April –May 2013
PlAnnIng
Work together with your camp to ensure success this year.
IMPRoVIng
Learn about new features of the GideonCard Bible Program.
gRoWIng
Ask the Lord to renew your mind and heart daily as you grow closer with Him.
ReAcHIIng THe
UnReAcHeD People around the world are receiving the life-changing truth of the Word of God every single day.
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coMIng eVenTS INT’L SCRIPTURE BLITZES:
lithuania (Vilnius) April 13-20, 2013 Team Leader: Perrin Prescott Poland (Wroclaw) April 20-27, 2013 Team Leader: Raimo Manninen bolivia (Cochabamba) April 20-27, 2013 Team Leader: Charles Warren argentina (Buenos Aires) May 4-18, 2013 Team Leader: Jim Lake Assistant Team Leader: Jeff Pack Panama (Panama City) May 25-June 1, 2013 Team Leader: David W. Martin
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS:
british isles (Birmingham) May 3-5, 2013 Int’l Representative: Dennis J. Donnelly Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Cindy Davis iceland (Westman Islands) May 3-5, 2013 Int’l Representative: Mike Steiner Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Stephanie Becknal Germany (Tuttlinger) May 9-11, 2013 Int’l Representative: Dr. William E. G. Thomas Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Luanne Triplett
USA STATE ASSOCIATION CONVENTIONS:
Southwest (Albuquerque, NM) April 5-7, 2013 Int’l Representative: Don Gleaves Int’l Auxiliary Representative: René Lucas
Minnesota (Rochester) April 5-7, 2013 Int’l Representative: Dennis J. Donnelly Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Patsy Pigford arkansas (Hot Springs) April 5-7, 2013 Int’l Representative: Mike Steiner Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Coni Stanley Michigan (Novi) April 5-7, 2013 Int’l Representative: Trevor Johns Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Mary Lou Ray
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wisconsin/upper Michigan (Racine, WI) April 12-14, 2013 Int’l Representative: Mac Arvin Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Mary Ann Franklin the dakotas (Brookings, SD) April 12-14, 2013 Int’l Representative: Rodney Jones Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Lynne Peterson kansas (Topeka) April 12-14, 2013 Int’l Representative: Dr. William E. G. Thomas Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Cindy Davis california/nevada north (Modesto, CA) April 12-14, 2013 Int’l Representative: Craig Warner Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Mary Lynn Barrett west virginia (Pipestem) April 12-14, 2013 Int’l Representative: Mark Rodgers Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Shelia Persons Missouri (Jefferson City) April 19-21, 2013 Int’l Representative: Dennis J. Donnelly Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Cathy Sterrett Pennsylvania (Allentown) April 19-21, 2013 Int’l Representative: Dr. William E. G. Thomas Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Mary Lynn Barrett oklahoma (Tulsa) April 19-21, 2013 Int’l Representative: David W. Martin Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Mary Lou Ray
virginia (Richmond) April 26-28, 2013 Int’l Representative: Dr. William E. G. Thomas Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Coni Stanley rocky Mountain (Fort Collins, CO) April 26-28, 2013 Int’l Representative: Gary Richardson Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Dottie Shepperson florida (Jacksonville) April 26-28, 2013 Int’l Representative: David W. Martin Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Luanne Triplett north carolina (Raleigh) May 3-5, 2013 Int’l Representative: Jeff Audrain Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Shelia Persons louisiana (Shreveport) May 3-5, 2013 Int’l Representative: Craig Warner Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Patsy Pigford ohio (Columbus) May 3-5, 2013 Int’l Representative: Keith Steiner Int’l Auxiliary Representative: René Lucas kentucky (Erlanger) May 3-5, 2013 Int’l Representative: Mark Rodgers Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Kay Grindall Pacific Northwest (Vancouver, WA) May 17-19, 2013 Int’l Representative: Dennis J. Donnelly Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Cathy Sterrett
USA SCRIPTURE BLITZES:
Pacific Southwest (Van Nuys, CA) April 26-28, 2013 Int’l Representative: Mike Steiner Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Judy Fischer
dayton, oH April 8-10, 2013 Blitz Leader: Tom Trotta
tennessee (Kingsport) April 26-28, 2013 Int’l Representative: Dennis J. Donnelly Int’l Auxiliary Representative: Lynne Peterson
Savannah, Ga May 5-10, 2013 Blitz Leader: Peter Dunn
newark, nJ April 8-11, 2013 Blitz Leader: Malcolm Funn
Portland, or May 6-9, 2013 Blitz Leader: John Beutz
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publishinG April–May Volume , Number PUBLISHER
Craig warner
EDITOR
Mac Arvin
MANAGING EDITOR Allison stewart
EDITORIAL ASSISTANT Kathleen Hays
DESIGN + LAYOUT randall House
PUBLICATION OFFICE
P.O. Box , Nashville, Tennessee -, U.S.A.
EDITORIAL OFFICE
Century Blvd., Nashville, Tennessee , U.S.A.
CONTACT
.. FAX .. EMAIL thegideon @ gideons.org WEB www.gideons.org TEL
THE GIDEON (usPs -) is the bi-monthly news and information publication of the Gideons international. yearly subscription . each for Gideons in the united states and Possessions; . for non-Gideons. Periodical postage paid at Nashville, tennessee and at additional mailing offices. accepted for mailing at special postage rates provided in section , act of oct. , . coPyriGht by the Gideons international. all rights reserved. all scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the New king James version®. copyright © by thomas Nelson, inc. used by permission. all rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced in any manner without written permission. unsolicited manuscripts and photographs will be carefully considered, but the publishers assume no responsibility for their return. chaNGe oF aDDress: allow one full month for change of address. both old and new addresses must be given. PostMaster: send change of address to the Gideons international, P.o. box , Nashville, tennessee . Printed in u.s.a.
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where are they now?
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Feature Testimony of John Petrilli
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Planning for Significance Camp planning is crucial to setting, achieving and exceeding goals throughout the year.
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God’s word in norway Members distribute the Word of God in Norway with confidence that He will save those who let it speak to their hearts.
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Men & women of faith Seventh in a Series on Our Spiritual Objectives
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Simple, disciplined, well-defined leadership A leader must be authentic – honest and transparent, both with themselves and the people around them.
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a vision for the future
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The GideonCard Bible Program
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as He Sends us 2013 International Day of Prayer
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Seven reasons why You can trust the bible Fifth in a series excerpted from Dr. Erwin Lutzer
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contentS ⁄⁄⁄⁄⁄
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PubliSHer
a Global Gl ance
cHanGed liveS
d e v e l o P Me n t
Strive to be men and women of the kind of faith that reveals itself through our everyday witness.
The Gideons International is being used mightily to impact lives around the world.
Though his battle with depression was lifelong, Russ had finally found the answers to his questions about God.
Unique Opportunities to Provide God’s Word
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be in G f i SHe r S o f Me n
c o Me a nd Se e!
What God says will ultimately come to pass – and you can trust it – it is His Word.
Read about what’s in store for Auxiliary members at the upcoming International Convention.
THE GIDEON
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A message from the
Publisher Faith vs. Fear The two most disheartening words in the English language are “next time.” You may be interested to know that your international headquarters staff is committed to the objective of The Gideons International. We, too, are putting personal witnessing into practice. One of my favorite times of encouragement occurs during our Friday morning devotions when staff members have the opportunity to share what they have experienced throughout the previous week. One staff member shared the following: I had stopped by the grocery after a long day at work, and hurried through to the checkout. An elderly lady in front of me was very distressed, and did not have enough money to pay for her groceries. As everyone around grew frustrated, I could not take my mind off of the Testament I had in my purse. I paid for her groceries, and the elderly woman began to cry. As I handed her the New Testament, I shared that God just wanted her to know that He loved her. God reminded me that He had done the very same thing for me – paid a debt I could never pay. These testimonies lead me to think about how “faith overcoming fear” resides at the heart of reaching others for Christ. If we allow fear to rule our witness, how many opportunities would be put off until “next time”? Choosing to remain silent out of fear—for whatever reason—keeps the individual who would benefit from our witness from receiving the Good News, and it weakens our own spiritual courage. In God’s strength, we don’t have to wait till "next time." Fear cannot reside with faith. In fact, God’s Word says, “perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18), and “God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (2 Timothy 1:7). This same power enables us to reach out and act on impulses from the Holy Spirit without the safety net of an obvious Christian environment. I believe this abiding faith sets us apart. All aspects of The Gideons International—from visiting pastors, participating in a distribution, or witnessing to a stranger—should reflect this truth. Faith gives us the power to maintain the spiritual aspect of our ministry. Faith cannot remain still. Living, growing faith acts through opportunities, such as witnessing to the person sitting next to you on a plane or praying with a burdened pastor— taking advantage of “this time” and not putting it off until “next time.” In the book of James, we read that Abraham’s faith “was working together with his works, and by works faith was made perfect” (2:22). We should strive to be men and women of the kind of faith that reveals itself through our everyday witness. Do you let fear keep you from acting on opportunities to reflect Christ to those around you? I pray that we all strive to embody a living faith that conquers fear. Let us look forward to the opportunities God places before us to share the Good News with those who most need to hear it—and let’s pray that we will never wait until “next time.”
Craig Warner Executive Director
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NATIONAL Publishing Company Subsidiary of Courier Corporation
Printing God’s Word and helping facilitate its distribution around the world.
Partnering with The Gideons International for over 70 years.
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A global glance so that people know he is preaching the truth. He told the Gideons that their presentation of the Scriptures confirmed his message. All of the distributions took place at schools and universities, and the students expressed great interest in receiving God’s Word. One student was so grateful for his copy of God’s Word that he told the Gideons, “This is the best day of my life! Thank you for coming today.”
Welcomed in Mozambique
In October, a team of Gideons from the USA, Australia, Germany and South Africa partnered with local Gideons in Mozambique to conduct a oneweek International Scripture Blitz in the city of Beira. Beira’s pastors were excited about the event. One pastor shared how it was important for someone other than himself to come and speak the same Gospel message,
By the end of the week, members had distributed 50,000 copies of God’s Word at 52 schools and two universities. Returning home, one team member reflected on how participating in the Mozambique blitz was a life-changing experience: “You leave with a piece of the culture as part of your frame of reference and contemplate how great is our God!”
Growing in the Republic of China
In reviewing the December 2012 statistics in National Associations, the Republic of China had a 9% increase in church offerings and a 28% increase in total Scripture receipts. This growth placed them at 80% of their goal compared to where they were this time last year at 63%. Brother Joseph Huang, National Executive Director of the Republic of China, shared that the increase in church offerings was a result of the enhancement to their church presentations. They have placed greater emphasis on providing their members with newer materials, including testimonies with photos and testimony DVDs. They believe that the touching testimonies from the DVDs have had the greatest impact on compelling people to donate to The Gideons International. They have also better prepared their church presenters by providing them with church presentation sample scripts. The increase in Scripture receipts was partially the result of a large donation received from a nonGideon entrepreneur. They are rejoicing over God’s abundant provision and are continuing to follow God’s leading as they carry out the work of the ministry in the Republic of China.
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A global glance Regional Field Officer, David Foong, shared the following from a recent assignment:
Praying for Finland
In late 2012, a special presentation took place in the Republic of Finland. Representatives from The Gideons International in Finland presented a Dignitary Bible to Sauli Niinistö, President of Finland. One representative shared, “The occasion was very positive and the president was interested especially in our international activities. We also gave him a New Testament for his wife, Jenni Haukio. We promised to pray for President Niinistö, personally and as an organization.”
“Following a meeting with the camp president and several pastors in Botswana, we discovered there was a nail stuck in one of the tires. The camp president took us to a nearby tire repair shop, and as it was near closing time, the mechanic was reluctant to do the repair. Suddenly, a young Chinese man burst out of the office. He was so excited to see me and curious as to why another Chinese had come to his remote town. We conversed and when he found out I came to distribute Bibles, he decided not to charge me for the repair. He also offered to take us to a few schools the next day to distribute Scriptures.
The next morning, Dong [repair shop manager] led us to several schools that welcomed the men to distribute New Testaments. We learned that one deputy principal was actually a Gideon who was inactive. He was seemingly touched by this divine appointment and led us on the remainder of our distributions. About 400 Scriptures were shared with the students. After the distribution, I learned that Dong was not a Christian. I shared a Chinese Testament with him that I had packed with me – he promised to read it. The deputy principal came to the camp meeting that evening and took on the role of camp chaplain. Praise God for opening our eyes to catch a glimpse of His awesome plan!”
With a population of 5.26 million, 76.4% claim affiliation with the Lutheran Church of Finland. There is a great need for the saturation of the Gospel of Jesus Christ throughout the country. Currently there are 1,857 Gideons and 858 Auxiliary comprising 97 camps, and a goal has been set to distribute 120,000 Scriptures throughout Finland by the end of this fiscal year – as of December 31, 2012, they have distributed and placed 89,211.
Divine Appointment in Botswana
A G l o b a l G l a n c e ///
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THE gideon
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WHeRe ARe THeY noW? We often hear testimonies of people around the world coming to be saved as a result of reading a New Testament offered or placed by The Gideons International. Rarely do we get to go beyond that testimony to know the rest of the story. In 1976, John R. Petrilli shared his testimony in THE GIDEON (see image and excerpt on next page).
TESTIMONY OF JOHN PETRILLI
“The Gideons International is a unique ministry with global reach. Its practice of New Testament distribution got me started on my journey to the cross. I’m confident it will continue to be used greatly by Christ to do the same groundbreaking work in the lives of countless others.” - Petrilli
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Mr. Petrilli was gracious enough to update how God has continued to use him in various capacities throughout his life. His college career began in 1976 at Onondaga Community College in Syracuse, New York. After earning a second degree in education at the State University of New York, at Oswego, Petrilli followed a clear call to ministry. He enrolled at the Moody Bible Institute in Chicago where he double-majored in Evangelism and Pastoral Training. His roles as professional educator and pastor have uniquely equipped him to pursue his passions of evangelism, education and prolife advocacy. Currently he serves as a staff writer for two Christian publications in New York. Mr. Petrilli makes his home church at the Northside Baptist Church in Liverpool, New York. He claims 2 Corinthians 5:15 as his life verse which says, “and He died for all, that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again...”
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W h e r e A r e T h e y N o w?///
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THE GIDEON
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CHANGED LIVES Never Forsaken Not only were 13-year-old John Price’s parents atheists, they were also alcoholics. John was sitting in a hotel room in Miami, Florida. His mother was passed out drunk on the bed, his father was bar hopping for the evening, and John was bored. After watching some television, he began to look around in the drawers and discovered a Bible. John had been told by his atheist parents not to read the Bible as it was filled with fairy tales; but Mom was passed out and Dad was gone – and, like any curious teenager, he decided to take a look. As he opened the Bible, his eyes found Psalm 27:10: “When my father and my mother forsake me, Then the LORD will take care of me.” He snapped it shut. That verse had pierced his soul. It spoke to him! It was real! This Book knew him! John took the Bible with him when he left that hotel room. He hid it under his bed at home and read it every chance he got when his parents weren’t around. One day he realized his need for God, and he gave his life to Jesus Christ. Today, John K. Price II is a pastor serving in Clintwood, Virginia. All because of God’s grace, a church that gave the funds, and a Gideon who put the Bible in the drawer, Isaiah 55:11 was fulfilled.
