to continue reading.
“Seeing that verse in all those languages told Carmen that this Word, this Bible, was for everyone—even sinners like her.”
She landed on Proverbs 31 and was completely convicted about who she had become as a woman. Being a good mother was one of her only goals in life, and she was letting her addictive behavior get in the way. It felt as if God was chastising her—but at the same time, it wasn’t painful, it was beautiful. God led her to many other Scriptures that edified her and told her who she could be in Him. Carmen was crying and overjoyed, for she had truly found God. She was radically saved on that airplane and delivered from cocaine without one bit of withdrawal.
However, the hard work wasn’t over. Carmen still faced the challenge of going home to face Jon. He had been raised in the church and was saved at a young age. In his older years, he grew away from the faith. When Carmen told Jon she had been saved, he knew exactly what it meant, but he wasn’t quite ready to make a change. Something told her she needed to keep distance from him while he was still involved, so she made a commitment to continue working on her relationship with the Lord. Eventually, Jon admitted he couldn’t break away from the addiction and lifestyle while they were still in Florida, and they moved back to Duluth. It was there that Carmen saw Jon soften. One morning at church, Jon got up from his seat and went to kneel at the altar. One of his best friends from high school knelt with him, and they both began to weep. In that moment, Jon gave everything over to the Lord.
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7 (ESV)
forgiveness and freedom
Carmen Powers and her family
From then on, Carmen and Jon were still on a bumpy road, but it was a road headed in the right direction. They got out of the cocaine business, but the consequences of their actions didn’t immediately disappear. Carmen and Jon had to hire a lawyer and go through an investigation and, eventually, a trial. The prosecutors were determined to send Jon to prison, but the presiding judge stated he could see Jon was a changed man. He was sentenced to a one-year work release program and a few years of probation. The felony charge was dropped. The Lord blessed them, and they slowly began to get their lives in order. They started a small business of buying and fixing up houses. They joined a wonderful church with a loving pastor and made many supportive friends.
Carmen and Jon are so thankful for that Bible. It was in exactly the place Carmen needed it to be. There is no denying God was with her during those hours in the hotel room and on that plane ride. Throughout her life, God has always drawn her back to the Scriptures, and the power of His Word continues to show up.
This past May, over 100 Christian business men and their wives, known as Gideons and Auxiliary, were in final preparations for the 2018 Ecuador International Scripture Blitz (ISB) in the cities of Quito and Guayaquil. The international team joining them included 22 Gideons from Germany, Finland, Australia, and the USA.
The international team leader for this event was Dennis Donnelly, a Gideon from Kansas, who owns and operates an insurance agency in Shawnee. He joined The Gideons in 1983, and he has served in several International Scripture Blitzes including blitzes in Madagascar, Hong Kong, and Thailand. His wife, Janet, serves as an Auxiliary.
Extensive preparation and planning by Gideon leadership is critical to the success of any ISB. Dennis says the two local teams from Quito and Guayaquil did outstanding work in planning for the outreach event, following Gideon policy in all of the details. It was a reminder of the effectiveness of our members’ prayers as they lift up the local committees involved with upcoming ISBs.
The committee in Quito was chaired by Juan Felipe Vasquez of the Los Chillos Valley Camp. Guayaquil’s committee was chaired by Jose Xavier Valencia who serves in the Guayaquil N-10 Camp. “It was a personal blessing and joy for me to work with both of these dear brothers in Christ, each of whom exhibited a love for the Lord and a burden to reach people in their cities and country,” says Dennis.
Prior to the event, earthquakes had been occurring in Ecuador, resulting in several aftershocks. Additionally, several volcanoes were active, and there were reports of terrorist bombings happening in Quito. In light of these circumstances, members of The Gideons went to their knees in prayer—they knew the Lord was in control.
Each team was assigned a car, a driver, an interpreter, one to three local Gideons, and multiple schools or other distribution locations each day. The teams worked in great unison throughout the event. In the evenings, participants gathered for team meetings where they shared testimonies of the day’s events and ways they had seen God bless their faithful efforts.
Simple Conversation Leads to Everlasting Life
One Sunday during the event, Dennis was enjoying a cup of coffee between morning services at a church where he was scheduled to speak to the congregation about the ministry of The Gideons. His interpreter was Cristina. She is also the daughter-in-law of Colonel Fernando Vega, a local Gideon from Quito. As they talked during the break, Cristina revealed she felt that neither she nor anyone else was truly good enough to be a Christian.
Dennis knew what he had to do next. He opened his New Testament and began to share the verses from God’s plan of salvation printed inside the back cover. “I told her Jesus loved her and died for her sins. It was one of the most natural conversations I have had with anyone,” he says. After sharing the Gospel, Dennis asked her, “Would you like to settle eternity right now and ask Jesus to be your Lord and Savior?” With tears in her eyes, Cristina nodded and prayed the salvation prayer printed in the back of the New Testament, then signed and dated the inside page, indicating her decision to follow Jesus.
“It was so easy, I couldn’t believe it,” says Dennis of that witnessing moment. “I don’t think I have ever experienced anything like it.”
Colonel Vega, his wife, their son, and Cristina’s mother had been witnessing to her for a long time. “It appears that it just took someone outside of the family to speak to her. The Lord put me in that place,” says Dennis.
Experiences from Members
Tim DuPont, Delaware
Tim DuPont is a 70-year-old retiree who spent his career in manufacturing. Today, he is a Gideon in Delaware.
Tim DuPont (left) praying with Tomas (right), who accepted Jesus Christ during the Ecuador International Scripture Blitz.
During the event, Tim was partnered with Fernando Arcos, whose wife, Viviana, serves as an Auxiliary. One day, they stopped at Fernando’s house to pick up more Scriptures for their distributions. Upon entering the kitchen, Tim was introduced to Tomas, Viviana’s father. They began talking and Tim discovered that although Tomas attended church on occasion, he had never received Jesus as his Lord and Savior.
