The Gideons International facts for kids
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| Founder(s) | Samuel E. Hill John H. Nicholson William J. Knights |
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| Tax ID No. | 36-2270051 |
| Founded | July 1, 1899 |
| Headquarters | P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214-0800 |
| Key people | Dan Heighway (Executive Director) |
| Area served | 200 countries and territories |
| Members | 269,500 Gideons and auxiliary members (wives of Gideons) |
The Gideons International is a group of Christian men who work together to share the Bible with people around the world. It was started in 1899 in Janesville, Wisconsin. The main goal of the Gideons and their wives (who are part of the Auxiliary) is to encourage each other in their faith and to share their personal stories about Jesus Christ.
They are most famous for giving away free copies of the Bible. These Bibles are paid for by donations from churches and the members themselves. This Bible sharing happens in about 200 countries and places worldwide. The Gideons give out full Bibles, New Testaments, or parts of them. These copies are printed in over 108 languages. You might have seen their Bibles in hotel rooms. They also give Bibles to hospitals, schools, colleges, military bases, and prisons. The group is named after a Bible hero called Gideon from the Book of Judges.
The Gideons started giving away free Bibles in 1908. The first Bibles were placed in rooms at the Superior Hotel in Superior, Montana. Today, members of The Gideons International give out more than 70 million Bibles every year. That's like giving out two Bibles every second! By April 2015, they had given out over 2.5 billion Bibles. The main office for Gideons International is in Nashville, Tennessee.
Contents
How Gideons Started
The Gideons organization began in the fall of 1898. Two traveling salesmen, John H. Nicholson and Samuel E. Hill, met in a hotel room in Boscobel, Wisconsin. They talked about starting a group. In May 1899, they met again and decided their group would help traveling salesmen share their Christian faith.
In July 1899, Nicholson, Hill, and Will J. Knights met at the YMCA in Janesville. Two of them continued with the idea of distributing Bibles. The Gideons began giving out free Bibles in 1908. This is what they are most known for today. The first Bibles were placed in hotel rooms in Superior, Montana.
The Gideons chose their name from the Bible story of Gideon. They say that Gideon was a man who was ready to do exactly what God wanted. He was humble, faithful, and obedient. The Gideons try to follow this example. They want each member to be ready to do God's will at any time and in any way.
The symbol of the Gideons is a pitcher and a torch. This reminds them of Gideon's victory over his enemies, the Midianites, as told in the Bible (Judges chapter 7).
Who Can Join the Gideons?
As of 2022, The Gideons reported having 269,500 members. These members are in 200 different countries and territories.
To become a member of The Gideons International, you usually need to be a current or retired businessman or professional. You must be 21 years old or older. Members also need to be active in an evangelical or Protestant church. They must agree with the main beliefs of the organization. Wives of Gideons can join a similar group called the Auxiliary of The Gideons International.
Besides the well-known Bibles in hotel rooms, Gideons also give Bibles to many other places. They share Bibles with people in the military in different countries. They also give them to hospitals, nursing homes, and prisons. Sometimes, they give Bibles to government leaders and students.
What's Inside a Gideon Bible?
A typical Bible or New Testament from The Gideons International usually has a few special parts:
- It starts with a short introduction.
- There's a small guide that suggests Bible verses for different kinds of problems or feelings.
- You'll find the Bible verse John 3:16 translated into many different languages.
- The main part is the Bible text itself. It doesn't have extra notes or references, just the chapters and verses.
- Some copies are full Bibles, which are often found in hotel rooms. Other copies are smaller, with just the New Testament, Psalms, and Proverbs. These are often given as gifts to individuals.
- The smaller copies often have a short explanation of how to become a Christian. It includes Bible quotes and a space for the reader to sign and date if they decide to follow Jesus.
Bible Cover Colors and Meanings
The New Testaments given out by Gideons have different colored covers. Each color is for a specific group of people:
- Orange: Given out on sidewalks or in public places.
- Green: For college and university students.
- Red: For middle and high school students.
- Digital camouflage/desert camouflage: For people in the military.
- Dark blue: Printed in a language other than English. Some also go to county jails.
- White: For doctors and other medical professionals.
- Light blue: Given out only by the Auxiliary (wives of Gideons).
- Brown: For jails and prison facilities.
- Burgundy: Used by Gideons for sharing their faith one-on-one.
- Periwinkle: Used by the Auxiliary for sharing their faith one-on-one.
During World War II, there were special military New Testaments. Brown ones were for the Army, and blue ones were for the Navy. Besides desert and digital camouflage, there are also woodland camouflage editions for the military.
Sharing Bibles in Schools
The Gideons International works with churches and youth groups to give copies of the Bible to high school students. There are rules about how and when groups can share materials in public schools. These rules help make sure that all groups have a fair chance to share information with students who want it.
See also
In Spanish: Gedeones Internacionales para niños
- Pocket Testament League
- Tijuana bible
