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Building Better Leaders is a three-part series of articles from Dr. Andrew Johnston, in which he shares strategic principles of effective leadership based on Biblical principles. In this first article, Dr. Johnston describes a crucial difference between doers and leaders and equips leaders to empower their teams.

While Sgt. Ron York was serving in the Marines, he accepted Jesus Christ as his Savior by way of a Testament from The Gideons. God has opened doors for Ron to share his story all over the world and with those who live right next door.

If you were to invite company to your home from out of town, what directions would you give them? Perhaps, you would simply start by giving them your address. Next, they would plug that address into a smartphone’s maps application and, because of data that has been programmed and coded, the app would tell them turn-by-turn where to go. Because such technology is readily available, you can thank Dr. Gladys West, an Auxiliary from Sutherland, Virginia.

Every Easter, we celebrate the resurrection of Jesus and the hope it offers all believers. Yet, before the victory, there was agony. We must not miss the powerful lessons we can learn from His final hours.

In a country filled with traditional and folk religions that do not point people to Christ, Gideons and Auxiliary in Taiwan have the incredible opportunity to share the hope of the Gospel through business ventures, festivals, and personal testimony.

God has shown Eddie and Kathy Rhodes a lot through the years, and they have seen Him move in mighty ways. From sharing their faith to watching God move in the hearts and lives of younger generations, they feel blessed to be a part of The Gideons International.

It’s the high school football coach. It’s the school teacher. It’s the leader. It’s the mentor—the people in our lives who deepen our walks with Jesus, push us to be better, and disciple us in maturity.

As Christ followers, we must be faithful and obedient to what God has called and empowered us to do as we reach people for Christ. Mike Johnson knows being a Gideon is about what God can do in and through a person for His glory.

In the fall of 2018, a team of Gideons and Auxiliary gathered in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic for a Scripture event. They worked intentionally to connect church congregations, pastors, and Gideons, with the end goal being to reach the people of Santo Domingo for Christ.

As Christ followers, we are committed to making the name of Jesus known. Our goal is to be good stewards of the time, resources, and gifts God has given us in order to see people come to know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. D.D. Davis was such a man.

In November 2018, an international team of Gideons and Auxiliary set out to reach the people of Ghana with God’s Word. They would experience God opening doors and hearts for Gospel conversations that would leave a lasting impact.

On Christmas Eve of 1968, people throughout the world were watching a historic event unfold before their eyes. They were also listening to the three men at the center of that event, as they shared a message for all mankind.

New York City is a true melting pot, as men and women from all over the world settle in communities and neighborhoods often reflective of their homelands. In fall 2018, Gideons and Auxiliary had incredible opportunities to share Jesus with people in the Big Apple.

Perry Cartera grew up in a tension-filled home where she longed for her parents’ love. In high school, while struggling with issues of identity, acceptance, and guidance, she was given her very own New Testament from The Gideons. God’s Word would change her life and affect many more.

God brings people into our lives who forever change our direction and ministry. Arthur Bush has experienced this in a powerful way, which has led to a calling and passion that will never leave him.

Thanksgiving is much more than sharing a meal or a polite response when you experience a kindness or receive a blessing. Thanksgiving is a vital aspect of our personal relationship with God.

Aulton Herbert, Jr. didn't grow up in church. He didn't know anything about Jesus and didn't want to know anything. Completely alone in a cold jail cell, Aulton fell to his knees and cried out to God.

Carmen Powers is eternally grateful for a Gideon-placed Bible she found one evening in her hotel room. Throughout her life, God has always drawn her back to the Scriptures, and the power of His Word continues to guide her.

Sometimes we have to hit rock bottom to realize Jesus is exactly who He says he is. He wants a personal relationship with us that invades every single part of our lives. After his own rock bottom experience, Michael DiMarco came to the beautiful realization that Jesus is supreme—no person or thing is greater.

Time is a precious gift. As Christ followers, we must be passionate about reaching the lost for Christ. This past May, over 100 Christian business men and their wives, known as Gideons and Auxiliary, were in final preparations for the 2018 Ecuador International Scripture Blitz.