Surprised by this fact, Tim asked Tomas, “What’s stopping you from accepting Jesus?” Tomas replied that he was just waiting for the right time. “I have some great news,” said Tim. “This is the right time. God has sent me all the way from the United States to be here in this kitchen, on this day, at this time, to tell you that He loves you so much He wants to spend eternity with you.”
Tim then led Tomas through the plan of salvation printed inside the New Testament’s back cover. Next, he asked Tomas if he would like to pray the sinner’s prayer. “Together, with tears in all of our eyes, we prayed as Tomas gave his life to Jesus Christ,” says Tim. “Praise the Lord.”
Shawn Flinn, Virginia
Shawn Flinn, from Virgina, is a chief human resources officer with the U.S. Government. He joined the Gideons in 2007. Over the years, Shawn has heard testimonies from other Gideons who have served in these events.
He accepted the invitation to serve in Ecuador as soon as he was given the opportunity. “I felt it would be a wonderful opportunity and a huge blessing to be able to distribute God’s Word with an international team, overseas,” he says.
Early on, Shawn had concerns about the language barriers. However, as the event continued, he became much more comfortable approaching individuals to share the Gospel. “God enabled those language barriers to come down, both through the Spanish that I learned and through the wonderful interpreters who assisted our teams.”
“I felt it would be a wonderful opportunity and a huge blessing to be able to distribute God’s Word with an international team, overseas,”
One of the highlights for Shawn was sharing God’s Word in a park with a group of Venezuelan refugees. After receiving their Scriptures, Shawn says they all bowed their heads and prayed together.
“Serving in an ISB is an experience that will have a lasting impact on you and your camp,” says the 52-year old. “The opportunity to serve with fellow Gideons from around the world was a tremendous blessing. Not only sharing this experience with them but gathering some great ideas on how to better serve with my local Gideons was an added blessing.” Shawn encourages other Gideons who have thought about serving to take the next step and participate.
Ronnie Forester, North Carolina
Ronnie Forester lives in Pisgah Forest, North Carolina, and managed a school photography organization for 36 years before retiring. He has served with his church in Africa and has long wanted to serve with other Gideons internationally.
“It was great meeting other Gideons from the USA and other countries. Our love for the Lord and for our overseas neighbors was a driving force.”
“We knew our God would show up, and He certainly did. Our group was as cohesive as a troop of soldiers,” he says. “Oh wait, we are soldiers for our God and Savior Jesus Christ,” he adds.
Ronnie says he was thrilled at the opportunities he and the other Gideons had to go into the classrooms in Ecuador, share the Gospel with students, and give them an opportunity to receive Jesus Christ. School officials were grateful and eagerly wanted the children to have Bibles of their own. Even as Gideons made unplanned calls on schools, school administrators warmly welcomed them. Ronnie says he is also grateful for the Auxiliary and their role in this event. “There was a large group of Auxiliary praying at all times during the day,” he says.
The prayers were answered. Ronnie says, “The Holy Spirit showed up in a powerful way, and it was exciting to think about the harvest of souls that God added to the Kingdom as a result of sharing His Word in Ecuador.”
Ronnie encourages other Gideons to get involved, so they can experience similar blessings. “Get your name on the list and leave everything in God’s hands. We know that Jesus tells us to pray the Lord of the harvest for laborers, and for the Gospel to go to all people, and we have a wonderful promise of Isaiah 55:11. The victory has already been won by our great God and Savior!”
Charles Epps, Missouri
Charles Epps is a 63-year-old retired middle school math teacher who lives in Chillicothe, Missouri.
He says he was inspired by the dedication and hospitality of the local Gideons. While there, he enjoyed bonding with fellow Gideons from throughout the world.
“The first evening in Quito, our first distribution city, a team member asked for prayer for his wayward daughter. After our prayer, I hugged and reassured him that God would work it out.”
“We had a great time getting acquainted, praising God, and serving together.”
As God would have it, Charles and the Gideon were teamed to distribute in Guayaquil, the second distribution city. “We had a great time getting acquainted, praising God, and serving together.”
Andreas Klapproth, Germany
Andreas Klapproth is a Gideon from Germany. The 54-year-old insurance manager has served in a number of Scripture events, in Argentina and Chile, Lithuania, and Malaysia.
During the blitzes, Andreas had a speaking assignment at a church. Afterward, a young lady approached him after the service. She shared that back when she was a student, she contemplated suicide. But then Gideons came to her school and gave Scriptures to the students, including her. Upon reading her New Testament, she placed her faith in Jesus as her Lord and Savior. Her hopelessness was replaced by joy in the Lord. After sharing her story with Andreas, she then presented him with an offering for The Gideons.
A Gideon passionately shares the Gospel with students in Ecuador after they received their own copies of God’s Word.
“Time is short. Christ is returning and there are many souls to be saved,” says Andreas. “Let’s gather our forces to bring the saving Gospel to the lost.”
Paul McMahan, Tennessee
Paul McMahan is a Gideon who lives in Bulls Gap, Tennessee. Paul’s professional background is in mechanical engineering and training. He signed up for the ISB to get a better understanding of the ministry of The Gideons. “I also wanted to prepare myself for any future roles where the Lord might want me to serve,” he says. Paul gives glory to the Lord for the health of the entire team during the event. “It was so amazing that no one on the team got sick, needed to visit a clinic, or even missed one day due to fatigue or injury,” he says.
“I also wanted to prepare myself for any future roles where the Lord might want me to serve,”
At one faith-based school, a teacher told Paul that God had sent the Gideons there because students had just started reading Scripture in their class studies. Sadly, they only had one copy of God’s Word. But with the visit from the Gideons, all students and staff now had their own personal copy.
