Finding True Meaning

testimony

By Daniel P. Kinkade

October 4, 2019

David Doiel was raised in a non-Christian family with conflicting belief systems. His father was an atheist, and his mother was a Buddhist. His parents met and married in Vietnam, and the family moved to the United States in 1975 when David was about four years old. His father taught him that when you die, you become food for worms and nothing more. Meanwhile, once a year, his mother would offer incense and bowls of fruit to her ancestors.

In the midst of this upbringing, his great aunt took him to her Christian church each Sunday. “During those Sundays, I remember learning about the love of God and seeing the loving actions displayed by the members of that church,” recalls David. However, he also remembers praying for God to help his parents stop fighting over money and his father’s drinking. When the fighting didn’t stop, he was convinced that God couldn’t answer his prayers. David stopped believing in God and stopped going to church. By the time he reached his teenage years, he identified as an atheist with no regard for God or anything spiritual.

Seeking Answers

When David graduated from high school, he decided he would study business and go after what made sense—money. After one semester, though, he realized the emptiness of that pursuit. The dollar was not the answer. After all, he had heard of countless rock stars who committed suicide, despite “having it all.”

David started to wonder who, if anyone, had the right answers in his life. Desperate for truth, he started studying religion, psychology, philosophy, and world history. “I wanted to learn anything I could that would help me find the true meaning of life,” says David. Through his studies, he finally determined there had to be something more out there. Living in the Midwest, he was surrounded by the beauty of nature, and seeing the night sky over the Great Lakes helped affirm his conclusion that there had to be a prime mover, or first cause, for this world. Therefore, he began identifying as an agnostic. He believed a creator-god existed, but we could never know or understand him. As he continued his education, he tried to fill the emptiness he felt in his life with anything he could, including sports, money, and relationships. Nothing worked—these things were not the answer.

“I wanted to learn anything I could that would help me find the true meaning of life.”

Being a Good Person

Eventually, David sensed a strong desire to help those who were hurting, so he began studying social work. In his studies, he saw the ugly reality of child abuse and personal brokenness. Further, he was surrounded by news footage and charity campaigns that fought to bring awareness to world hunger and the countless children who were going without food. How could a God that was supposed to be “good” let innocent children die of starvation or face abuse? If He was all-powerful and loving, why didn’t He provide for them? “In my mind, the only answer was that God wasn’t powerful or loving,” says David.

Christian ministries would often come to Northern Illinois University to provide literature and help answer questions. They provided explanations about the role of man’s freewill and the consequences of sin and a fallen world. While these answers satisfied David on an intellectual level, he couldn’t overcome his anger toward a God who didn’t stop the evils of this world. Besides, he was convinced that he could live a good life without God. He could get a career in social work and counseling and fix the things God allowed to be broken.

David paid his own way through school, made good grades, and had compassion for people. “In my own eyes, I was a good person and did not need God,” says David. His self-sufficient life apart from God began to grow tiresome and fruitless. No matter how hard he tried to be a “good” person, he still made bad choices and fell short of doing things the right way. All of his striving could never satisfy the ever-present ache within his soul.

Finding Rest

His searching had proved hopeless. Then, during David’s senior year, someone gave him a Testament from The Gideons International. Still desperate for answers, he kept the Scripture next to his bed and continually read the pages of his new gift. On January 3, 1993, he read the words of Matthew 11:28 (ESV), “Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” These words changed his life forever. “I decided to leave behind my old way of thinking, and I repented of my past sins. I surrendered my life to the Lord Jesus Christ,” David joyfully remembers.

After that night, he began praying for three things he felt would help him walk faithfully in his newly-changed life. He prayed for a job opportunity after graduation, new Christian friends, and help finding a good local church. Within the first week of graduation, God blessed him with a job as a psychiatric technician. In God’s providence, the first co-worker he met was a believer. His friendship with his new co-worker eventually led to his baptism and church membership at Bethel Baptist Church in Schaumburg, Illinois. God had proved His faithfulness.

“I decided to leave behind my old way of thinking, and I repented of my past sins. I surrendered my life to the Lord Jesus Christ.”

Soon after, David began pursuing a graduate degree to become a marriage and family therapist. What he was learning in his classes, though, didn’t match up with what he was learning in the Bible. Alcoholics can walk the path to sobriety through behavior modification, and couples can work toward marriage restoration by improving communication. However, those answers will never ultimately suffice. Without Christ, any worldly cure would be no more helpful than putting a bandage over cancer. It may temporarily cover the illness, but it will never heal the heart of the problem. The cure to the human condition of sin and emptiness can only be found through the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Therefore, when he felt the Lord call him into full-time ministry, he gladly surrendered. David became a pastor in 1999 and has since been blessed to impact many lives with the same Gospel that changed his life.

Building better leaders: Turn up the worth, not the work

inspiration

By Dr. andrew Johnston

September 20, 2019

Building Better Leaders is a three-part series of articles from Dr. Andrew Johnston, in which he shares strategic principles of effective leadership based on Biblical principles. In this second article, Dr. Johnston describes the importance of calling people to greater commitment.

I was recently flipping channels and marveling at the barrage of infomercials on late-night television. I learned about stain removal, slicing things, and the wonders of nonstick cooking. I also learned that the men and women pitching these products are amazingly persuasive. I found myself thinking, “You know, he’s right… I probably do need a special gizmo to pull weeds the correct way,” and, “She’s got a point… I would be a lot happier if my kitchen knives could saw a brick in half.” The items they were selling were intriguing, but it was not the actual products that drew me in, it was the deal. The prospect of getting an exceptional, life-changing gizmo at such a low, low price. (In fact, if I acted quickly, they told I could get a second set of the steak knives for free!)

