to read the entire AL-NW FLA Newsletter
Below is an excerpt from that newsletter by our own Don McCall.
ALABAMA NW FLORIDA CONVENTION REPORT
I bring you greetings from the Gideons
& Auxiliary of the AL-NW FL Assn. In keeping
with our 30/70 reporting emphasis of sharing
30% of what has been accomplished, where
we are towards goal attainment and 70% of
where God wants us to be, along with His
strategy to get us there, I share this report.
AL-NW FL had a strong finish this past year with Scripture receipts exceeding 4 million dollars for the 3rd consecutive year; total funds generated of $4,206,000.00 is an all time high. PTL!! The Auxiliary exceeded $100,000.00 for the first time with total Auxiliary Scripture receipts of $102,340.00. Give our Lord & the Auxiliary a hand!
Along with these positive results we have some areas of concern. Let me share those and a strategy to address them.
The number of church services declined again this year; but church receipts increased. We attribute the increase, to speaker training emphasis, along with accountability in the re-qualifying cycle. A strong relationship between the local camp and the local church continues to be a key to success in the Gideon ministry. To maintain this relationship we continue to emphasize church relations days, quality PABs, & pastor visitations for prayer.
Like many of you, we had a membership decline this past year. To address this issue we have established Special Project Membership leaders, one for each of the 3 regions in our Association. They report to the Membership Coordinator and are asked to be involved in attaining camp buy- in, compiling prospects, calling prospects, speaking at Membership events, and other areas of membership development. These leaders working alongside ADs, Membership RPLs and willing camps, will deter the loss in membership we believe.
AL-NW FL had a strong finish this past year with Scripture receipts exceeding 4 million dollars for the 3rd consecutive year; total funds generated of $4,206,000.00 is an all time high. PTL!! The Auxiliary exceeded $100,000.00 for the first time with total Auxiliary Scripture receipts of $102,340.00. Give our Lord & the Auxiliary a hand!
Along with these positive results we have some areas of concern. Let me share those and a strategy to address them.
The number of church services declined again this year; but church receipts increased. We attribute the increase, to speaker training emphasis, along with accountability in the re-qualifying cycle. A strong relationship between the local camp and the local church continues to be a key to success in the Gideon ministry. To maintain this relationship we continue to emphasize church relations days, quality PABs, & pastor visitations for prayer.
Like many of you, we had a membership decline this past year. To address this issue we have established Special Project Membership leaders, one for each of the 3 regions in our Association. They report to the Membership Coordinator and are asked to be involved in attaining camp buy- in, compiling prospects, calling prospects, speaking at Membership events, and other areas of membership development. These leaders working alongside ADs, Membership RPLs and willing camps, will deter the loss in membership we believe.
Don McCall
State President
Alabama-NW Florida
Association
Scripture Distribution continues to be strong in our association with an exciting new Prison Ministry Distribution element being organized with a statewide structure. The state prison officials have been very cooperative in providing clearance training and the prison chaplains are appreciative for the Scriptures that are being provided.
The GideonCard Bible program continues to maintain goals; but as you have heard said; it is still a “Sleeping Giant” with much untapped potential.
Are you aware that God has been tweaking the Gideon ministry toward a more Spiritual focus? To that end our state Chaplain sends every camp, weekly, on Wednesday, a 30 minute camp prayer meeting agenda that follows the P&PW guidelines. This has established a greater focus on praying for
Scripture Distribution continues to be strong in our association with an exciting new Prison Ministry Distribution element being organized with a statewide structure. The state prison officials have been very cooperative in providing clearance training and the prison chaplains are appreciative for the Scriptures that are being provided.
The GideonCard Bible program continues to maintain goals; but as you have heard said; it is still a “Sleeping Giant” with much untapped potential.
Are you aware that God has been tweaking the Gideon ministry toward a more Spiritual focus? To that end our state Chaplain sends every camp, weekly, on Wednesday, a 30 minute camp prayer meeting agenda that follows the P&PW guidelines. This has established a greater focus on praying for
Gideon related concerns.
To assist developing a spiritual
atmosphere in every camp our state cabinet is following the guidelines from the 2017 Leadership Conference of creating an atmosphere of Accountability in every camp.
Accountability must be cultivated, it can’t be commanded. And so, a leader needs to focus on creating the conditions that lead people to make that choice for themselves.
People need courage to be accountable, because fear dampens and diminishes ownership.