During the blitz, Paul offered a Scripture to a woman who passed by him. When she realized what he had given her, she stopped and talked with Paul and one of the local Gideons. She said she was on her way to a hospital where her father was dying from cancer, and she was looking for anything she could hold on to in search of peace and hope. With God’s Word in her hands, she had access to the Gospel – the best thing we can hold onto through any life circumstances. The local Gideon talked to her and prayed with her.
Ken Stenfors, Wisconsin
Prior to departing for Ecuador, Ken Stenfors was praying for the safety of the team and for openness among the people of Ecuador to receiving God’s Word. He saw his prayers answered, “The Lord kept our team safe and the people of Ecuador were very receptive to the Gospel.”
Two of those in Ecuador who were receptive to the Gospel were Nancy and Marco, whom Ken met as he was distributing Scriptures at the campus of a technical college. After giving each of them a copy of God’s Word, Ken was able to lead them through the plan of salvation with the help of his interpreter. Moments later, they both accepted the invitation to pray and receive Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Moments like that are what motivates Ken to participate in ISBs, and he encourages other Gideons to consider taking the step of faith to sign up and serve as well. “It inspires you to see more people come to Christ as you gain a sense of urgency for reaching the lost.”
God’s Sovereign Hand at Work
There were times during the event when things did not go as planned. Gideons reminded each other that interruptions were opportunities to listen closer for the Lord’s leading. One day when Gideons returned to their vehicle, they discovered someone had let the air out of one of the tires. While one of the Gideons attended to the tire, the others began witnessing to those around the scene. As a result, a young family is now saved after Gideons shared the Gospel and led them in prayers to receive Jesus Christ.
“It was such a blessing to see God draw this team together and to see the grace and generosity that flowed,” said one participant.
By the end of the ISB, Gideons distributed over 400,000 copies of God’s Word at more than 400 schools and university campuses alone. Scripture placements and distributions also took place at hotels, hospitals, jails, military installations, and police offices.
“On behalf of myself and the other team members, we praise the Lord for being allowed to participate in this outreach event,” says Dennis. “Only eternity will reveal the true results, but we can pray thousands of men, women, boys, and girls, will come to know the Lord Jesus Christ as their Lord and Savior.”
I grew up in California. Around age 18, I accepted Jesus Christ as my personal Savior. When I wasn’t attending school, I worked as a lifeguard at the beach. A homeless man named Walter frequented the beaches, and I looked after him from time to time, as much as he looked after me.
My family was just getting ready to move back up the coast when I realized I hadn’t seen Walter in a little while. I was worried that something had happened to him. The day we were set to leave, Walter found his way to me on the beach. He told me the Holy Spirit had moved in his heart, and he had been saved at a revival.
He continued sharing how he met a few men who gave him two New Testaments. They told him one was for keeping and the other was to share with a friend. As he said this, Walter reached out to offer me an orange New Testament. I took the book and shook his hand. However, once I returned home, I put the book in a box and forgot about it.
Moving in the Right Direction
After we moved north, I became a teacher at a Christian school and was involved in our church as a youth pastor. Even though I appeared busy with the things of God, a slow lull began to creep into my spiritual life. I was not growing in my faith and did not feel close to God.
After sharing this with a close friend, he encouraged me to step out of my bounds a little bit. He suggested I combine my passion for running with a commitment to grow closer to God. He said, “Why don’t you find a place where you feel like you can actually run towards God?” So, that’s exactly what I did.
I started running up in the hills in northern California. One specific spot really challenged me because the hill escalated about three miles. Eventually, I decided to start having a quiet time at the top of the hill to study my Bible. When I thought about the extra weight of a Bible on such a run, I almost gave up the idea. Then I remembered the small orange New Testament Walter had given me.
Three days a week for two and a half years, I ran that hill and studied Scripture using that New Testament. I actually dug a small hole under a tree at the top of the hill where I kept the Testament and a few pens in a plastic bag. Each time I ran the hill, my secret spot was waiting, and I sat under that tree and let God’s Word speak to me.
I wrote anything and everything in those margins—from personal prayers to revelations God had provided through my study of His Word. When I found out I was having a child, I recorded that praise. I also wrote,
“If ever found, please return to Pastor Todd Keough,” in case I ever lost the New Testament.
God led me and my family to move from Concord, California, to the Sacramento area. As we wrapped up packing the house and got ready to leave, I knew I had one last chance to run that hill and collect my New Testament. As I came to the top and rounded the corner to my special spot, I noticed a freshly dug hole. Someone had stolen my New Testament. I couldn’t get over it—it was my journal and it was gone.
I found your Bible
In our new town, I tried to start running to a special place again for quiet time. I found another spot. I tried to bring another Bible, but it never quite felt the same. I had to give it over to God.
About ten years later, I received a phone call from a man named Hector. He said, “Is this Pastor Todd Keough?” I confirmed he had reached the right number. “I found your Bible,” he said. I responded hesitantly, “I have my Bible right here.”
Hector continued, “No, it’s a little orange one.”
Immediately my interest was peaked. “How did you get it? Where are you?”
Hector continued to share the journey of my orange New Testament, “My father received this book from his cellmate in Vacaville State Prison. His cellmate read all these little highlighted things in the margins, and he witnessed to my father. Because of that, my father gave his life over to Christ while in prison. When his cellmate was released, my father started a Bible study in the prison using your little New Testament. Hundreds of men came to know Christ.
“My dad gave me the Testament when he got out of jail. I read it and also became a Christian. I just want you to know, you can have your Testament back now. And I want to encourage you…God can use your words and His Word even after much time has passed.”
“You need to keep it,” I told him. “I’m not ready to have it back yet. Maybe God will use it again in someone’s life.” I thanked Hector for calling and carried that encouragement the next three years before receiving another call.
