Christianity at Work: Gideons “Blitz”

Christianity at Work: Gideons “Blitz”

by | Sep 28, 2014 | Great Commission

PictureGideons International photo from NYC Bible Blitz

Gideons International is a Christian organization, founded in the United States in 1899, which has grown into a powerful force for the worldwide distribution of free Bibles, New Testaments and other scriptures. If you have ever found yourself without a Bible in a hotel room far from home, you know what a help the Gideons have been to millions of travelers and others – many of whom first read a Bible provided by that organization. 

The group takes its name from the Biblical figure Gideon, who is depicted in Judges 6 in the story in which flaming torches were placed inside clay jars –  such a jar being the well-known logo of the Gideons, found on the cover of each scripture they distribute.

Today, Gideons International provides Bibles not only for hotels and motels, but also for schools, hospitals, medical offices, military bases, prisons, abuse safe houses and many more venues where they might be appreciated, as well as in sidewalk distribution in many cities.  The “Bible Blitzes” they regularly organize are named after the Second World War “Blitz” of intensive bombing of certain areas – but referring now to intensive coverage of selected areas with Bibles! 

Two recent Blitzes conducted by the Gideons show the scope and extent of their work. September 13-19 the organization conducted the “New York City Bible Blitz 2014” which distributed some 236,238 Bibles and  Testaments in all five boroughs of the Metro New York City area in less than a week.  Gideons also spoke in over 100 churches in the city, explaining their ministry and  encouraging congregations to consider supporting their work through prayer, giving and involvement.

Further from home, a two-week International Scripture Blitz was also conducted this September in Nairobi, Eldoret, and Kisumu, Kenya. There, the Gideons had set a goal of distributing some 400,000 Scriptures in hospitals, schools, and other venues, but by the end of the Blitz the Gideons’ teams had exceeded their goal and had distributed over 600,000 free copies of God’s Word in Kenya.

One has to stop and think about the numbers involved to begin to understand the amazing accomplishment of these Blitzes. The Gideons work in almost 200 countries and have distributed scriptures in over 90 languages.   More than 1.9 billion Bibles and New Testaments have been distributed by the organization since 1908.  On average, numerous copies of the scriptures are distributed every second of every day through Gideons International, and it is anticipated that the organization will give away its two billionth Bible or testament in 2015.

This is clearly an organization doing wonderful work that is worthy of our support. You may find it inspiring to take a look at the Gideons International website some time.

Greater Works than These

by | May 4, 2014 | Difficult Scriptures, Great Commission

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father” (John 14:12).

The words of Jesus are clear, yet we may wonder how this can be.  Jesus performed miraculous deeds seen by many, healed the lame and the blind, raised Lazarus from the dead – how can we do greater works than these?

A key in understanding this verse in John is to realize the difference between the “signs,” “wonders,” “miracles” and “works” performed by Jesus.   There is certainly some overlap in the use of these terms, but generally speaking  there is a difference.  The words “signs” (Greek semeion), “wonders” (Greek teras), and “miracles” (Greek dunamis) are all frequently used of the miraculous deeds Jesus performed as signs of his Messiahship.  Jesus spoke of his followers doing such things, though usually in the context of faith – that if we have faith we, too, would be able to accomplish great deeds with God’s help.

But beyond these miraculous deeds, Jesus also performed many other works of teaching, guiding and helping his disciples and the crowds that followed him.  The word “works” (Greek erga) used in John 14:12 can include miraculous deeds, but it signifies other non-wondrous works as well. In fact, erga can include ongoing duties, works, business, rather than just individual acts; and the word certainly covers Christ’s ongoing teaching and guidance. 

When we look at the broader and often more ongoing sense implied by erga, we can see that Christ’s statement that his followers would do greater “works” than he had done likely refers to his work of teaching,  guiding, etc.  Such deeds were not entirely dependent on faith to accomplish them, and faith is usually not mentioned in the same context – as it is not in John 14:12.  These works would be “greater” than those he had done, and this can mean greater in extent rather than greater in type. 

Although Jesus taught large crowds, sometimes of thousands of people, we have only to look at the eventual effects of the printing press and, in our own age the internet, when used to spread the word of God and to explain its teachings to millions of people, to see the extent of these works has indeed been greater than any individual could have accomplished in the time of Christ.  But we should also remember that “no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him” (John 13:16) – the greater works that might be done in later ages by Jesus’ followers are still done by Him through us!

Help Needed

by | Dec 8, 2013 | Discipleship, Great Commission, Prayer

 “Then he said to his disciples, ‘The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest’ “ (Matthew 9:37-38).

Although these verses are usually interpreted to mean that we should pray for more people to come to the knowledge of the truth who could join the work,  it seems to me that they may just as well mean that we should pray that laborers who are available, but not in the field, should get involved in the harvest. If that is the case, then we should all be praying for help to see what we can be doing, not just for others to come along who will do the work.

In any event, it is clear that we are told to pray earnestly (the Greek word is a form of deomai signifying “beseeching” or even “begging”).  We can hardly pray in this manner without personal involvement in the need for which we pray.  How?  We can pray earnestly for more workers to be called, or to become involved, for their needs, and for the success of their work.  What else can we do?  Certainly we can help financially, as we are able, to support good work where it is being done [Note: TacticalChristianity.org  does not accept donations or gifts],  but prayer always must be the first priority.    That’s what Jesus stressed.  On the other hand, other scriptures do show the necessity of helping those workers who “go out” into the harvest.  Notice the words of John in this regard:

“Beloved, it is a faithful thing you do in all your efforts for these brothers, strangers as they are … You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.  For they have gone out for the sake of the name … Therefore we ought to support people like these, that we may be fellow workers for the truth” (3 John 1:5-8 ESV).

So, even if it is not our calling to personally go out into the “harvest field,”  there is much that we can do to support those who do go and to be “fellow workers.”  The “advertisement” for help needed has already been published.  It is up to us to respond today!