Category Archives: Global News

2018 Ecuador International Scripture Blitz

By Kevin Mcintosh
september 21, 2018

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.”

Todd Keough

testimony

By abigail bass
july 6, 2018

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.

Why I’m a Member: Vernard K. Williams

testimony

By abigail bass
June 22, 2018

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.”

answering god’s call

testimony

By kevin mcintosh
April 13, 2018

Introducing the New Executive Director

 

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

God’s Word touches lives in Miami Beach / Florida Keys

Scripture Blitz

By kevin mcintosh
march 16, 2018

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.”

Why I’m a Member: Dusty and Tonya Burt

testimony

By abigail bass
march 2, 2018

Dusty Burt remembers watching his mom and dad shoot up cocaine from an early age. He also recalls the beatings that followed. At only 10 years old, he begged God to end his life. “I locked myself in my room and shouted for God to kill me,” he says. “It was just unbearable to get off the school bus every day knowing what would happen next.”

He picked up his first felony stealing a four-wheeler at age sixteen. Soon after, he began using methamphetamines. “I always wanted to be part of something, and the only time I felt part of a group was when I was in complete rebellion,” he says. He dropped out of school early and began collecting felonies. While his friends were joining the military or going off to college, Dusty had no direction. “I remember sitting in my trailer, with nothing to eat, unable to hold down a job. All I wanted to do was get high or steal from people.”

John 10:10a says, “The thief comes to steal and kill and destroy.” That same enemy woke Dusty each morning and directed his steps during the day. Dusty was thirty when he showed up in prison for charges ranging from kidnapping to aggravated robbery. “When I got there, I discovered I could be anyone I wanted to be. As long as I followed a basic set of rules, there really were no consequences.” As his fear of punishment diminished, Dusty found himself in and out of prison for the next 22 years. He decided his life was what he had always deserved and related to titles like convict, addict, thief, and loser.

Same Place, Different Person

One day, Dusty decided to drive down to a casino in Fort Smith, Arkansas. “I used my last US$33 in that casino and came out with US$8,000. Everyone knows you don’t give that kind of money to a junkie.” Dusty spent that night at the Flamingo Motel, a place he describes as “the classiest half-star rated joint in town.” Soon after he checked in, he shot the night’s casino winnings into his arm, closed his eyes, and settled into darkness while his body shut down.

Dusty woke with a paramedic hovering over him, defibrillator in hand. While he could not remember his name when prompted by EMTs, he would never forget what happened next. “Looking around the room, I saw a man standing in the doorway. He was not made like you and me; there was a glow about him. He looked at me with eyes like onyx stone and I heard Him speak, not with His mouth but with His spirit, ‘This is your last chance. You are not your own. You are bought at a price.’ Then He was gone.” For the first time in his life, Dusty was overcome with the knowledge he was separated from God.

Officers picked him up and walked him to a police car. This was a scene all too familiar to Dusty—the feeling of cuffs around his wrists and the view from the back seat of a cruiser had not bothered him in a long time. This ride was different. He thought about the words of the man he had seen in the doorway, and he felt his body shake.

Arriving at the prison, Dusty experienced a moment of reprieve as the familiar prisoner intake formalities had become a comfort to him. As he was led to his cell, he began to feel his old confidence again. The cell door opened, and he saw a man reading on the top bunk and another writing on the bottom bunk. “I immediately started to size them up, because there was no way I was sleeping on the floor.” Dusty took his shirt off to expose the gang affiliation tattooed on his side. One of his new cellmates saw the tattoo right away and said, “Oh, you’re affiliated… me too.” He stood to show Dusty a cross tattooed across the width of his entire back.

“I’m a Christian,” the man explained, “and so is that man,” he continued, nodding to the other cellmate.

Then he pointed back at Dusty’s side and said, “That has no dominion in here.” Dusty fell to the floor and began to cry. In fact, he continued crying for the next three days.

On the third day, a group of Gideons visited the prison. The suited men made their way through the blocks handing a Scripture to any man who would take one. Dusty walked up to one of the men and reached out to accept a Testament. The exchange was simple. Dusty walked back to his cell and began to consume his new reading material. “Something amazing happens when you open the Word of God—the author shows up and shows out,” he says. “He began to minister to me and tell me who I am to Him. Reading those words was like feeding a hunger I didn’t even know existed.”

“My Jesus is stunning, and His love is a reason to shout!” —Dusty

On October 28, 2012, Dusty fell to his knees and asked God to forgive his past and help him live an honorable life before Him. “Even after all I’ve done, the Bible says my Father has engraved my name into the palms of His hands.” (Isaiah 49:16)

Looking down at his own hands, Dusty smiles. He looks up with wet eyes, “Dusty Burt, written on my King’s hands. Man, if that doesn’t excite you, I don’t know what will!” Dusty had always wanted to be part of something, but what he realized that day was God had chased him all over Arkansas to invite him to be part of His family. Still, God had even more planned for building Dusty’s family.

