The Gideons International
| File:Gideons color circle logo.gif | |
| Founded | July 1, 1899 |
|---|---|
| Founder | Mr. Samuel E. Hill Mr. John H. Nicholson Mr. William J. Knights |
| 36-2270051 | |
| Location |
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Members | 287,000 Gideons and Auxiliary members (wives of Gideons) |
Key people | Mr. Craig Warner (Executive Director) |
Revenue | $131,319,000 (2010) |
| Website | www |
Gideons International is an evangelical Christian organization dedicated to distributing copies of the Bible in over 94 languages and 194 countries of the world, most famously in hotel and motel rooms. The organization was founded in 1899 in Janesville, Wisconsin, as an early American organization dedicated to Christian evangelism. It began distributing free Bibles, the work for which it is chiefly known, in 1908, when the first Bibles were placed in the rooms of the Superior Hotel in Superior, Montana.
Over 84 million Gideon Scriptures were given out in 2012. More than 1.7 billion have been distributed since 1908. On average, more than two copies of the Bible are distributed per second through Gideons International.[1] Gideons International is headquartered in Nashville, Tennessee, USA.
History
The organization, an early American organization dedicated to Christian evangelism, was founded in 1899 at the YMCA in Janesville, Wisconsin by two traveling businessmen who met by chance when they shared a hotel room at the Central House Hotel in Boscobel, Wisconsin and refined their idea in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.[2] It began distributing free Bibles, the work it is chiefly known for, in 1908, when the first Bibles were placed in the rooms of the Superior Hotel in Superior, Montana.[3] The local railway station at the time was named Iron Mountain, causing confusion as to the name of the town.[4]
The organization describes its link to the story of Gideon:
- Gideon was a man who was willing to do exactly what God wanted him to do, regardless of his own judgment as to the plans or results. Humility, faith, and obedience were his great elements of character. This is the standard that The Gideons International is trying to establish in all its members, each man to be ready to do God's will at any time, at any place, and in any way that the Holy Spirit leads.
In keeping with this symbolism, the symbol of the Gideons is a two-handled pitcher and torch, recalling Gideon's victory over the Midianites as described in Judges, Chapter 7.
In addition to their well-known hotel-room Bibles, the Gideons also distribute Bibles to members of the military of various countries, to hospitals, nursing homes, prisons, MPs and students. A typical Gideon Bible or New Testament contains:
- a short preface;
- a pamphlet suggesting Bible verses that may be of assistance in various sorts of trouble;
- translations of John 3:16 into a variety of languages and scripts;
- the Bible text itself, without notes, references, or any other reference matter other than chapter and verse headings — this can either be the full Bible (typical of the copies placed in hotel rooms), or just the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs (typical of the copies handed out as gifts to individuals);
- a short description of the evangelical understanding of salvation, with biblical quotations, and a place for the reader to sign and date their confession of Jesus as their savior (this is especially common in the shorter editions the New Testament and Psalms).
Colors of Testaments distributed
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The covers of the New Testaments distributed by the Gideons are color-coded based on which groups they're meant for:
- Orange: for sidewalk distribution to middle/high school students
- Green: for college/university students
- Red: for in-school distribution to Middle/High school students
- Digital Camouflage/Desert Camouflage: for the military
- Dark blue: for law enforcement personnel, firefighters, and EMTs
- White: for medical professionals
- Light blue: for distribution by the Auxiliary only
- Brown: personal worker's testaments (for individual witnessing by Gideons)
- Periwinkle: personal worker's testaments (for individual witnessing by the Auxiliary)
Note: During World War II there were Military Issued New Testaments, brown for Army and blue for Navy distributed by the Gideons. In addition to the Desert Camouflage and the Digital Camouflage, there are also Woodland Camouflage editions for the Military.[5]
Membership
The Gideons draw their volunteer members from many Christian denominations. Membership is limited to businessmen and professional men age 21 and older who are members in good standing of an evangelical or Protestant church, congregation or assembly.[6] Wives of Gideons are allowed to join the Gideons International Women's Auxiliary.
Distribution of Bibles during school hours
For several years, the South Iron R-1 School District in Missouri allowed Gideons International to distribute Bibles to fifth-grade students during class time. Americans United for Separation of Church and State brought suit against the school district, bringing an end to this practice.[7]
In 2009, the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in St. Louis upheld a lower court ruling that found the South Iron district's distribution of Bibles to the schoolchildren in their classrooms was unconstitutional. But the court, in a unanimous decision, ruled that the district can enact a new policy permitting "any printed material" approved by the superintendent to be distributed outside classroom time.[8]
The tradition of handing out small Gideon New Testaments continues in many British secondary schools. The British state school system has far less of a separation between church and state compared to the American example above (e.g., Christian prayers and hymns often take place in school assemblies). While a criminal or civil prosecution of the Gideons has yet to take place on this basis, some schools have banned the Gideon group.[9] The Upland Unified School District allows the Gideons to distribute Bibles outside of its school premises after school.
See also
References
- ^ http://www.gideons.org/AboutUs/WorldwideImpact.aspx
- ^ "Our History". Gideons International. Retrieved December 2, 2010.
- ^ "Christianity in the News". Workersforjesus.com. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
- ^ "Montana Railroad History". Montanarailroadhistory.info. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
- ^ The information in this note is based on New Testaments currently in my collection of US Military Bibles. This note provided by Douglas L. Canell Militaria and Collectables.
- ^ Gideons International. Frequently Asked Questions
- ^ "Missouri Public School Must Stop Distribution of Bibles To Fifth-Graders, AU Tells Court". Retrieved on September 5, 2008.
- ^ Jim Salter (July 17, 2009). "State News: Injunction upheld in Iron County Bibles case; both sides claim victory". Southeast Missourian. seMissourian.com. The Associated Press. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
- ^ "Anger as schools ban Gideon Bibles to avoid upsetting other faiths". Dailymail.co.uk. March 31, 2011. Retrieved November 10, 2011.
"Profile of Gideons International". MinistryWatch.com. 2012. Retrieved August 7, 2012.
External links