Although Todd appeared busy with the things of God, a lull began to creep into his spiritual life. He started running in the hills of northern California to intentionally seek time with God, but the thought of the extra weight of a Bible on such a run almost made him give up. Then he remembered a small orange New Testament that been given to him.

In the summer of 1978, Vernard decided that something was missing in his life. After coming under the conviction of the Holy Spirit, he accepted Jesus Christ as his savior. Hearing how God was using the Gideons, he quickly saw the ministry as an aircraft carrier for evangelism. He wanted to be on the front lines.

In 1967, Steve Simms was drafted to serve the United States Military in Vietnam. On the day he was mustered into the army at the military induction center in Syracuse, New York, he was handed a Service Testament by a Gideon. Simms carried the New Testament with him into battle, but he could never have foreseen the impact God's Word would have on him when he went through a life-changing, miraculous experience.

Meet Dan Heighway, the new executive director of The Gideons International. He will be the first to tell you this is not a path he ever dreamed the Lord would have chosen for him. However, Dan will also tell you never to assume you know the Lord's desire until you seek Him diligently.

In late January, about 50 Christian businessmen and their wives, who serve as Gideons and Auxiliary, came together for the Miami Beach/Florida Keys Scripture Blitz. This outreach event drew members from all over the United States and as far away as Alaska. 

At only 10 years old, Dusty Burt begged God to end his life. Little did he know the journey and purpose God had planned for him. A relationship with a Gideon sparked the decision that would forever change the course of Dusty's life.

More than 2,900 athletes representing 92 nations are currently competing in the 2018 Olympic Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. One particular athlete's success as an Olympian is just part of her journey to a purposeful life.

As as teenager, Sheri had all of the material possessions that would make her happy, but she lacked joy in her life. Her longing for answers to life's questions was fulfilled when she encountered the truth of Jesus.

Glen was raised Catholic, but by the time he began studying under the Disney giants, he felt faith no longer relevant to his life. Instead, he immersed himself in the world of illustration. However, while he was growing outwardly as an artist, something else was happening in his heart. 

A well-educated medical professional with multiple Ph.D.s and a reputable teaching position, Ron could tell he was in critical condition. In fact, he appeared to be hanging on by a thread. At that point, he knew of only one place to turn. 

A young boy's emotional pain leads him down the path of destruction. And then, a Gideon walked into his jail with God's Word. 

When our members gathered in Kansas City this past July for our International Convention, they took time to share the Gospel with people they encountered in hotels, restaurants, and on the sidewalks. Here are just a few testimonies from those moments.

Greg Blood enjoys sharing about Native American history and artifacts—almost as much as sharing about what the Lord has done in his life. Though his passion for life and the Lord is evident to anyone who knows him, the journey to where his is today has been nothing short of rocky.

In April, Gideons and Auxiliary in Paraguay held an International Scripture Blitz in the capital city of Asuncion. An international team of Gideons from the USA and South Africa traveled to Paraguay to assist their brothers and sisters in sharing God's Word during the one-week blitz.

In the two International Scripture Blitzes that were complete opposites on many levels, God worked through Gideons and Auxiliary to accomplish a single purpose: sharing the Gospel.

William Funchess was serving as 1st Lieutenant in the United States Army when he was taken captive as a POW in 1950 in North Korea. Night approached and a bitter cold began to settle in. As William shivered in the darkness, he felt something in his chest pocket. It was a New Testament bearing the Gideon emblem. 

From 35 years of experience as a pastor to 35 self-authored books in print, Robert J. Morgan has a passion for God's Word. His most recent work focuses on Biblical meditation and why this discipline is important for believers. Read more from Morgan's perspective in this guest blog.

Laymon was working on a construction site in Arkansas when a building collapsed, injuring him and killing two men by his side. While recovering in a hospital bed, Laymon encountered the truth of the Gospel through a Gideon-placed Bible. Here is Laymon's story, in his own words.

The history of Guatemala bears many scars, brought by years of conflict imposed from within and without, but the people have shown impressive resilience and potential. Specifically, the Christian faith has remained strong in Guatemala, and the people are eager for more of the Gospel.

On March 16, 2017, Gideons in the Dominican Republic participated in a distribution at a police station. After providing each officer with a New Testament, the Gideons received permission to distribute New Testaments and speak to prisoners being held at the police station.

