Gideons International

The Gideons International organization has certainly distributed many, many Bibles since their inception in 1899 —1.9 billion by their own count.  We can be happy that God’s Word has been circulated so widely.  The Gideons International currently distributes two Bible translations:  the King James Version and the English Standard Version.  (The latter replaced the New King James Version in 2013.)

Concerns about the organization revolve around their promotion of unionism (false ecumenism) through local gatherings of Gideons called “camps.”  The organization in general glosses over doctrinal differences among churches and presents itself simply as “an Association of Christian business and professional men and their wives.”  Their materials, as reflected on their Web sites, espouse “decision theology” and recognize baptism and the Lord’s Supper only as “ordinances.”

So, we find ourselves in the position of recognizing that the organization is making God’s Word available to great numbers of people throughout the world—and God can work in people’s hearts through that Word—but also understanding that we cannot “work together for the truth” (3 John 8) with them because of a lack of doctrinal unity.

If, as a member of WELS, you are interested in supporting the distribution of Bibles to similar target audiences in jails and prisons, I would encourage your involvement in and support of WELS Prison Ministry.