In my experience, many leaders think of themselves as pitchmen or pitchwomen. Like salespeople, they describe exciting future states in ways that inspire action, and their vocabulary is filled with sales jargon. They sell people on their vision. They cultivate buy-in from stakeholders. They talk about ROI (returns on investment) in their development plans and performance reviews. But leaders are not merely pitchmen and pitchwomen in at least one crucial respect: They are not simply wooing their people toward a new idea or opportunity; they are trying to create genuine commitment over time, and that takes more than the prospect of a great deal. It takes a compelling purpose.

When you want to call people to greater commitment, don’t tell them why it won’t cost too much—tell them why it’s worth everything they’ve got.

Think of the difference this way—the late-night hucksters I was watching cared more about my compliance than my commitment. Compliance is about getting the right action and moving people’s hands and feet, but commitment is about getting the right convictions and moving people’s hearts. The product-pitchers were looking for action. They wanted me to grab my credit card and “call now” because quantities were limited, and operators were ready to take my call. By contrast, leaders who are looking for real engagement need to care more about commitment than compliance. They want to motivate a change in people’s underlying values and need to be wary of being satisfied with behavior when what they really want is buy-in. This means they need to be more concerned about the amount of worth than the amount of work and have the courage to tell the potentially unappealing truth about what serving worthy goals will cost.

Jesus models this tactic each time he refuses to sugar-coat the true cost of following Him. He never cuts a deal or tries to woo followers with a “bargain.” He tells the rich young ruler it will cost him everything and warns another would-be disciple that he cannot afford the time to bury his mother and father (Mark 10:21, Luke 9:59-60). Jesus is looking for real commitment, so He does not water-down the hard work of taking up their cross, denying themselves, and losing their lives (Mark 8:34-35). He elevates the worth of what they will gain by it instead—they will save their lives, be blessed, experience eternal life, enjoy God’s peace, and be worthy of Christ Himself (Matthew 10:39, Matthew 19:29, John 14:27, Matthew 10:38). He tells them the kingdom of Heaven is like a fine pearl, expensive but worth every penny because he knows that commitment is not fostered by lowering the cost as much as by elevating the value (Matthew 13:34-46).

Leaders who are looking for real engagement need to care more about commitment than compliance.

Many leaders miss this reality. Like infomercial spokespeople, they try to enlist others in their endeavors by pitching the best “deals” they can describe. They think people will move in new directions or accept new ideas best if the cost appears inconsequential. So, they try to make changes and investments sound as minimal or as manageable as possible. “There won’t be too many extra hours required.” “The project won’t last all that long.” “There will be new synergies and shortcuts that offset any increased demands.” “The change is not that big, and the transition won’t take that long.”

There is just enough truth in this to convince you it is the secret to motivating behavior and leading change. Unfortunately, if you try it, you will discover that this technique is only about behavior and that dialing down the investment can drain the buy-in of your people even as it temporarily elevates their activity.

Here’s why: It isn’t crazy to think that people might respond to a good deal, but this technique focuses on the wrong side of the equation. It tries to sweeten the deal by making the investment seem less consequential instead of by making the return seem more worthy. It entices people to do what you’ve asked, but without increasing their commitment to the purposes behind it. If they act, it is not because they’ve genuinely bought in; it is because what you’ve asked is not troubling enough to resist. The unfortunate truth is that commitment never exists without action, but action frequently exists without commitment. Sweetening the deal like this might get things moving, but it also makes the “deal” fragile and prone to failure as soon as things get uncomfortable or demanding. And, let’s face it, every important or meaningful endeavor eventually gets uncomfortable and demanding. Jesus models the way and prepares the disciples to stay the course by warning them starkly in John 16:33 (ESV), “In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Dial up the worth more than you dial down the work. Instead of lightening their load, give your people a better reason to carry the load.

Buyers’ remorse may be a small concern for the infomercial pitchman, but it is a big one for you as a leader because you are looking for more than a one-time response from your people. You cannot afford for them to burn out and leave, or worse, burn out and stay. Therefore, you need to create the kind of engagement that enables them to persist and regularly reinvest. You need them to believe in what they are doing enough to want to give generously of their time and talent. That means you probably need to be more preacher than pitchman and dial up the worth more than you dial down the work. Instead of lightening their load, give your people a better reason to carry the load.

Dr. Andrew Johnston makes a life out of helping leaders and teams discover their potential and inhabit it fully. He is a sought-after consultant, professor, and coach, and the former Director of Learning & Development for The Gideons International. Learn more at: DrAndrewJohnston.com or check out his latest book: Fired Up: Kindling & Keeping the Spark in Creative Teams

Set Free

testimony

By Abigail Bass

August 23, 2019

“The Word first came into my life when I was a little boy in the Republic of Cuba,” says Elio Mario Fernandez. “In a dream, God told me He was going to bring me to a nation where there was plenty of food.” As a boy, Elio remembers having to tend to his father’s peanut crop, which the Cuban government allowed him to grow inside the sugar fields. “It was a tough job for a boy my age,” he recalls.

There was no spiritual significance attached to Elio’s dream, because he had no knowledge of Jesus Christ. In fact, there were very few known Christians in Cuba at the time. Elio remembers one man specifically, who read the Book, obeyed the Book, and lived a life that was right according to the Book. Beyond this faint memory, his childhood was not centered around Christian values, much less a daily adherence to the Word of God.