“Is this Pastor Todd Keough?” a voice asked.
“It is,” I replied.
The man was from Huntington Beach, California, and he had my orange New Testament.
“There are five different names on the inside cover of this little book,” he said, “and I have some questions to ask you.” He began to ask about God and whether following after Him was really worth it. He read aloud what I recognized as my own thoughts written years ago in the margins of that New Testament. “Did you write this?” he asked. “Did you say that God’s Word is a sword that can pierce a man’s heart?”
“I did say that,” I replied.
He continued to more personal notes written in the margins. “Do you have a son named Nicholas?”
When I answered yes, he asked how old my son was. “He is 21,” I said.
The man was amazed, “Wow! I’ve been praying for him.”
I asked him if he had ever heard of The Gideons. He shared he noticed the logo on the front cover of the Testament and had asked around to see if anyone knew Mr. Gideon. Eventually he found himself filling out an application to become a Gideon and was able to pass out New Testaments at local high schools.
Gideons and Auxiliary, God will use your ministry. Those days I cried over that little Scripture on the hill – filling its pages with my fears and anxiety about life – I had no idea what God had in store!
Editor’s Note: We are thankful to God for Todd’s testimony and how He continues to use Todd to reach others for Christ. Todd and his wife, Debbie, have four children: Nicholas, Bubba, Sarah, and Grace. He currently serves as a full-time Bible teacher at Tabernacle Christian School and as a youth pastor at Valley Christian Church—both in Concord, California.
Vernard K. Williams was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Shortly after graduating high school, he enlisted in the United States Army. Five years after an honorable discharge, he was offered a job in Los Angeles, California, which kick-started a 30-year career in Information Technology. He began as an operations manager, working in various industries such as aerospace, law enforcement, mortgage, and federal government. Such a vast scope of opportunity allowed him to travel the world.
It wasn’t until the summer of 1978 that Vernard decided something was missing in his life. His wife, Helen, held a weekly Bible study in their home for the ladies at church. One night, Vernard overheard the spiritual conversation coming from the family room and decided he would try to read the Bible. He was in college at the time, so he picked up the large book intending to read it like any other novel or textbook. “I opened it to the first page,” he says. “But it was not making any sense, so I put it down and turned on the radio for some James Brown.”
However, Helen had left the channel on a Christian radio station. As Vernard listened to a song reflecting on Psalm 27, he felt his heart open to the message. He picked up the discarded Bible again and was amazed as the words on every page he flipped through spoke a very real truth about his life. “The Holy Spirit convicted me right then. I said a prayer asking for forgiveness and guidance. I asked God to make me into the man He wanted me to be. I have indulged in the Word of God ever since,” he says.
Vernard and Helen Williams
The following Sunday, he woke overjoyed. He was ready for church before anyone in the house. “It seemed Helen and the kids were moving so slowly. I just told her I’d take the bus and meet them at church. I couldn’t wait to go.” When he arrived at the bus station, the bus was not there, so he decided to walk the six miles to church, arriving an hour early. The world has since moved on from that night in ’78, but Vernard’s life in Christ is as new today as it was then.
He continued to travel frequently on business and began to realize he had a gift for quickly connecting with others and building relationships with strangers. While an excellent skill for a businessman, Vernard knew it was God-given.
He decided to take evangelism classes at the International School of Theology in San Bernardino, California. He remembers watching his evangelism professor, Dr. Bill Iverson, share the Gospel with strangers wherever he went. “Dr. Iverson was more than my professor. He was my spiritual mentor,” recalls Vernard. Dr. Bill Iverson is best known for his involvement with the creation of Campus Crusade for Christ (today known as Cru), the student-led evangelical movement that has spread internationally since the 1950s. “Dr. Iverson took us on field trips to different parts of Los Angeles,” he says. “He had this gift – no matter what part of town we were in, I saw people drawn to him. People of all walks of life gave their lives to Christ. I was amazed. Being around Dr. Iverson stirred up a spiritual gift within me, and I answered the call to serve.”
“For those of us who have been Christians for a long time, we sometimes forget what it was like to first think about the precepts of God. If we overcomplicate the message with our Biblical knowledge and theological words, we can get in the way of the simplicity of the Gospel. So, when we are engaging in personal witnessing, we have to put aside our habits and judgments before we can have a meaningful conversation about God with a person.” Vernard keeps his focus on the soul instead of the personality of the individual.
“When I’m talking to someone, I am always in prayer. I just ask the Lord to allow me to be a part of the process whether I’m a planter, a waterer, or a harvester. The harvest energizes me. When someone gives their heart to the Lord, it’s like a winning touchdown with three seconds left on the clock,” he says.
During his time studying under Dr. Iverson, Vernard also learned the value in preparation through prayer and meditation. “You have to have a systematic way of spending time with God. The Bible says, ‘…he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.’ (1 John 4:4) That’s the kind of power I want on my side.”
In 1984, God placed a desire in Vernard’s heart to build his prayer life through intercession for others. He began collecting index cards—each bearing the name and request of someone asking for prayer. “I treat the cards as more of a covenant between me, God, and the person filling out the card. Matthew 18:19 says, ‘Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven.’ I trust the Lord completely on His Word, and just pray Scripture over the cards as I commute or go about my day.”
The physical evidence of his heart for people is outgrowing five filing cabinets filled with prayer cards. However, even more valuable is the spiritual evidence found through countless answered prayers and changed lives due to Vernard’s faithful hours before the Lord. “It’s a privilege to be part of the process—to feel the Holy Spirit work through you.”
In 2005, two Gideons visited Vernard’s church in Ontario, California. He had no idea what being a Gideon meant, but as the men told stories of people coming to the Lord, they had his full attention. “Before I was a Gideon, I felt like I was out there all by myself. Listening to how God was using this group of men, I instantly saw the ministry as an aircraft carrier for evangelism. I had been a fighter pilot flying solo. I wanted to be on the front lines with these men.” When the service was over, Vernard wrote a check and filled out a membership application on the spot.
