According to the Joshua Project, more than 40% of the population is unevangelized, and the harvest field is ripe for believers. Paul’s encouragement in Philippians 3:14 rings truer today than ever before—to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” Gideons and Auxiliary in India and Australia have taken this command seriously and have found unique ways to share Jesus with others in spite of circumstances surrounding COVID-19.

Prayer and Personal Witnessing in India

It is estimated that fewer than 3% of people in India claim to be evangelical Christians according to Operation World. This reality inspires members of The Gideons in India to press on with reaching people for Christ. However, India is going through one of its worst crises. The pandemic is in its second wave, and the virus has infected over 30 million people.

Amid the disease, the deaths, and the unfortunate events, God is using Gideons and Auxiliary as faithful warriors striving side by side for the faith of the Gospel. It all started last year when the pandemic first hit. In March 2020, the country went into a nationwide lockdown, which brought almost every activity to a halt. There was a ban on all public gatherings—even churches. Leadership met on a virtual platform for the first time and urged the members to pray and offer whatever support they could to the pastors and elders of the rural churches who were in need.

 An Auxiliary in India distributes Scriptures to medical personnel 

While the educational institutions remained closed, members explored what could be done, reaching out to medical personnel and educators to express their appreciation. The Lord blessed these efforts, and they distributed 11 million Scriptures last year.

Entering 2021, there was an expectancy to return to some semblance of normal—only to be caught by the sudden surge of the second COVID-19 wave. While regular distribution channels are closed now, personal witnessing is on the rise. The Witness Pledge initiative, recently launched in India, helps members stay focused on our single objective as an Association. Each officer throughout all the state associations in India is leading members by example. By taking a pledge to share 100 Personal Workers Testaments over the course of a year, these officers are modeling what it means to be Men of Faith.

Members started a 24/7 online prayer helpline to support urgent prayer requests and volunteered their time to keep this going daily. “The pandemic couldn’t stop the work of God. The Lord has enabled us to continue to strive side by side with each other, the Auxiliary, local congregations, and Friends of Gideons,” shared Sam, a Gideon in India.

“The pandemic couldn’t stop the work of God. The Lord has enabled us to continue to strive side by side with each other, the Auxiliary, local congregations, and Friends of Gideons.” —Sam, a Gideon in India

Quarantined with God’s Word in Australia

Gideons and Auxiliary in Australia continue to press on, as well. The lockdowns stopped members from physically meeting, going to churches, and visiting distribution areas, but God was not locked down. To the leadership’s knowledge, every hotel used for quarantine of returning Australians and other incoming travelers was Bibled in advance, and guests had 14 days of mandatory hotel quarantine to contemplate God’s Word. Gideon leadership in Australia received many emails from guests blessed by having God’s Word available to them. Many of the members prayed and reach out to aged care homes who had borne the brunt of the COVID cases and tightest lockdowns. There was an openness to receiving Scriptures and a gratefulness not seen before, or at least not for a very long time. Ken, a Gideon in Australia, thanks the Lord for the following success he and fellow members experienced:

We started calling our local nursing homes and had wonderful responses from CEOs, nursing directors, nurses, and receptionists. As of July 2021, we’ve given out 520 large print, over 200 white, and a number of soft cover full Bibles. We’re also telling staff about the Gideon Bible App for those who have residents from another country who would like to listen in their own language. We’ve really seen God moving in this way and several responses saying that it’s very timely.

Australian Gideons and Auxiliary

Personal Witnessing in Everyday Encounters

God continues bringing people across member’s path, and our personal witnessing has never stopped. Lauren, an Auxiliary in Australia, is a stay-at-home mom homeschooling her four children. “My children are always me,” she says, “I’m not particularly brave or great at starting conversations. Often, I’m sleep deprived, and I stumble over my words. I usually have a child on my hip or wrapped around my ankles, sometimes both.”