Finding his place

It wasn’t until February 1956 that Elio moved to the United States. “I was about 23 years old,” he says. “On the flight to America, I looked down from the plane window and saw the very land God had shown me in a dream as a child.” The plane landed in Miami, Florida, where he immediately began working at a hotel on Miami Beach.

Sometime later, Elio decided to travel back to Cuba to visit his sick mother. When he arrived back home, the revolution led by Fidel Castro was in full force. It did not take long for his name to be discovered by security and Elio was quickly pulled aside by guards. Upon further investigation, Elio’s name was found on a list right next to his second cousin, who happened to be the ex-president of Cuba. Elio was immediately flagged as a threat to the revolution and accused of working for the Central Intelligence Agency in America. At that time in Cuba, there was only one penalty for being an international spy – death by firing squad. He was taken to the Cabana Prison in Havana to await his fate.

“When they arrested me, they paraded me by all the cells before locking me in a room all by myself. It was the room where the clothing of people who had been executed was tossed,” Elio says. “There was a small Bible there as well, and so I took some thread from one of the articles of clothing in the room and placed it as a marker inside that Bible.”

The Lord visited Elio in a dream and told him if he would read that Scripture every day, by the time he reached the page with the thread again, he would be released. For 24 days, Elio did just that while awaiting his turn for the firing squad. On the twenty-fourth day, he turned to the page where he had first placed the strands of thread.

Elio praised God and exclaimed, “Thank you Jesus, I’m getting out of here tonight!” The other prisoners thought he had finally gone crazy, since it was well known anyone who was called out of the cell block would be the victim of a gunshot heard ten minutes later.

When Elio heard his name called by a guard, he was not afraid. He was escorted through an iron gate to the prison office where many had spent their final moments before heading to execution. Instead, a soldier handed over his clothing and sent him to the exit with the understanding his release was only temporary.

For Elio to walk toward his freedom, he had to pass Fidel Castro’s infamous el paredón, which is Spanish for “the wall.” Like many prisoners before him, it was a wall meant for Elio’s execution by firing squad. Instead, Elio walked past el paredón alive, clinging to God’s promise.

Returning with a message

Nevertheless, Elio’s heart was anxious when thinking back to what the soldier had promised – only a temporary release from prison. For 50 cents, he rented a hotel for the night in Old Havana. Still overwhelmed with anxiety about his situation, Elio complained to the Lord, “Lord, you told me I was going to be free, but I live in Miami. I don’t live here, and this is only a temporary release. How am I going to get out of here? Please, tell me.”

The answer he received was simple, yet inconceivable. “God told me to return to the prison I had just been released from,” says Elio. It seemed God was leading him backwards, to the very death sentence from which he had just been delivered.

The following morning, Elio took a bus back to the prison. At the gate, two military men asked what he wanted. When Elio asked to talk to the boss, the men hit him in his chest with a rifle, “No man gets inside this place, and no man gets out of this place.”

Elio persisted. “The Lord put words into my mouth,” he says, “I can only explain that moment as Him speaking for me.” Elio pointed to the soldier and said, “Listen, the instructions that you received are only for ordinary citizens. But, my name is Elio Mario Fernandez.” He had no idea what that meant, but God had a plan. Elio was shocked to hear the soldiers quickly apologize and allow him to enter.

Elio approached the main building, where the boss was, and found it was also surrounded by soldiers. One of the men recognized Elio as the prisoner who had been released. He questioned Elio as to why he had returned, “How can you dare to speak to the boss? Even soldiers don’t dare to ask favors of that man.”

Moments later, Elio was standing in front of the man in charge of the compound. “I remember feeling sorry for him,” says Elio, “because I saw him through the eyes of the Lord, and I knew he would do anything I told him to do by the name of Jesus Christ.”

The Lord took hold of their conversation. Elio doesn’t remember much of what happened until he heard the boss direct another soldier, “Take this man to court right now and tell the judge I said to drop all the charges against this man, and let him go back to America where he lives.”

Full Circle, More Than 20 Years Later

The following day, Elio walked through the international airport in Miami, Florida, recounting the most miraculous experience of his entire life. He knew God had redeemed his life for a purpose.

Reading the Word of God back in Havana was the beginning of a new life for Elio. It transformed his life to such a level he often wakes in the middle of the night to meditate on Scripture. “The joy that comes to my life because of Scripture is so fantastic, I have to get up no matter the time of day or night and praise the living God.”

“The joy that comes to my life because of Scripture is so fantastic, I have to get up no matter the time of day or night and praise the living God.”

an unlikely candidate

testimony

By daniel p. kinkade

August 9, 2019

Steven Dresen was not the probable candidate to be voted most likely to succeed in pastoral ministry. However, on the night of his high school graduation rehearsal, a New Testament from The Gideons found its way into his hands. What would unfold next in Steven’s life is a testimony of God’s grace and provision.

No Christian Influence

Steven was raised in Russell County, Alabama. His homelife was not one that encouraged a knowledge of God, and Steven doesn’t remember attending church as a child. As a high school student, the temptations of drugs and alcohol absorbed his young life.

As Steven prepared for graduation, he felt a pull to enlist in the Navy. Steven received a New Testament from a Gideon on the night of graduation rehearsal—he didn’t desire the gift but accepted it anyway, having no idea the impact it would make in his life down the road.

A Sinner in Need of a Savior

Steven got off drugs, packed his bags, and headed off to boot camp at the Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois. While adjusting to his new life, Steven decided to read the New Testament given to him. He came across Psalm 32:1 (ESV), “Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” The words of Scripture penetrated Steven’s heart—he was a sinner in desperate need of a Savior. There in the late night of boot camp, Steven accepted Jesus Christ as his personal Lord and Savior.