The following Saturday, ten to fifteen men of the Ontario Camp met at a local restaurant for prayer. At first, Vernard was a quiet attender. He took in all the details of the prayer breakfast meeting and observed the well-organized and efficient manner in which the meetings were held. “The inner-workings of camp life really impressed me. The men carried out ministry like a business, but we all knew it was much more. Being an organized guy, I knew right off this was the place for me.”
“Before I was a Gideon, I felt like I was out there all by myself. Listening to how God was using this group of men, I instantly saw the ministry as an aircraft carrier for evangelism. I had been a fighter pilot flying solo. I wanted to be on the front lines with these men.”
Vernard was quickly voted in as camp chaplain and retained the position for three consecutive terms. He was camp president for a time afterward before accepting the position of state area director. His wife, Helen, was also offered the opportunity to serve as Auxiliary state area director. “We were often able to travel together doing the work of The Gideons. I count it all joy to be serving next to my wife, who to this day so clearly portrays the core values of this Association.” Vernard and Helen always shared a desire to work in ministry together, and Vernard credits opportunities provided through The Gideons with much of the spiritual growth in the most recent years of their marriage of 41 years.
Whether on ministry business or as tourists, Vernard and Helen love to travel. “I never separate the two,” says Vernard. Traveling through Thailand, Indonesia, or Snellville, Georgia, he never passes up an opportunity to get together with the men of God. “No matter where we go, I always make sure to find out where Gideons are meeting.” He sees making these connections as opportunities for Kingdom building. “While traveling, I know if the Lord leads me to share with someone, and that person accepts Christ, he or she is going to need some spiritual guidance. So, I want to make sure I know someone in that city who will be able to follow up after I leave.”
In 2007, Vernard was diagnosed with cancer. The enemy took a good shot, but God made a way, and Vernard was miraculously declared cancer-free in 2012. Four years later, the enemy struck again. “It was a Friday. I was told the cancer was back and had metastasized into my lungs, bones, and chest cavity.” He laughs softly thinking about those following three weeks in the hospital. “I remember calling my Gideon friends, and I said, ‘Black Hawk down, Black Hawk down. I need some Scriptures!’”
The Gideons in his camp area were quick to rally to Vernard’s side. Anyone who knows Vernard could have guessed what would happen next. Over the next three weeks, he was able to share 75 New Testaments with visitors and hospital staff. “I guess I made a name for myself. When they took me into surgery, the doctor asked before putting me under if I would like to pray for him and his staff before they carried out the procedure. So, of course, I reached out for his hand, and we all prayed as I lay there on the gurney.”
“I remember calling my Gideon friends, and I said, ‘Black Hawk down, Black Hawk down. I need some Scriptures!’”
This past September, Vernard learned the cancer had crept back in, yet again. In a recent Facebook video post, he shared inspiring words while receiving an eighth round of chemotherapy. He sat wrapped in a blanket and sporting a Philadelphia Eagles hat, his wide smile unfazed by the persistent beep of hospital machinery. “It’s a blessing to be here on the front line for the Lord. He told me to count it all joy when I face various trials and affliction and hardship… because it’s the testing of my faith…and when the testing of your faith has had its full effect on your life…the steadfastness of the Lord becomes part of your DNA.”
“A peace that passes all understanding guards my heart and my mind. When my mind begins to wander like a runaway child, I can cast all my imagination on the truth of Scripture and bring every thought into captivity,” he continued. “I take control of my thought life by vetting it through meditation on the Word of God.”
“I want to tell you warriors for Christ out there – don’t give up, don’t give in, stay the course, and stay strong. Live every day of your life on purpose. I’m a walking miracle, and I’ll testify to His power each and every day I walk this earth. My God is good—and I mean all the time.”
Please join us in welcoming Dan Heighway and his wife, Karen, as Dan recently assumed the position of executive director of The Gideons International.
Having served in a number of leadership roles since joining The Gideons in 2007, Dan will be the first to tell you this is not a path he ever dreamed the Lord would have chosen for him. However, he will also tell you never to assume you know the Lord’s desire until you seek Him diligently.
Growing up in Indiana, Dan was surrounded by the influence of the ministry of The Gideons International from a very early age. His uncle, Jay Swick, was a Gideon. It was Jay who invited Dan’s parents, Ernie and Sally Heighway, to join, which they did in 1968. On Dan’s fifth birthday, his mother gave him a New Testament bearing the emblem of The Gideons.
“Being in a Gideon family, we went to church regularly, where I heard pastors teach and challenge me to come into a relationship with Jesus,” says Dan. “However, the simplest and easiest way for me to understand the message of the Gospel was found in the back of that little Testament Mom gave me.”
In early 1974, Dan accepted Jesus as his Lord and Savior and was baptized later that year.
After graduating with a B.A. in Physics from Hanover College in 1986, Dan went to work in the IT department of one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in the world. Dan’s passion for science and technology, along with his gift of administration and the Lord’s faithfulness, helped open doors for him to continually advance in leadership, serving in supervisory roles in almost every division of the company.
“…all of my energy had been going into people who were already Christians. God wanted to use me to reach those who did not know Him.”
As Dan continued to flourish in his career, he and Karen raised their son, Andrew, and their daughters, Ally and Emily. Dan served in a number of leadership roles at their congregation, Indian Creek Christian Church, yet resisted the opportunity to join The Gideons. While he realized The Gideons was his dad’s calling, Dan didn’t feel personally called to become a member. Around 2005, however, Dan started to feel there was something more the Lord had for him to do. He stepped back from his leadership roles at church and began searching the Lord’s will for his next step in ministry. “It was uncomfortable only being a church attender, knowing I could offer more,” says Dan. “But I didn’t want to move until God showed me where to go.”
