The Gideons trhead is getting mighty long, and I wanted this to be noticed. I was curious, as have been others, about the doctrinal stands of the Gideons, if they had any. So I found their home page. It is at http://www.gideons.org.

Here's a bit of an excerpt from one of their pages:

THE BIBLE contains the mind of God, the state of man, the way of salvation, the doom of sinners, and the happiness of believers. Its doctrines are holy, its precepts are binding, its stories are true, and its decisions are immutable. Read it to be wise, believe it to be safe, and practice it to be holy. It contains light to direct you, food to support you, and comfort to cheer you.

It is the traveler's map, the pilgrim's staff, the pilot's compass, the soldier's sword, and the Christian's charter. Here Paradise is restored, Heaven opened, and the gates of hell disclosed.

CHRIST is its grand subject, our good the design, and the glory of God its end.

It should fill the memory, rule the heart, and guide the feet. Read it slowly, frequently, and prayerfully. It is a mine of wealth, a paradise of glory, and a river of pleasure. It involves the highest responsibility, will reward the greatest labor, and will condemn all who trifle with its sacred contents.

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2000

Answers

Sam, Thanks for the link. I just went there and looked at their plan of salvation. Interesting there is not **one** verse regarding baptism?

Cynthia

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2000

Watch for these neo-orthodox CODE WORDS:

Instead of saying "The Bible IS the Word of God"

They will say the "The Bible "CONTAINS" the Word of God"

BIG Difference!

YODA

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2000

A point of accuracy, Duane -- Where, in their materials, do they say what you "quote", i.e. "The Bible "CONTAINS" the Word of God"? I don't see it in what is quoted above. I see a long list of various things that are "contained" in the Bible, including "the mind of God", but not "the Word of God." I see a significant difference.

-- Anonymous, May 26, 2000

I just checked the website Sam gave us the address for. One of the first things you see, underneath their name and logo and a picture of a building, which I guess must be their headquarters, is a slogan which begins, "Distributing God's Holy Word". Since what they distribute is Bibles, New Testaments and Scripture portions, the impression I get is not that they think it "contains" the Word of God in some Neo-Orthodox fashion, but that it IS the Word of God.

They do give a "plan of salvation" on the "page" titled "Your Invitation". Is that the one they have in their Bibles? If so, I see why people would object since it not only leaves out immersion, it offers assurance of salvation without immersion. So I didn't like that! If not for that, I would be very happy with what they show on their website. ... Or at least all I looked at -- I didn't look at all the past copies of their newsletters.

I've been resisting jumping into these "Gideons" threads because I have mixed feelings about the situation. All my life, I have had great respect for the Gideons as an organisation and for what they do. Because of the Gideons, almost every hotel or motel room I have stayed in, anywhere in the World has had a Bible in the room -- certainly in every "Western" country (I can't remember about the hotels I have spent a night or two in in Thailand, India, Sri Lanka and Japan). That's a tremendous and praiseworthy accomplishment.

Many Christian men that I deeply respected as I was growing up (all in the Christian Church / Church of Christ) spoke highly of the Gideons, including my father and the preachers of churches I attended in my early teens. A couple of churches I attended in Oregon in my early teens had one day each year when a Gideon who was a member of the congregation would preach the sermon and make a presentation and appeal for the Gideons organisation.

I'm afraid it has been some years since I looked closely at a Gideon Bible or Testament, so I can't say what they now have -- which is another reason I've been refraining from commenting. I don't remember any of the Bibles or Testaments that I did look closely at in past years having any "plan of salvation" in them. The main things I remember were a couple of pages about Bible translation, giving John 3:16 in many languages (I used to enjoy comparing them since I was always interested in languages), and a page or two of suggested readings -- verses to turn to if you were feeling sad, discouraged, lonely, etc. (I understand that many people have changed their minds about suicide after finding a Gideon Bible in their hotel room and looking at these verses, which is another reason to give thanks for some of the work done by Gideons.)

