“Well, 6 or so months ago in an instance of curiosity I simply picked up a Gideons New Testament that I eyed on the floor in my living room and I ‘had a flick through’.

There was nothing significant about it at the time besides the fact I instantly recognised the memorable little red book as the same which was given to me many years ago – and at that age probably lost or thrown in a drawer – in lower high school. That one was in fact my little brothers he was given around the time.

I can’t remember the specifics of my thinking at the time or what lead me to it, but I took a stroll to the youth club a few minutes walk from my house that happened to be on that night which I hadn’t been to in years, I knew some of them and remembered that they were Christians. I asked a few questions, had an intriguing discussion and ended up at the end of the night with my first ever Bible in my hands and an invitation to Sunday worship. That was my first ‘real’ instance or experience with the Bible.

I can’t pinpoint ‘when’ exactly I was saved. I can however think back to times of deep, answered prayer, and experiences of God’s presence, as well as those times when I just ‘knew’ the truth on a deeper level which cleared up the spiritual and intellectual confusion new searching Christians experience – or at least I did in those months I was reading, searching and trying to break off the chains of the world and my secular mindset.

I’m now trying to walk the Christian walk to the best of my ability, in line with God’s will, thirsty and desiring more of God and His deep loving relationship.

Thanks a lot for your missionary service 🙂 and the small New Testament. It’ll be perfect for the backpack pocket and useful for reading in those snippets of free time throughout the day.

Much appreciated.

God bless

Jack”

So often we hear of that “little red book” sowing a seed years later. What a privilege we have of being involved in this life changing ministry!

If you have a story that you would like to share with us, let us know by emailing testimonies@gideons.org.uk

A young student signs her brand new copy of God’s Word after praying to receive Christ during the 2016 Philippines International Scripture Blitz.

In January, Gideons and Auxiliaries from the Philippines conducted the 2016 Philippines International Scripture Blitz. They were joined by an international team of Gideons from Australia, the British Isles, Finland, Germany, Japan, the Republic of China, South Africa and the USA.

With a Scripture goal of 1.5 million copies of God’s Word, there was much excitement among the members in anticipation of how the Lord would show up during the two week event. However, the number of Scriptures they could distribute wasn’t what was fueling their activities.

“From the beginning, we agreed this blitz wasn’t about how many copies of God’s Word we could distribute, but rather how many souls could we touch,” says assistant team leader, Jeff Audrain, a Gideon from Nashville, Tennessee.

Jon Wold, a Gideon from South Dakota, shares the Gospel with students during January’s International Scripture Blitz in the Philippines.

When God Speaks

After distributing Scriptures in 40 classrooms at the Lolomboy National High School, Gideons entered one more classroom. It was filled with 18 hearing-impaired students. Jon Wold, a Gideon from South Dakota, stood in front of the students and presented the plan of salvation, while the teacher interpreted the message in sign language. The Holy Spirit was at work as well. After the message, Jon asked the students to pray along with him if they wished to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour. At the conclusion of the prayer, he asked how many prayed along. All eighteen students raised their hands, many of them smiling and communicating with their lips or hands, “Thank you, Sir.”

A Lunch Time Gospel Revival

Students listen as a Gideon shares God’s plan of salvation during a lunch break.

Gideons were eating lunch at a local restaurant in Mabalacat City when they noticed a group of students reading the New Testaments presented to them during a Gideon distribution that morning. One of the Gideons walked up to the students and asked if they understood what they were reading.

A boy named Darryl confessed he had some confusion. Their conversation ultimately led to a discussion with the students about understanding God’s ultimate plan for their lives.

The Gideon told them about man’s broken relationship with God, caused by sin, and the need for reconciliation with God. The students were excited to hear and read for themselves of Jesus’ sacrifice as an acceptable payment for our sin. The Gideon explained, they could each pray to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour.

They all prayed together to receive God’s gift of forgiveness and salvation. Then they held a short devotional and the Gideon reminded them to share the good news of the Gospel with others.