“Blessed is the one whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.”—Psalm 32:1 (ESV)

Steven left the Navy after receiving an honorable discharge for medical reasons. The Lord led Steven to Oswichee Baptist Church in Fort Mitchell, Alabama, where he publicly professed his faith in Christ through baptism. Denny Helton, the pastor, became like a spiritual father to Steven and took the time to invest in and mentor him over the years.

All In

Through this discipleship relationship, Steven felt a call to serve in pastoral ministry. He knew he needed to be prepared to live out this calling, so he left for Mount Vernon, Georgia, to attend Brewton-Parker College as a Christian Studies major. It was there Steven became active in the Baptist Collegiate Ministries and experienced valuable growth opportunities by serving on mission trips.

After graduating from college, Steven felt God’s call to continue formal training and completed a Master’s degree. While in seminary, Steven met Heather, whom he married in April 2011. Soon after, Steven sensed the Lord opening a door for him to begin serving full-time in ministry. A year later, he became an associate pastor and then went through the ordination process in 2013.

Hearts and Lives Still Changed

On the heels of seven years of pastoral ministry, Steven sees the biggest challenge in ministry today as general apathy to spiritual realities both inside and outside the church. “Many profess faith in Christ and church membership when there is no real sign of pursuing Christ—some haven’t darkened the doors of a church in years,” says Steven.

Steven stays encouraged by seeing the Spirit of God move in the hearts and lives of people God has placed in his congregation. One instance he remembers vividly:

Last year, the husband of a church member who didn’t know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior had been experiencing several health problems. He began the year being diagnosed with congestive heart failure. Months later, he fell and broke his femur. All this time, I had been making every effort to share the Gospel with him, but he was disinterested. Soon after, the man fought a severe infection and nearly died. After he was taken off sedation and ventilation, praise the Lord, I was able to share the Gospel again. As a result, he received Jesus Christ in the intensive care unit. Recently, he passed away. To God be the glory, I was able to provide comfort to the family by pointing to the dramatic transformation God worked in the man’s life between his salvation and death.

“Many profess faith in Christ and church membership when there is no real sign of pursuing Christ—some haven’t darkened the doors of a church in years.”

To Win others to the Lord Jesus Christ

Driven by a love for the Word of God, Steven and his wife Heather continue in their passion for reaching people for Christ. Steven holds a special place in his heart for partnering with The Gideons International to best love his community as Christ taught.

Since the night he opened a copy of God’s Word given by The Gideons, Steven has dedicated his life to sharing the Gospel with others. A once unlikely candidate for pastoral ministry, he can now easily relate to the passion of Gideons—to win others to the Lord Jesus Christ.

one heart, thousands of souls

testimony

By daniel p. kinkade

July 19, 2019

God often shows His power during our greatest struggles. For Zuleika Camilo and her family, what seemed to be a hopeless situation has become a platform for Zuleika to share her faith. God continues to strengthen her testimony…and heal her grandson’s heart.

Journey to reach 1,000 people

In 2015, Zuleika Camilo began praying to God for opportunities to share her faith. A year later, her son and daughter-in-law learned they were expecting—it would be the first grandchild in the family following a previous miscarriage. Sadly, the baby had a rare heart condition and was not expected to live. Even if the child survived, there was a considerable chance he would have several complications.

Praise God; her grandson was born healthier than expected on October 27, 2016. He had a scheduled surgery at just three days old, followed by another surgery at three months. While he still has a long time of healing ahead of him, his survival has been nothing short of a miracle. God continues to strengthen Zuleika’s faith, and she continues praying for God to give her grandson a full, healthy heart.

Throughout all of this, God spoke to Zuleika’s heart. She felt as if God was saying, “I have given you a grandson, and I want you to use this experience to share Jesus with others. I’m going to give this baby a full heart, and this will allow you to tell people about Me.” Zuleika promised God she was going to share her faith with 1,000 people over the next year.

She (Zuleika) felt as if God was saying, “I have given you a grandson, and I want you to use this experience to share Jesus with others…”

Zuleika’s method of witnessing

To accomplish this, Zuleika began approaching people with a Scripture provided by The Gideons, looking at them, and smiling. She would ask, “Would you like to receive a gift today? I have just brought a present to you from God. Let me tell you about a present God gave me. My grandson’s heart was half missing, and God is going to give him a full heart. Will you pray for this baby’s heart?” People would almost always reply, “Yes!”

Zuleika is still successfully using this method today. She takes the opportunity to share the Gospel with the person by sharing the plan of salvation. She tells them, “If you read the Word of God, He will speak to you.” She genuinely cares about the person she is having a conversation with and often asks if she could pray for him/her in any specific way.

Zuleika’s Commitment continues

Indeed, God provided 1,000 people for Zuleika to witness to, but she did not stop with 1,000. In 2018, Zuleika made another commitment to God to reach 2,000 people. After reaching 1,900 people, she and her family returned to the doctor for another scheduled surgery. However, the doctors were amazed that her grandson had improved and would not need surgery until the age of five.

Zuleika made another promise to God—she would share her faith with 5,000 people by the time her grandson turns five years old. Throughout this process, many people who have prayed for her grandson have accepted Jesus as their personal Lord and Savior, been baptized, and now actively attend a local church.