“Before joining The Gideons, I can’t remember too many situations where I brought the Gospel into a conversation with an unbeliever, especially one that I didn’t know well,” says Lauren. Being an Auxiliary keeps witnessing on her radar. She now keeps Testaments next to the front door, in her bag, and in her car. She and her husband pray together for families to cross their path who need to hear the Good News. “As a Gideon family, my kids see Mom and Dad taking God’s Word seriously by reading and praying for opportunities to give it to those who need to know Jesus. Sometimes it’s my kids who prompt me. They’ll say, ‘Ask them if they want a Bible.’”

Lauren doesn’t even need to leave her house to be a witness. “Anyone who knocks on our door – tradesmen, salespeople, fundraisers – may all be offered a Testament. Online shopping can bring a harvest field of delivery workers to my doorstep. If a major appliance breaks down or we need some work done to the house, it’s not just an expense or an inconvenience; it’s a Gospel opportunity and a Testament is offered,” she says. When Lauren goes out with her children, she stays on mission often offering a Testament to acknowledge great service or simply sharing because someone has crossed her path.

“As a Gideon family, my kids see Mom and Dad taking God’s Word seriously by reading and praying for opportunities to give it to those who need to know Jesus. Sometimes it’s my kids who prompt me. They’ll say, ‘Ask them if they want a Bible.” —Laura, an Auxiliary in Australia

“I’m grateful that God would use me and my weaknesses to serve Him,” Lauren continues. “I am grateful that I can serve together with my family and I’m grateful that being an Auxiliary provides me with resources, training, role models, and encouragement to actively share Jesus as I live out my day-to-day life.”

God’s Work Continues

Gideons and Auxiliary like Sam and Laura are genuinely taking the apostle Paul’s encouragement to “press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” to heart. While you may never go to India and Australia, you, too, can impact your friends, neighbors, and circle of influence with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Over 40% of the world is unevangelized. God’s work continues…how can you press on?

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” —Philippians 3:14 (ESV)

October is Pastor Appreciation Month, and The Gideons International loves to partner with and support local church pastors! This post celebrates Pastor Gary Linton from Florida, who was given a gift at school as a child that would change his life in ways he could have never imagined. Watch his story below, and consider ways you can show your appreciation for the pastors and ministry leaders in your life.

Today’s video is the final in a three-part series in which we are exploring answers to the question, “Who are Gideons?”

In this video, you’ll see members of The Gideons International discuss how membership helps them grow as Men of Action along with other Christian business and professional men. Learn how Gideons impact God’s Kingdom as they build relationships with pastors, and as they share God’s Word in their communities and beyond.

To see how membership in The Gideons helps men grow as Men of God, click here. And to see how they grow as Men of Faith, click here.

Today’s video is the second in a three-part series in which we are exploring answers to the question, “Who are Gideons?” 

In this video, you’ll see Gideons discuss how they grow as Men of Faith by serving alongside other Christian business and professional men in The Gideons International. Learn how Gideons increase their unique influence in their homes and communities as they sharpen their God-given talents to boldly share Christ.

The video can be watched on our international website here:
https://gideons.org/blog/Who_are_Gideons_Men_of_Faith

Today’s video is the first in a three-part series in which we are exploring answers to the question, “Who are Gideons?”

In this video, see members of The Gideons International discuss the day-to-day challenges they face as Christian business and professional men. Discover how membership in The Gideons helps men overcome those challenges and grow as Men of God along with other Christ-followers through associating together and practicing spiritual disciplines.

This video can be watched on our international website here:
https://gideons.org/blog/Who_are_Gideons_Men_of_God

What happens to your Christianity when you go to work? It seems like a simple question, but you’d be surprised at some of the difficult answers I hear from other Christian businessmen and professionals. While many take their faith right through the front door of their occupation in a blaze of glory, others pause at the doormat. They pause at the prospect of being labeled or not wanting to infringe upon others.