This motorcycle sidecar filled with Scriptures in the Tagalog language is just one example of the resourcefulness of the Philippines’ Gideons in carrying out the Scripture blitz.

All To The Glory of God

During the two weeks, Gideons and Auxiliaries saw students, waiters, waitresses, teachers, a school principal, sales clerks, and people from many other walks of life choose to receive Jesus as Lord and Saviour. By the end of the blitz, the teams had distribued 1,551,922 copies of God’s Word.

The international team leader, Charles Warren, was especially moved by how the Lord blessed the blitz. “Our theme verse was John 4:35, ‘…lift up your eyes, and see that the fields are white for harvest.’ The fields were truly white, and the Lord blessed the harvest.”

A Gideon explains God’s plan of salvation during the Philippines International Scripture Blitz.

The Gideons International was first organised in the Philippines in 1953. Today, camps operate throughout the country with over 2,300 Gideons and 1,500 Auxiliaries. Prior to this 2016 International Scripture Blitz, more than 68.3 million Scriptures had been placed and distributed there through the efforts of The Gideons International.

We thank our members, pastors, churches, donors and the many others whose faithful prayers and financial support helped make this blitz a success. We also thank our members who sacrificed their time and money to participate in this blitz.

Most of all, we thank God and give Him the glory for all we believe He will accomplish through each Scripture distributed in this Blitz. What a mighty God we serve.

Please pray the Lord would continue to move in the hearts of those who received Scriptures during this blitz.

The following email was sent to one of our Gideon members by a Prison Chaplain.

“Hi Fraser. Hope this finds you well.

I just wanted to say that we are on to our last few Gideons New Testaments. These Bibles are very popular with the prisoners and we have a constant stream of men asking for them.

It is also clear that many prisoners are taking these Bibles with them when they are liberated and I think that the reasons for this are genuine and they want to keep with them a book that has provided them with a great deal of comfort and support during their time in prison.

We recently gave one to an African prisoner we’ve been working closely with. He was brought up a Muslim and wants to convert to Christianity having had several dreams in which God is telling him to take this path. He is fluent in 5 languages but cannot read or write in any of them, not even in his mother tongue. But he wants to learn and he wants to use the Bible to learn first in English so that this will be the first book he is ever able to read. Unfortunately for us he was transferred to another prison this week but he got in touch with the chaplain there straight away and that chaplain is now taking care of him and will prepare him for baptism.

Anyway, I was wondering if it would be possible for you to send us some more of the wee brown NTs for prisoners. We greatly appreciate all that the Gideons have done for us since the prison opened (nearly 4 years ago now) and are grateful for your enormous generosity to us.

With every blessing.

Martin”

We continue to be amazed and encouraged by what the Lord is doing inside prison walls.

Bibles in bedside drawers are a convenience hotel guests have come to expect. After all, what else could bring as much comfort to a weary traveller as reading God’s Word?

Each year, Gideons place over a million copies of God’s Word in hotels throughout the world. And while that number represents just a fraction of the more than 84 million Scriptures Gideons placed last year, Hotel Bibles are what people think of when they think of The Gideons International.

Gideons have great working relationships with hotels and motels across the world. Bibles are delivered to hotels by Gideons, who can also assist in placing the Scriptures in the guest rooms. There is no charge to the hotels, as the Scriptures are funded through donations to The Gideons.

Some hotel guests find such comfort from the Bible, they pack it up with them as they leave. And if having that copy of God’s Word helps someone continue on their journey with Christ, Gideons rejoice.

A single copy of God’s Word in a hotel room has the potential to touch up to 2,300 lives during its six-year life span. Over the years, we’ve received many testimonies from individuals who checked into a hotel and, as a result of reading a Bible placed there by The Gideons, came to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. Some of these testimonies were from people who had checked into a room when they felt all hope was lost, only to discover the peace and joy that comes from surrendering to Jesus.