Generations of Fruit Russell Calvin Savage was a member of America’s “greatest generation.” He grew up in Connecticut with eight brothers and sisters during the Great Depression. His mother supported the family by teaching school while his father wasted money and terrified his children. Russ served in the Army Air Corps during World War II as a gunner in the belly turret of a bomber. That particular 12
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job comes with no escape plan. Repeated missions over enemy territory left him with a lifelong dislike of flying and guns as well as a spiritual curiosity that was not typical of his family. None of his siblings showed much interest in God but were rather antagonistic toward Him most of their lives. Following the war, Russ began to struggle with depression. Although he was a very reserved man, in his desperation he spoke with several different pastors who were unable to give him satisfying answers to his questions about life and God. Eventually, some of his concerned family members offered to watch his children so that he and his wife, Arlene, could get away for a vacation. In their hotel room in Florida, Russ found a Bible placed there by a member of The Gideons International. He began reading it and understood the plan of salvation for the first time. He invited Jesus into his life and went home a new creature in Christ. Though his battle with depression was life long, Russ had finally found the answers to his questions about God. Russ and Arlene were both spiritually hungry and grew rapidly in the Lord. After three years of study, Russ and Arlene were accepted as missionaries to pastor a small church in Kirschner, a community on the outskirts of St. Joseph, Missouri. Public speaking was torture for Russ, but the people of the community loved their new pastor and his family, and over 60 came to know Christ and a number of young people entered Christian ministry during his time there. Russ and Arlene went on to pastor churches in Colorado and Kansas as well, always having a great ministry with youth and seeing many salvation decisions along the way, including those of their own children. True to God’s promise, His Word has produced generations of fruit from just one Bible placed in a hotel room. /// C h a n g e d L i v e s
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What a Difference a Penny Makes! After a very successful Camp Development Plan Dinner in Paris, Texas, my wife and I were heading home. We felt great about what had just happened in Paris. Sixteen men attended the dinner meeting and all 16 had joined. On the way home we needed gas, so I pulled off the interstate when I felt the price was probably the best we were going to find. I noticed the station across the interstate had gas for a penny less, but I stayed where I was and decided to pay the extra penny. While I was pumping gas, my wife, Naida, was inside the station witnessing and handing out Personal Workers Testaments. As she spoke to a Spanish speaking man, I approached just as another man came up and began to listen. Naida turned to me and said, “You help them while I go to the car for more New Testaments.” She told me that Mike, the man she’d been speaking with, was attending church but wanted to know more. She then handed me her English New Testament and walked out to the car. That was when I learned the second man was only there to help as an interpreter.
exited about 20 minutes later, the girl was still reading the New Testament; and she was still engrossed in it as they drove away. Just after 1:00 p.m., I was about to leave when a car came sliding to a halt in front of me, the driver blowing the horn and yelling for me not to leave. The young girl and her father came running over to my van, and the father said, “Chaplain, where can I get my daughter baptized? I was startled and asked him why, and he said, “You gave her that little Bible about four hours ago, and she has not put it down. She turned to the back of it and read how to be a Christian, and she asked Jesus into her heart. Now she is insisting she needs to be baptized, but we are not from this area and don't know how to contact a church here.” I helped them find a church, and when they left, I thanked God that I just happened to be there that day. Ernest K. Lyons Crawford County, Ohio
I opened my New Testament to the back and had Mike do the same with his Spanish New Testament. Then, with the help of my newfound interpreter, we went through the plan of salvation. Mike prayed the sinner’s prayer and signed the back of his New Testament. Back in our car, we reflected on what a difference a penny had made. We could have missed that blessing and Mike might have missed heaven. Marvin Goldsmith Texas Membership Regional Program Leader
“Where can I get my daughter baptized?” On December 17, 2011, I was sitting outside a food market in Astor, Florida, accepting donations to the American Legion. I had a supply of Personal Workers Testaments. A young girl got out of a car with her parents and as they walked past me, I asked the girl if she had her own Bible. She said, “No,” so I asked her father if I could give her one. He agreed, and the little girl entered the food market reading her New Testament. When they
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THE gideon
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Planning for
SIGNIFICANCE By JonaThan sChWeigerT
Few of us ever achieve all the things in life we hope to accomplish. Through experience, however, we learn that careful planning gets us closer to fulfilling our dreams and achieving our goals. Likewise, a Gideon camp rarely, if ever, accomplishes all that it possibly could. Some camps muddle in the land of low expectations while others soar beyond their objectives. The difference lies in how well our plans are made and executed. Effective planning prevents happenstance. There is a story about a wayward man who was summoned before a judge. The judge asked him, “Where do you live?” The man replied, “Here and there.” “What kind of work do you do?” asked the exploring judge. The man’s answer was, “This and that.” Frustrated, the judge declared, “Throw him in jail.” As the prisoner was being led out of the courtroom, he turned back suddenly and implored the judge, “But when will I get out?” The judge quickly replied, “Sooner or later.” While that story is lighthearted, it represents the kind of happenstance that can occur without effective planning, and that is much more serious.
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Consider some steps gleaned from successful camps.
PLAN
Plan with faith, believing that God will bless the outcome. Luke 14:28-32 provides the incentive: “For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it -- lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.’ Or what king, going to make war against another king, does not sit down first and consider whether he is able with ten thousand to meet him who comes against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is still a great way off, he sends a delegation and asks conditions of peace.” At work you have a business plan; for family travels you develop a vacation plan; and when building a new home, you refine your floor plan. The Annual Camp Planner is no different. It is simply a tool to help maximize all the resources managed by the camp. When your camp plans its monthly programs, events, distributions, fundraising, and membership efforts, it is looking at the full collective resources of the camp and determining how to utilize them to achieve maximum results.
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PRIORITIZE
A camp can maximize time and resources by prioritizing meeting programs, activities, and manpower. The completed Annual Camp Planner should be sent to all camp members. This is also a way for members to integrate their calendars so that the word “can’t” is removed from the camp’s vocabulary.
PREPARE
Preparation simply puts feet to what you have planned within the framework of established priorities. All details have to be considered and various resources marshaled together. Once a plan is made and prioritized, necessary resources have to be secured. Success depends upon everyone doing his part well. A camp needs careful preparation for its activities.
family, who worked as an eye doctor, had one afternoon off each week. If we planned distributions for that day, he could participate – and he certainly did. We only saw him at those distributions, but we were always grateful for his participation as he served with intense desire to see others come to know Christ.
PERFORM
Everyone can perform well when the Annual Camp Planner is thoughtfully completed, shared, and followed. There is time to make adjustments as needed. When you do everything with excellence you are well on your way to serving the Lord with significance. Around the world, someone is counting on you. “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might.” Ecclesiastes 9:10a.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
PARTICIPATE
Mapping out membership activities, church ministry efforts, and fundraising plans at the beginning of the camp year gives everyone an opportunity to see how, when, and where they can serve. Seeing the human resources need for the year provides for a broader distribution of assignments and serving opportunities. Everyone can do something. A Gideon with a young
P l a n n i n g f o r S i g n i f i c a n c e ///
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Jonathan Schweigert has served in several positions on the South Carolina Association Cabinet and on international committees. He presently serves on the International Cabinet as Trustee for USA Zone 11 (North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia). He and his wife, Addie, reside in Simpsonville, South Carolina.
THE GIDEON
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Unique Opportunities to Provide God’s Word (and save on taxes)
“Moreover it is required in stewards that one be found faithful.” —1 Corinthians 4:2 There are many ways to demonstrate good stewardship when giving resources to provide God’s Word. This often involves effective tax planning along with the desire to be faithful in stewardship. Generosity is demonstrating the love of God by wisely re-investing the resources that He has entrusted to us. Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and Securities often provide such opportunities.
• You are entitled to a federal income tax deduction based on the current fair market value of the securities, regardless of their original cost. The income tax deduction for long-term capital gain property is limited to 30 percent of your adjusted gross income in the year you make the gift, but the excess is deductible for up to five additional years.
Securities Stocks, bonds, and mutual funds are the most common types of securities in a person’s investment portfolio. Few securities are protected from market fluctuations. However, an investment in God’s Word will provide “seed to the sower and bread to the eater.” – Isaiah 55:10 A securities portfolio is often among the more valuable assets you own—and one that can carry substantial capital gain. With careful planning, you can reduce federal capital gains tax on appreciated securities while supporting The Gideons International. Donating securities may provide greater tax benefits than giving cash.
How It Works As the cash value of a security increases, so do the taxes you might owe on the gain when it is sold. Capital gain tax rates depend on your tax bracket (current maximum is 20%). However, when you donate publicly traded stocks, bonds, or mutual funds that you’ve owned for more than one year you enjoy two major tax benefits: • You will be exempt from the capital gain tax on any increase in value—taxes you would pay if you had sold the securities.
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Is This Gift Right for You? If you answer “yes” to each of the following questions, a charitable gift of securities probably meets your needs. If not, we can help you find an option that’s a better fit for your goals. • Do you have securities that you’ve owned for more than one year and are worth more than you originally paid for them? • Do you want to avoid paying taxes on their appreciation? • Can you afford to give up ownership of these securities? • Would you like to provide God’s Word for people today? An Example: David wants to make a charitable gift of $10,000. He can make his gift with either cash or stock. He has a federal income tax rate of 28 percent and is not subject to state or local income taxes. He owns publicly traded stock with a fair market value of $10,000 and a cost basis of $4,000 (see example on next page).
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•
Can you afford to give up ownership of these securities?
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Would you like to provide God’s Word for people today?
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Cash Gift vs. Stock Gift Type of gift
Cash
Stock
Value of gift
$10,000
$10,000
Cost basis
N/A
$4,000
Long‐term capital gain if sold
N/A
$6,000
Long‐term capital gains tax eliminated ($6,000 x 15% rate)
N/A
$900
Income tax savings ($10,000 x 28% rate)
$2,800
$2,800
Total tax savings (capital gains tax eliminated + income tax savings)
$2,800
$3,700
Net cost of gift (value of gift minus tax savings)
$7,200
$6,300
An illustration of how this type of donation works: In this example, giving the stock instead of writing a check In this example, giving the stock instead of writing a check gains $900. A higher federal tax bracket and Mary, age 72, has an IRA which she created when she gains $900. A higher federal tax bracket and any state or rolled over her retirement plan. Her required minimum local income taxes would further improve David’s results. distribution in 2013 is $9,500. She really does not need A tax or legal advisor can provide you with additional the income due to other investments. She has the choice information, or you can simply contact the of taking the $9,500 distribution and paying income tax. Development Department about transferring securities. Or, she can transfer that amount from her IRA before We can provide information for you and your financial Dec. 31, 2013, and she will avoid paying income tax on institution that would be helpful in completing your gift the $9,500. She will not, however, be able to use it as a to The Gideons International. charitable income tax deduction.
individual retireMent accountS (iras) Under the extended charitable IRA legislation for 2012 and 2013, you may be able to make charitable gifts now to The Gideons International using funds from your individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and avoid taxation on the minimum required distribution. Plus, you can make the gift now and personally realize the benefit of your generosity. This unique opportunity expires at the end of 2013. You can make a contribution if: • You are age 70½ or older at the time of the gift. • You transfer up to $100,000 directly from your IRA. This opportunity applies only to IRAs and not other types of retirement plans. • You make your gift by Dec. 31, 2013. The transfer generates neither taxable income nor a tax deduction, so you will receive the benefit even if you do not itemize tax deductions. The transfer may count toward your required minimum distribution (RMD) for 2013. You’ll make an immediate impact by touching lives for Christ.
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The renewed IRA Charitable Rollover gives her an easy and convenient way to support The Gideons International without tax complications.
iS tHiS kind of Gift riGHt for You? Please contact the Development Department at International Headquarters for further information and to assess this strategy for your personal situation.
an urGent need to reacH PeoPle for cHriSt If the Lord has blessed you with Individual Retirement Accounts (IRAs) and Securities, and you have the desire to provide God’s Word, you may wish to consider these opportunities. You can inform International Headquarters to direct your gift to the Faith Fund for your camp, state, or the goal at the international convention. We will be honored to assist you. Simply contact the Development Department at International Headquarters: (615) 564-5000 (during regular business hours) or email anytime: development@gideons.org.
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God’s Word in norWay By Tore sandring
Norway has a multicultural population over 5 million. In May 212, the national constitution was revised such that the State Church no longer exists. The percentage of active Christians has fallen in recent years and is now only 4.5%.
One day, a desperate lady in the southern part of the country called the headquarters of The Gideons International in Norway. She sat alone in a room at the Hotel Norway. She had been there a few days trying to determine what to do with her life. She had abandoned her husband and children, and she felt very guilty. It seemed there was no turning back after what she had done. Living no longer made sense and the only solution was suicide. Then she had found the Gideonplaced Bible. After using the helps pages and reading the Bible, she called the Gideon office. She needed help. She wanted to give her life to Jesus, but didn’t know how. She could not believe there was forgiveness for what she had done. Several passages were read to her over the phone about forgiveness, and then she had the courage to invite Jesus into her life. No suicide that afternoon, but a new life in Christ.
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SCOPE OF THE OUTREACH The Gideons International in Norway was officially established in 1978 and is now organized in two regions, with nine areas and 56 camps. There are 1,400 Gideons and 400 Auxiliary. Gideon-placed Bibles are found in approximately 90% of the hotel and motel rooms in the country. The Gideons in Norway are reaching more than 80% of the students with copies of God’s Word. The National Association of Norway is not only responsible for supplying its own Scriptures but is also a vital part of international outreach. Last year, by God’s grace, the Gideons in Norway provided funds to purchase 280,000 Scriptures for the International Outreach Ministry.
THE OSLO BLITZ A major Scripture blitz was conducted in Oslo, the capital of Norway. Members, along with the city’s 60 churches, prayed fervently for the blitz, and God blessed the effort with great success. Even the weather cooperated! Sixty schools were targeted for the blitz—teams of six people each were responsible for distributions at ten schools. More schools were open to the distributions than had been in many years. As the final numbers were tallied, 2,960 boys and girls had received New Testaments. 456 Bibles were placed in hotels and motels during the blitz. Information was also collected as to key contact people in each facility, and this will be very important for future placements. Eight hospitals and 47 nursing homes were open to the placement of 1,944 copies of God’s Word in patient rooms. Additionally, the Auxiliary distributed 974 Medical Testaments. For the first time ever, Gideons made Scripture distributions at universities in Oslo. With glory to God for answered prayer, all details went according to plan and Gideons distributed New Testaments to students at entrances and on campus. Some students were seen reading their Scriptures immediately. This was an unforgettable experience, and a great encouragement for all who participated as 5,804 New Testaments were given to students and faculty.
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Feedback from the participants was clear—“This was fun and a true blessing. Let’s do it again!”
IN THE LAND OF THE MIDNIGHT SUN Nearly half of Norway is north of the Arctic Circle. Many areas are sparsely populated with long distances between distribution sites. Travel in this region can be difficult, but there is also amazing natural beauty. Troms is an area in Northern Norway with a population of about 160,000. Preparations for a Scripture blitz there started with fervent prayer. A church presentation about the blitz was made in the city of Troms, and the offering that day was presented to the Gideons to support the blitz effort. In three days, after driving hundreds of kilometers, distributions had been made to 19 schools and nine nursing homes. All to the glory of God! Nordland is another sparsely populated area in the northern reaches of the country. National Association President Kaare Mathiassen and former National President Magnus Frantzen made the trip to Bodø where the blitz began. Distributions were made at 39 schools as well as hotels and nursing homes. God was faithful on this trip as well, and He blessed the team with good reception, open doors, warm hearts, and great weather. They crossed the Arctic Circle twice and had to travel by ferry several times to reach every school. Members distribute the Word of God in Norway with confidence that He will save those who let it speak to their hearts. ABOUT THe AUTHOR
Tore Sandring currently serves as Executive Director for The Gideons International in Norway. He and his wife, Hege, have four children.
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men&WOmen
Of fAiTH
Reaching Others for Christ Seventh in a Series on Our Spiritual Objectives By Bill Hanna, Chaplain, The Gideons International in Australia On the 30th of June in 1859, the famous French tightrope walker Charles Blondin walked along a single three-inch hemp cord from one side of Niagara Falls to the other. This rope was 1,100 feet long and stretched 270 feet above the rocks and torrents below. He made 16 trips across the Falls during the next few months—once with his manager on his back, then using stilts, sometimes pushing a wheel barrow, and once taking his elderly mother over in the wheel barrow. Blondin was obviously very courageous—indeed fearless— but he also demonstrated faith: faith in the rope and faith in his own unusual ability. He had large crowds of spectators, sometimes over 100,000 people. When asked for volunteers to get in the wheel barrow, all believed he could take them across safely, but none except his mother had enough belief in him when it really came to the decision. That speaks of faith in a worldly dimension. People of the world may say they have no faith, but every day they exhibit faith when doing simple things such as crossing a bridge, taking a flight, or undergoing surgery. FAITH is a fascinating subject. It is defined as “a dependence on the veracity of another or a firm belief and trust in a person, a doctrine or a statement.” The opposite must surely be fear. Faith is mentioned 243 times in the New Testament, and some of those refer back to the Old Testament. The writer of Hebrews has provided the most wonderful definition of faith ever written: “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” (11:1) We have an earnest expectation!