In contrast, most everyone is quick and passionate to answer the question, “What do you do for a living?” Our identity is tied to our work. However, if believers’ identity is also tied to Christ, somewhere between Sunday and Monday, there can be a disconnect. The marketplace is one of the most complex scenarios to be thrown into as a Jesus follower. We are tempted to conform to the world in the struggle for the legal tender. There are integrity issues, competition, and demands on our personal time. Work can often become more of a means to an end called “the weekend.”

We all want a sense of belonging at work because it’s where we spend most of our time. Some even speak of their companies as family, at least until a layoff occurs. But when we do step out to share the Gospel, our faith can be seen as a clique or even a crutch. It’s no wonder many believers dream about going into “full-time ministry.” But as author Hugh Whelchel pointed out in How Then Should We Work?, God doesn’t just send ministers to give the world sermons; He sends doctors to give medicine, teachers to impart wisdom, and businesspeople to serve. In other words, no single vocational pursuit is superior to another in God’s eyes.

As Gideons, our history is about bringing our witness to work. In the beginning days of our Association, traveling salesmen would catch a train on Sunday night to journey across a region. During their business week, many were without accountability and restraint. They were known for their heavy drinking and card games that filled the hotel parlors to pass the time. But when the Association’s founder, John H. Nicholson, got on a train, he laid out his evangelical campaign like a general. Many were seen leaving the train at the next stop with a tear in their eye or a Gideon emblem on their lapel.

Not only are Gideons still winning others to Jesus Christ as traveling salesmen, but also as managers, lawyers, teachers, doctors, military and government employees, and business farmers. It’s still about being faithful in the little things. As author Zig Ziglar said, “Unfortunately, too many people labor under the illusion that unless they can do something monumental, they have achieved nothing in this life. That’s too bad because pleasant smiles, words of encouragement, and examples of gentle kindness and consideration for others are much more needed in this society today.”

Not only are Gideons still winning others to Jesus Christ as traveling salesmen, but also as managers, lawyers, teachers, doctors, military and government employees, and business farmers.

Occupational Hazards

I don’t have too dramatic of a testimony, but it was all business. I grew up in a good Catholic home. In college, I read a book called Power for Living about successful leaders who were unashamed of the Gospel—businessmen like Holiday Inn founder Wallace Johnson and insurance giant Arthur B. DeMoss. That book, and a friend named Howard, brought me to my knees and a true understanding of Jesus Christ.

After graduation, I worked for an entrepreneur named Mike, where my faith first got tested. I was COO of his technology company. He was one of those book-of-the-month managers where the whole company read the same business book, such as In Search of Excellence. One day, an employee named Kelly asked Mike if we could read from a book she liked called the Bible. Mike was shocked and later asked me, “How can anyone just sit in the back seat and let God drive their life around?” Not wanting to jeopardize my steady income, I didn’t answer. I was in the proverbial trunk of the car. That was the epiphany I needed to start living out my faith. I booked a trip to Israel. I read the Bible cover-to-cover. I stepped up to serve at my church. And I eventually became a Gideon to continue my accountability. I got out of the trunk.

So why don’t more believers share our faith more at work? Lee Strobel, the author of The Case for Christ, suggested, “I’ve seen far too many Christians who are more than willing to travel halfway around the world to volunteer for a week in an orphanage, but who cannot bring themselves to take the personal risk of sharing Jesus with the co-worker who sits day after day in the cubicle right next to them.”

I asked Pastor Howard Malone of The River Church in Waynesboro, Missouri, about why work and faith don’t always seem to want to share a cubicle. He believes fear gets in the way, and we don’t want to risk being rejected by our co-workers. Further, some may have given up witnessing at work because they haven’t seen any immediate results.

Having served in the military, Pastor Malone added you might be subject to certain limitations. It will also depend on what country you’re in. While employees in the USA have broad rights to express their faith to co-workers, you can’t allow religious discussions to interfere with your work, according to David Gibbs, founder of the Christian Law Association. He also said if a co-worker indicates directly or indirectly that they don’t wish to discuss matters of religion, that’s the end of the sermon.