All the Right Connections

 

The world would still have to be convinced of Dusty’s change of heart, so he remained in prison for some time after accepting Christ. A wall separated the facility into male and female living quarters. While Dusty enrolled in Biblical training classes on his side of the wall, Tonya Hartwick had experienced her own redemption story after receiving a Testament distributed by Gideons.

“Most people in prison, all they want are letters from home. When I was handed that Bible, I had the best letter,” she says.

Like Dusty, Tonya read her love letter from God until all she knew to do was surrender to the author and ask Him to forgive her past. “I remember the place where it happened, that day when I got on my knees and asked Jesus to come into my heart. I had a peace that day I had never known before.”

After serving two and a half years, Tonya was released. She started faithfully attending Mt. Olive Baptist Church, were Dusty’s grandmother also worshipped. “Dusty and I knew each other from high school. We met again years later through the drug culture in town. In fact, I was his dealer for several years before we were both arrested.”

Dusty’s grandmother asked Tonya if she would write to Dusty in prison to encourage him, and Tonya agreed. When Dusty was released two years later, Tonya planned on remaining strictly a friend for Dusty. “It’s hard to adjust back to the world after prison, especially if you’re trying to live a completely different life with new friends and habits,” she says.

Tonya began by inviting Dusty to church—the same church from which Dusty had stolen US$4,000 to support a drug addiction. At first, he was too ashamed. “Just come and try,” she said, “The first Sunday is the worst.” Dusty showed up for church at Mt. Olive Baptist, where he was met with a few cautious handshakes at the door. However, he continued to attend faithfully. Today, Dusty is serving on the church’s leadership council and praises the Lord for extending His forgiveness to the hearts of those he wronged years ago.

“We had our own ministry as the feet of Satan. Now, we’re able to be the feet of Christ, and to serve Him in this ministry by sharing the Gospel.” —Tonya

Tonya also invited Dusty to attend a pastor’s banquet where she would be sharing her testimony. Dusty remembers looking around the room at all the men in suits and feeling out of place. “I will never be a Gideon,” he thought. “I can tell people about Jesus without wearing a tie.” He was right—anyone can share what Christ has done for them. However, what he still lacked was a mentor.

qualified for service

 

Gideon Bill Sivells attended Mt. Olive Baptist and took note of Dusty’s transformation. He began taking Dusty out to lunch. “It was great to have someone to pour all my doubts and fears into. He was the first person to tell me he wanted to see me succeed,” says Dusty. Eventually, Bill invited him to a prayer breakfast, which was easy for Dusty to accept. “I love prayer, and I love breakfast—of course I’ll go,” he said. During the course of the meal, the men asked Dusty to share his story. Then, they asked what he did for a living. They looked around at each other as if they were about to burst. “You’re qualified to be a Gideon, you know,” said Travis Acklin, president of the North Faulkner County Camp. Dusty thought about the word qualified. “I’d never been qualified for anything honorable in my whole life. So, I signed up.”

“Since joining, I’ve found The Gideons have a direction I can be a part of. Iron sharpens iron, and that’s why my life’s ‘board of directors’ is filled with Gideons. I have a Paul in my life – Bob Jones. Bob is the director of the prison ministry in the state of Arkansas, so we share a passion for inmates. He teaches me by example how to walk in the ways of the Lord.” According to Arkansas state law, Dusty’s record should hold him ineligible to participate in prison ministry of any kind. However, the Lord has opened doors for Dusty to do just that as a Gideon.

The first time Dusty returned to prison by his own free will, God used his witness to bring seven men to Himself. “My inmate number was 134728,” says Dusty. “But, thank God, I’ve traded in my inmate number. Today, I’m Gideon number 7982267, and I visit the men in jails and prisons I used to sit in myself. When you get to hold a man that you’ve done time with as he weeps before the King…life is just amazing.”

Dusty and Tonya were married in May 2017. The same day, Tonya’s Auxiliary application was sent off so she could serve alongside her husband. “I feel so blessed to be a part of a group of people all over the world who love the Lord the same way we do,” she says. “When you come from the places Dusty and I have, it’s amazing to be accepted and held accountable by men and women of the Lord.”

Recently Dusty shared his testimony at a Gideon event where he was able to meet Bill Freeman, the man who placed a Testament in his hand that day in prison. “When I saw him, I knew. I will never forget his eyes,” says Dusty. As Dusty shook his hand and thanked him, Bill’s face lit up. “He didn’t know that day who I was or what the Lord was doing in me. He reached out to a convict and God produced a miracle.” Bill Freeman is currently serving his 47th year as a Gideon and is part of the Fort Smith South Camp in Arkansas.