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To the world this might seem a paradox, since, to be legally accepted, evidence is something we must have personally witnessed or heard. Faith is absolutely vital for us to have a right relationship with God: “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God,” (Ephesians 2:8). Our walk as believers begins by grace, received through faith, and then we continue when “we walk by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7) Indeed, “the just shall live by faith.” (Habakkuk 2:4, Romans 1:17, Galatians 3:11, Hebrews 10:38) This was the catch-cry of the early reformers. Walking by faith was the supposition of the thesis that Martin Luther posted on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg, October 31, 1517. We have only enough space to mention a few of the heroes of faith. Noah stands out early in human history when, being warned of God about coming disaster as a consequence of human wickedness, he painstakingly built the ark to rescue creation from a massive flood. This was all the more remarkable when we remember that there had previously been no rain on the earth. Noah was a man who walked with God. His was a mighty, saving faith. Abraham, at the command of God, left his homeland in Ur of the Chaldees and set out in faith, not knowing where he was to go. As if that were not sufficient to test his faith, he was later willing to obey God’s command to take his son of promise, Isaac, and sacrifice him to the Lord. It is said that so great was his trust (faith) that he was willing to do that.
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Because of his faith, Abraham was declared by James to be “the friend of God.” Faith produced the reaction of the three young Israelite men—Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—when they were about to be thrown into the fiery furnace. They answered King Nebuchadnezzar, “…our God whom we serve is able to deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and He will deliver us from your hand, O king. But if not, let it be known to you, O king, that we do not serve your gods, nor will we worship the gold image which you have set up.” (Daniel 3:17-18) What amazing faith! What an outcome for God’s glory! The Lord Jesus spoke often to his followers about faith. Once, He was asleep in the back of the storm-tossed boat on the Sea of Galilee, and they cried out in fear. When Jesus stilled the waters with His word, He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?” (Mark 4:40) I wonder how we would have reacted in the same situation. As Christians, we should be assured because we have Jesus in our boat. On another occasion, He commended the faith demonstrated by a Roman centurion when he implicitly trusted Him to heal his paralysed servant. Jesus commented, “Assuredly, I say to you, I have not found such great faith, not even in Israel!” (Matthew 8:10, Luke 7:9). Jesus showed His own absolute faith in His Father God, when He called out at Lazarus’s tomb, “Lazarus, come forth!” (John 11:43) Our Lord also surely surprised the disciples when He informed them that, “if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, ‘Move from here to there,’ and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you.” (Matthew 17:20) Jesus asks the question, “When the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8) Later, when He was discoursing with the disciples about the rapid withering of the cursed fig tree, Jesus simply said, “Have
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faith in God.” (Mark 11:22) Would He not say the same words to you and me today? Faith is essential in every aspect of our lives for the extension of God’s kingdom. If we look at the importance of faith in in every facet of our ministry, we see how it relates to our other Spiritual Objectives. We recall the admonition in James 2:26, “… faith without works is dead…”
Wherever we look, faith is needed. As we read in Ephesians 2:8, “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God…” There are no exceptions to that! In more recent times, we do have many examples of heroes of faith. I have enjoyed reading about the life of George Mueller, an outstanding man of faith, who lived in the 19th century. He lived by faith, and absolutely nothing shook his belief in God’s power and willingness to answer believing prayer. Because of this, God used him in a mighty way. On one occasion he was crossing the Atlantic for a special speaking engagement in Quebec, Canada. The vessel was totally fog bound for many hours, and when Mueller approached the ship’s captain, he was told that there was absolutely no possibility that the ship would dock on time. Unperturbed, George Mueller told the seasoned sailor that God had never failed him yet, and that if the vessel didn’t get him there on time, God would provide some other means of transportation to have him at the meeting as scheduled! Standing beside the unbelieving captain, he prayed a simple prayer that God would lift the fog, which had enveloped the ship for so long, in five minutes! Mr. Mueller requested that the captain peer out the cabin window, and when he did, the fog had indeed completely disappeared! I hope that you, like me, would want to cry out as Jesus’ disciples did, “Increase our Faith.” (Luke 17:5)
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beIng FISHeRS oF Men by Mike Steiner, International Chaplain
Jesus certainly called men to follow Him. We see in Matthew 4:19 that familiar call to his disciples: “Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.” I often wonder what it would have been like to be on that shore when Jesus called out to those fishermen. They sensed something very special about this man, Jesus – but they probably had no idea how their lives were about to change. They accepted the challenge of His call and people’s lives were forever changed. Jerry Clunan, a Gideon from Pennsylvania, shared with me recently that when he better understood the power of speech he was much more effective in pointing others to Jesus. God has helped him to more fully understand the command, “Follow me.”
FROM THE BEGINNING, GOD SPOKE EVERYTHING INTO EXISTENCE. PROVERBS TEACHES US THAT SPEECH IS A GIFT GIVEN FREELY BY GOD – “THE PREPARATIONS OF THE HEART BELONG TO MAN, BUT THE ANSWER OF THE TONGUE IS FROM THE LORD.” (PROVERBS 16:1)
Speech is something that God uses to communicate His gift of grace. We read in Proverbs: 18:21 that, “Death and life are in the power of the tongue...”
WHAT A PRIVILEGE IT IS FOR US TO SHARE THE GOOD NEWS OF THE GOSPEL WITH OTHERS IN OUR DAILY LIVES. So many times we miss such
opportunities because we are too busy in our activities… and because we have not really prayed for the Lord to prepare us for these “divine appointments.” Oh, that each day in our quiet time we would commit to make ourselves available for Him!
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In Romans 10:17 we read: “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Let me add some emphasis by saying that faith comes by hearing and hearing by receiving (quickening) the Word of God into one’s spirit. Assume everyone is searching for God. Why? Because everyone is! We were created this way. God has purposely frustrated humanity by creating us with eternity in our hearts, yet with an inability to fathom what that is, or what it means (Ecclesiastes 3:10-11). You may ask,
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“How so?” We read in Acts 17:27: “so that they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might grope for Him and find Him, though He is not far from each one of us…” The Lord Jesus is most interested in the harvest. He calls himself, in Matthew 9:38, “the Lord of the harvest.” It was the harvest that moved Him to come to a depraved world like ours. He said, in Luke 19:10, “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” Jesus Christ is still the Lord of the harvest, and He is still calling for laborers to join Him in sowing the Gospel seeds and reaping souls for God’s eternal glory. The harvest is also the reason we are here, and that was the inspiration upon which The Gideons International was founded. He says to us in John 20:21, “As the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” He sends us so that people will come to Christ – that is the heartbeat of the Lord. He emphasized this by repeating the Great Commission five different times in the Gospels and in the book of Acts (Matthew 28:18-20; Mark 16:15; Luke 24:44-48; John 20:21; Acts 1:8). Satan’s strategy is to distract us with the urgency of the moment versus the importance of eternity. When we are distracted, we are not blessing others, and God cannot use us. No Christian is allowed to be a spectator when it comes to lost souls. You might say, “It is not my gift.” While it is true that some are more gifted in certain areas, pointing people to Jesus is a command that applies to us all. In the great quest for the salvation of lost souls, it has to be understood that we cannot do it without God, but He does not do it without us. What a blessing that He allows us to be part of that equation! Too many Christians today are simply living their life in the safety of their salvation. Walk into someone’s life today. Just walk alongside people and enter into their situation – listen, talk, laugh, cry. Learn about them and find out what you can. Look for a way to bless them. There’s something to give and something to receive in every relationship, as brief as it might be.
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Try asking them this, “What specific problem do you have that I might be able to lift up in prayer?” You might use “challenge” or another word in place of “problem,” but be as specific as you can. The situation might allow you to pray at that very moment. If that is the case, then of course you want to follow through by giving them a Personal Workers Testament and showing them the helps section in the front. Try specifically pointing out, “Help With Life’s Problems.” The conversation might occur with a waitress, store clerk, mechanic, or with some encounter that you may think is just a coincidence. Most of the time these are “God-incidences” and they occur every day in our own community. You do not need to fly across oceans to go to the mission field – you are already there! As we pray to God for opportunities to bless people with His grace, He will arrange the appointment and provide the words to say. Consider Jeremiah 1:9 – “Then the LORD put forth His hand and touched my mouth, and the LORD said to me: ‘Behold, I have put My words in your mouth.’” However, we must be willing to go. Unless we go, God’s grace cannot work through us. People are amazingly disarmed when you ask how you can pray for them. Instead of making a pitch, simply be an invitation. You do not need to be a “salesperson”; you just need to be a blessing. “But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.” (Acts 20:24) God’s Word will not return unto Him void. The promises of God are “yes” and “amen.” His Word is forever settled in heaven. What God says will ultimately come to pass – and you can trust it – it is His Word.
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Simple, Disciplined, Well-Defined
Leadership
Editorial Note: The following article is condensed from messages by International Vice President Dr. William E. G. Thomas and Executive Director Craig Warner delivered at the biennial Presidents Conference.
One of the core values of The Gideons International is that it is a simple, disciplined, well-defined ministry carried out exclusively by the membership of the Association under the authority and direction of the International Cabinet. Because our Association has been purposely and prayerfully structured around this attribute, leadership of the Association is very deliberate. The Gideons International operates in a spiritual framework where all activity is central to its ultimate purpose—to win others for the Lord Jesus Christ. Members have the opportunity to associate with likeminded individuals, demonstrate their faith in personal witnessing, and accept accountability to the ultimate goal of winning others to the Lord Jesus Christ. Leadership at all levels in the Association is dedicated to ensuring that spiritual integrity is maintained and the purpose is fulfilled in a simple, disciplined, well-defined manner.
Maximizing People In whatever role Gideon leaders find themselves, they can be confident that those under their leadership are God’s men and women. Leaders are expected to leverage the gifts and personalities of others in terms of what they can contribute toward the purpose of the Association. Leaders maximize people’s strengths,
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realizing that all have peculiar gifts from the Holy Spirit. The leader’s greatest opportunity is investing in the lives of others. One way to do that is through delegation. It has been said, “Only do those things that you can do. If someone else can do it, let them.” It is important to focus on the results to be achieved more than the tasks to be performed. People rarely do things the same way as others, so the end result is the important point. Another way to invest in people is to hold them accountable. Leaders work closely with others toward excellence in all activities, and then follow up to be sure “all things are done decently and in order” (I Corinthians 14:40). In other words, you cannot expect what you don’t inspect. Finally, you can invest in others through measurement. Measurement is a tool that is often misunderstood as we work to fulfill goals and objectives. In The Gideons International there are plenty of measurement tools. For example, last year, 84,083,388 Scriptures were distributed. Why do we count Scriptures? Because each one represents a person – and people count! Why do we set a goal for Scripture receipts? Because those funds provide Scriptures! Leaders work to achieve goals so that more people may have the opportunity to read God’s Word.
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THE CHaRaCTER OF leadershiP Honesty and truth are characteristics to be highly regarded. Leaders are called to speak the truth, but always in love. Difficulty may arise when we err on either side. When we speak the truth carelessly or harshly, our words might be true, even from the Lord, but they can cut so deeply that the recipient can’t hear what we are really saying; moreover it may cause discouragement, and in some cases even resignation. The other extreme is when we are so tenderhearted that we refuse to speak the truth when it needs to be expressed. Wise leaders learn to resist these two temptations, knowing that loveless truth can be damaging, and tenderness that refuses to speak the truth is equally dangerous. The leader must be authentic. People expect their leadership to be genuine – and they deserve no less. Leaders should be honest and transparent, both with themselves and the people around them. They value the relationships and enjoy learning from others. People know who good leaders are because they don’t hide anything or represent themselves as something else. Expectations should be clear and concise. The leader must clearly understand in his own mind not only what he expects of others but also how his expectations are relevant to the ultimate purpose of the ministry. He must communicate expectations in a way that allows people to see the ultimate purpose in what they do. Shallow expectations waste time and energy, eventually causing frustration and even conflict. Conflict sometimes arises in the best of organizations, and leaders must be prepared to deal with it when necessary. Perhaps in no other circumstances is simple, disciplined, well-defined leadership more critical. Conflict resolution must be handled with fairness, openness, and honesty. In dealing with conflict, the first question the leader must ask is, “Is this happening because of something that I said or did?” Leaders must be very sure they know and understand all the issues involved in conflict; otherwise, their attempt at resolution may be in vain.
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In Matthew 20:25-27, Jesus tells us that leaders should be servants, not lording over people. Authority in Christian ministry is different than authority in the world. Christian leaders should first of all be servants.
SUBMiTTing TO God’s direCTioN Theologian Samuel Rutherford is famous for saying, “Praise God for the hammer, the file, and the furnace.” Consider the nail. It only knows the hammer as an opponent, brutally beating it down. Yet without that hammer, the nail would be utterly useless – it could never fulfil its purpose. It is so easy when we are under the hammer to forget to give thanks because we forget that the hammer is in the hands of the Master Builder, preparing us for leadership. What about the file? It continually scrapes away the edges, moulding our lives and shaping us to the Master’s will. When we feel the pain of the file, we need to remember its purpose—shaping us to be the leaders He wants us to be. We must have absolute assurance that the file is in the hands of the One who called us into leadership. The furnace is perhaps the most ruthless of all—burning up the impurities, consuming all the dross! It is never extinguished until its job is done and all the impurities in our lives are utterly destroyed. When we feel the fire of the furnace, we should remember to give thanks for its cleansing power. The only way Samuel Rutherford could welcome the trials of life was by recognizing the purpose of these tools, molding and making him after God’s will. These same truths shape leadership in The Gideons International today: hammered, filed, and tried in the furnace of God’s grace. Above all, leaders must be willing to submit to God’s direction in order for His ultimate purpose to prevail.
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A Vision for the future The Gideoncard Bible program By BruCe ChadWiCK, usa Zone 7 TrusTee I opened the envelope with some apprehension, but I was surprised to find a beautiful card and a bulletin from a recent funeral service. It was a “thank you” note from a family member, thanking The Gideons International for the GideonCard Bible Program. The writer related some of the events surrounding her mother’s funeral service and went on to say, “We are aware of 112 Bibles purchased in Mom’s honor. This helps make our loss more bearable, knowing that her ministry is being continued and hopefully will lead to many decisions for Christ.” Many members are surprised to discover that almost 25% of our Scripture Fund Goal is expected to be generated by the GideonCard Bible Program! However, funds provided for Scriptures by the GideonCard Bible Program peaked in 2008 and have been declining by a small percentage every year. Responding to recommendations of a special committee that has been studying the GideonCard Bible Program, the International Cabinet has taken steps to reverse the decline and help the program start growing once again. What’s in a name? The name of a program indicates emphasis, a reason for existing. The GideonCard Program is being re-named the GideonCard Bible Program. The program exists to provide funds for Scriptures, not to fulfill our need for cards; thus, Bible is being returned to the program name. In 2008, the Association expanded what was then known as the Memorial Bible Program and introduced a
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new type of card. These new cards, called Occasion and Holiday Cards, were sold for a fixed price. This caused some confusion because we now had two card lines (Tribute and Occasion) that raised funds two different ways (donation and fixed-price). Even after several years of promotion, the fixed-price cards contribute less than 2% of the funds raised by the card program. In order to simplify the GideonCard Bible Program, Occasion and Holiday Cards, with the exception of Christmas cards, will be discontinued as of May 31, 2013. We will continue to offer attractive Christmas cards each year. There is a reason retailers offer many different card designs. The number of style preferences and specialized occasions seems almost limitless! Knowing we could never produce designs to satisfy every taste or cover every occasion, a new Bible Gift Card Insert will allow a person to donate funds for Bibles and acknowledge that gift when sending any retail greeting card. The sender will include the insert describing the gift of Bibles in a card of their own choosing and send it to the recipient. Then, they will send their donation in a response envelope (Form 802). The Bible Gift Card Insert will be distributed freely to donors; however, it should not be placed in a GideonCard display in a church or funeral home. While your existing Tribute Cards will still work and should be used, we will be introducing additional card designs.