Perhaps this is why so many Christians in the workplace subscribe to what St. Francis Assisi supposedly said, “Preach the Gospel at all times, and when necessary, use words.” While this sets a good example, Jesus used a lot of words, says Vince LaPoint, a software engineer and Gideon. LaPoint has worked in large corporations and small, but his faith has always gone with him no matter what size the door. He’s led Bible studies at work, and when the office environment doesn’t seem right, he takes people out to lunch. “While it is true not every person has a spiritual gift of evangelism, we are all called to do the work of an evangelist,” he added.

Our membership includes many who own their businesses. You would think that would be easier, but as Perrin Prescott, former president of The Gideons International, is quick to point out—there’s really no such thing as a Christian business. “A business is an inanimate object. It’s a group of people. But what you can offer them is Christ-like management.” Prescott recently retired from his industrial pump company in Exeter, New Hampshire. “It was easy when I owned my business because I was able to set the tone and culture. But there are benchmarks along the way that test your consistency.” Prescott had one customer bring in a pump for repair, but it was inoperable. The customer asked Prescott if he could zap it with some high voltage so an insurance claim could be filed. Prescott said no way. The customer replied, “Good, because I would have lost my respect if you tried.” Sometimes it’s better to be good at consistency instead of trying to be consistently great. 

Sometimes it’s better to be good at consistency instead of trying to be consistently great.

Thank God It’s Monday

The Gideons International has always sought members who, by virtue of their jobs, made decisions and had a measure of freedom regarding their time and resources. That would include teachers like Bruce Chadwick, a Gideon from Michigan. Chadwick said, “Years ago, it was okay to start my fifth-grade classroom with the Pledge of Allegiance and a moment of silence.” While these practices have changed, God’s Word hasn’t. When Chadwick became a school superintendent, he started recognizing each employee’s birthday with a GideonCard and a personal word of encouragement. “I usually received a positive response from my co-workers and never heard anyone objecting to a card that stated I was making a donation to purchase Scriptures in their honor.”

Praying for co-workers can lead to open doors, as Colossians 4:2–3 says. In Gideon Dave Morel’s book, The Secret to an Open Door, he wrote, “When we’re in our comfort zone, we rely on ourselves. When we step out in faith, we are with God. How many times does He say, ‘Surely, I will be with you?’” Morel adds, “Satan is slick—he’s not concerned about our prayer lists as long as they don’t include the lost.”

If we look back at the apostles’ lives, we can clearly see how they worked in the marketplace. They had an intimate personal relationship with Jesus. They welcomed the works of the Holy Spirit. And they prayed against the fear of man in Acts 4:29 (ESV), “And now, Lord, look upon their threats and grant to your servants to continue to speak your word with all boldness.” The apostles didn’t have pocket Testaments, but they had many Roman roads built to reach new marketplaces. They had a common language and common currency. They had law and order with Paxus Romanus. Today, we have the Internet, planes, electric cars, cell phones, and Starbucks. There’s no excuse. But we also live in an age where many Christians see more Scripture on Facebook than from studying their Bible.

There was a time when Christians talked about a “calling” to work. Then we all read What Color is Your Parachute? and our careers became about finding our passion. However, Scripture says, “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men,” in Colossians 3:23 (ESV). Perhaps the adage “do what you love” should have “remember Whom you do it for” attached to it. Excellence is attractive, and if we bring it to work, along with the story of our hope, it’s an excellent strategic plan. As Andre du Plessis, trustee of The Gideons International in South Africa, and a business owner, says, “By selling our products, we change the way people live, but we change the way people see God through our way of doing business.”

“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.” —Colossians 3:23 (ESV)

The Great Commission instructs believers to advance the Kingdom of God. The Gideons International provides a unique way for Christian business and professional men to see people come to Christ. Officially, the role of an Auxiliary (wife of a Gideon) is to assist her Gideon husband in this mission through prayer, personal testimony, personal work, association for service, and placing and distributing God’s Holy Word in approved areas. Yet, the role of the Auxiliary is even more significant considering the partnership of holy matrimony. The wife of a Gideon brings encouragement, support, and gentleness. As an Auxiliary, I share in this blessing serving alongside my husband, Mark.