Others have told us they were overjoyed to find a Bible waiting for them in the hotel nightstand while far away from home. Melony, a flight attendant from Florida wrote:

Dear Sir:
It is 9 a.m., I have been up for over 24 hours, and I just walked into my hotel room. I have done five beverage services and two meal services on my way from Miami to London and my first thought when I walked into my room was: “Is there a Gideon Bible in my bedside drawer?”

I have been a flight attendant for almost 40 years. In each city where I spend the night, I have always counted on having the Gideon Bible in my hotel room and have not been disappointed.

I do not know if you have ever thought about the thousands of flight attendants you have ministered to in all these hotel rooms for all these years since aviation began. Having God’s Word in each room is an amazing miracle and I, for one, cannot say, “thank you” enough.

I know of no other organization in the world that fulfills Matthew 28:19-20 better than The Gideons. God has blessed your efforts and they have been such an inspiration to me. You have blessed countless flight attendants who have many “homes” away from home and can always count on His Word to be there.

– Melony
Miami, FL

We thank God, as well as our members and donors, for making it possible to reach the hearts of so many through the placement of His Word. And on behalf of the many hotel guests whose lives have been touched by these Scriptures, we offer a special thank you to hotel owners and managers for allowing Gideons to place God’s Word in their hotels.

In 2014, the Bournemouth Branch approached the local Scout Commissioner about presenting Badged Testaments to the local Scout Troops. This resulted in the presentation of just over 100 Testaments to 6 local troops.

Recently  they  received an email from the leader of one Troop saying that he had been  presenting the few spare ones  to new Scouts as they are invested into the Troop.

“They make the Scout Promise “On my honour, I promise that I will do my best, to do my duty to God and to the Queen, to help other people, and to keep the Scout Law” on the Union Flag, and I then present them with their neckerchiefs and initial badge issue.  I’ve taken to also giving them one of the Testaments as part of that investiture process.  We have Church Parade once a month, and I’m in the process of enriching the Scout programme with more faith-based activities.

Hopefully, the combination of this with each of them having a Testament may help bring God to those who currently don’t know Him, and fortify those who do as they grow up.”

The following email was received at National Office this week:

“Hello, 

My name is Amy and I live in Swindon. Last week I was staying at the Britannia Country House Hotel, Manchester, whilst at the Youth for Christ Conference.

One day I used the pool and then used the hot tub, a man was also in the hot tub and he asked me if I was “with the conference” to which I replied with “yes” he then asked if we were all Christians to which I again answered yes. He then commented on how the world is in a mess right now and basically asked how God could allow so much suffering. I ended up having a massive conversation with him about creation, sin, Jesus’ birth/death/resurrection, other religions, revelation and the authenticity of the Bible!

At the end of the conversation he asked if he could get a Bible and I said I would find him one, so I got dressed went to my hotel room and took the Gideons Bible from the room and gave it to him!

I wanted to let you know so that you hear a good story, can pray for him and replace the Bible, hope this was ok! 

Thanks, 

Amy”

You never know when you will have the opportunity to share the Word of God with someone!

The publicity said it all: “Birmingham’s Frankfurt Christmas Market and Craft Market, now having run for over a decade, has become a massive favourite with both residents and visitors to the city from all over the UK and Europe. With over 180 stalls, it is claimed to be the largest outdoor Christmas Market in the Britain”.

Amongst the Pretzels, schnitzels, bratwursts, and knoblauchbrot another feature was on offer on the evenings of the 10^th and 17^th December – Gideon New Testaments!!

2,000 were delivered into the hands of surprised and delighted Birmingham Christmas Shoppers. Thanks to the support of Steve Bavington and his team at Chaplaincy Plus in Colmore Row, thirty Gideons, Auxiliaries and Friends from Birmingham branches and beyond were able to meet, pray in Steve’s office and then fan out into the cold and wet pre-Christmas Birmingham streets. The streets were filled with Christmas bargain hunters. What could have been more appropriate than for 2,000 of them to have received the best bargain of all – the gift of a free book at Christmas that could possibly start a journey of exploration and a chapter of new life with the Lord Jesus Christ at their sides?