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The In Memory card is the most important card in the GideonCard Bible Program, accounting for almost 80% of the funds given. The Thinking of You card will become a Praying for You card, which many members have been requesting. Praying for You will be appropriate for sending to pastors, to the sick or anyone else who will be blessed to know that someone cares and is praying for them. In addition, we will introduce an On Your Special Day card, which will be ideal for honoring a person by donating funds for Scriptures on the occasion of their birthday, anniversary, graduation, wedding, or one of many other occasions. The acrylic displays currently in funeral homes and churches will continue to be used. Since the program will be simplified, it will not be necessary to display the promotional brochure (Form 824). The fourth pocket in the church display may be used for an additional facing of In Memory cards. We will provide updates for the display headers but there is no need to change the displays. Any Tribute Card Packets (Form 825) you have on hand are still serviceable, and we encourage their use. Because structural changes are being made to the GideonCard Bible Program, you will see updated support resources such as the GideonCard website, video presentation, church speaker materials, revised Tribute Card Packet), and much more. All these items
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will be designed to make promotion and administration of the program easier. The improvements to the GideonCard Bible Program will help make the program simpler and more effective, as well as position it for growth. However, it requires focused attention and focused administration by the camp to prosper. A receipt must be sent to the donor to acknowledge their gift. The camp GideonCard chairman should recruit several interested members, including the Auxiliary liaison. This team can help refresh displays, assist with bookkeeping, make presentations to appropriate church groups, and distribute samples of the cards as appropriate. Is it worth the effort? We recently received this letter from a Navy brig written by a young Marine named Christopher. He writes, “I felt that my life was pointless and that everything I had done was for nothing, until one day I saw your Bible on a bookshelf in the brig. Over the past week of reading the Bible, I have been able to hold my head up again. For the first time, I dropped to my knees and prayed to God asking for help. I thank you for providing me with the opportunity to read your Bible by making it free and available.” Without the needed funds, those Scriptures will not be there. Yes, the GideonCard Bible Program requires a lot of effort from us all but, thanks be to God, it provides His Word in abundance so that people like Christopher all over the world can come to a saving faith in Jesus Christ.
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Thursday Evening International Treasurer’s Address Testimony Bible Message
Program highlights Tuesday Evening International Fellowship Banquet Testimony International Ministry Presentation Wednesday Morning Morning Devotions Joint Session Memorial Moments Keynote Message Presentation—Are We Relevant? International Outreach Emphasis Presentation—Working in a Hostile World Testimony Witness in Action Wednesday Afternoon National Association Emphasis Funding the Ministry into the Future Gideon Card Bible Program Meet the Cabinet Fellowship Wednesday Evening Executive Director’s Address International Outreach Ministry Report Testimony Bible Message Thursday Morning Zone Breakfasts Testimony Bible Message Witness in Action
Friday Morning Joint Session International President’s Address Testimony International Auxiliary President’s Address Reaching the Next Generation Bible Hour Message Witness In Action Friday Afternoon Membership Qualifications Ministry in Metropolitan Areas Business Session Friday Evening Pastors Banquet Saturday Morning Business Session and Elections Saturday Afternoon Goals and Objectives for 2013 - 2014 Saturday Evening Installation of Officers Testimony International Outreach Emphasis Closing Prayer
Orlando Here We Come! International Convention • July 23–28, 2013 Register online now for the International Convention in Orlando. Visit theConnection and use the link in the rotating banner to access the online registration pages. Convention is a wonderful time with sessions that will impact your ministry, and the opportunity to meet members from more than 90 countries. This is also a great year to attend and bring your family. You can stay the weekend before or after Convention for the same special discounted Convention rate. Don’t delay. Go online and register today!
Thursday Afternoon Working with Our Partners Working in the Face of Opposition Working with Media Presentations Working to Witness
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pASTOR’S POINT R e V. m i c H A e l G A T e S ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Rev. Michael Gates is senior pastor of Faith Missionary Alliance Church in Winston-Salem, NC,
www.faithmac.com. We are deeply grateful to Pastor Gates for his support.
W H O i S YO U R H e R O? If you were asked this question: “In your life, who would you choose as your hero?” – who would it be? Every Sunday, I have the privilege of spending time and interacting with 39 of my heroes. Let me introduce you to them. My heroes are the men and women in my congregation who serve in The Gideons International. These are the people who demonstrate faithfulness as servants of the King; not only on Sundays, but as much as possible, they participate in every service we have. They are also busy placing God’s Word in locations all over our community and making certain that people have the opportunity to read God’s Word. Often, I hear one of our Gideons say, “Pastor, Saturday morning at prayer breakfast, you were lifted up before the Lord.” As a pastor, one of my favorite services is “Gideon Sunday.” It is a joy to dedicate and devote that day to remembering the power of the written Word, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no
means pass away.” (Matthew 24:35) What a thrill to hear how God allows us as a church to be a vital part of placing Scriptures in hotels, jails, hospitals and schools. I would encourage every pastor to support the placement of God’s Word, and look for the qualified men in their churches who would prayerfully consider the great opportunity to serve as Gideons. One of the most important tasks we have as pastors is to constantly remind our people of what God’s Word clearly teaches. As we exalt God’s Word, it will give us power in the pulpit. When we remember that God has promised that His Word will not return void, it gives us confidence in what we preach. I thank God for those who stand with me, pray for me, and take God’s precious Word and place it into the hands of people who need to know that there is hope in a world that seems to be in a hopeless condition. “To God be the glory, great things He has done.” It is a privilege to be just a small part of something this big. Thank you, Gideons; you are indeed my heroes.
How important is it for your church to connect to the surrounding community? It is extremely important to have outreach to attract the lost and community to our body of believers so that we can show and tell them about Jesus.
in what ways is your church reaching out? We have Awana, Spring and Fall Festivals, Ladies Hospitality Banquets, Men’s Sportsman Banquets, and at least one revival a year to attract our community. We are constantly looking for ways of presenting the Gospel.
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As He Sends Us
inTeRnATiOnAl DAY Of pRAYeR:
JUNE 8, 2013
“FOR WE ARE HIS WORKMANSHIP, cReATeD in cHRiST JeSUS fOR GOOD WORKS, WHicH GOD pRepAReD BefOReHAnD THAT We SHOUlD WAlK in THem.” —epHeSiAnS 2:10
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God has prepared many good works for us to accomplish; however, there will surely be many challenges ahead. Our need, as always, is prayer—lots of it. The International Day of Prayer, scheduled for June 8, 2013, is a special time to pray for the new fiscal year. You will want to attend the event for your camp. Every hour, in every time zone, of Saturday, June 8, Gideon camps around the world will be praying for God’s hand of blessing on our ministry. “Members in the countries of Africa South love the International Day of Prayer and gladly participate. Through this event, they feel especially connected with the ministry around the world.” —Mike Mbugua, Regional Director, Africa South During the International Day of Prayer, we will focus on how God sends us into the world—chosen, equipped, and empowered to do His will.
We Are Chosen
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light…” —1 Peter 2:9 Our callings to The Gideons International are both personal and purposeful. We have been given specific ways to proclaim to the nations the good news of salvation through the Lord Jesus Christ. We do that through our own personal witness, by associating with each other for service, and by strategically placing and distributing God’s Word.
We Are Equipped
On June 8, we will be praying for our very focused methods through which we reach those whom others can’t reach. Here are some examples of how, with God’s help, our efforts to proclaim His message around the world are being used to bring Him glory: • The ministry in many countries is growing rapidly. For example, more Scriptures are now being placed in India than in the USA. • It is estimated that Gideon Bibles can be found in the majority of the 13.4 million hotel rooms worldwide. We placed 1.9 million Hotel Bibles last year. • Testimonies are being shared at an increasing rate. • Many members are embracing the challenge to distribute one Personal Workers Testament each week. We are currently organized in 194 countries. During the International Day of Prayer, we will lift the remaining nations to God in prayer. Perhaps this will be the year He will cause doors to open.
We Are Empowered
“And the hand of the Lord was with them, and a great number believed and turned to the Lord.” —Acts 11:21 The Lord has guided this Association from the very beginning, and He continues to empower us. We cannot empower ourselves. God’s power has been behind our success all the way. We will pray for His empowerment for the coming year. Individually, we must walk—but not in fear. God knows where He will send us, and He will never forsake us.
“Now thanks be to God who always leads us in triumph in Christ, and through us diffuses the fragrance of His knowledge in every place.” —2 Corinthians 2:14
The International Day of Prayer will be a time to seek God’s anointing on our efforts for the next year. He has not only prepared the way, He has prepared us.
“Always leads” . . . the strength of The Gideons International at every level begins with our strength as individual believers. Our life in Christ is our first and best “equipping.”
We encourage you to participate in this very special and important time of prayer. Be sure to mark June 8, 2013, on your calendar. Your camp chaplain or camp president will be able to give you more specifics about the International Day of Prayer event in your area.
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RFO’s Rely on God. Part 6 in a Series on Regional Field Officers (RFO’s) In 178 of the 194 countries in which The Gideons International is organized, camps require support to provide God’s Word. Regional Field Officers (RFOs) periodically visit these countries to assist and train camps in effectively winning people to Christ. The work and travel can be quite challenging, but through God’s providence, the results are always rewarding.
RFO TREVOR MONSON: CANBERRA, AUSTRALIA
TREVOR, HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED AS A REGIONAL FIELD OFFICER?
For more than 35 years, Trevor Monson has been a Gideon in Australia. He once had a youth leader who was a Gideon and the key to Trevor joining. Gail, Trevor’s wife, joked that she joined the Auxiliary “so my husband would have to take me out to dinner once a month.”
“Our international trustee for Australia rang me on the phone one day and asked me to consider it. I told him I would do whatever the Lord wants me to do. He then recommended me to the International Cabinet for approval.”
Trevor and Gail have held many leadership positions— he is the former executive director for The Gideons International in Australia and she has served as a state Auxiliary president.
“I went to Chad, in the Africa West region. It was quite an experience for a westerner. I was thankful for the regional director who showed me the ropes.
Trevor has served in the Africa West and Pacific Rim Regions, and currently serves as an RFO assigned to Papua New Guinea.
PACIFIC RIM REGION • countries • Million People • Gideon camps • , Members • Million scriptures Distributed to Date
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TELL US ABOUT YOUR VERY FIRST TRIP AS AN RFO.
I was asked to help open a new camp in Pont Carol. There had been a funeral in the area that day, and many people were involved in that event, so only six prospective Gideons showed up. They listened attentively to our presentation, however, and all six joined. So, we started the Pont Carol camp. The very next day, we arranged three church presentations. The weather was sweltering. The national field coordinator was with me and we were expected to wear suits and ties for church. We had to walk quite a way to the last church—hot and tired.
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We stopped to ask a man for directions to the church. To the national field coordinator he said, ‘I know you. You gave me a New Testament in prison.’ That opened the door, and the field coordinator asked the man, ‘Why aren’t you in church today?’ To which the man replied that his clothes were too shabby for church. We needed to continue on our way to the church, which was a mud hut with a thatch roof—really more holes than thatch. We gave the presentation, and on our way back we stopped again at that former prisoner’s home. My companion asked the man about the New Testament he had received in prison. He fetched it and showed us where he had written his name in the front. Before long, they were looking over the plan of salvation on the back page, speaking in French. I just prayed, and soon they were both also praying as the man accepted Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. We went on our way rejoicing. The essence of the Gideon ministry is one-on-one witnessing.”
YOU REALLY SAW THE HAND OF GOD ASSISTING YOU DURING YOUR 2ND TRIP, TOO. “There was no question that God opened some difficult doors for me to visit multiple camps in Chad. Just traveling to Chad is an ordeal—forty hours flying time from Australia. My domestic connection had problems, and it took three days to reschedule that second trip with a connection through Paris. My travel agent indicated I would have to check in with Air France. However, when I arrived in Paris, the airline didn’t have my reservation. The attendant said I had two options: ‘Either call your travel agent or buy a new ticket, which costs 3,000 Euro.’ That was more than my whole trip to Chad and back. I prayed for help because I needed God to make a way for me. After about ten minutes, the attendant said, ‘Will a window seat be okay?’ God saw me through the situation. I had wanted to arrive in Chad early to secure my visa before the presidential elections, which were about to take place there. Instead I arrived on the eve of the elections and had to wait another day for my visa. When I went to collect my visa, the official wanted a bribe. Our national field coordinator said, ‘You wait here,’ and again I prayed for God’s intervention. I shortly had my visa. Praise the Lord; I finally met with the camps, although four days later than we had planned. It was 400 kilometers (almost 250 miles) to the first camp. We left at mid-day, and the roads were horrible. Then, at 7:30 pm, there was an ominous sound underneath our
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vehicle and we came to an abrupt stop right in the middle of the road. The main wheel bolt was gone, and the car was not drivable. It was very dark by then, but our driver walked along the road while I prayed. In just about five minutes, he found the missing bolt. God was definitely watching out for us. It took another two hours, but we fixed the wheel and continued on our way. We arrived at the camp at about 11:00 that night. Amazingly, two Gideons and two Auxiliary were there to meet us with a meal. Even though our itinerary was completely disrupted, God’s itinerary wasn’t. He made the way smooth throughout all the camps we visited.”
HOW DO YOU MEASURE THE RESULTS OF WHAT YOU DO WITH THESE CAMPS? “On my next visit to Chad, I was traveling through Pont Carol again. I asked if the Gideons there had made plans to distribute the 2,000 Scriptures they were sent. They said all 2,000 had already been distributed. So, we organized for another 4,000 to be sent right away. I then told the men, ‘I would love to do church presentation training.’ The men all began smiling. I said, ‘What’s the joke?’ One of the Gideons said, ‘We’ve already done four church presentations.’ I asked who had trained them, and they told me they just watched what I had done during the first visit, and they did the same. They laughed some more and said, ‘We got larger offerings than you did.’”
GAIL, HOW DO YOU HANDLE THINGS WHEN TREVOR IS GONE? “I work full time as an educator and I stay busy. We try to keep in touch, and we know people are praying for Trevor. There was limited communication from Chad, but it is much easier from Papua New Guinea. Usually, a few weeks before Trevor is leaving, we are both very busy. It seems that a lot goes wrong from the moment he begins to prepare for a trip—spiritual attacks. Satan wants you to give up before you start. We are so blessed that people support us by praying, calling and sending notes of encouragement.”
TREVOR, WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST AS AN RFO? “It is a true blessing to train the members and show them the potential of this ministry. I endeavor to help them understand the opportunities at schools and other distribution points—in order to grow the ministry and touch more lives for Christ.”
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coMe AnD See! René Lucas, International Auxiliary Vice President
WHAT IS ALL THE HYPE OVER THE INTERNATIONAL CONVENTION? That question ran through my mind every time the subject came up at our camp meetings! We had only been members a couple of years. We were active in our camp, attended Faith Fund rallies, Pastors Banquets, and even our state convention. However, other camp members continued to tell us that if we really wanted to get a vision for the ministry, we simply must attend an International Convention. We really did not understand, but after much persuasion, we decided to take our children to Orlando that summer. That was twenty years ago! Indeed, the convention proved to be everything we were promised! The program was action packed from beginning to end. We were inspired through the teaching of the Bible Hour speaker; we were encouraged by reports of what God was doing around the world; and we were amazed as we heard firsthand testimonies of lives changed through the placement of God’s Word. We quickly realized that The Gideons International was so much bigger than our camp, our state, or even our country! It was sobering to think that we were a small part of the great big work God was doing around the world. The convention was a time of spiritual growth for our children as they enjoyed Bible studies as well as Orlando’s fun-filled attractions. They also enjoyed meeting children from other countries and learning about their cultures. As the week came to an end and we said goodbye to new friends, our children asked, “When can we do this again?” Little did we know how life changing that week in Orlando would be for our family. Now, twenty years later, we are planning another trip to the International Convention in Orlando!