The excitement has not worn off for Dusty and Tonya. They continue to carry out their callings by serving in the North Faulkner County Camp. Tonya is studying Criminal Justice and Psychology through Colorado Christian University and will graduate this December to fulfill her calling as an addiction counselor. Dusty owns his own construction business, where he even gets to work with a few Gideons. They enjoy spending time pursuing their business while also ministering to one another and those around them during the workday. “God intertwined me with His family in every aspect of my life,” says Dusty. “When you’re given the opportunity to go to a church and speak, to love on the unlovable, or to pray for a brother, don’t pass it up. By being a Gideon, I get to do that every day.”

olympic medalist discovers christ

testimony


By kevin mccintosh
February 16, 2018

More than 2,900 athletes representing 92 nations are currently competing in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. Viewers watch in anticipation of the next gold medal win, and athletes share their stories of overcoming adversity to fulfill their dreams of competing at this event.

For one athlete, her success as an Olympian is just part of her journey to a purposeful life. “I love the Olympics perhaps more than anyone,” says Kelly Clark.
“I think it’s very easy as an athlete to get caught up in this one pinnacle event every four years. But you don’t need to treat it as something that should define your career. It should be part of your journey. Not the end of your journey.”1       

By age 20, Kelly had already achieved the kind of success any athlete would envy—an Olympic gold medal, fame, and money. Alone in a hotel room in 2004, she thought about her success and how empty it felt. She could no longer identify who she was apart from the label of snowboarding champion.  

The next day, Kelly overheard one of her snowboarding competitors reassuring another competitor who had failed to qualify that it was okay, and that “God still loves you.” The statement stuck with Kelly, and she returned to her hotel room that night and opened up a Bible placed by The Gideons International.

Through that Scripture, God spoke to Kelly’s heart. She continued investigating Christ’s claims and within a few weeks, Kelly Clark received Jesus Christ as her personal Lord and Savior. 

Kelly Clark, the Olympic gold medalist snowboarder who came to faith in Jesus after reading from a Gideon-placed Bible

“It ended up freeing up my snowboarding more so than ever,” says Kelly. “I was no longer going from event to event to feel good about myself. I had that apart from what I did. So my snowboarding has been dramatically impacted. My snowboarding got a lot more free.”2     

In January of 2012, the Olympian won her fourth SuperPipe gold in ESPN’s Winter X Games, earning her the title, “the greatest snowboard halfpipe rider in history” by ESPN. Just days ago in Pyeongchang, her fifth Olympic appearance, Kelly finished fourth in the Ladies’ Halfpipe. She still holds the position of the winningest athlete in snowboard history. Kelly takes her faith with her each time she steps up on the platform. Among the many sponsor logos that decorate her snowboard, one name sticks out at the top as the name above all names—Jesus.

We praise God for Kelly’s testimony, and for faithful Gideons who continue placing Bibles in hotel rooms worldwide.

“Many people look for something to help them define themselves. I believe it’s more fulfilling to learn to measure success by growth—as a person and an athlete.”3

1. Reid, Scott. “Snowboarder Kelly Clark still going strong in fifth Olympics.” https://www.ocregister.com. February 10, 2018. https://www.ocregister.com/2018/02/10/snowboarder-kelly-clark-still-going-strong-in-fifth-olympics/

2. Ellsworth, Tim. “OLYMPICS: Faith made Kelly Clark’s snowboarding ‘a lot more free’.” Bpnews. February 17, 2010.
http://www.bpnews.net/32312/

3. L Brunner, Jeryl. “Olympic Snowboarding Champ Kelly Clark On Staying Motivated To Pursue Your Dreams.” Forbes.com. February 13, 2018.
https://www.forbes.com/sites/jerylbrunner/2018/02/13/olympic-snowboarding-champ-kelly-clark-on-staying-motivated-to-pursue-your-dreams/#7c34052502d7

seeking to be found

testimony



By allison ferguson
February 9, 2018

Sheri Boone was born in 1965 and raised in a loving, Jewish household in Los Angeles. She attended Hebrew School, and her family participated in regular temple activities. Sheri recalls the first time she believed in God, “When my mother disciplined us, she’d look up at the sky and say, ‘God give me strength.’” From the outside, Sheri was part of a typical Jewish family. It was only on high holy days, during the time for silent prayer, she felt God was far away. Sheri’s father died just before she turned seven years old, and her mother remarried a Jewish man who brought with him two more brothers for Sheri.