After several months of prayer, Dan began to get a clearer vision of what the Lord had waiting for him. “The message I heard from God was simply that all of my energy had been going into people who were already Christians. God wanted to use me to reach those who did not know Him,” he says.
Dan asked his dad to send him some information about The Gideons. As it would happen in God’s timing, the locally organized group of Gideons serving together in the Hancock County Camp near Dan’s home in Greenfield, Indiana, was scheduled to soon host an event for prospective members. Dan attended. Following the presentation, he submitted his membership application. “I didn’t have a reason not to join,” he says.
Catching a Larger Vision for the Ministry
Dan became active in his camp, yet was apprehensive about overly committing as he was convinced there was some other ministry the Lord was preparing for him. But Dan’s leadership skills became increasingly apparent to other camp members, and soon, he was asked to serve as camp president. At first, Dan didn’t think it was the direction the Lord had for him; however, he agreed to pray over the decision. He prayed, and in fact, the Lord revealed it was in His will. Obedient to God’s direction, Dan soon began serving as camp president.
While attending his first state convention, Dan caught a much larger vision for the opportunities to grow God’s kingdom through service in The Gideons. He was inspired to see so many Christian businessmen and their wives united in devotion for winning others to Christ. It became abundantly clear to Dan that Bible distribution was not the singular focus of the ministry of The Gideons, rather the objective of the ministry was to win others to Christ. Finally, Dan saw through serving in The Gideons, he could fulfill the call the Lord revealed to him earlier—to reach those who did not know Jesus. It was a pivotal moment in Dan’s spiritual journey.
He went on to serve in his first international Scripture outreach event with The Gideons. “That experience changed me,” he says of his time in Malaysia, as he served alongside Gideons and their wives serving in the Auxiliary. He saw them take risks every day to tell others about Jesus. In the years to follow, Dan continued to grow as a Gideon by serving in a number of positions at the Association’s state level.
Humbled at How God Blesses Service in The Gideons
Looking back, Dan says he has been greatly surprised and humbled at how the Lord used the ministry of The Gideons to grow his faith. Associating together for service to the Lord with other Christian businessmen has had a huge impact on his walk. The regular fellowship and accountability has inspired Dan to grow deeper in his prayer life and in his time spent studying God’s Word.
“When you see God move, it is so humbling. He uses what little we give to move in the lives of others.”
He has also been greatly inspired and challenged to step out more boldly in faith, as a result of the influence of Gideons and Auxiliary who are so readily willing to share about Christ.
“When you see God move, it is so humbling. He uses what little we give to move in the lives of others,” he says. “Calling a pastor and praying with him can take minutes. Going on a Scripture distribution might only take a few hours. Checking on a fellow Gideon or inviting another man to consider membership—all of these can require little effort, yet I have seen God move in so many ways in response to our obedience.”
Service in The Gideons is spreading through the next generation of the Heighway family. Their son, Andrew, joined The Gideons in 2015. Their daughter, Ally, and son-in-law, Troy, also joined that year and have served as a host couple for the youth program at the International Convention the past two years.
Answering the Call to Full-Time Ministry
In late 2017, Dan’s employer offered several individuals a chance to retire early. Having spent all 31 years of his career with the same company, Dan didn’t initially consider early retirement. However, he turned the decision over to the Lord. “He answered that prayer with surprising clarity—it was time to leave.”
Several weeks later, Dan learned about an open position for executive director at The Gideons International headquarters in Nashville, Tennessee. The opportunity intrigued Dan. As he has done with so many decisions, Dan began praying and asked Karen to pray as well. “God only told me to ‘trust Him,’” says Dan. He was certain he would be applying alongside a thousand men who were more qualified. However, feeling led by the Lord, Dan took the step of faith and submitted his application.
Soon after, Dan was contacted by International Headquarters and began the interview process. After passing through some early rounds of the screening process, the reality of leaving their home state of Indiana began to set in with Dan and Karen. They would be leaving behind family, including their adult children who all live in the area. Their son’s wife, Kailey, is expecting a baby, who will be Dan and Karen’s first grandchild. Their youngest daughter, Emily, is enrolled at Indiana Wesleyan University. With so many roots in Indiana, Dan and Karen decided to withdraw from the job selection process.
However, God was still at work.
“We know His ways are not man’s ways, and I pray we will be a team that follows God’s ways.”
During the next week, God moved mightily in my life, literally breaking me and my will. Dan says the Lord continued to confirm His call on their lives through a number of Scriptures. Following much prayer, Dan re-entered the selection process. After approval by the leadership of The Gideons, Dan accepted the position of executive director in February.
Dan is now officially serving at International Headquarters in Nashville, yet he and Karen still have many decisions they will be making during this transition.
“Pray that God leads the way, we follow, and that the transition will go smoothly,” asks Dan. He also requests prayers that the learning curve will be accelerated as he steps into this new role. Please also pray the leadership team at Headquarters will commit to following God in their plans and actions. Says, Dan, “We know His ways are not man’s ways, and I pray we will be a team that follows God’s ways.”
Dan Heighway and his family. Photo by Ali Beaver Photography
In late January, about 50 Christian business and professional men and their wives, who serve as Gideons and Auxiliary, came together for the Miami Beach/Florida Keys Scripture blitz. This outreach event drew members who serve in locally organized Gideon camps in the South Florida area and several states including Alaska. For three days, blitz participants placed and distributed Bibles and New Testaments in approved areas including hotels and public sidewalks near schools.