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I personally invite you to come and be a part of the exciting time we will enjoy. Plans are well underway for July 23-28, 2013. The Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel and Conference Center will accommodate our entire convention as we gather from around the world. We are privileged this year to have Dr. Billy Kim, Chairman of Far East Broadcasting Company, as our Bible Hour speaker, and we will enjoy inspirational music by Mikael Jarlestrand of Sweden. The Auxiliary Program Committee is hard at work to ensure that the program is inspirational, exciting, and God honoring. Our Auxiliary sessions will begin on Thursday afternoon with a program you will not want to miss! Friday afternoon we will continue with more music, inspiration, training, and testimonies. Our business session will begin Saturday morning. Just prior to elections, we will be blessed by a devotional from our International Auxiliary Chaplain. And, as always, one of the highlights of the Auxiliary program will be our Saturday luncheon. The youth program will prove to be one of the best ever! Fun, spirit-filled activities are planned for all ages. Because Orlando is such a family-friendly environment, we anticipate record attendance. I encourage you to bring your children – and grandchildren – and come join the fun! Perhaps you, too, have wondered what all the convention hype is about. I encourage you and your family to do what we did twenty years ago … come and see for yourself! You won’t be sorry! ABOUT THe AUTHOR:
René Lucas has served as Louisiana Auxiliary State President, International Auxiliary Cabinet Representative, and International Auxiliary Chaplain. She now serves as International Auxiliary Vice President. René and her husband, Cal, International Trustee for USA Zone 8, reside in Brandon, Mississippi. /// C o m e a n d S e e !
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iNterNatioNaL auXiLiary PresiDeNts coNFereNce On January 11-12, 2013, all fifteen National Association Auxiliary presidents, along with 37 USA Auxiliary State Presidents attended the 2013 International Auxiliary Presidents Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Colossians 3:17 provided an inspiring framework:
“AND WHATEVER YOU DO IN WORD OR DEED, DO ALL IN THE NAME OF THE LORD JESUS, GIVING THANKS TO GOD THE FATHER THROUGH HIM.” The two-day conference was designed to equip Auxiliary presidents to lead with excellence. Luanne Triplett, international Auxiliary president, remarked, “I believe the Lord was glorified, and only eternity will reveal the great impact that will be made as state and national Auxiliary presidents return home and ignite their associations to move the ministry forward in a mighty way!” Elisa Morgan, former Executive Director of MOPS (Mothers of Preschoolers) International, inspired the presidents with a powerful message entitled, “She Did What She Could—Five Words of Jesus That Will Change Your Life.” Auxiliary leaders were passionately encouraged by Mrs. Morgan to fully grasp the impact they can have in the Kingdom of God. As one Auxiliary president remarked, “All the information was so valuable … everything is set to ‘GO!’” During the afternoon session, a Faith Fund offering of more than $16,500 was given by Auxiliary leaders to purchase more than 13,200 Scriptures. The conference concluded with a “Celebrate the Nations” fellowship dinner, which was a reminder of the unity we have as we carry out our mission of reaching across the globe with the Word of Life.
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SEVEN REASONS
WHY YOU cAn TRUST THe BiBle PART V following is the fourth in a series of articles from Seven Reasons Why You can Trust the Bible, by erwin W. lutzer.
Chapter Four: A Christological Reason Christ Affirmed the Bible’s Authority and Truth Do you find your faith shaken when you read that the very existence of Christ is questionable? For example, Stephen Mitchell, in his book The Gospel According to Jesus, wrote, “We can’t be sure of anything Jesus actually said.” Indeed, Time quotes German scholar Rudolf Bultmann as saying that the Gospel accounts are so unreliable that “we can now know almost nothing concerning the life and personality of Jesus.” Throughout the ages men have tried to reduce the bright New Testament portrait of Christ to gray tints, to sponge out the miracles, to humanize His claims. So far, however, no one has found the solvent needed to neutralize the original and reduce it to a cold, dull canvas. No matter who tries to blend its hues with those of ordinary men, the portrait remains intact. Try as they might, people have not been able to find a purely human Jesus anywhere on the pages of the New Testament. Their subjectivism has left them with random bits and pieces that do not easily fit together. They are faced with a clear choice: accept Him as portrayed in the New Testament or confess ignorance about Him. In effect, they are faced with the realization that the Gospel portrait is either all true or all false. Determined not to accept a miraculous Christ, they have opted for saying that there might not have been a historical Jesus at all! Augustine lived before scholars chewed up the Scriptures according to their personal whims. Nevertheless, even in his day, some people believed what they wanted and discarded the rest. He wrote, “If you believe what you like in the Gospels, and reject what you don’t like, it’s not the Gospel you believe, but yourself.”
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BELIEVING WHAT JESUS BELIEVED Here we come to another reason why we believe the Bible is God’s Word: Christ’s authority. Surely His opinion is important, not just for Christians, but even for those who follow Him from a distance. So the question before us is: What was His opinion of His Bible, the Old Testament?
Christ Believed Old Testament History
Adam and Eve are thought by some to be mythological figures, but Christ confirmed the Genesis story: “And He answered and said to them, ‘Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female, for this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh’?” (Matthew 19:4-5) Many people have discounted the story of the flood, but Christ said: “But as the days of Noah were, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be. For as in the days before the flood, they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.” (Matthew 24:37-39) Many scholars do not believe Moses existed. Christ, however, believed in the account of Moses and God’s daily provision of manna. “Our fathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread from heaven to eat.’ Then Jesus said to them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, Moses did not give you the bread from heaven, but My Father gives you the true bread from heaven.’” (John 6:31-32)
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Christ Accepted the Authority of the Old Testament
Christ quoted the Old Testament to settle disputes. Yes, there were liberals in His day too. When the Sadducees tried to ridicule the doctrine of the resurrection, He replied, “Jesus answered and said to them, ‘Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?’” (Mark 12:24) The mistake of the Pharisees was not that they had studied the Scriptures too much, but that they had not pondered them sufficiently.
Christ Approved Old Testament Conduct
Have you ever heard that the Old Testament is irrelevant as a guide to conduct and spiritual values? Christ didn’t think so. When a lawyer asked the question, “Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?” (Matthew 22:36) Christ answered by linking together two quotations from the Old Testament. “Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.” (Matthew 22:37-40)
Christ Affirmed Old Testament Prophecies
For Christ, the words of Scripture were God’s words. For Him to say, “Have you not read?” is equivalent to saying, “Do you not know that God has said?” He used the phrase the Word of God and the word Scripture interchangeably when he quoted the Old Testament.
Christ Affirmed the Inerrancy of the Old Testament
That Christ considered the Old Testament to be authoritative is clear enough, but did He believe that the very words were inspired? “Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.” (Matthew 5:17-18) Is the Bible pure and free from error? We must ask whether God Himself is pure and free from error. We cannot circumvent the plain fact that Christ believed that the Old Testament words were inspired. For Him, if the Old Testament said it, God said it!
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FOR FURTHER CONSIDERATION In the back of our minds, we might be wondering: Could the disciples have made up the story of Christ? Is it possible that His followers were overcome with “messianic fever” and therefore embellished the stories of Christ, turning an ordinary man into a Messiah? The disciples could not have invented Jesus. First, Jesus, as He is described in the New Testament, differs radically from the kind of Messiah that was anticipated by the Jews of His era. The Jews of the day expected the Messiah to appear with a sword to break the Roman occupation from the land. The Jews were not about to accept a Messiah who said, “My kingdom is not of this world.” (John 18:36) If the disciples had wanted to choose a man to make into a Messiah, Jesus would not have made the list. Second, the disciples were psychologically incapable of taking a man and calling him God. The central tenet of Judaism is, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one!” (Deuteronomy 6:4) The greatest blasphemy was idolatry; that is, calling a person or thing, God. Third, it was the resurrection that transformed these men into convinced followers of Christ. The New Testament writers understood the difference between fact and fiction. They were well aware that false messiahs had come and gone, and thus they were skeptical about Christ. But after He was raised from the dead, they were convinced that Christ was indeed the Messiah, the Savior of the world. So something other than skepticism about evidence may be the issue for many atheists’ unbelief. There’s great risk in continually rejecting the truth about God and Jesus Christ. The risk is having God say to you, in effect, “Then believe the lie and be condemned for all eternity.” That’s what Scripture says. If the Christ of the New Testament had not existed, no one would have invented Him; indeed, no one could have invented Him. When the chief priests and Pharisees sent officers to arrest Christ, they returned empty-handed. When pressed for an explanation, they replied, “No man ever spoke like this Man!” (John 7:46) Either we are judged by this man, or we judge Him. The choice we make determines our destiny.
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Bible Reading Calendar “But the angel answered and said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay.’ ” MATTHEW 28:5-6
At a Pastors Event in Liberia, one pastor stood up and proclaimed that he was raised a Muslim, but he had been given a New Testament from a member. He read it and as a result, came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior. He said that today he is proud to be a Christian and a pastor preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
MORNING Judg. 6,7 Judg. 8,9 Judg. 10,11 Judg. 12 –14 Judg. 15 –17 Judg. 18,19 Judg. 20,21 Ruth 1 –4 I Sam. 1 –3 I Sam. 4 –6 I Sam. 7 –9 I Sam. 10 – 12 I Sam. 13,14 I Sam. 15,16 I Sam. 17,18 I Sam. 19 –21 I Sam. 22 –24 I Sam. 25,26 I Sam. 27 –29 I Sam. 30,31 II Sam. 1 –3 II Sam. 4 –6 II Sam. 7 –9 II Sam. 10 –12 II Sam. 13,14 II Sam. 15,16 II Sam. 17,18 II Sam. 19,20 II Sam. 21,22 II Sam. 23,24
EVENING Luke 8:1 –21 Luke 8:22 –56 Luke 9:1 –36 Luke 9:37 –62 Luke 10:1 –24 Luke 10:25 –42 Luke 11:1 –28 Luke 11:29 –54 Luke 12:1 –34 Luke 12:35 –59 Luke 13:1 –21 Luke 13:22 –35 Luke 14:1 –24 Luke 14:25 –35 Luke 15:1 –10 Luke 15:11 –32 Luke 16:1 –18 Luke 16:19 –31 Luke 17:1 –19 Luke 17:20 –37 Luke 18:1 –17 Luke 18:18 –43 Luke 19:1 –28 Luke 19:29 –48 Luke 20:1 –26 Luke 20:27 –47 Luke 21:1 –19 Luke 21:20 –38 Luke 22:1 –30 Luke 22:31 –53
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DATE 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31
MORNING I Kings 1,2 I Kings 3 –5 I Kings 6,7 I Kings 8,9 I Kings 10,11 I Kings 12,13 I Kings 14,15 I Kings 16 –18 I Kings 19,20 I Kings 21,22 II Kings 1 –3 II Kings 4,5 II Kings 6 –8 II Kings 9 –11 II Kings 12 –14 II Kings 15 –17 II Kings 18,19 II Kings 20 –22 II Kings 23 – 25 I Chron. 1,2 I Chron. 3 –5 I Chron. 6,7 I Chron. 8 –10 I Chron. 11 –13 I Chron. 14 –16 I Chron. 17 –19 I Chron. 20 –22 I Chron. 23 –25 I Chron. 26,27 I Chron. 28,29 II Chron. 1-3
EVENING Luke 22:54 –71 Luke 23:1 –26 Luke 23:27 –38 Luke 23:39 –56 Luke 24:1 –35 Luke 24:36 –53 John 1:1 –28 John 1:29 –51 John 2 John 3:1 –21 John 3:22 –36 John 4:1 –30 John 4:31 –54 John 5:1 –24 John 5:25 –47 John 6:1 –21 John 6:22 –44 John 6:45 –71 John 7:1 –31 John 7:32 –53 John 8:1 –20 John 8:21 –36 John 8:37 –59 John 9:1 –23 John 9:24 –41 John 10:1 –21 John 10:22 –42 John 11:1 –17 John 11:18 –46 John 11:47 –57 John 12:1 –19
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HOW IS IT WORKING? As a Gideon, I heard about The Life Book at one of our camp meetings. I looked up thelifebook.com and immediately saw the usefulness of The Life Book in our church. I was able to tell our senior pastor about it to get the ball rolling. Several students have shared with me that the week of the saturation was a kickstart for them to minister to people with God’s Word. Many have participated in mission trips of various lengths, and they all say they now feel more confident handing out God’s Word because of what they experienced that week. About six months after the saturation, one of the local high school students was involved in a very bad traffic accident. There was doubt that he would survive his injuries, or if he did, if he would ever be the same as
he was before. One of our youth was visiting this student in the hospital and ministered to the parents and gave them a copy of The Life Book. What a comfort and an impact that made. The parents began attending our church and continue to experience God’s love through our membership. Once again as a Gideon, it’s great because youth are experiencing what we experience when we hand out a Personal Workers Testament or a sidewalk Testament. When we go to a hotel and leave a Bible in that room – they’re getting to experience that. And that’s an awesome thing! Testimony from Gary Hackney Pulaski County Camp, Missouri
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pROpOSeD AmenDmenTS The Constitution of The Gideons International The following proposed amendments were noticed at the Dallas International Convention on July 20, 2012 in keeping with Article 5 of the Constitution. The proposed amendments are re-printed here as a reminder that they will be presented for ratification at the International Convention in Orlando on July 26, 2013, God willing. A twothirds majority of the voting strength is required to amend the Constitution of the Association. The Constitution of The Gideons International
Article 4 – Management
Article 1 – Name The name of this Aassociation shall be The Gideons International.
The management of The Gideons International shall be vested in a governing body to be known as the International Cabinet, which shall consist of Ppresident, Vvice-Ppresident, Ttreasurer, Cchaplain, Ttrustees from the United States of America and Ttrustees from among qualified Nnational Aassociations.
Article 2 – Object The object of The Gideons is to win others for the Lord Jesus Christ, through: (a) the association of Christian business and professional men for service; (b) personal testimony and personal work by individual Gideons; (c) placing the Bible – God’s Holy Word – or portions thereof, in hotels, hospitals, schools, institutions, and also through distribution of same for personal use. Article 3 – Membership The membership shall consist of business and professional men, except clergymen, who believe in the Bible as the inspired (i.e. infallible & inerrant) Word of God, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God, have received Him as their personal Savior, endeavor to follow Him in their daily life, and who are members in good standing of an evangelical or Pprotestant Cchurch, congregation or assembly.
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Article 5 – Amendments This Constitution may be amended in whole or in part at any annual meeting by two-thirds of the voting power of the Convention membership present, provided that notice has been given in the last preceding Cconvention setting forth the proposed amendment. Before any amendment is noticed by a Gideon, it must have the written concurrence of either (l1) his camp and twenty other camps, one from each of twenty other states or equivalent associations, or (2) the International Cabinet. Any amendment failing to pass at Cconvention may not be presented again for consideration at the next Cconvention.
/ / / Proposed Amendments
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pROpOSeD AmenDmenTS The Bylaws of The Gideons International The following proposed amendments are presented here in keeping with Bylaws Article 14. The vast majority of the proposed amendments concern punctuation and capitalization and have no bearing on the structure or operation of The Gideons International. Other amendments are proposed in order to clarify wording, while some amendments are being proposed that would affect the operation of The Gideons International to some degree. Following are some highlights of these proposals. •
The word “local” is being stricken preceding the word “camp” throughout. A camp is local by definition and use of the word “local” can cause misunderstanding as to the meaning of a camp organization.
•
Wording is proposed that would emphasize the International Cabinet’s management authority as vested in trustees for USA Zones and national associations.
•
The word “from” is proposed to be changed to “for” when describing the entity of trustees serving on the International Cabinet.
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Article 6: Sections 1, 3, 4 and 6; and Article 11: Sections 6A, 6C, 6D, and 6F contain proposed amendments that would increase dues for membership in USA and international outreach countries in order to more adequately help fund the operations of the Association.
•
A change is proposed in the wording used to describe the venue at which voting takes place during the International Convention; that is, the term “Annual Meeting” would be used instead of “Annual Convention” and the like.