People need power in order to be accountable, because when people feel powerless they don’t feel responsible for the outcomes or the results.
People need clear direction if they are to step up and be accountable.
People are accountable when there is follow- up.
And finally, people need an ongoing relationship if they are to truly be accountable and step up to higher levels of commitment.
As the AL-NW FL leadership team develops procedures and processes to strengthen the ministry, the underlying thought is; “How will this increase accountability at all leadership levels?”
An example is an ATM report (e-mail form) created by RD Danny Taylor that has accountability built in for all leadership levels, camp, area, region, state and zone.
Let me share the testimony of a police officer in San Antonio, Texas entitled “the problem inside”. He writes; early in my career, I started to realize I was only temporarily solving a problem by arresting people and taking them to jail. Many of them were going to get out of jail and go back to doing what had gotten them arrested in the first place.
To assist developing a spiritual
atmosphere in every camp our state cabinet is following the guidelines from the 2017 Leadership Conference of creating an atmosphere of Accountability in every camp.
Accountability must be cultivated, it can’t be commanded. And so, a leader needs to focus on creating the conditions that lead people to make that choice for themselves.
People need courage to be accountable, because fear dampens and diminishes ownership.
People need power in order to be accountable, because when people feel powerless they don’t feel responsible for the outcomes or the results.
People need clear direction if they are to step up and be accountable.
People are accountable when there is follow- up.
And finally, people need an ongoing relationship if they are to truly be accountable and step up to higher levels of commitment.
As the AL-NW FL leadership team develops procedures and processes to strengthen the ministry, the underlying thought is; “How will this increase accountability at all leadership levels?”
An example is an ATM report (e-mail form) created by RD Danny Taylor that has accountability built in for all leadership levels, camp, area, region, state and zone.
Let me share the testimony of a police officer in San Antonio, Texas entitled “the problem inside”. He writes; early in my career, I started to realize I was only temporarily solving a problem by arresting people and taking them to jail. Many of them were going to get out of jail and go back to doing what had gotten them arrested in the first place.
The problem was not the crime they
were caught committing. That was only
a symptom. The problem was whatever
was inside of them, causing them to think
committing crime was okay or what they
had to do.
I started buying Personal Workers Testaments and providing them to the people I booked into jail. One day, I responded to a call about a disturbance. I parked on the opposite side of the street a couple of houses away. When I returned to my patrol car, I noticed a man mowing his lawn. He stopped mowing and approached the patrol car.
He asked if I remembered him. I replied that I did not. He told me I had arrested him a couple of years earlier for possession of cocaine. I looked at his home and his yard, and I told him it seemed as if he was doing a lot better now than before. He responded that he had received a New Testament from me when I booked him, and it had changed his life.
Friends, sharing God’s Word, that changes lives, is what God has called us to do! As we serve toward this one purpose, we are reminded in Philippians 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us. Knowing this should make us “ready for every good work.”
One Spirit, One Mind, One Vision, Serving side by side for the Faith of the Gospel is a statement you will hear and see often in the future as God aligns the Gideon Ministry to the one purpose He has given us. More on this in the next addition of The Alabama-NW Florida Newsletter; until then my prayer for you is that you make serving our Lord through the Gideon Ministry a priority in your life and that God richly blesses your efforts. “Ready for every good work” with you.
I started buying Personal Workers Testaments and providing them to the people I booked into jail. One day, I responded to a call about a disturbance. I parked on the opposite side of the street a couple of houses away. When I returned to my patrol car, I noticed a man mowing his lawn. He stopped mowing and approached the patrol car.
He asked if I remembered him. I replied that I did not. He told me I had arrested him a couple of years earlier for possession of cocaine. I looked at his home and his yard, and I told him it seemed as if he was doing a lot better now than before. He responded that he had received a New Testament from me when I booked him, and it had changed his life.
Friends, sharing God’s Word, that changes lives, is what God has called us to do! As we serve toward this one purpose, we are reminded in Philippians 4:13 that we can do all things through Christ who strengtheneth us. Knowing this should make us “ready for every good work.”
One Spirit, One Mind, One Vision, Serving side by side for the Faith of the Gospel is a statement you will hear and see often in the future as God aligns the Gideon Ministry to the one purpose He has given us. More on this in the next addition of The Alabama-NW Florida Newsletter; until then my prayer for you is that you make serving our Lord through the Gideon Ministry a priority in your life and that God richly blesses your efforts. “Ready for every good work” with you.
