Who In the World Are the Gideons?

August 13, 2025 / by Spencer McDonald

And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”

Hello, my name is Spencer McDonald. My wife Sharon, and I are both active members here at East White Oak. I currently serve as the local Gideon Camp President, as well as a Membership Regional Program Leader with the Gideon State Management Team.

A question that is often asked by my friends and family is why I joined the Gideons. It usually goes something like this “Who in the world are the Gideons, and what exactly do you guys do?”  You may have wondered the same thing. These are legitimate questions. I hope by telling a little of my story, I’ll be able to help answer them. Maybe even encourage you to prayerfully consider partnering with us in this wonderful outreach ministry!

Who are the Gideons

If you were to randomly ask 100 people on the street that same question, the vast majority would probably tell you, “Aren’t they the guys that put the Bibles in the hotel rooms,” and they wouldn’t be wrong. But the Gideons do so much more than that!

Gideons are business and professional men, and their wives, who serving alongside them as auxiliary members, work together to spread the Gospel through personal witnessing, and providing free copies of GOD’S word the Bible. We are business and professional men and their wives coming together to win others for Christ!

Today the Gideons are blessed to have over 240,000 members worldwide in over 200 hundred countries, territories, and providences around the world!

Did you know that working alongside Churches just like this one, and with the support of Christian men and woman just like you, the Gideons have been blessed to be able to place over 50 MILLION copies of the word of GOD into the hands of people that need it! When I think of all the Bibles we place, I am reminded of the scripture passage from

Isaiah 55:11 “So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, without accomplishing what I desire, and without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.”

Why it matters

In this fallen and dark world, we Christian men and women, along with the Church, serve as beacons of light to the lost! By our personal witnessing, and the distributing of GOD’S word, the Bible, we are fulfilling the great commission.

Matthew 28:19-20 “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to follow all that I commanded you; and behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Why the Gideons

We all have different gifts and abilities. The Lord uses each one of us to accomplish His will. Some of us are great speakers, others are talented at personal witnessing, and others are good organizers. Whatever your special gift is, it can be used by the Lord to advance HIS Kingdom! Me, I like to give away Bibles!! I believe the Gideon ministry is working in this world to advance the Lord’s Kingdom, and by supporting and working to place as many copies of the Lord’s word in as many hands as possible, I will be working to help fulfill the great commission!

Challenge to you

In September we are planning a large evangelical outreach right here in Bloomington/Normal at I.S.U. Last year we were able to put approximately 5,000 copies of the New Testament into the hands of 5,000 young people! This year, with your help, and with the Lord’s blessing, we will reach even more!

I am challenging the business and professional men and their wives right now, to prayerfully consider joining us in our efforts to advance the Lord’s Kingdom. Please be a part of what we are doing. Come and join us in our ministry. Ask about being a Gideon, or a Friend of the Gideons. You can make a difference!!

Visit the Gideon website to learn more!

Matthew 9: 37-38 “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.”

In closing

Since I have joined the Gideons I have grown and matured in my faith. Joining with my brothers and sisters in Christ and working together to spread the Gospel has been a wonderful blessing! A blessing I hope to be able to share with you.

I hope and pray to always be one who is rooted in scripture, to always be one growing in Christ, to always be one working to make disciples, and to always be one seeking to be a worshiper maturing in my faith in our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ!

Spencer McDonald and his wife, Sharon, are active members of East White Oak. They are currently serving as Small Group leaders and on the Greeting Team. They have two grown children and four grandchildren. Spencer is a retired Police Officer and a retired Special Agent for the Illinois Liquor Control Commission. He is a member of the Gideons International and serves in the local Gideon Camp. Spencer enjoys giving away Bibles, traveling, taking the whole family up north every year, fishing, and training in jiu-jitsu.