These proposed amendments are expected to be presented for ratification at the Orlando International Convention on July 26, 2013, God willing. A two-thirds majority of the voting strength is required to amend the Bylaws of the Association. The Bylaws Of The Gideons International Article 1 – Membership Section 1. On and after December 31, 1957, the membership shall consist of one class comprised of: (a) members paying dues annually (b) life members (c) veteran members
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Section 2. Any business or professional man who shall qualify under Article 3 of the Constitution, except those engaged in the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages, and except those engaged in a business the character of which is inconsistent with accepted Christian Sstandards, is eligible for membership in this Aassociation. Section 3. Membership shall be applied for by signing an a properly completed standard application form properly filled out and sending same to the Secretary of the Association at the International Headquarters, PO Box 140800, 50 Century Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37214, USA (“International Headquarters”) or the appropriate Nnational Aassociation office secretary, together with the membership dues as specified in these Bylaws. Section 4. All applications shall be referred to the Membership Committee for their investigation verification, approval, or disapproval. If any member Gideon objects to the action taken by the Membership Committee and, within one year of date of action taken, states to them in writing over his own signature the reason for his objections, the Membership Committee shall reconsider their action in regard to approval, or disapproval. If the aforesaid member again objects in writing within 10 days of notification of the decision reached by the Membership Committee, the application with the finding of the this Ccommittee and the written objection shall be referred to the International President, who shall refer same to the International Cabinet for final action, unless he is able to satisfy the objector, and have the objection withdrawn. Section 5. Before acting on any application, the Membership Committee shall secure a statement as to the applicant’s eligibility from the local Ccamp to which an applicant he shall be assigned, as to his eligibility after having investigated. Where a local Ccamp does not exist or refuses to act, such statement after investigation verification shall be secured from the State Cabinet. Section 6. Applications for membership shall not be referred to the Membership Committee unless accompanied by the required membership dues. Section 7. Upon approval by the Membership Committee, each applicant shall be assigned by the International
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Secretary of the Association to the appropriate a camp, and a membership card accompanied by a Gideon emblem shall be sent to him. Section 8. Any Gideon member desiring to withdraw from this the Association may do so by making known his wishes in writing to the International Headquarters the Secretary of the Association or the appropriate Nnational Aassociation office secretary. Upon receipt of said notice, the Ssecretary shall then terminate the his membership. Section 9. Former Gideons desiring reinstatement shall present the usual standard application, – indicating thereon that the application is for reinstatement, – to the Membership Committee for action as described in above Section 4 for new applicants, which application shall be accompanied by membership dues. Section 10. If the beliefs of a member Gideon change and he no longer holds implicitly to all of the spiritual qualifications enumerated in Article 3 of the Constitution, upon notice to and verification by the Membership Committee, they shall investigate and upon verification his membership shall be terminated. If a member Gideon changes his status from that of a business or professional man and is no longer considered as such, or is a clergyman, upon notice to and verification by the Membership Committee, they shall investigate and upon verification his membership shall be terminated. When a man retires from a business or profession, his occupational status at that time shall be retained indefinitely insofar as his Gideon eligibility is concerned, unless he becomes a clergyman, in which latter case his membership shall be terminated after investigation and upon verification by the Membership Committee. The member Gideon may appeal as provided for in the above Section 4. Section 11. If requested by any camp, the International Headquarters the Secretary of the Association shall furnish a current list of members to the Ssecretary of such camp. Section 12. The matter of discipline of members Gideons shall be left largely with the churches. However, when any member Gideon willfully continues practices injurious to the spiritual life of a Christian or fails to act in the best interests of the association (see Article 3, section 7), he shall be requested to withdraw from this the Aassociation in compliance with the requirements contained in the application, and his name shall thereupon be dropped from the rolls. This action, however, shall be taken only in extreme cases, and not until after a most following a careful
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investigation review by the International Cabinet and/or National Association Cabinet, as appropriate. Section 13. Individuals qualifying for membership under this Article shall not be considered “members” as that term is defined in Article 7 of the Illinois General Not for Profit Corporation Act of 1986, 805 ILCS 105/107.03 et seq. Accordingly, the rights and privileges of the members of The Gideons International are limited to those expressly set forth in these Bylaws. Members are not entitled to the rights and privileges set forth in 805 ILCS 106/107.03, et seq. Section 14. A member is in good standing if his dues for the current year have been paid and he is not the subject of a discipline proceeding. Article 2 – International Officers and Cabinet Section 1. The following officers: Ppresident, VvicePpresident, Ttreasurer, and Cchaplain shall be elected by the International Convention at the annual meeting to serve for a term of one year or until their respective successors are duly elected. There shall be twelve Ttrustees from for the U.nited S.tates A.merica, four elected in one year and four in each of the following two years, for a term of three years, or until their respective successors are duly elected. There shall be one Ttrustee from for each qualified Nnational Aassociation elected for a term of three years, or until his respective successor is duly elected. The elected officers and the trustees shall comprise the International Cabinet. Not more than nine of the trustees from for qualified Nnational Aassociations may vote in Ccabinet meetings. The International Cabinet shall have the discretion to extend or limit the initial term of a Ttrustee to facilitate the trustee election format. Section 2. The term of office of the Ppresident, VvicePpresident, Ttreasurer and Cchaplain shall be limited to three successive terms and the Ttrustees from for the U.S.A.nited States of America and the Ttrustees from for qualified Nnational Aassociations shall be limited to two successive terms. A term shall be understood to cover a part of a term to fill a vacancy. Section 3. The International Cabinet shall elect the a Secretary of the Association who shall serve as Secretary at all meetings of the Ccabinet, with voice, but without vote. Section 4. The Ssecretary, the Ttreasurer, and such other employees as the International Cabinet may decide, shall furnish bonds satisfactory to the Cabinet. The expense of securing these bonds shall be paid from the General Fund. Section 5. The Cabinet shall elect such other Oofficers as it the Cabinet may deems necessary and prescribe their duties.
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Section 6. Any vacancy in an elective office or on a Ccommittee may be filled by the Cabinet, upon the recommendation of the Executive Committee, but the person so selected to fill a vacancy shall hold office only until the close of the succeeding International Convention. Article 3 – Duties of International Officers and Cabinet Section 1. The Ppresident shall perform all duties usually pertaining to that office and have general supervision of the work of all Ccommittees and branch organizations. Section 2. The Vvice-Ppresident shall perform the duties of the Ppresident in his absence. Section 3. The Ttreasurer shall be responsible for safekeeping all monies belonging to the Association, and paying out the same only upon vouchers signed by the Ssecretary or Ppresident. He shall make a report of the finances at each session of the Cabinet, and at the Annual ConventionMeeting. Section 4. The Cchaplain shall seek in every way to deepen the Christian life of the membership. Section 5. The Ssecretary shall keep a careful record of all business transactions, and a complete record of all members and their addresses. He shall receive all monies, account for such monies by issuing receipts and depositing same in the Aassociation’s bank account, and perform such other duties as the Ccabinet may direct. Section 6. The Ccabinet governs and generally manages all of the operations, policies and procedures of The Gideons International. The Ccabinet accomplishes this through six primary governing functions: 1. Constitution and Bylaws; 2. Defining and maintaining membership qualifications; 3. Determining and overseeing finances and budgets; 4. Determining versions and translations of Scriptures to be used; 5. Approving Iinternational Pprograms; 6. Approving Iinternational Ccommittees Section 7. The Ccabinet has jurisdiction over all U.nited S.tatesA. Sstate Aassociations, all Nnational Aassociations and international outreach countries, and all camps and officers in each, with power to remove or cause to have removed from office, any Oofficer or set of Oofficers, or to
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suspend or expel from membership any Gideon who, in its judgment, is not efficient or who fails to perform his official duties or work in harmony with a majority of such Ccamp and/or for the best interest of the Aassociation. Section 8. The U.nited S.tatesA. shall be divided into 12 zones. The geographic boundaries of these zones and the state associations that comprise these zones shall be fixed by the Ccabinet. Article 4 – Meetings Section 1. The annual meeting of this the Aassociation shall be held as part of the International Convention to start no later than on the Friday afternoon and the Saturday preceding the fourth Sunday in July, or such other date as may be set at a preceding International Convention, at such place as may have been designated by a previous Iinternational Cconvention. Annual Cconventions are authorized to act upon invitations for the Cconventions no fewer than four years in advance. The International Cabinet shall fix the hour of convening the program and shall have the power, in case of emergency, to change the time and place of the International Convention. Section 2. Any Gideon in good standing shall have the right to a seat in the Cconvention and be granted all Cconvention privileges. Section 3. The International Cabinet shall hold its first regular meeting immediately following the International Convention in the Cconvention Ccity. The International Cabinet shall also hold a meeting at the place of and immediately preceding each International Convention. The International Cabinet also will meet in October and February. Section 4. Special meetings of the International Cabinet may be called by the international president and shall be called by the Ppresident upon written request of a majority of its members. Such special meetings shall be held at such time and place as the notice of the Ppresident or the request may provide. Section 5. The necessary expenses of the members of the International Cabinet and of the members of the Iinternational Ccommittees to, at and from attend the International Cabinet and Ccommittee meetings, and in the discharge of other duties of their office, may be paid from the treasury when approved and these expenses shall be the first charged against the dues.
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Article 5 – Elections at the International Convention Section 1. The election of Iinternational Oofficers and Ttrustees shall take place on the Saturday of the annual Convention meeting of The Gideons International, and shall be the first order of business in the business session. Section 2. Nominations for Oofficers and Ttrustees shall be made on the floor of the annual meeting Convention. Any Gideon nominated must be a member in good standing. Only one nominating speech may be made for any one nominee. Up to two supporting speeches may be made for any one nominee, but are not required. Section 3. The Trustees from for the U.nited S.tates A.merica shall be elected respectively from 12 different zones. Election of all Trustees shall be by the International Convention. Each Trustee from and qualified Nnational Aassociations, shall be elected in accordance with Article 4 of the Constitution, shall be selected by his Association, at the annual meeting and elected by the International Convention. Section 4. After all nominations for an office are made, nominations shall be declared closed and a ballot shall be taken. If any nominee receives the majority of all votes cast, he shall be declared elected. When there are more than three nominees, if no nominee receives such majority on the first ballot, all except the three nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be dropped, and a new ballot shall be taken. If one of the three nominees shall receive the majority of all votes cast on the second ballot, he shall be declared elected; but if no one receives such majority, the nominee receiving the lowest number of votes shall be dropped and another ballot taken.
C. This constitutes the voting power for use in the election of International Officers and Trustees, amending the Constitution and Bylaws, and in selecting the Convention cities. D.C. On all other matters coming before the annual meeting, Convention at any of its sessions, each Gideon in good standing who is duly registered shall be entitled to cast one vote. Section 7. The terms of all Oofficers and Ttrustees elected at an International Convention annual meeting shall begin at the close of the Cconvention at which they are elected. Article 6 – Dues Section 1. The annual dues for a member Gideon in the U.nited S.tates of A.merica shall be forty sixty dollars (US$4060.00). December 31 is the established yearly expiration date.
Section 5. Election shall be by secret vote. except i In cases where there is but only one nominee for the office, when the Convention membership may vote to instruct the Ssecretary to cast a unanimous ballot for the election of such nominee.
Section 2. The annual dues for a member Gideon living in a country having a Nnational Aassociation shall be fixed by and retained for use by the Nnational Aassociation.
Section 6. Voting Strength
Section 3. The annual dues for a member Gideon of a camp in an Iinternational Ooutreach country shall be ten fifteen dollars (US$1015.00).
A. Each U.S.A. Sstate Aassociation or its equivalent structure within a Qqualified Nnational Aassociation shall be allowed to cast a vote equal to its full membership in good standing, and such vote may be divided equally among the Gideons in good standing present at the Convention annual meeting from the said state or equivalent association who are registered by 5:00 P.M. on the day preceding the day of voting.
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B. In a non-Qualified supported Nnational Aassociation and/or a country not having the equivalent of an U.S.A. Sstate Aassociation, each camp shall be allowed to cast a vote equal to its full membership in good standing, and such vote may be divided equally among the Gideons in good standing present at the Convention annual meeting from the said camp who are registered by 5:00 P.M. on the day preceding the day of voting. This constitutes the voting power for use in the election of international officers and trustees, amending the Constitution and Bylaws, and in selecting convention cities.
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Section 4. Any member Gideon in the U.nited S.tates of A.merica may have a Llife Mmembership by making a one-time payment of one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,000500.00) whereupon no further dues shall be required of him. The total amount received for a Llife Mmembership, less the amount paid to the Sstate Aassociation, shall be placed in the Endowment Fund, and cannot under any circumstances be refunded.
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Section 5. Any member Gideon living in a country having a Nnational Aassociation which has established a Llife Mmembership option may have a Llife Mmembership by payment of an amount which shall be fixed by the Nnational Aassociation, whereupon no further dues shall be required of him. The total amount received for a Llife Mmembership, less any refund to a Sstate or equivalent Aassociation, shall be placed in the Endowment Fund of the Nnational Aassociation, and cannot under any circumstances be refunded. Section 6. Any member of a camp Gideon in an Iinternational Ooutreach Ccountry may have a Llife Mmembership by payment of three four hundred and fifty dollars (US$300450.00) whereupon no further dues shall be required of him. The total amount received for a Llife Mmembership shall be placed in the Endowment Fund, and cannot under any circumstances be refunded. Section 7. All annual dues are payable in advance. New Gideons Members joining pay dues for the calendar year in which they join. New Gideons Members who join in June through December will not pay dues again until the second end of the following calendar year. Section 8. The dues notice for Gideons in the U.S.A., except for members in a National Association countries, is mailed in October. For those members Gideons who have not paid their dues, a second dues notice is mailed in December. This notice includes notification that the member Gideon will no longer receive The Gideon Magazine after the February issue unless and until dues shall have been paid. A third and final notice is mailed in February informing said member Gideon that unless his dues shall have been paid, he will be dropped from the membership roll as of March 31. Section 9. The dues notice for national associations are handled based on their approved bylaws. Section 10. The dues for international outreach countries are due by December 31 of each year. Dues may be paid any time after June 30 for the ensuing year. If a member has not paid his dues by March 31 he will be dropped from the membership roll. Any dues received before June 30 will be applied to the current year. Section 911. Any Gideon at least 65 years of age, who has been a member in good standing for a continuous period of twenty years, and is thereafter unable to pay his dues, shall, at his option, be designated a Vveteran Mmember. Such Vveteran Mmember shall be exempt from any further payments of dues and his membership shall be for life. A letter to the International Headquarters the Secretary of the Association or the appropriate Nnational Aassociation office secretary, accompanied by a birth certificate or other proper evidence as to age, and verification as to the
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period of membership, shall be sufficient to effectuate the reclassification. Article 7 – Funds Section 1. All monies received by the parent Aassociation, when not designated, shall constitute the General Fund, but legacies or large donations or any part thereof may be placed in the Scripture Fund by action of the Finance Committee. Section 2. Testaments
Money received shall constitute
for Bibles and New the Scripture Fund.
Section 3. Treasurers of local camps and state associations are authorized to receive funds on behalf of the Aassociation and to issue receipts as appropriate for the same. All Scripture funds received on behalf of the Aassociation by local camps or state associations shall be sent at least monthly to the International Headquarters where they will be credited to the state association or camp from which the same was received. Section 4. All Scripture funds raised in Nnational Aassociations may be retained by them for their use, and/ or contributed to the International Outreach Ministry Fund. Section 5. Monies received for Llife Mmemberships and monies received for Eendowment shall constitute the Endowment Fund. Such monies, except the necessary expenses of procuring this fund, shall be invested as approved by the Finance Committee. Only the income from these investments shall be used for the general expenses and credited to the General Fund. Section 6. The international treasurer shall keep the funds of this the Aassociation in such depositories as the Ccabinet may designate. Section 7. The annual dues received from members in the U.nited S.A.tates shall be apportioned as determined by the Finance Committee among the following: A.
State Association Promotion Funds
B.
The International Convention Fund
C B.
The General Fund
Section 8. The portion of the annual dues apportioned to Sstate Aassociations shall be apportioned to each Sstate Aassociation according to the membership assigned to it as of May 31. The Iinternational Ttreasurer shall remit such amounts to Sstate Ttreasurers on or before August 31.