I can't say absolutely that they did not at that time include any kind of "plan of salvation" in their Bibles and Testaments -- I can't remember that well. But if they had, I don't think my parents would have approved of the Gideons as wholeheartedly as they did, because they were always very sensitive about things that gave a "faith only" presentation of the way to be saved.

If the Gideons now include an incomplete plan of salvation in their Bibles, I am disappointed, but don't see this as necessarily a reason to condemn the Gideons as a body, to condemn people for joining or supporting them, etc. It seems to me it is more an opportunity to urge the Gideons to go back to their original goals, which I understood to be to give people the Bible and let the Bible speak for itself.

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2000

Hey Ben,

I wasn't "specifically" referring to the Gideons as an accusation against their words really .... I was just quoting Sam Loveall's previous post where he wrote:

{Here's a bit of an excerpt from one of their pages:

THE BIBLE contains the mind of God, }

...and so I just used it as a springboard for my thoughts...

I do agree wholeheartedly with your last paragraph though... We support enterprises sometimes even though we don't agree word for word with everything

One point of contention, however:

You wrote:

I see why people would object since it not only leaves out immersion, it offers assurance of salvation without immersion. So I didn't like that!

In my humble opinion, if it leaves out immersion, it is NOT the Word of God. It does not even CONTAIN the Word of God. (in that area)

-- Anonymous, May 27, 2000

I don't want to be argumentive, but every single reference to baptism that is in the New Testament is in a Gideons Bible.

Perhaps a verse or two concerning baptism could have been included, but if one is contemplating suicide, or is just at the end of his/her rope, getting that individual introduced to the Savior is of prime importance.

-- Anonymous, May 29, 2000

From 'The Gideons International Guide Book ~ Policies and Procedures' (100th Anniversary Edition):

On page 95, headed 'Section 10', 'Membership', and 'Membership Guidelines':

Spiritual

'If the requirements for membership in The Gideons International were to be arranged in order of priority, surely at the top of the list would be the spiritual qualifications,

The Gideon program is a spiritual program. In order to qualify, an applicant must answer the following questions "yes" with the exception of question five which must be answered "no'.

1. Do you believe in the Bible as the INSPIRED, INFALLIBLE, INERRANT, WORD OF GOD?

2. Do you believe IN THE LORD JESUS CHRIST AS THE ETERNAL SON OF GOD?

3. HAVE YOU RECEIVED HIM AS YOUR PERSONAL SAVIOUR, AND DO YOU ENDEAVOR TO FOLLOW HIM IN YOUR DAILY LIFE?

4. Do you believe in the endless lake of fire for the unsaved?

5. Are you a clergyman, an ordained minister, an evangelist, a pastor or a missionary, or do you hold yourself out as any of these, or are you in any other way identified as any of these?

6. Are you a member of a church?

On page 96, set off in a frame:

There are some religious groups, cults, and sects that claim to stand under the Christian banner whose members are not eligible for Gideon membership. Some of these religious groups recognize the written works of human authors as inspired in the same sense in which the Bible is the inspired Word of God. others cast doubt on the Deity of Christ, or His position as Saviour, or do not emphasize receiving Him as personal Saviour, or deny the endless lake of fire for the unsaved.

Among such groups whose members are not eligible for Gideon membership are Roman Catholics, Jehovah's Witnesses, Mormons, Christian Scientists, Seventh-Day Adventists, Advent Christians, the Orthodox Churches (i.e. Eastern, Greek, Syrian, Russian, Western, etc.), Unitarians and Universalists.

From page 185;

Q. Is it permissable to discuss doctrinal matters which may be controversial at Gideon meetings?

A. No. We should focus on the power of the Word of God and winning the lost to Christ which is the purpose of the Gideons. Of course, some doctrines are contained in the Gideon Constitution (such as the Inspiration of Scripture and the deity of Christ), and other doctrines comprise our spiritual objectives (see page 143 for our spiritual objectives), and it is permissable and apprpriate to emphasize these doctrines or subjects at Gideon meetings. However, from an historical standpoint, these subjects are not considered "controversial' within Gideon ranks. Obviously, each Gideon has a right to his own persuasion regarding other doctrinal matters and practices, among which earnest Christians disagree, and we must not discuss these matters at Gideon functions.