God has taught Zuleika many things through the experience with her grandson. “Start by praying for a specific situation so that God can open the doors,” she says. She has seen firsthand how a tough situation can be used the bring glory to God and looks forward to the stories of life-change that continue to take place.

not just free, free indeed

Inspirational

By Beth Brannan

July 5, 2019

Around the world, people long for and fight for freedom. This includes human rights and the ability to worship as they please, pursue their dreams, succeed or fail based on their own talent and hard work, and so much more. This freedom is precious, and hope exists for those of us who enjoy this type of freedom. We earnestly pray for those who don’t and for the elimination of political oppression and corruption around the world.

The tricky part about earthly freedom, though—the thing so many millions of people never understand—is that in this life, we’re never fully and completely free. We can’t be because we are not God. Only God is completely self-existent, self-determinant, omniscient, all-powerful, outside of time, and unconstrained by this physical world. We who are not God remain governed by the physical and spiritual laws of the universe. Romans 13:1 (ESV) says, “Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.”

What’s more, our history proves free will can be very dangerous, and we’re not equipped to handle it. Consider Adam and Eve, the first and most perfect humans. They sinned, and humanity (plus the physical world) has borne the consequences ever since. We are fallen, and even the best of us can’t change our eternal destinies alone.

The wages of sin is death (Romans 3:23), and this debt must be paid. Thankfully, God was willing to not only rescue us from the consequences of Adam’s sin, but our own, as well.

“But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”—Romans 5:8 (ESV)

Jesus paid for all sins committed by all people—past, present, and future—with His blood on the cross. However, His gift must be freely accepted. With that, our illusions of self-direction are purposefully traded for the acknowledgement of Jesus as not just Savior, but Lord.

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”—John 8:36 (ESV)

Yes, to be free we must deliberately relinquish control and submit our lives to God. It’s a little mind-bending to be sure, but we are all in “service” to something or someone at all times, and the freedom we enjoy in this life is best used to secure the hope of Heaven and to help others do the same.

So, as we contemplate and celebrate freedom—with all its pleasures and pitfalls—let’s also be sure to share with our family and friends that the path to spiritual freedom can’t be found in success, power, fame, money, physical beauty, or any other worldly gain. The greatest freedom is liberty from the eternal penalty of sin through Jesus Christ.

“So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed.”—John 8:36 (ESV)

Freedom at 30,000 Feet in the Air

testimony

By Kevin Mcintosh

June 21, 2019

The following testimony was edited based on the original account as shared by Terry Land.

Born into a Jewish family, Terry Land experienced a traditional Jewish upbringing that included Bar Mitzvah, nine years of Hebrew school, and celebrating all of the Jewish holidays. However, his Jewish roots were not deep enough to keep him growing in his faith as he matured, and he began to drift.

The drifting continued through college and during Terry’s service in the military in the 1970s during which he served as a firefighter.

His roommate, Dan, was a fellow firefighter. Dan received news his brother had tragically died and he prepared a eulogy, which he asked Terry to proofread.

“All throughout his eulogy were references to God—my Jewish God,” says Terry. Dan’s quotations from the apostle Paul rattled Terry, including this verse:

“So I ask, did they stumble in order that they might fall? By no means! Rather, through their trespass salvation has come to the Gentiles, so as to make Israel jealous.” —Romans 11:11 ESV

Terry himself became jealous, as he began to perceive that Dan seemed to enjoy the deep kind of relationship with God that Terry desired.

This frustrating feeling led Terry to decide he needed time to get a fresh perspective on his faith, so he decided to visit a friend from basic training who lived in Germany.

In Germany, Terry spent several days visiting historic sites that were grim reminders of the horrific travesties of the Holocaust. While the somber tour gave Terry a deeper connection to his heritage, it didn’t give Terry the deeper connection to God he’d hoped to gain.

Flight Cancellations lead to a divine appointment

Disappointed, Terry returned to the USA and made plans to travel from Dover Air Force Base to his home base in Washington in time to report back to work. It was the holiday season. And through a series of events including flight cancellations, Terry found himself on a medevac C-9 Air Force plane flying west with a stop in Illinois.

Terry settled into his seat on the flight and noticed an Air Force major sitting next to him reading a little brown book—a Testament from The Gideons. The two men engaged in a conversation, and Terry began to share about his recent experience in Germany and how the trip was inspired by reading the eulogy draft that contained references to his Jewish God.

“When the major, whose name was Tom, heard I was Jewish, he turned about 180 degrees in his seat and looked squarely in my eyes,” says Terry.

Terry asked Tom questions like, “How can I be Jewish and believe in Jesus? If I convert, will I still be Jewish? What happens to my heritage? Will I still be a Jew? I don’t want to give up who I am. What about my family?”

When they landed, it was discovered that Terry’s next flight from Scott Air Force Base was postponed until the next morning. Tom invited Terry to spend the night with his family. To Terry, this invitation was beyond generous, as in those days, for an Air Force officer to invite an enlistee to his home would have been unthinkable.

At the major’s home, Tom led Terry into his study, which featured a huge bookcase filled with books explaining the differences between Christianity and Judaism.

That night, Tom gave Terry some materials from his library that included testimonies of modern-day Jewish converts to Christianity. He then presented Terry with a Testament from The Gideons. In the front, he wrote Terry’s name and the date—November 23, 1979.

Lying in bed that night, Terry gazed out the window. “Lord, if you’re real, make yourself real to me,” he prayed. That night, Terry slept peacefully.

Terry gazed out the window. “Lord, if you’re real, make yourself real to me.”

Another Plane, Another Spiritual Conversation

The next day, Tom put Terry on the plane thinking he’d probably never see him again. After landing in California, Terry caught a connecting flight travelling to his home base in Washington.