While sleeping over at a friend’s house, Sheri was invited to a get-together for junior high students at her friend’s church. She decided to go to be with her friend. During the service, Sheri watched as kids her age raised their hands and praised God. She also heard the pastor talk about Jesus. After the meeting, Sheri approached the pastor and asked how she could know Jesus was real. The pastor told her to go home and ask Him. So, that’s just what she did, but nothing extraordinary happened.

Her Search Continued

One day while washing dishes, her mind strayed again to spiritual matters. She began thinking about her life. She was quite popular at school. She had a boyfriend and nice clothes. “I had everything television and the movies said would make me happy, but I wasn’t happy,” said Sheri. She wondered if it was all life had to offer.

“I had everything television and the movies said would make me happy, but I wasn’t happy,” said Sheri.

Sheri was 16 when she found her answer. Before heading to bed after a Friday night party, she noticed a New Testament lying in the laundry room. She later found out one of her step-brothers found it on the railroad tracks near their home lying next to an old, black jacket and some other lost and lonely items. He had put it in the laundry room to dry since it was wet from the rain. “I wondered what it was, so I brought it to my room and started reading portions from it each night,” she said. “The words brought me a feeling, which I now can explain as peace.”

What Sheri could not understand was why the book kept repeating the same story over and over again. In the New Testament, she read God is light. “I wanted to find that light,” she said. “I knew I couldn’t believe that Jesus was God as a Jewish girl. But light—now that was very Jewish.”

Answers Become Clear

For her sixteenth birthday, instead of a party, Sheri asked her parents to go to Israel. “Surely, I can find God in Israel,” she thought. Her parents were elated at her request, and they did not hesitate to send her on a month-long trip to learn the Hebrew language in Netanya, the Northern Central District in Israel. Sheri hid the New Testament in her backpack and headed to Israel with 50 other Jewish high schoolers. “I learned the Hebrew language, the ancient history, and the unique culture of my people. I met very interesting people, traveled to amazing sights, and even climbed Mount Masada, but at the end of the program, I returned to Los Angeles the same me,” she said.

One day shortly after that trip, my brother took me aside in the family room, closed the door, and said, “Sheri, I believe Jesus is the Messiah. Come to a Bible study with me.” Sheri normally did everything her popular brother did, but she wasn’t sure she could follow him to a Bible study. “Jesus was not for Jews. I actually thought he was meshugana,” said Sheri, using the Yiddish word for “crazy.” Somehow, he convinced Sheri to attend the study with him. At the end of the meeting, the group shared a prayer. Sheri’s heart had already been softened by reading the Word, and the Holy Spirit began to move for her in a real way. She started to cry.

One of the women at the meeting took Sheri aside and went through the plan of salvation with her. “I asked Jesus to forgive my sins, and He became my atonement,” she said. “The Bible says when we believe, God gives us the Holy Spirit to live inside of us. I felt my spirit alive for the first time in my life.” To this day, she remembers waking up the next morning and hearing the birds singing as if she had never heard a bird sing before.

She was baptized in a jacuzzi the following week during Bible study. When her parents heard about her decision to follow Jesus as Lord, they were not happy. “My dad was already upset with my brother, but now I was a Christian, as well. He did not talk to me for a very long time,” Sheri said. “He did, however, make me go see the rabbi, who thought I was a lost cause. But I knew the truth—I had finally been found.”

A year later, Sheri met with a faithful, Jewish friend, who took care of her biological father’s trust funds. She was in need of financial assistance in order to attend a Christian college. Her father’s friend was not too pleased to have spent so much time and effort growing the account only to find out its benefactor was now a born-again Christian. He decided to contact one of his Christian friends, Dan Boone, to meet with Sheri and make sure she was not taking part in some sort of cult. Dan took her to lunch and was happy to report back she was just fine. As God would have it, Sheri married Dan’s son, Chuck Boone, 10 years later.

“Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.” —Mark 10:29-30

Sheri’s Jewish friends were not supportive of her decision to become a follower of Christ, nor was her family. “That was scary for a 17-year-old believer to endure, but God sent a Jewish, Christian couple my way who taught me that I could be Jewish and believe in Jesus. They have been my spiritual parents for the last 32 years,” she said.

God, in His provision, opened the door for Sheri to attend Azusa Pacific University, where she was surrounded by Christian young people and solid, Biblical teaching. She received a teaching credential there and has been teaching for the last 30 years. She feels honored to be a staff sponsor for Fellowship of Christian Students, a small group of students at the high school where she teaches.

“My husband and I have a 16-year-old son who is a believer in Jesus Christ. My mother recently passed away, but she accepted Jesus as her Messiah towards the end of her life,” expressed Sheri. She continues to pray for her 87-year-old stepfather to come to know the Lord.

“Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will hear you. You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.” —Jeremiah 29:12-13


Sheri (center) with her husband, Chuck (left), and son (right)