Section 17:

SPIRITUAL OBJECTIVES

MEN OF THE BOOK

Read:........ I Timothy 4:13 Study:....... II Timothy 2:15 Memorize: ..Deuteronomy 11:18

MEN OF PRAYER

I Samuel 12:23 Ephesians 6:18 Philippians 4:6

MEN OF FAITH

Ephesians 2:8 & 9 Hebrews 11:6 II Corinthians 5:7

MEN OF SEPARATED WALK

II Corinthians 6:14-18 Romans 16:17-18 Ephesians 5:15

MEN OF COMPASSIONATE HEART

Matthew 9:36 Psalm 86:15 I Peter 3:8

MEN WHO WITNESS

Acts 1:8 Proverbs 11:30 II Corinthians 4:13

MEN WHO GIVE

II Corinthians 8:5, 8, 24 I Chronicles 29:11-14 II Corinthians 9:7

SOUL WINNING

"Win men for Christ through PERSONAL WORK" From the monthly magazine THE GIDEON/JUNE 2000:

This paper was originally given as apeech at the 100th International Convention in Nashville. It seemed appropriate, as we face a new century and our upcoming 101st convention in Chicago, to remind our members of the commitment and legacy of our God-given ministry.

That the world may know....

Our Legacy

Part one - by Jerry Burden

[third page over]:

'Spiritual qualifications were further defined in the 1950s when, in response to a growing liberalized view of the Scriptures, members were asked toi declare their belief in the inspired Word of God. This qualification was further delineated in 1987, when the "battle of the Bible" came to the forefront and the membership affirmed their acceptance, not just of the inspired Word of God, but of the inspired, infallible, inerrant [their emphasis] Word of God.

Brother Gideon, Sister Auxiliary member, there is perhaps no greater element of significance in our legacy, in our heritage, than our view of God's Word as inspired, infallible and inerrant. And may it ever be so.'

AMEN!

THINGS WE DO NOT DO OR DISCUSS AT GIDEON CAMP MEETINGS Because more than 8000 new gideon members are being signed up annually in the U.S.A., it is necessary to stress important policies of our association so that new members, especially, will be informed. There have been instances at Gideon meetings (prayer meetings, camp meetings, and conventions) which have violated the Association's long-standing policy that prohibits the discussion of doctrinal matters and the performances of certain practices regarding which earnest Christians have different opinions. Specifically, and as containedin the question and answer section of the Guide Book under the heading "Gideon Meetings" , communion services, baptismal services, divine healing services, speaking in tongues, and other similar practices should never be discussed or engaged in during or in connection with, Gideon meetings.

From a positive standpoint, we should focus on the power of the Word of God and winning the lost to Christ which is the purpose of the Gideons. When this policy is violated, it inevitably brings division among Gideon members and serves to tear down our ministry, rather than build it up. Obviously every Gideon has the right to his own persuasion regarding such doctrinal matters and practices, but, to repeat, we must refrain from discussing or performing such practices at Gideon meetings and focus on the primary things regarding which we can all agree as members of this association.

FUNCTIONS NOT PERFORMED BY GIDEONS

Gideons, as members of an interdenominational Association of Christian business and professional men, do not conduct communion services, baptisms, healing meetings, etc. Such services are the function of the church and the responsibility of the clergy [the state of being ordained to the Christian ministry] not the Gideon Association.

I felt I had to post this to clarify the gross misunderstandings promulgated here against the Gideons.

I am even more thankful to be a Bible-distributing Gideon.

Mark? ;-) ;-)

-- Anonymous, June 19, 2000