On the plane, Terry pulled out his Testament and began reading. A woman sitting next to him spoke. “Now I know why I packed my Bible,” she said.

Terry looked at her and asked, “Are you talking to me?” She replied that she normally carried her Bible on board, but this time the Lord told her to pack it away.

“For some reason, I started to tell her my story,” says Terry. The woman listened carefully as Terry shared the recent events in his life that led to his seeking the Lord.

After listening for some time, the woman spoke. “Are you ready to accept the Lord into your heart?” Terry paused and thought for a moment. “Yes, I am.”

“Somewhere between Oakland, California, and Tacoma, Washington—about 30,000 feet in the air—I turned my life over to Yeshua,” says Terry.

Terry says he was honored to lead his mom to Jesus on her deathbed two days before she died of lung cancer, and he led his dad to the Lord before his dad succumbed to Alzheimer’s.

“Somewhere between Oakland, California, and Tacoma, Washington—about 30,000 feet in the air–I turned my life over to Yeshua.”

Full Circle, More Than 20 Years Later

In 1993, a prominent Messianic Jewish ministry magazine featured an interview with Terry and his wife about his conversion. That article found its way into the hands of Major Tom Trotta, the officer who presented Terry with that Testament. Tom reconnected with Terry, and in 1995, Terry took his family to visit Tom and his wife. Tom had the opportunity to see what the Lord had done in Terry’s life as a direct result of Tom’s obedience in witnessing to him all those years earlier.

Today, Tom Trotta and his wife, Murray, serve together with other Gideons and Auxiliary in Jacksonville, Florida. Tom still remembers the rush of joy he felt when he learned of Terry’s testimony years later in that magazine article.

“Reading it and recalling our encounter, I was humbled and full of joy simultaneously. God’s Word did not return void in Terry’s life just as it had led me to a life of faith years before.”

Tom says he’ll never forget the person who encouraged him to read the Bible and was glad to discover Terry followed through on reading the Testament he received from Tom.

Getting to reconnect with Terry in person all those years later, Tom was moved to see how the Lord had worked in Terry’s life. “I thought, wow! The results of our daily witness are really God’s business.”

Tom says he also realized how important—and how simple—sharing Jesus, a word of witness, and a copy of God’s Word can be.”

“There’s no pressure,” Tom adds. “Witnessing is not a contest and it’s not about numbers. We are the messengers and just respond to the Spirit’s leading. God does the heavy lifting.”

Building better leaders: How Doers become leaders

inspiration

By Dr. andrew Johnston

june 7, 2019

Building Better Leaders is a three-part series of articles from Dr. Andrew Johnston, in which he shares strategic principles of effective leadership based on Biblical principles. In this first article, Dr. Johnston describes a crucial difference between doers and leaders and equips leaders to empower their teams.

The Difference between great doers and great leaders

If you’re a “leader” now, I’ll bet you were a great “doer” in the past. Your inclination to take charge and get busy distinguished you from the other doers and won you the opportunity to lead. Unfortunately, the same do-it-yourself attitude that made you a great doer can make you a lousy leader, because leaders and doers have very different perspectives on power and what to do with it.

Great doers are distinguished by their direct achievements, their ability to personally take the ball and run. They focus directly on the outcomes, amass their own power, roll up their sleeves and get busy. Great leaders are distinguished by their indirect achievements, their ability to give the ball to someone else and then help them run well. Simply put, doers focus on the outcome and work to wield power themselves. Leaders focus on the people and build others’ abilities and inclinations to use them well.

Leaders who miss this distinction often wind up confusing and competing with the people they lead. They inadvertently steal power from them and create dependencies instead of opportunities. They often become the limiters of their team’s talents and capacity. Alternatively, leaders, who reframe their perspective on power and rework the habits they learned as doers, create potent, independent contributors and teams that transcend the sum of their parts. Here are three counterintuitive tips that will help you shift from a doer to a leader and power up your people.

Leaders focus on the people and build others’ abilities and inclinations to use them well.

stop doing what needs to be done

When you were a doer, and you went the extra mile or stayed after hours, you might not have enjoyed it at the moment, but you felt a certain satisfaction in the accomplishment. It felt good to be the hero and demonstrate your commitment to the cause. In time, some of these sacrifices became your badges of honor. Now, when these moments arise, try to remember they are your team members’ moments, not yours. It’s their opportunity to shine. If you dive in and do too much to deliver results yourself, you’re usually taking that opportunity away from someone else. Your team will quickly feel unnecessary, confused, frustrated, or demeaned. You mean well, but the problem isn’t your aspirations, it’s your inability to trust others with the responsibility of achieving them. It often takes more courage to direct others than to do things yourself, but ask them to step up before you do, if you want to make sure they feel empowered.

STOP answering questions

When you are a doer, your ability to deliver answers is the source of your credibility, the measure of your effectiveness, and likely your ticket to the “big time.” However, when you’re a leader, your success doesn’t depend on how much you know as much as on how much your people know. You need them to provide answers, and they tend not to do this if you’re busily doing it yourself. Your people adjust their behavior to yours, so if you are too full of answers, you will eventually discover that they are also full of questions.

