Explore Membership | Gideons International

Lives Changed by God’s Word

Using Your Skills to Grow God's Kingdom

God has gifted you with unique passions and talents that have helped you advance in your career. Perhaps He is now calling you to use those same gifts toward the mission of advancing the Gospel.

For over 125 years, Christian business and professional men have responded to God’s call to actively serve as members of The Gideons. Their faithful response has been pivotal in touching more than 2.6 billion lives for the Gospel in some 200 countries, territories, and possessions.

Curious about how you can get started? Find out through our quick assessment.

Is God Calling You?

Membership in The Gideons International is a unique calling for Christian business and professional men who desire to share the Gospel and grow in faith alongside likeminded Christian brothers.

Membership is open to Christian business and professional men with the occupational experience to help us accomplish our mission. They should be godly men who are:

Actively living out their Christian faith.
Members in good standing of an evangelical or Protestant church.
Called to win others for Christ through participation in personal evangelism and other ministry activities.

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The Gospel is our Mission

Why The Gideons Could Be
Your Calling

Do you feel called to do more in terms of reaching the lost for Christ, but don’t know where to begin? The Gideons International provides training and resources for Christian business and professional men to further develop and use their unique gifts for our mission.

As a Gideon, you’ll have opportunities to increase your Gospel impact through:

Spiritual Growth

Fellowship and Accountability

Leadership Development

Personal Evangelism Training

Community Impact

Bibles and Testaments

What Our Members Say

A Calling That Bears Much Fruit

Christian business and professional men who respond to the Lord’s call to join The Gideons grow closer to Him and to likeminded brothers in Christ as they serve together. That spiritual growth increases their impact for the Gospel in their homes, workplaces, churches, and elsewhere throughout their community.

“Being a Gideon helps me lead my team in an honorable way—the way a Christian should carry himself professionally. I seek to inspire, encourage, and help my co-workers. I can also be a witness in how I respond to difficulties, showing the peace I experience as a child of God. This opens doors for me to share my faith.”

Oscar

Naples-West Camp, Italy

“Attending a camp meeting with fellow believers is a privilege. It’s a reminder of how God can use people from different languages, cultures, and educational backgrounds to share the Word of God and use our gifts and talents for His glory.”

Geoffrey

Bangalore Electronic City Camp, India

“Through the men’s group I started at church, I made friends with a Gideon who invited me to a camp meeting. I joined The Gideons, and it’s given me another piece of armor to go out and spread His Word. We need to always be prepared to share His Word and there is no better way than to have that Testament on you.”

Rick

Smithville Camp, USA

What Does a “Called” Membership Look Like?

God-called Gideons aren’t seeking to simply join another club. They are seeking to increase their impact for the Gospel in addition to the impact they make through their church. Why? Because they have a hunger to see lost souls saved.

Through active engagement with the ministry of this Association, men called to join The Gideons experience:

Spiritual Growth Through:

Daily Bible reading
Scripture memorization
Prayer and encouragement

Strengthening Bonds with Likeminded Men Through:

Fellowship and mentorship
Mutual accountability

Preparation for Spreading the Gospel Through:

Sharpening God-given talents for an eternal purpose
Using leadership skills and other gifts to make a greater Gospel impact
Becoming better equipped to spread the Gospel message
Embracing God-given opportunities to invite others into a personal relationship with the Lord

Opportunities to Share God's Word Through:

Building relationships with pastors and business leaders in the community
Fulfilling speaking engagements at churches with testimonies of God’s work
Sharing copies of God's Word in hotels, hospitals, shelters, and other places where people often seek hope
Frequently engaging in meaningful conversations of eternal significance within the community

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The Auxiliary

How Wives of Gideons Support Their Husbands’ Calling

The Auxiliary is essential to the mission of The Gideons, providing wives of our members with the opportunity to support their husbands in their mission for the Gospel, while strengthening their own spiritual journey. In a world that challenges biblical marriage, Auxiliary members stand firm in faith—offering encouragement, discernment, and steadfast support. Through prayer, fellowship, and service, they play a vital role in winning others for Christ.

Common Questions About Membership

Many people have questions about what it means to be a Gideon. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions:

What are the age requirements for membership?

Members must be 21 years of age or older.

What are the spiritual requirements for membership?

The Gideons International is a diverse association representing many Protestant and evangelical denominations—all with a common interest in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

All Gideons uphold these core beliefs:

The Bible is inspired, infallible, and inerrant Word of God
The Lord Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God

All Gideons must also:

Have received the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal Savior
Endeavor to follow the Lord Jesus Christ in their daily lives
Believe in the lake of fire for the unsaved
Believe in the Biblical standard of marriage between one biological man and one biological woman
Not be generally accepted or recognized as a practicing clergyman, pastor, minister of a church, evangelist, or missionary
Be members in good standing of a local evangelical or Protestant church
Have the recommendation of their pastors

What are the occupational requirements for membership?

To be a member or to be considered for membership in The Gideons International, a Christian business or professional man must meet occupational qualifications. There are two occupational qualifications – either as a businessman or as a professional man.

To maintain a strong public testimony for the members of the Association, a business or professional man who meets the spiritual qualifications above except those engaged in a business the character of which is inconsistent with accepted Christian standards (e.g., the business includes the manufacture or sale of alcoholic beverages or marijuana, or is related to gambling or other businesses or professions identified by the International Cabinet), is eligible for membership in the Association. A Christian business or professional man who is in a position of making the decision on manufacture or sale of products or services inconsistent with accepted Christian standards by the business in which he works is not eligible for membership.

A Christian businessman is one who risks capital and runs a non-transient business or one who is in management of a corporation or organization. A bachelor’s or advanced degree is not required to qualify as a businessman, though having a degree does not mean an individual cannot be qualified through the businessman's qualifications.

A Christian professional man is one who has obtained a bachelor’s or advanced degree, and his primary income is from the application of that degree to provide services to the public or to a corporation/organization. Professional qualifications also include those involved in the leadership of the military, law enforcement, or government services, having obtained a rank of at least E5 or above (USA equivalent). A qualifying bachelor’s degree is defined as either a 3-year or 4-year degree, depending on the standards for the country or international area of the world in which the individual resides.

How can the wife of a Gideon get involved?

Wives of Gideons support their husbands’ calling and assist him in his ministry endeavors through membership in The Auxiliary of The Gideons International. Through prayer, fellowship, and service, they play a vital role in winning others for Christ. Auxiliary members stand firm in faith—offering encouragement, discernment, and steadfast support.

Other Ways the Lord May Want to Use You

There are many opportunities to support the mission of The Gideons outside of membership. Here are other ways you can partner with us.

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Could Your Career Path Be Preparing You for a Harvest?