Actively Seeking Deeper Fellowship

by David, Deacon of Mercy Ministry

About 3 years ago I was looking for a way to find deeper fellowship with other believers. I discussed this with Pastor Dave and he gave me some very sound counsel. He told me it is my responsibility to be more aggressive in searching out those relationships. Shortly after talking to Pastor Dave about my need, I received an invitation to a Gideons International recruitment meeting.

In 1899, two Christian businessmen met by God’s hand in a hotel in Wisconsin. The hotel was full, so they were asked if they would double up for the night. They discovered they were both Christians. They had devotions and prayed together. A few months later, these two men and one other had a vision to place Bibles in every hotel room in the U.S.

The Gideons are most known these days for placing Bibles in hotels. In my many travels over the years I rarely went into a hotel room where there was not a Gideon Bible in the nightstand. However, our efforts go far beyond this.

Fifty years ago, when I was growing up, some men came into the classroom in my middle school and gave New Testaments to each student. If I remember correctly, they even gave us a small bag of peanuts. I now know those men were Gideons.

Today we still attempt to give New Testaments to middle and high school students. We are no longer allowed to go on the school property for Bible distributions. Newer schools are on large campuses, and buses and cars pick up the students inside the school property, so we can’t be near those students. Therefore, we often have access only to students who walk home from such schools, which is just a small percentage. We, along with the Auxiliary, also place Bibles and New Testaments in hospitals, doctor’s offices, nursing homes, police stations, fire houses and colleges.

Last year I went to an inner city high school distribution for their afternoon dismissal. A city sidewalk is between the school building and waiting buses. We four Gideons were allowed to stand only at the corners of the block, but the school filled the entire block with buses on three streets. Students came out of their way to see us at the corners and get a New Testament before getting on their buses. We gave them away as fast as we could get them out of the boxes.

The Gideons’ goal is to distribute God’s Word to as many people as possible so that men, women, boys and girls may come to know Christ. The Gideons currently have access to 190 of the 212 countries in the world. We have local camps (chapters) in 150 countries. We will distribute nearly 80 million Bibles and New Testaments around the world in 90 languages during 2011. Since 1908, about 1.6 billion copies have been distributed.

When I talk about giving out New Testaments in public places, people think that is a very difficult task. However, in many places we go nearly everyone takes one, and some will ask for another copy to give someone they know. We then pray that those who took the Scriptures will be prompted at some time in the near future to begin reading. The back flyleaf is a very simple Gospel presentation. Some of us tell the recipients, "Read the back page first!"

This is a very good way for me to further the Gospel. I find talking to people very difficult. However, during a distribution the process is usually very non-confrontational. I don’t really have to present the Gospel if it feels uncomfortable. Usually there isn’t time to present the Gospel directly as we present the Bibles. I can offer the free Scripture and tell them they can learn how to receive Christ in the back, and that there are some Scriptures listed in the front for when they need comfort in different situations.

As a report on my prayer request for the Scripture distribution in October, we distributed over 20,000 copies in St. Louis City. We still have a few places to visit that we didn’t have time for during the 3 day blitz. During a 5 day blitz in 2010, covering the entire metropolitan area on both sides of the river, we distributed 57,000 Scriptures.

So let me get back to the fellowship that I mentioned earlier. I attend a weekly prayer breakfast, a monthly dinner meeting and a Scripture distribution day about once a month. By being active, those relationships have developed. The men who attend the prayer breakfast are some of my dearest brothers in Christ. Several have been members for over 30 years. Prayer and a meal are great for deepening your fellowship and friendship with other believers.

If you also feel the need for closer fellowship with other brothers and sisters, don’t hold back waiting for them to seek you out. Ask for the Lord’s guidance and put yourself in a position to find them.