Please pray for all who received a book from the hands of a Gideon, Auxiliary or Friend. Please thank the Lord for the enthusiasm and dedication of those who took part and please pray for Chaplaincy Plus as they continue with their work to support Christian believers in the heart of Birmingham’s business community.

We hope that this will be an annual event and we pray that the Lord is already working in the hearts of the shoppers and the stall holders we met.

Michael Hodges

Zone 4 Trustee

Earlier in December the Rugby Branch of The Gideons International had the pleasure of presenting Badged Testaments to Prison Officers and staff at HMP Onley in Warwickshire, the very first presentation of its kind.

David Spademan, Managing Chaplain at HMP Onley, gave the following report:

“Many of us will remember The Gideons from when we were eleven years old and in Secondary School. Some may still have the red covered pocket size New Testament from presentations by local members of The Gideons.

The Gideons have been quietly at work in prisons giving out Bibles and New Testaments for many years.

Steve West of Rugby Branch presents a Badged Presentation Bible to Managing Chaplain David Spademan

Following a conversation in HMP Onley between members of The Gideons and Managing Chaplain David Spademan,  a new initiative for prison staff has been launched. The Gideons kindly offered to donate copies of The New Testament and Psalms which are embossed with the establishment logo.

During a Full Staff Briefing on Wednesday 2 December 2015, the initiative was launched. Governor Steve Ruddy and Managing Chaplain David Spademan were presented with Bibles embossed with the HMP Onley Logo. Copies of the Badged Testaments were made available to any member of staff or partner agencies who requested one. For those not on duty on the day copies are made available through the Chaplaincy. The Gideons have generously agree to provide more Testament for new starters.

The presentation was very well received and staff commented that it was good to have an initiative that was directed towards them.

Governor Steve Ruddy commented that ‘It is important to support staff in as many ways as possible regarding care and welfare. This initiative provides a spiritual support for those who wish to take advantage of the generosity of The Gideons’.”

We give thanks to the Lord for enabling this to happen and pray that more doors like this will be opened around the country during 2016.

As we come towards the end of 2015 we look back at another year in which the Lord has truly blessed The Gideon ministry. This week during our Staff Devotions at National Office, as well as focusing on the reason why we celebrate Christmas, we have been giving thanks to God for all that He has done for us over the past year.

Some of the highlights include over 420,000 young people receiving a little red Testament at a school in the British Isles during 2015.

Following the success of our work with the Boys Brigade we received permission to work alongside the Girls Brigade to present their members with a copy of God’s Word embossed with their badge and over the past twelve months members have presented over 28,000 boys and girls with this unique gift at Companies around the country.

This year saw the number of Badged Testaments distributed surpass the quarter of a million mark in less than five years including the first ever presentation of Badged Testaments to prison officers.

We would like to take this opportunity to thank all of our members, Friends, churches and donors for your prayers and support over the past year.

We wish you a very Happy Christmas  and every blessing for the New Year,

The Gideons International in the British Isles

“For to us a child is born,

to us a son is given,

and the government will be on his shoulders.

And he will be called

Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God,

Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

Isaiah 9:6

An invitation for a Gideon member to share something about the Gideon work with some school children resulted in several blessings as you can read below.

Back in September you forwarded an email to our branch from a local primary school, requesting a talk about our work to be given to a class of Year two pupils. As a recently retired primary school teacher I was happy to volunteer. The children had been learning about the Bible as part of their RE topic. I talked briefly to the children about what the Gideons do, locally and internationally, and showed them some pictures (from the Gideons website) of presentations being made. They had a good look at the Bibles and their teacher and two other teaching assistants gladly received Personal Worker Testaments. There was a time for the children to ask questions which included the highly insightful “Is it true that Jesus can change a person’s life?” – highlighting that wonderful childlike faith (Luke 18:17).  The teacher asked the children if they would like to do some fundraising to enable us to buy more Scriptures to distribute.

I have received an email today telling me that the children have raised an amazing £198.50 by doing a sponsored run in the playground. I have given the teacher the National Office address and you should hopefully receive a cheque shortly.