When Jesus prayed in the garden of Gethsemane before His crucifixion – agreeing to carry out His Father’s will though it included measureless agony – He thought not just of His approaching death, nor His faithless disciples, nor the cruel betrayal of a friend.

Jimmy began to show musical inclination from a young age, and in time began to reveal a great talent. His voice and skill with a guitar developed with each small, local performance. While many genres have informed his taste and style, Gospel music was his first love. The messages contained within Gospel were foundational in both Jimmy’s career and Christian faith.

I had given my life to Jesus as Lord and Savior some years before, and I was growing more committed to living out my faith. I continually prayed, “Lord, what will it mean for me to be fully committed to You?” Still, I remained restless within. I had known for some time I was being called in a different direction. However, I seemed powerless to move ahead.

During the 2017 Auxiliary Presidents Conference in Nashville, Tennessee, Katie McCormick received distressing news. In a text from her daughter-in-law, Jill, she learned an outbreak of tornadoes in southwest South Carolina had wrought devastation on their family’s farm. Katie immediately called to make sure everyone was OK. “I can’t talk,” said Jill amidst the sounds and screams in the background. “We are trying to get out of the house. Everything is torn up. Please come home.”

When Ray woke up that cold, overcast winter morning in Appleton, Wisconsin, he wished he hadn’t. He lay in bed thinking life was no longer worth living. The 52-year-old Army veteran had become addicted to the prescription medications he was taking for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and he was struggling with alcohol abuse.

Captain “Siva” Sivaraman began flying planes at 18, and the young pilot’s talent was sought out early by Malaysia Airlines. As his promising career unfolded, his job regularly placed him in hotels. Over time, he began to take notice of the Bibles frequently found in these rooms, and he grew curious. As he began to read, the words spoke to him. “It was like a voice calling to me,” he said. Captain Siva began to encounter God slowly, yet steadily, through the Gideon-placed Bibles he returned to on many quiet, solitary nights.

In addition to his passion for sharing God’s Word, 71-year-old Les Connell has a love for climbing mountains. Last September, that thirst for adventure put Les on the journey of a lifetime.

I grew up in Northern Virginia, in a town called Manassas. I had loving parents who did everything in their power to raise me and my siblings right; they just didn’t take us to church. I remember making wrong decisions so many times growing up. I was a bad kid – a liar, addict, alcoholic, and blasphemer.

He was selling drugs by 12, and collecting money for other drug dealers by 17. After committing several crimes and running from the law, he was arrested. During his time in prison, Pat was visited by a Gideon.

When I was a child, I wanted to be a missionary. I thought it would be great to tell others about Jesus and to help people get to heaven through those efforts. However, that didn’t work out, and I’ve only been on one mission trip in my lifetime. It was a great experience that helped me appreciate what I had, and it deepened my desire to help others find salvation, but I still didn’t know how to approach strangers and ask them if they knew Jesus.

From an early age, Ryan Reis was exposed to the allure of sin. As a young adult, he found himself far from God. Temptation grabbed hold of him, and Ryan followed it to extremes. Ryan was thriving in his career, experiencing every comfort and worldly pleasure, but he was decaying within.

If you’re driving through Crossville, Tennessee, and ask locals to recommend a great spot for delicious barbecue, they will likely point you to Lefty’s Barbecue. Lefty’s is owned by Bill Sanders, a faithful Christian. Bill also serves in the Crossville Camp of The Gideons International.

Weeks before traveling to Haiti, Tim McCormick was standing in the middle of New York City’s Times Square hoping for a personal witnessing opportunity to share the Gospel with someone who did not know Jesus. Even with thousands of people all around, the 58-year-old poultry breeder from Blackville, South Carolina, was still challenged to find anyone there who would stop long enough to talk.

Christmas provides the counter-cultural opportunity to simplify. Before we sought any comforts of the world, we were sought first.

New York City can be a place of unpredictability. Almost nothing is unheard of in this dynamic center of world influence and contrast. When a team of Gideons participated in a Metropolitan Scripture Blitz to the city earlier this year, the experience matched the reputation of the city in excitement and wonder.