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All such monies rebated are to be used exclusively for the approved promotional costs of the Aassociation’s programs. These funds must not be used for the purchase of Bibles or New Testaments. Section 9. The portion of the annual dues apportioned for expenses of the International Convention shall be remitted by the international treasurer to the International Convention Steering Committee in accordance with policies and procedures as established by the International Finance Committee. Section 10. If and when a Llife Mmembership as provided in Article 6, Section 4 of these Bylaws is secured by a member of a Sstate Aassociation, the Iinternational Ttreasurer, upon receipt of payment in full, shall remit to the state Ttreasurer of the said State Association, two hundred fifty dollars ($250.00) of the payment for each such membership which shall be Ppromotional Ffunds as described in Section 8 above. Section 11. The fiscal year of the Aassociation shall end on May 31 of each year. Article 8 – Committees Section 1. The Ppresident shall, subject to the approval of the Ccabinet, appoint the following Sstanding Ccommittees: Executive Committee Membership Committee
Section 4. The Finance Committee shall consist of five members, and it shall be the duty of this the Ccommittee to prepare the budget each year and through the budget to supervise all financial matters. It shall recommend securities for investment of the monies of the Aassociation. It shall arrange for an annual audit of the books of account of the Aassociation. The treasurer shall be a member of, and Cchairman of, this the Ccommittee. Section 5. The International Outreach Committee shall consist of six members from the U.S.A.nited States of America. It will also include members from among qualified Nnational Aassociations which regularly contribute financially to the International Outreach Program Fund. The total number of committee members of the Committee shall not exceed nine. It shall be the duty of thise Ccommittee to administer funds committed to it in accordance with policies and procedures approved by the International Cabinet and to promote and supervise the work in outreach countries. Section 6. The Auxiliary Advisory Committee shall consist of three members. The Vvice Ppresident shall be a member of, and Cchairman of this Ccommittee. It shall meet with the International Auxiliary Cabinet and counsels with the International Auxiliary Cabinet on all matters pertaining to the work and the functions of the Auxiliary. Section 7. The Ppresident may, subject to the approval of the Ccabinet, appoint such other Ccommittees as he deems advisable for the successful and efficient promotion of the work of the Aassociation.
Finance Committee International Outreach Committee
Article 9 – U.nited S.A.tates State Associations
Auxiliary Advisory Committee
Section 1. The state association shall be the governing body for the ministry of The Gideons International in the geographic area assigned to it. Each Gideon camp organized in that geographic area shall be part of that state association.
The Secretary of the Association or his designee shall serve as secretary at all meetings of these committees with voice, but without vote. Section 2. The Executive Committee shall consist of three members of the Ccabinet and, on behalf of the Ccabinet, shall exercise oversight and management of the Mmembership function and all Iinternational Pprograms, as well as other authority as delegated by the International Cabinet. The Ppresident shall be a member of, and Cchairman of, this Ccommittee. Section 3. The Membership Committee shall consist of at least ten members and shall handle all Gideon and Auxiliary applications for membership in compliance with Articles 1 and 11 of these Bylaws.
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Section 2. The management of each United States state association shall be vested in a governing body to be known as the “State Cabinet”, which shall include six or more elected officers, to be elected by at the Aannual Sstate Cconvention. These officers are: the president, two or more regional vice-presidents, secretary, treasurer and chaplain and shall constitute the “Primary Cabinet”. The Primary Cabinet shall elect program coordinators for each international program as determined by the International Cabinet. The Primary Cabinet and the program coordinators shall comprise the State Cabinet. The international trustee for the zone shall serve as an ex-officio member of the State Cabinet. The role of the trustee is to exercise the authority and management function of the International Cabinet as it relates to the state association. The State Cabinet shall appoint area directors
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and regional program leaders for each of the international programs. The State Cabinet may also appoint a state editor, a state webmaster and other personnel as necessary. Section 3. Each United States state association shall have an annual convention which shall include a business meeting at the time and place determined at the previous a prior convention. In case of emergency, the State Cabinet may change the date and/or time and/or place of the convention. Section 4. Elections at State Association Conventions A. The election of the Primary Cabinet shall take place on during the Saturday morning business meeting of the annual convention of the State Association. B. Nominations for Oofficers shall be made on the floor of the state association convention business meeting. Any Gideon nominated must be a member in good standing. Only one nominating speech may be made for any one nominee. Up to two supporting speeches may be made for any one nominee, but are not required. C. After all nominations for an office are made, nominations shall be declared closed and a ballot shall be taken. If any nominee receives the majority of all votes cast, he shall be declared elected. When there are more than three nominees, if no nominee receives such majority on the first ballot, all except the three nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be dropped, and a new ballot shall be taken. If one of the three nominees shall receive the majority of all votes cast on the second ballot, he shall be declared elected; but if no one receives such majority, the nominee receiving the lowest number of votes shall be dropped and another ballot taken. D. The election shall be by secret vote. except iIn cases where there is but one nominee for the office, when the Convention membership at the business meeting may vote to instruct the Ssecretary to cast a unanimous ballot for the election of such nominee. E. On all matters coming before the Convention business meeting at any of its sessions, each Gideon in good standing who is duly registered shall be entitled to cast one vote.
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F. The terms of all Oofficers, Aarea Ddirectors, Pprogram Ccoordinators and Rregional Pprogram Lleaders shall be for one year and shall be limited to three successive terms. A term shall be understood to cover a part of a term to fill a vacancy. The All terms of all Officers, Area Directors, Program Coordinators and/or Regional Program Leaders elected at a state association convention shall begin at the close of the convention at which they are elected. G. Any vacancy in an elective or appointive office may be filled by the Primary Cabinet but the person so elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office only until the close of the succeeding state association Cconvention. Section 5. Duties of Officers A. The Ppresident shall perform all duties usually pertaining to that office and have general supervision of the work of all Ccommittees. The Ppresident shall chair each meeting of the State Cabinet and the annual business meeting at the State Convention. B. Each state association shall have a minimum of two regional vice presidents. The Ppresident shall designate one of the Rregional Vvice Ppresidents to perform the duties of the Ppresident in his absence. The Ppresident will designate a one of the Rregional Vvice Ppresidents to serve as the convention program committee chairman of the state association convention program committee and to have the responsibility for the state convention. A different Rregional Vvice Ppresident will be assigned the responsibility for as the Auxiliary liaison. C. The Ttreasurer shall be responsible for all funds he receiveds. He shall make a report of the finances at each session of the Ccabinet, and at the annual state convention. i.
He will promptly provide receipts to donors for Scripture Ffunds and remit all of the Scripture Ffunds to the International Headquarters not less than monthly.
ii.
He will pay out Ppromotional Ffunds only as authorized by the State Cabinet for approved promotional expenses. He will issue receipts as necessary for donors to the state THE gideon
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association promotional fund as well as the sState Auxiliary pPromotional fFund. iii.
He will pay out other monies that are designated for promotional related purposes as approved. in accordance with the designation for the funds.
D. The Cchaplain shall seek in every way to deepen the Christian life of the membership. E. The Ssecretary shall keep a careful record of all meetings and business transactions. He shall also perform such other duties as the State Cabinet may direct. F. The Program Ccoordinators, Aarea Ddirectors, and Pprogram Lleaders shall perform such duties as specified by the International Cabinet for these officers. Section 6. The State Cabinet shall hold its first meeting at the noon hour on the Saturday of the Sstate Cconvention. The Ccabinet shall meet at least three (3) other times before the next convention. Special meetings of the State Cabinet may be held at such time and place as noticed by the Sstate Ppresident. Section 7. There shall be no assessment of dues levied for Sstate association activity work, but free will offerings may be received. Section 8. No state organization association shall employ paid field workers, under whatever name. Section 9. Local Camps may be organized by the State Cabinet with a minimum of six Gideons in good standing. The State Cabinet may also close a camp, if doing so is determined to be in the best interests of the ministry. Article 10 – Rules Governing Local Camps Section 1. The local Camps shall elect officers from amongst their members in good standing and shall operate in accordance with the Constitution, Bylaws and policies determined by the International Cabinet. Section 2. The officers of Ccamps shall be: president, vicepresident, secretary, treasurer and chaplain. They shall each be elected to serve for one year; and until their successors are duly elected, said officers’ terms are to be limited to three successive terms. A term shall be understood to cover
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a part of a term to fill a vacancy. The elected officers shall elect a program chairman for each international program as determined by the International Cabinet for one year and until their successors are duly elected. There is no limit on the number of terms a program chairman may serve. The elected camp officers and the appointed program chairmen shall constitute the Ccamp Ccabinet. Section 3. There shall be no assessment of dues levied for local Ccamp work activity, but free will offerings may be received. These free will offerings are referred to as the Ccamp Ffund. The Ccamp Ffund will be used to pay all of the approved expenses of the camp. Section 4. The Local Ccamp Ttreasurer shall be responsible for all funds he receiveds. He shall make a report of the finances at each session of the Ccamp Ccabinet meeting. A. He will promptly provide receipts to donors for Scripture Ffunds on behalf of the Aassociation as appropriate and remit all of the Scripture Ffunds received on behalf of the Aassociation to the International Headquarters not less than monthly, noting the sources and designations for all of the monies remitted. B. He will pay out Ccamp Ffunds only as authorized by the Ccamp Ccabinet. He will issue receipts as necessary for donors to the Ccamp Ffund and/or the Auxiliary Ccamp Ffund. C. The camp may commingle the Ccamp Ffund and the Ccamp Scripture Ffund in one bank account held in the camp’s name, but the camp may not, under any circumstances, use Scripture Ffunds to pay expenses of the camp. Section 5. It shall be the duty of the Oofficers of each local Ccamp to: i. lead the Ccamp in devoted service in fulfilling the object of The Gideons International as set out in Article 2 of the Constitution; ii. encourage each member to active personal participation in Gideon work; and iii. maintain contact with local camp members to sustain their interest in Gideon work activity and to avoid having them drop their memberships through disinterest.
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Article 11 – The Auxiliary of The Gideons International (Auxiliary)
statement as to the applicant’s eligibility from the local Ccamp to which she shall be assigned. Where a local Ccamp does not exist, or refuses to act, such statement after verification shall be secured from the State Cabinet.
Section 1. Purpose The Auxiliary is a an integral component part of tThe Gideons International, ministry whose purpose object is to win others for the Lord Jesus Christ. This is accomplished through prayer, personal witnessing, and the placement and distribution of Scriptures. Section 2. Membership A. The Mmembership shall consist of women who are the wives of Gideons, except clergywomen, and who believe in the Bible as the inspired (i.e. infallible, inerrant) Word of God, believe in the Lord Jesus Christ as the eternal Son of God, have received Him as their personal Savior, endeavor to follow Him in their daily life, and who are members in good standing of an evangelical or Pprotestant church, congregation or assembly. B. Membership shall be applied for by signing an properly completed standard Auxiliary application form properly filled out and sending same to the International Headquarters Secretary of the Association, at PO Box 140800, 50 Century Boulevard, Nashville, TN 37214, USA or the appropriate Nnational Aassociation secretary office, together with the membership dues as specified in these Bylaws. C. All applications shall be referred to the Membership Committee for their verification, approval, or disapproval. If any Gideon or Auxiliary member objects to the action taken by the Membership Committee and within one year of date of action taken, states to them in writing over his/her own signature the reason for his/her objections, the Membership Committee shall reconsider their action in regard to approval, or disapproval. If the aforesaid member again objects in writing within 10 days of notification of decision reached by the Membership Committee, the application with the finding of thise Ccommittee and the written objection shall be referred to the International President, who shall refer same to the International Gideon Cabinet for final action, unless he is able to satisfy the objector, and have the objection withdrawn. D. Before acting on an application, the Membership Committee shall secure a
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E. Applications for membership shall not be referred to the Membership Committee unless accompanied by the required membership dues. F.
Upon approval by the Membership Committee, each applicant shall be assigned by the Secretary of the Association International Headquarters or the appropriate Nnational Aassociation secretary office, to a the appropriate camp, and a membership card accompanied by an Auxiliary emblem shall be sent to her.
G. Any member Auxiliary desiring to withdraw from theis Aassociation may do so by making known her wishes in writing to the Secretary of the Association or the appropriate national association secretary International Headquarters. Upon receipt of said notice the Ssecretary shall then terminate the her membership. H. Former Auxiliary members desiring reinstatement shall present the standard Auxiliary application, —indicating thereon that the application is for reinstatement, —to the Membership Committee for action as described in above Section 4 for new applicants, which application shall be accompanied by membership dues. I. Membership shall continue only as long as provided her Gideon spouse remains in good standing, and as long as she continues to meet the requirements of these Bylaws. The widow of a Gideon member may continue to hold her membership in The Auxiliary of The Gideons International The Auxiliary as long as provided she continues to meet the requirements specified in these Bylaws., except if such Should a widow shall remarry,. Hher eligibility for continuing membership, (regular, veteran, or life), shall then be determined by the new husband’s membership status based upon the status of the man she marries. J.
If the beliefs of an Auxiliary member change and she no longer holds implicitly to all of the spiritual qualifications enumerated in Article 3 of the Gideon Constitution, upon notice and
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verification by to the Membership Committee, they shall investigate and upon verification, her membership shall be terminated. If any Auxiliary member loses her identity with her Gideon spouse, or becomes a clergywoman, her membership with The in The Auxiliary of The Gideons International terminates, except as specified in Section 1 I above. K. The matter of discipline of an Auxiliary shall be handled as described in Article 1, Section 12 of these Bylaws. L.
Section 3.
H. The Cchaplain shall seek in every way to deepen the Christian life of the membership. Section 4. A.
The Auxiliary shall meet at the International Convention.
B.
The International Auxiliary Cabinet shall hold its first regular meeting immediately following the International Convention in the convention city. The International Auxiliary Cabinet shall also hold meetings at the place of, and immediately preceding, meetings of the International Gideon Cabinet or at such other time as the International Gideon Cabinet may designate.
An Auxiliary member is in good standing if her dues for the current year have been paid and she is not the subject of a discipline proceeding. International Auxiliary Officers and Cabinet
A.
The following officers: Ppresident, Vvice Ppresident, Ssecretary and Cchaplain shall be elected at the Auxiliary business session of by the Iinternational Cconvention to serve for a term of one year or until their respective successors are duly elected, and they shall comprise the International Auxiliary Cabinet.
B.
The term of office of each of these officers shall be limited to three successive terms. A term shall be understood to cover a part of a term to fill a vacancy.
C. Any vacancy in an elective office may be filled by the International Gideon Cabinet upon recommendation of the International Executive Committee Auxiliary Advisory Committee, but the person so elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office only until the close of the succeeding Iinternational Cconvention.
C. All Auxiliary members in good standing shall be granted all Cconvention privileges. D. The necessary expenses of the International Auxiliary Cabinet members to attend the, at, and from International Auxiliary Cabinet meetings, Ccommittee meetings and Iinternational Cconventions may be paid from the General Fund. Section 5.
The Ppresident shall perform all duties usually pertaining to that office and have general supervision of the work of all Ccommittees.
F.
The Vvice Ppresident shall perform the duties of the Ppresident in her absence.
G. The Ssecretary shall keep a careful record of all meetings and perform such other duties as the Ccabinet may direct.
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Auxiliary Elections at the International Convention
A.
The election of Iinternational Oofficers for The Auxiliary shall be the first order of business in the Saturday Auxiliary business session take place on the Saturday of the International Annual Convention and be the first order of business in the business session.
B.
Nominations for officers shall be made on the floor of the Auxiliary business session. Any Auxiliary nominated must be a member in good standing. Only one nominating speech may be made for any one nominee. Up to two supporting speeches may be made for any one nominee, but are not required.
B.
The election shall be by secret vote except in cases where there is but one nominee for the office, when the convention may vote to instruct the Secretary to cast a unanimous ballot for the election of such nominee.
D. The mManagement of the International Auxiliary shall be vested in the International Auxiliary Cabinet, together with the International Auxiliary Advisory Committee. E.