They will increasingly pass the critical choices on to you and wait for your direction. This slows everything down and shifts the power unproductively away from the ones who need to be exercising it most. In short order, you will feel like your team only moves when you do. Stop answering questions and start asking them instead. Questions have a unique way of drawing people into more significant engagement. That’s one of the reasons Jesus asked his disciples so many of them and answered so many questions with questions of his own. When he asked things like, “Who do you say that I am?” (Mark 8:29), “Why do you ask me about what is good?” (Matt 19:16), or “Why do you not judge for yourself what is right?” (Luke 12:57) He caused the disciples to lean in and determine the truth for themselves. Of course, resisting the urge to give answers doesn’t mean you should stop offering feedback or guidance altogether. (Being clueless and disengaged isn’t a great strategy for leaders or doers.) Follow Jesus’ lead. Tailor your communication to prompt and shape others’ consideration and give the kind of assistance that empowers them to find answers themselves.

As a leader, you are most vulnerable when you lean on your sufficiency, and you grow stronger only when you give your power away.

Risk more on other people’s work

When you are a doer, your own work represents you for better or for worse, but when you’re a leader, your credibility rests on someone else’s work. You rise and fall on the choices they make. If you’re uncomfortable with this, it’s tempting to protect yourself by limiting the power of your team. You might hedge your bets and delegate only the choices that will have little impact or create a situation where the team is merely an extension of your imagination, judgment, and preferences. These tactics might make you feel more in control, but control is overrated; it limits even more than it protects. In the end, such tactics take power away from the people who need it most.

As a general rule, if you feel safe and are confident that your people can’t harm anything, you probably haven’t given them enough power. Take the risk; entrust them with essential things. Ease your discomfort by shaping the values and goals that guide their use of power instead of by limiting their access to it altogether. Again, Jesus models this strategy by calling us to play a vital role in His plan for redemption. As our creator, He knows our insufficiencies and still commissioned us to take His Gospel to the uttermost parts of the earth (Matthew 28). He provides us power in the form of His own spirit (John 14) and guides us as we make important choices and commitments along the way.

As you lead in your business, in your home, or your local church, the shift from doer to leader can be difficult because it feels like you are giving power away. You are, but this doesn’t make you weak. It’s a paradox that confounds any doer sensibilities you have, but it also reflects the leadership style of the One who reminds us His power is made perfect in weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9). As a leader, you are most vulnerable when you lean on your sufficiency, and you grow stronger only when you give your power away.

“But he said to me, ‘My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.’” —2 Corinthians 12:9a ESV

Andrew Johnston, Ed.D., serves as Director of Development for The Gideons International.

Sgt. Ron York lives again

testimony

By Daniel P. Kinkade

May 24, 2019

While Sgt. Ron York was serving in the Marines, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior by way of a Testament from The Gideons. God has opened doors for Ron to share his story all over the world. With the same passion he had while traveling to other countries, Ron continues impacting people for Christ who live right next door.

A Mining Town in north Idaho

Ron York’s journey began in the mining community of Kellogg, Idaho. His father worked at the local zinc plant that filled the city with massive smokestacks. Work at the mine was tough but steady, and it provided families with stability even during the Great Depression. During high school, Ron began working with his father making nine dollars a day. He purchased his first car with the money he earned.

In his senior year, Ron’s parents decided to divorce—it was news that filled their small town like the fumes from the mine. The event rocked Ron, as all he knew was now uncertain. He recalls, “The bottom dropped out of my secure, little life.”

Ron felt an overwhelming desire to get out of his small town. Upon graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corps with two of his friends. It was 1950, the same year as the start of the Korean War. It wasn’t long until Ron and his friends found themselves serving on the ground in Korea. Sadly, he lost both of those friends in the war.

“The bottom dropped out of my secure, little life.”

A car wreck leads to salvation

Meanwhile, back home in Kellogg, Ron’s father began to drink heavily and was in a terrible car accident that left him hospitalized. The situation started to turn, however, when someone talked to him about a personal relationship with Jesus. The Holy Spirit began to work through this encounter, and Ron’s father came to realize he needed Jesus as his personal Lord and Savior. At age 48, he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ. Ron’s father then had the privilege of leading his daughter to Christ.

Thankfully, God had more planned for the York family, especially Ron. His father and sister began ministering to Ron and looking for ways to influence him with the Gospel while he was serving abroad. They would write letters to Ron that included Scripture passages. He read the notes and looked up the passages using a Military Testament he received from his chaplain, which was provided by The Gideons. After reading God’s Word, Ron came under the conviction of the Holy Spirit. In August 1951, he accepted Christ as his personal Lord and Savior and signed the back page of the Testament signifying his decision.

Spiritual maturity in Ron’s Life

In December of that same year, Ron came back to the United States after receiving the Silver Star and Purple Heart for his service in the Korean War. The Marines then sent him to Parris Island in South Carolina for recruiter training. This led to Ron’s first recruitment assignment across the country in Seattle, Washington.

When he arrived in Seattle, he found room and board at the local YMCA. Soon after, he began attending a Saturday evening Bible study, which was regularly attended by ten other men. Two of these men worked at the Army Corps of Engineers; and after getting to know Ron, they invited him to come to live with them. God used this friendship to change the direction of Ron’s life, and he began to grow spiritually by experiencing the way these men walked with the Lord.

Day after day, Ron saw his new friends spend dedicated time in the Word. He saw them memorize Scripture. He saw them pray together. He saw them grow in their faith. Ron realized that when it came to his relationship with the Lord, he didn’t want to go through the motions—he wanted something more.

Ministry in the United States and East Asia

After getting out of the Marines in 1954, Ron was invited to Colorado Springs, Colorado, to begin work with a ministry called The Navigators. In 1957, Ron moved to Spokane, Washington, to partner with local churches in ministry to servicemen. His ultimate aim was to be a great witness for Christ. While serving in this ministry, Ron met a young woman from one of the local churches whose name was Betty. They began dating, married in 1958, and had three children together.