A verse that became near and dear to my heart in this 28-year journey as an Auxiliary is Acts 6:4 (ESV), which reads, “But we will devote ourselves to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” I take great delight in praying for Mark and supporting him in his ministry endeavors. Something else I have learned along this journey is that there is immeasurable impact and spiritual blessings when a wife joins in ministry alongside her husband.

The Blessings of Auxiliary in My Life

A couple of years ago, David W. Martin, former international president of The Gideons International, talked about the powerful influence both his mom and wife have played in his life as Auxiliary. He shared the following:

For many years, I have significantly benefitted from living within the sphere of two Auxiliary. First, I was blessed to live within the sphere of influence of my mom as an Auxiliary. After Dad joined The Gideons International, it did not take long before he began talking to Mom about coming with him to the Gideon meetings. Dad valued the fellowship of those men, but nothing could compare to having Mom involved with him in this amazing work.  

Mom began attending the camp meetings, and after several months, she joined the Auxiliary. As she entered the sphere of influence of some godly ladies in the Auxiliary, she found a wonderful environment where she could grow personally and spiritually with other like-minded ladies. Along the way, she began participating in distributions, and sometime later, she began serving in Auxiliary leadership. Her friendships with ladies in the camp started to deepen, and her investment in the ministry of this Association began to grow. Mom’s involvement alongside Dad was invaluable to him. She was his most trusted advisor and coach. She would listen to his thoughts about messages and encourage him. In so many ways, it was very evident two were better than one. She never wanted to be in front of people; she was delighted with her quiet life, and now she was traveling the country, speaking to large crowds of people she had never seen before and thriving in the opportunities. As her son, it was powerful to watch.   

Second, I have been blessed beyond measure to live within the sphere of influence of my wife as an Auxiliary. After joining The Gideons as a single man, at almost every Gideon meeting I attended, I was reminded that most Gideons find great joy and blessing to have their wife serving alongside them. I had relocated to a new city on my job and had begun visiting a singles class at a new church. In that Sunday School class, there was a young lady named Emily. I knew her name was Emily, she was a believer, and she sang in the choir. That is about all I knew, except that I knew I was very interested.

Soon after, it so happened we were planning a large city-wide Gideon event at Christmastime, and I began to think about how nice it would be for Emily and me to attend this event together. The more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea. I called Emily and asked if she would like to go with me. She was not sure what the event was, but with some additional explanations, she agreed to go. My Gideon and Auxiliary friends’ godly influence and friendship made a good impression that evening and in the months that followed. Emily and I were married, and not long after that, she joined the Auxiliary. Thus, I began to experience the great blessing of pursuing the mission of this ministry together with my wife as an Auxiliary.   

It has been a great joy for these last 34 years to have grown together with my wife. Living within the spiritual influence of her as an Auxiliary has resulted in extraordinary blessings in our lives. Looking back, it is evident to me that two are better than one. My life and our children’s lives have been richly blessed by living within the sphere of influence of my wife and their mother as an Auxiliary.

David W. Martin and his wife, Emily

The Blessings of Shared Ministry

You see, the Auxiliary plays an invaluable role for the Kingdom. From the very beginning, The Gideons was built on the idea of strengthening the traveling businessman’s testimony. No earthly person knows their husband like his wife, and a wife’s love accomplishes more in a man’s heart than can be easily explained. As Auxiliary, we direct people towards Christ through living out our faith, praying, and encouraging others. What an Auxiliary does for and with her husband strengthens him and his ministry efforts. I take great pride in joining my husband in ministry, supporting and encouraging him—that is the unique benefit of being a part of The Gideons International. Together, we seek to win the lost to Jesus Christ.

An Auxiliary taking part in a hospital distribution

I take great pride in joining my husband in ministry, supporting and encouraging him—that is the unique benefit of being a part of The Gideons International.