Bob Owers, the local coordinator for the event, lived in Miami for 47 years before moving to Maryland last November. A retired hospital administrator, Owers began planning for the event a year earlier as a member of Miami’s Kendall Camp. In the months leading up to the event, evangelical churches in the Miami Beach area welcomed Gideons to share with their congregations how the Lord is moving through the ministry of The Gideons. The churches provided additional support through prayers, financial gifts, and even pastors’ recommendations of men in their own congregations who might qualify to serve as Gideons.
overcoming challenges by god’s power
With approximately 200 linear miles of territory to cover in three days, there were many challenges, but the Lord was faithful. “The Lord showed up in miraculous ways,” Owers says, adding that during the blitz, he saw God prepare hearts to receive New Testaments. He also felt the Lord’s presence in helping him discern how to manage logistical challenges during the event.
Gideons stack boxes of Scriptures in preparation for distributions.
One day, an organization where Gideons planned to store vehicles loaded with Scriptures communicated their property would not be available after all. Owers says the Lord immediately impressed upon him to reach out to Riverside Baptist—the congregation where he had been a member when he lived in Miami. Owers contacted the church, and they welcomed Gideons to use their property to secure the trucks.
Johnny Oliver, another Gideon who serves in the Kendall Camp, is also a member of Riverside Baptist. He took time off from his lawn care business and served all three days of the event.
“Our brother Johnny is a fearless powerhouse witness for our Lord. He is tirelessly dedicated to this mission, and is, therefore, a natural Gideon, giving generously of both his time and personal resources,” says Owers.
Gideon Al Grissett is a member of Old Cutler Presbyterian Church in Miami. He served as the assistant coordinator for the event. He, too, saw the Lord show up in response to challenges. “On the second morning, a lock on one of the storage room doors jammed. Gideons were lined up waiting to load Scriptures. I worked with the lock but had no success. I told everyone we would have to wait for the storage facility office to open for help. One of the Gideons was an engineer. He also worked on the lock with no success. He then turned around and said, ‘Men, it’s time to pray.’ After the prayer, he twisted the lock–and instantly the lock released.”
Gideons also distributed over 8,000 Scriptures to receptive middle school and high school students on the public sidewalks near the schools. Those Scriptures were shared only weeks before a tragic mass shooting at a high school just an hour away from the area.
people respond to god’s word
One of the Gideons sharing Scriptures with high school students was Riley Shay, a 21-year-old rancher from Edson, Kansas. His grandfather is a Gideon. Also, a good friend of Shay’s is a Gideon. The friend invited Shay to a Pastors Appreciation Banquet several months ago, after which Shay expressed his interest in joining. Just last fall, he became a Gideon and now serves in the Colby Camp.
“My first Scripture blitz was later that month in Wichita, Kansas,” says Shay. “I was only able to attend for a single day because fall is a very busy time of year for my cattle business. When I learned a blitz was planned for Miami Beach in January, I found a cheap flight and purchased my ticket.”
Shay was amazed at the dense population of Miami. He realized more people would mean more potential moments to share about Jesus. “There were so many opportunities to share the Gospel—the lady sitting next to me on the airplane, the driver with a ridesharing service, the lady behind the counter at the hotel, and many more,” he says.
“My favorite moment was distributing Testaments on sidewalks at two schools on Wednesday, where almost every one of the students accepted a New Testament. I was able to talk with a security guard at one of the schools for a while. He even accepted a Testament. He was very grateful for our visit and talked with me for quite some time after the students left,” says Shay.
“All of the Gideons there were amazing. It was a great time to meet men of different occupations and from all over the country,” says the young rancher. “I served with a retired physical education teacher, an airline pilot, and a construction company owner. I met Gideons from Alaska, Georgia, Florida, Alabama, and many other places. I am very excited to be involved with The Gideons and plan on attending at least one of these events every year.” Shay says after seeing a hotel worker and two children pray to receive Jesus, he knew the 1,800-mile trip was worth the journey.
The airline pilot Shay met was Steve Tasson, a Gideon in Florida’s Broward South Camp. His wife, Sheri, serves as an Auxiliary and they are members at Hollywood Hills Alliance Church. Tasson was inspired to see a young man like Riley Shay getting involved with The Gideons and serving. “Just to see someone so young join…it was a blessing getting to work with him. We need more young members like Shay,” says Tasson, who has grown children of his own. As Tasson and Shay rode together from hotel to hotel placing Bibles, they talked about the Lord and His Word. Tasson invited Shay to enjoy dinner with him and Sheri at their house one evening, as well.
“All of the Gideons there were amazing. It was a great time to meet men of different occupations and from all over the country.”
A truck driver named Mike was one of the many lives touched as a result of receiving a Scripture during the blitz. Originally from Belize, Mike had just finished talking with the front desk clerk in a hotel when he met Steve Tasson. The two men began talking and Tasson felt the Holy Spirit’s prompting to present the Gospel to Mike. As it turned out, the truck driver confessed he didn’t have an assurance about his eternity. Steve shared a New Testament with him and shared God’s plan of salvation. Moments later, there in the lobby, Mike prayed to receive Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. After praying, he thanked Steve, saying, “I’m taking this New Testament up to my room now to start reading.”
Eugenia Pagenta of the Osceola Camp was one of about 25 Auxiliary who served in the blitz. Along with her husband Daniel, and other Auxiliary, Mrs. Pagenta stayed busy placing Scriptures in nursing homes in the Miami Beach area. She says most of the 45 nursing homes they visited were very open to receiving Scriptures.
One of the nursing home residents to receive a New Testament from Eugenia was a pastor. When the pastor saw Auxiliary blitz participants standing at his door with Scriptures, his face lit up with joy. “I know your ministry! You have been a blessing in my life,” he said. “Never, ever stop what you are doing with The Gideons.” Then the pastor said, “Please let me pray for you.” As Mrs. Pagenta and other Auxiliary gathered around, the pastor offered thanks to the Lord for their faithfulness.