Ron and Betty had the joy of ministering all over East Asia, winning people to Christ and equipping them to reach their family and friends with the Gospel. After years of serving together, Betty became ill with cancer and passed away.

A friend encouraged Ron to pursue marriage again. In God’s timing, he married Joyce in 1968. The couple celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary on October 6, 2018.

SHARING JESUS WITH OTHERS

In 2018, Ron and Joyce attended a service at North Vancouver Community Church where they met Daniel, a Gideon from Vancouver, who spoke to the congregation about what God was doing through The Gideons International. Afterward, the pastor of the church shared a copy of Ron’s story with Daniel, and he was intrigued by what God had done in his life. This introduction sparked a friendship between Ron and Joyce and Daniel and his wife. In December of that same year, the York’s joined The Gideons International.

“And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” —Matthew 4:19 ESV

Ron and Joyce now live in an assisted living community in Vancouver, Washington. He carries the same Testament he received in the Korean War in his pocket and uses it at meal times when talking with those who sit next to him. People often ask the question, “What did you do before coming here?” Ron replies, “Have you ever heard of The Gideons?” Ron then turns to the back page of the Testament and uses it to share his story of how Jesus changed his life.

Ron lives by Matthew 4:19, which reads, “And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.’” He knows from personal experience that God can change a life through His Word. In return, that life can impact many others around world or right at home.

Destination on Right: the influence of Dr. Gladys West

testimony

By Daniel P. Kinkade

May 3, 2019

If you were to invite company to your home from out of town, what directions would you give them? Perhaps, you would simply start by giving them your address. Next, they would plug that address into a smartphone’s maps application and, because of data that has been programmed and coded, the app would tell them turn-by-turn where to go.

Because such technology is readily available, you can thank Dr. Gladys West, an Auxiliary from Sutherland, Virginia.

Learning Her Way through Town

The town Gladys West was born in is Sutherland, Virginia—a community where people spent long hours working in fields and gardening to provide for their family. She remembers walking three miles one way to a little red school that had only one teacher for students in seven different grades. It was not until her high school years that she rode a bus to a larger school with more students, teachers, and curriculum. Gladys’ mother worked at a tobacco factory, and her father was a farmer who also worked for the railroad.

Gladys, along with her sister and two brothers, grew up in a Christian home where going to Sunday church services was a priority and reading from the Bible was a regular occurrence. She remembers this part of her life fondly. “I don’t ever remember a time where Jesus and His Church were not a part of my life,” Gladys recalls. With great influence from her parents, she accepted Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior as a young girl. Through the years, her devoted Christian faith has kept her grounded.

“I don’t ever remember a time where Jesus and His Church were not a part of my life.” –Dr. Gladys West

As grateful as Gladys was for her faithful parents, friends, and church family, she had no desire to stay and work on the farms in Sutherland, Virginia. She desired more and saw education as her way out.

Navigating a Path to Success

Upon graduating from high school in 1948, Gladys received a scholarship to attend Virginia State College (now Virginia State University) in Petersburg, Virginia. “I didn’t even have a car, but they told me to come anyway,” Gladys remembers. She graduated in 1952 with a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics. She found it difficult to find employment after graduation and eventually took a position in Waverly, Virginia, as a math and science teacher. Two years later, she went back to Virginia State to obtain a Master of Mathematics degree. After graduating in 1955, she took another teaching position, this time in Martinsville, Virginia.

In 1956, Gladys was hired at The Naval Proving Ground in Dahlgren, Virginia, (now called The Naval Surface Warfare Center) as a mathematician where she worked in computer programming and coding. Her husband, Ira, was also employed at the center. Over time, the couple was blessed with three children.

For the next 42 years, Gladys created and coded several programs. In the midst of all this programming and coding came her most significant professional accomplishment. Gladys helped develop the coordinates for the first Global Positioning Software (GPS)—technology that still helps millions of people all over the world get from point A to B.

At the same time, she earned a second master’s degree—this time in public administration, from the University of Oklahoma. After retiring in 2000, she completed and received her PhD from Virginia Tech in Public Administration. Gladys says education has always been important to her growth and attributes it as the vehicle God used to allow her to be a part of such special work.

On Track with God’s Direction

While working in Dahlgren, Gladys and Ira became good friends with members of The Gideons. Over the years, those friends would continue to invite the couple to join in the mission of winning people to Jesus Christ. Seeing the eternal value and benefit of such a ministry, Ira and Gladys joined the Association in 2001. “I love the family atmosphere of The Gideons,” says Gladys.

For the past 17 years, Gladys and Ira have served together with Gideons and Auxiliary in Dahlgren, Virginia, reaching people for Christ. Today, they enjoy sending out cards to local pastors letting them know they are being uplifted in prayer. They join other local camps in the area for a large Scripture distribution at the Virginia State Fair, where last year 14,000 people were exposed to the Gospel.

In speaking about the value of being a part of the Association, Gladys says, “The Association is an active ministry that keeps me focused and aware of Christ’s Kingdom. The ministry has eternal implications and keeps me in line with Christ.” They love being members of the Association, not only for the community with brothers and sisters in Christ, but more importantly for the impact camps can make in the community.

“I love the family atmosphere of The Gideons.” –Dr. Gladys West

Just as Gladys has used her career to help people easily get from one place to the next, we are grateful for the many other believers like Gladys and Ira in ministry—helping people in this life prepare for eternity.