In the early 1900s, a railroad expansion into Superior opened a new route for more goods and people to flow in and out of town. One of the people working on that expansion project was Archie Bailey, an accountant for a railroad contractor. Archie was a regular guest at the Superior Hotel. He was also a Gideon.

Lowell “Bud” Paxton’s broadcasting career led him from radio to TV and the birth of the Home Shopping Network. He was flourishing, yet his business ventures kept him busy and away from home, so much that he did not realize his marriage was failing. On Christmas morning, 1986, at the height of his business success, Bud’s life hit rock bottom.

For many, the presence of sin in their lives is an idea that is staunchly resisted. After all, no one wishes to feel evil or desperate. But for others, the course of their life brings undeniable awareness of the severity of the human condition. Such is the framework for JC’s story.

During a recent International Scripture Blitz, Gideons were distributing Scriptures at the National University of Mexico.

As Christian business and professional men and their wives dedicated to telling people about Jesus Christ, Gideons go into the world sharing copies of God’s Word. During an International Scripture Blitz, such as the one that took place for two weeks this October in Mexico, local members as well as several members from around the world, distribute Scriptures and share their faith with others all day long.

Brent Young is a 54-year-old Gideon from Warsaw, Missouri. Like many of his fellow Gideons, he enjoys watching people come to Christ, handing out the Word of God, and hearing testimonies of how God is changing lives around the world. However, Young’s ministry is unique in one way – he operates from the saddle of a red Trek bicycle.

In the middle of a worship service during the summer of 2016, Pastor Kenny received the breaking news of the shooting of five police officers in Dallas. Shocked and heartbroken, the pastor immediately shared the tragic news with the congregation and called upon the church to pray. “This killing has got to stop,” he told them.

Last week, Gideons conducted the 2016 Botswana International Scripture Blitz. Early counts place the total number of Scriptures distributed at around 70,000 copies of God’s Word. The blitz team members witnessed more than 700 people pray to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.

On a cold, dreary night in the 1970’s, a young hotel executive was driving to Washington, D.C. With his career taking off and in love with his future bride, one might think there was nothing Shahn Wilburn lacked. However, deep inside his heart, Shan knew something was missing. On that night, he began to ponder the question, “If I were to die, where would I spend eternity?”

The song “God Will Make A Way” has been sung by millions during worship in churches throughout the world. And while you may know the song, what you may not know is the story behind it. The song was written by Don Moen, a Dove Award-winning songwriter in Nashville, TN whose songs and recordings have sold millions of copies.

I was born in Baltimore, Maryland. Both my parents were heavily involved with drugs and alcohol. When I was younger, my mom took us to church, but that soon ended…

The hallways of James Buchanan High School are filled with students representing small-town life in Mercersburg, Pennsylvania. Like most high school students, some strive for excellence in the classroom, while others push their limits on the field. Then there are those like Violet Clark—enthusiastic, a dreamer—those who exude joy and a heart for the Lord in everything they do.

As Christians, we are all called into a spiritual battle. Ours is a fight for the hearts of men, women, boys, and girls. By sharing God’s Word with the military, Gideons are equipping servicemen and servicewomen with the greatest weapon of all.

A single copy of God’s Word in a hotel room has the potential to touch up to 2,300 lives during its six-year life span. Over the years, we have received countless testimonies from individuals who have encountered these Bibles and whose lives have been forever changed as a result.

The most familiar words in all the letters to the Corinthians lie in 1 Corinthians 13. In an effort to remind ourselves of the impact of these truths, consider these verses and themes Paul writes about to the church in Corinth.

Jason and Paula Hall became members of The Gideons International in 2005. They joined with a desire to impact lives with the Gospel. Along the way, they discovered ministry had a way of making just as big an impact on their lives as well.

Deep in the Central Highlands of Southwestern Kenya, two lone men sat on the side of a steep mountain road. Their truck had lost its hard-fought battle against the road’s spongy orange clay, and it rested idly a few feet away from them, useless.

Gideons and Auxiliary have been distributing Scriptures to those in jails and prisons since 1916. No matter what the circumstances, there has always been a passion to get God’s Word behind bars.