“You had to be there,” says Mrs. Pagenta through tears as she recounts that touching moment. This was just one of many more special memories she and her husband have experienced in their 23 years of service in The Gideons. “It is such a blessing to be a servant of the Lord,” she says.
Andy Mathis, of the Johnson County West Camp in Kansas was also glad he made the trip to Florida. As doors opened for him to share Christ with others, the Lord used him in leading many people to pray to receive Jesus. Andy says he is always looking for opportunities to share Christ. “If you ask the Lord for opportunities, be ready, they will happen,” he says.
When the pastor saw Auxiliary blitz participants standing at his door with Scriptures, his face lit up with joy. “I know your ministry! You have been a blessing in my life.”
One such opportunity occurred while Mathis was delivering Bibles to a resort in Key Largo. “I had the opportunity to show Tanya, the resort manager, the Helps in the front and then lead her through the Scriptures in the back of a Personal Workers Testament,” he says. “Tanya was not sure where she would go when she died. When given the invitation to pray and receive Jesus Christ as her personal Savior, she smiled and said, ‘Yes.’ After we finished praying, to my surprise, I turned around to see a lady standing right behind me. Veronica was the head of housekeeping and had been listening to my conversation with Tanya. She was also smiling and shared she had just prayed along with us, inviting Christ into her heart as her Lord and Savior, as well.”
John Faile is retired from 45 years in law enforcement and juvenile corrections. He is a member of First Baptist Church Tuscaloosa and is a Gideon with the Tuscaloosa East Camp, Alabama. “We spent three days on the South and North Beach,” says Faile. He says getting hotels to allow Bible placements was a challenge; however, even in the challenges, there were blessings. “While many of the clerks told us ‘no’ after asking management if we could place Scriptures in each room, they did ask for a copy of God’s Word for themselves.”
Richard Burns is a Gideon with the Mat Su Valley Camp in Wasilla, Alaska, which is approximately 5,000 miles from Miami Beach. He is a member of Pilgrims Baptist Church in Wasilla and operates an aircraft hangar storage business.
Burns learned about the Miami Scripture blitz while he was out of the country and scheduled a stopover in Miami on his return flight to Alaska. Upon his arrival in Miami, he and two other blitz participants placed over 2,600 hotel Bibles at resort hotels along the beach. Afterwards, he boarded a plane for the 9.5 hour flight home to Alaska. “I enjoyed serving the Lord at the Miami blitz,” says Burns. “I hope to do it again, God willing.”
serving together as a couple
Darby and Fred Walls of Smithville, Virginia, joined The Gideons in 1980 and are members of the Smithfield Camp. In addition to owning and operating an insurance business, the couple also has been very active serving in their church, Carrollton Baptist. Though they are both active in their camps, neither had participated in a Scripture distribution until just a few years ago when they served in a Metropolitan Scripture Blitz in Honolulu, Hawaii. After seeing the smiles on faces of people who received copies of God’s Word, the Walls had a great appreciation for the blessings received from distributing Scriptures.
“After that, we decided serving in Scripture placements and distributions was what we should be doing,” says Mrs. Walls. Since then, the couple has served in several more blitzes.
“God’s Word speaks to people individually. All they have to do is read a verse and the Holy Spirit can use it in their lives.”
Shortly after returning home from the New York Scripture blitz last September, they saw an opportunity to go to the Miami/Florida Keys Scripture blitz. Inspired by what they experienced in New York City, they signed up to go share Scriptures in the Keys, which experienced great devastation from Hurricane Irma.
The Walls wondered what kind of reception they might experience from people who were trying to recover from the storm’s destruction. Would people be resistant or perhaps even openly upset at just the mention of God’s Word?
In the Florida Keys, the Walls drove from location to location. They saw the hurricane’s remaining aftermath—trees blown over, boats washed ashore, and mobile homes flooded. All were reminders of the unpredictable circumstances in life. However, the Walls had the one message that brings eternal hope for those suffering through those events—the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
These New Testaments represent just a few of the thousands of seeds Gideons were sowing from public sidewalks outside of schools during the Miami Beach/Florida Keys Scripture blitz.
They discovered people were indeed open and grateful for the opportunity to receive the free gifts of God’s Word.
In addition to giving people New Testaments, Mrs. Walls says the couple also shared The Gideons Bible App with others. “My husband loves handing out the printed Bible App cards to people so they can see how to easily download the free app,” says Mrs. Walls. “It’s amazing the smiles you see on the faces when they learn they can download a copy of God’s Word to their phones for free.”
“God’s Word speaks to people individually. All they have to do is read a verse and the Holy Spirit can use it in their lives,” says Mrs. Walls. “What greater value can we give to mankind?”
At one facility, the couple accidentally locked their keys in their rental car. After sharing Scriptures inside the facility, they called a locksmith. When the locksmith, whose name was George, arrived, the Walls offered him a Testament. His eyes brightened and he replied, “My daughters are having such a hard time in their lives right now. This has come at just the right time,” he said. The Walls then prayed with him. Before leaving he told them, “I’m so glad this has happened. This was no mistake.”
How the Lord Opens Windows of Opportunity
By the end of the three-day event in Miami Beach/Florida Keys, Gideons and Auxiliary had placed and distributed over 55,000 copies of God’s Word at hotels, on school sidewalks, in nursing homes and doctors’ offices, and in other approved areas.
“We are called to share the message, but the results are God’s business,” says Van Koelliker, another Gideon from Kansas’ Johnson County West Camp who came to serve in the Miami Blitz. “Our only desire is to demonstrate how the Lord opens windows of opportunity to present the truth of the Gospel and watch the Holy Spirit touch hearts.”
Joe Ladner, Arthur Bush’s mentor
Through the hope found in this Bible placed in a hotel room, Carmen came to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Carmen Powers and her family