International Meetings
C. Nominations for officers shall be made on the floor of the Convention. Any Auxiliary member nominated must be a member in good standing. Only one nominating speech may be made for any one nominee. Up to two /// P r o p o s e d B y l a w s A m e n d m e n t s
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supporting speeches may be made for any one nominee, but are not required. DC. After all nominations for an office are made, nominations shall be declared closed and a ballot shall be taken. If any nominee receives the majority of all votes cast, she shall be declared elected. When there are more than three nominees, if no nominee receives such majority on the first ballot, all except the three nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be dropped, and a new ballot shall be taken. If one of the three nominees shall receive the majority of all votes cast, she shall be declared elected; but if no one receives such majority, the nominee receiving the lowest number of votes shall be dropped and another ballot taken. ED. The election shall be by secret vote. except iIn cases where there is but one nominee for the office, the Auxiliary membership when the convention may vote to instruct the Ssecretary to cast a unanimous ballot for the election of such nominee. FE. The voting calculations in The Auxiliary elections shall be conducted in accordance with Article 5, Section 6 of these Bylaws. GF. The terms of all Oofficers elected at the business session an International Convention shall begin at the close of the convention at which they are elected. Section 6. Dues A. The annual dues for an Auxiliary member in the U.nited S.tates of A.merica shall be twenty thirty dollars (US$2030.00). December 31 is the established yearly expiration date. B. The annual dues for an Auxiliary member living in a country having a Nnational Aassociation shall be fixed by and retained for use by the Nnational Aassociation. C. The annual dues for an Auxiliary member of a camp in an Iinternational Ooutreach country shall be two three dollars (US$23.00). D. Any Auxiliary member in the U.nited S.A.tates who is married to a Llife Mmember may have a Llife Mmembership by making a onetime payment of two three hundred dollars P r o p o s e d B y l a w s A m e n d m e n t s ///
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(US$200300.00) whereupon no further dues shall be required of her. The total amount received for a Llife Mmembership shall be placed in the Endowment Fund, and cannot under any circumstances be refunded. E. Any Auxiliary member living in a country having a Nnational Aassociation which has established a Llife Mmembership option may have a Llife Mmembership by payment of an amount which shall be fixed by the Nnational Aassociation, whereupon no further dues shall be required of her. The total amount received for a Llife Mmembership shall be placed in the Endowment Fund of the Nnational Aassociation, and cannot under any circumstances be refunded. F. Any Auxiliary member of a camp in an Iinternational Ooutreach country who is married to a Llife Mmember may have a Llife Mmembership by payment of sixty ninety dollars (US$6090.00) whereupon no further dues shall be required of her. The total amount received for a Llife Mmembership shall be placed in the Endowment Fund, and cannot under any circumstances be refunded. G. All annual dues are payable in advance. Members Any new Auxiliary joining pay dues for the calendar year in which they join. Members Any new Auxiliary who joins in June through December will not pay dues again until the end of the second following calendar year. H. A joint dues notice, Eexcept for an Auxiliary members in a Nnational Aassociation countries, a joint dues notice is mailed in October. A dues notice to an Auxiliary members who are is a widows is also mailed in October. For those members an Auxiliary who hasve not paid her their dues, a second dues notice is mailed in December. This notice includes notification that they member will no longer receive The Gideon magazine after the February issue unless and until dues shall have been paid. A third and final notice is mailed in February informing said member Auxiliary that unless her dues shall have been paid, she will be dropped from the membership roll as of March 31. I. Any Auxiliary member who is at least 65 years of age, who has been a member in good standing for a continuous period of twenty THE gideon
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years, and is thereafter unable to pay her dues, shall, at her option, be designated a Vveteran Mmember. Such Vveteran Mmember shall be exempt from any further payments of dues and her membership shall be for life. A letter to the Secretary of the Association International Headquarters or the appropriate Nnational Aassociation secretary office, accompanied by a birth certificate or other proper evidence as to age, and verification as to the period of membership, shall be sufficient to effectuate the reclassification. Section 7. Auxiliary Funds A. The annual dues received from members an Auxiliary in the U.S.A.nited States and Iinternational Ooutreach Ccountries shall be apportioned as determined by the Finance Committee among the following: i.
Auxiliary State Association Promotion Funds
ii. The International Convention Fund iii ii. The General Fund B. The portion of the annual dues apportioned to Sstate Aassociations shall be apportioned to each Sstate Aassociation Auxiliary according to the Auxiliary membership assigned to it as of May 31. The Iinternational Ttreasurer shall remit such amounts to state Auxiliary State secretary/Ttreasurers on or before August 31. All such monies rebated are to be used exclusively for the approved Auxiliary promotional costs of the state Aassociation’s programs. These funds must not be used for the purchase of Bibles or New Testaments. C. The portion of the annual dues apportioned for expenses of tThe Auxiliary are placed in the General Fund and are used to defray the expenses of the International Auxiliary Cabinet and Auxiliary programs. D. The local camp Auxiliary Scripture Fund is comprised of offerings received from individual Auxiliary members and will be delivered to the local camp Gideon treasurer when collected. He shall promptly deposit these funds into the camp bank account and forward said monies to the International Headquarters, designated as “Auxiliary Scripture Fund.”
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E. A portion of the local camp Auxiliary Scripture Fund will be allocated to the Gideon Ccamp Scripture Ffund account and may be used to obtain any other Scriptures that the Ccamp usually obtains, including the Scriptures to be placed or distributed by tThe Auxiliary. F.
A portion of the local camp Auxiliary Scripture Fund will be allocated to the International Auxiliary Scripture Fund account and shall be used to obtain Medical Testaments for Sstate, Nnational, or Iinternational Mmedical Cconventions and to defray the necessary expense incurred in making distribution of these Testaments. These funds can also be used to provide Scriptures to Iinternational Ooutreach Ccountries and Tier III supported Nnational Aassociations.
G. The Finance Committee shall determine the allocation of the local camp Auxiliary Scripture Fund between the local Gideon Ccamp Scripture Fund and the International Auxiliary Scripture Fund. The Finance Committee shall also determine the portion of the International Auxiliary Scripture Fund that will be used to provide Scriptures to Iinternational Ooutreach Ccountries and Tier III supported Nnational Aassociations. H. All designated monies (such as Faith Fund offerings) received by the local camp Auxiliary and/or state association Auxiliary, shall be immediately turned over to the Treasurer of the local Ccamp treasurer of Gideons or the Sstate Aassociation Ttreasurer, who shall promptly forward said monies to the Iinternational Hheadquarters, properly designated. I. The fiscal year of The Auxiliary shall end on May 31 of each year. Section 8. Committees The international auxiliary president may, subject to the approval of the International Gideon Cabinet upon recommendation of the Auxiliary Advisory Committee, appoint such committees as she deems advisable. Section 9. U.S.A. Auxiliary State Associations A. The management of the local the international
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Auxiliary programs camp Auxiliaries in each United States state association shall be vested in a governing body to be known as the “Auxiliary State Cabinet”, which shall include five or more elected officers, to be elected by at the Aannual Sstate Cconvention. These officers are: the president, two or more regional vice-presidents, secretary/treasurer and chaplain and shall constitute the “Primary Auxiliary Cabinet”. The Primary Auxiliary Cabinet shall elect program coordinators for each international Auxiliary program as determined by the International Cabinet. The Primary Auxiliary Cabinet and the program coordinators shall comprise the Auxiliary Sstate Ccabinet. The international trustee for the zone shall serve as an ex-officio member of the Auxiliary Sstate Ccabinet. The Auxiliary Sstate Ccabinet shall appoint area directors and regional program leaders for each international Auxiliary program as determined by the International Cabinet. B. The Auxiliary of a Sstate Aassociation Auxiliary shall meet in convention at the same time and place as the Gideon Sstate association. C. The election of the Primary Auxiliary Cabinet shall take place on during the Saturday morning Auxiliary business session of the annual convention of the State Association. D. Nominations for Oofficers shall be made on the floor of the Auxiliary business session state association convention. Any Auxiliary member nominated must be a member in good standing. Only one nominating speech may be made for any one nominee. Up to two supporting speeches may be made for any one nominee, but are not required. E. After all nominations for an office are made, nominations shall be declared closed and a ballot shall be taken. If any nominee receives the majority of all votes cast, she shall be declared elected. When there are more than three nominees, if no nominee receives such majority on the first ballot, all except the three nominees receiving the highest number of votes shall be dropped, and a new ballot shall be taken. If one of the three nominees shall receive the majority of all votes cast on the
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second ballot, she shall be declared elected; but if no one receives such majority, the nominee receiving the lowest number of votes shall be dropped and another ballot taken. F. The election shall be by secret vote. except iIn cases where there is but only one nominee for the office, when the membership at the Auxiliary business session Convention may vote to instruct the Ssecretary/treasurer to cast a unanimous ballot for the election of such nominee. G. On all matters coming before the Auxiliary business session Convention at any of its sessions, each Auxiliary member in good standing who is duly registered shall be entitled to cast one vote. H. The terms of all Oofficers, Aarea Ddirectors, Pprogram Ccoordinators and Rregional Pprogram Lleaders shall be for one year and shall be limited to three successive terms. A term shall be understood to cover a part of a term to fill a vacancy. The All terms of all Officers, Area Directors, Program Coordinators and Regional Program Leaders elected or appointed at a state association convention shall begin at the close of the Cconvention at which they are elected. I. Any vacancy in an elective or appointive office may be filled by the Auxiliary Primary Auxiliary Cabinet with the approval of the Gideon Sstate Ccabinet, but the person so elected to fill a vacancy shall hold office only until the close of the succeeding state association convention. J.
Duties of State Association Officers i. The Ppresident shall perform all duties usually pertaining to that office and have general supervision of the work of all Ccommittees. The Ppresident shall chair each meeting of the Sstate Auxiliary Ccabinet and the annual Auxiliary business session meeting at the Sstate Cconvention. ii. Each state association shall have a minimum of two regional vice
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presidents. The Ppresident shall designate one of the Rregional VvicePpresidents to perform the duties of the Ppresident in her absence. The Ppresident will designate a one of the Rregional Vvice-Ppresident to serve as the chairman of the Auxiliary State Convention Auxiliary Program Committee and a different Rregional Vvice-Ppresident to have the responsibility for the state convention Auxiliary arrangements. They shall also perform such other duties as the State Ppresident may direct. iii. The Ssecretary/Ttreasurer shall keep a careful record of all meetings and business transactions and be responsible for all the Auxiliary promotional funds and any other funds belonging to the Auxiliary of the Sstate Aassociation. She will promptly remit all Auxiliary Scripture Ffunds she may receive to the Gideon Sstate Ttreasurer. She will pay out Auxiliary Sstate Ppromotional Ffunds only as authorized by the Sstate Auxiliary Ccabinet for approved promotional expenses. She will pay out other monies received that are designated for promotional related purposes in accordance with the designation for the funds. She shall make a report of the finances at each session of the state Auxiliary Ccabinet, and at the annual state association convention. She shall also perform such other duties as the Sstate Auxiliary Ccabinet may direct. iv. The Cchaplain shall seek in every way to deepen the Christian life of the membership. She shall also perform such other duties as the Sstate Auxiliary Ccabinet may direct. v. The Pprogram Ccoordinators, Aarea Ddirectors, and Rregional Pprogram Lleaders shall perform such duties as specified by the International Cabinet for these officers. vi. The Sstate Auxiliary Ccabinet shall hold its first meeting on the Saturday of the Sstate Cconvention. The state Auxiliary Ccabinet shall meet at least
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three (3) other times before the next convention. Special meetings of the Sstate Auxiliary Ccabinet may be held at such time and place as noticed by the Sstate Ppresident. vii. There shall be no assessment of dues levied for Sstate work Auxiliary activities, but free will offerings may be received. viii. No state organization shall employ paid field workers, under whatever name. viii. A local camp Auxiliary may be organized with a minimum of four Auxiliary members in good standing. The Gideon State Ccabinet may also close a local camp Auxiliary if doing so is recommended by the Auxiliary Sstate Auxiliary Ccabinet and/or is in the best interests of the ministry. Section 10. Local Camp Auxiliaries A. The local cCamp Auxiliaries shall elect officers from among their members in good standing and shall operate in accordance with the Cconstitution, Bbylaws and policies determined by the International Cabinet. B. The Auxiliary officers of local camp Auxiliaries shall be: president, vice-president, secretary/treasurer and chaplain. They shall each be elected to serve for one year and until their successors are duly elected, said officers’ terms to be limited to three successive terms. A term shall be understood to cover a part of a term to fill a vacancy. The elected officers shall elect program chairmen as determined by the International Cabinet for one year and until their successors are duly elected. There is no limit on the number of terms a program chairman may serve. The elected officers and the program chairmen shall constitute the Auxiliary Ccamp Auxiliary Ccabinet. C. There shall be no assessment of dues levied for local Ccamp work activity, but free will offerings may be received. These free will offerings are referred to as the Auxiliary Ccamp Auxiliary Ffund. The Auxiliary Ccamp Auxiliary Ffund will be used to pay all approved expenses of the camp Auxiliary.
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D. It shall be the duty of the Auxiliary Oofficers of each local camp Auxiliary to: (a) lead the local camp Auxiliary in devoted service in fulfilling the object of The Gideons International as set out in Article 2 of the Constitution; (b) encourage each member Auxiliary to active personal participation in Auxiliary work activity; (c) maintain contact with local Auxiliary camp members Auxiliary to sustain their interest in Auxiliary work activity and to avoid having them drop their memberships through disinterest. Article 12 – National Associations Section 1. A Nnational Aassociation may be formed in a country where the Gideons meet specified criteria established by the International Cabinet. Section 2. National Association status can only be granted by the International Cabinet, on recommendation of the International Executive Committee. Section 3. National Associations are organized into a tier structure for purpose of representation on the International Cabinet. The International Cabinet sets the criteria for each level of the tier structure. Section 4. A “Qqualified Nnational Aassociation” is one which contributes annually to the International Outreach ministry Fund and meets other criteria established by the International Cabinet. Section 5. Each Qqualified Nnational Aassociation shall be entitled to designate one Trustee Gideon, who will be nominated for elected election as trustee at the International Convention, to serve on the International Cabinet and exercise the authority and management function of the International Cabinet as it relates to the national association. Section 6. As part of the requirements to become a Nnational Aassociation, the functional equivalent of its charter, constitution or articles of incorporation must include the exact wording of Articles 2 and 3 of the Cconstitution of The Gideons International. In addition, this document must provide for the structure set forth in Article 4 of the Constitution of The Gideons International. Section 7. As part of the requirements to become a Nnational Aassociation, the functional equivalent of its Bbylaws must be as similar to Articles 1-11 and 13 of these Bbylaws as practical within the legal requirements of that country.
Section 8. As part of the requirements to become a Nnational Aassociation, the functional equivalent of its charter, constitution, or articles of incorporation and bylaws, and any amendments to these must be approved by the International Cabinet. Section 9. If the Cconstitution of The Gideons International and/or these Bbylaws is amended, the related documents for the Nnational Aassociation must be amended within a reasonable time to include the amendments. Section 10. A Nnational Aassociation operates the Gideon ministry within the framework of the governance and management guidelines established by the International Cabinet. Section 11. If a Nnational Aassociation persistently fails to comply with the policies and procedures established by the International Cabinet, the International Cabinet may suspend or limit the appointment of members from that Nnational Aassociation to committees and/or take other appropriate action, including suspending or terminating its status as a Nnational Aassociation. Article 13 – Emblem Section 1. The emblem of the Aassociation shall be of gold and enamel having a blue background, upon which appears a white pitcher, from which protrudes a red flame torch. This emblem is to be worn by every member for recognition, preferably on the left lapel of his coat. Section 2. The Auxiliary emblem shall consist of a round pin with the Gideon emblem in the center surrounded by lilies of the valley and shall be made of similar material to the Gideon emblem. Section 3. The adopted flower shall be the lily of the valley, when procurable, with the white carnation as a substitute. Article 14 – Amendments These Bbylaws may be amended, in whole or in part, at any International Convention, by two-thirds of the voting power of the International Convention as defined in Article 5, Section 6 of these Bbylaws, provided notice setting forth the proposed amendment shall have been printed in the monthly Magazine, The Gideon magazine, in the April issue preceding the International Convention or a prior issue during the same fiscal year.
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