He was one of the wisest men of the past 100 years. He gained great worldwide respect but he committed a crime and was sent to prison. As one of the most powerful men in the country, he served as a top advisor to the President of the United States. And yet an unwise decision resulted in a complete upheaval in his life. That man's name is Chuck Colson.
He pleaded guilty of obstruction of justice as one of the seven involved in the Watergate scandal. It was during this stressful time in his life that Chuck Colson accepted Jesus Christ as the Lord of his life. His radical life change led him to found the nonprofit ministry Prison Fellowship and Prison Fellowship International and to focus on Christian worldview teaching and training around the world. His witness and influence was felt in prisons and throughout the nation as well.
One question that Chuck explored was why people committed crimes in the first place. Some blamed poverty. Others blamed race. Chuck studied the writings of sociologist James Q. Wilson who knew the real answer: Crime is a moral problem that demands a moral solution.
The Bible makes two things clear about humanity. First, we are created in the image of God, and knowledge of right and wrong is implanted on the human heart. But we're also warned that we live in a fallen world - and that the human heart is desperately wicked. These two facts require any civilized society to make the moral training of its young its number one priority....The great criminologist James Q. Wilson says all of his studies have led to the same conclusion: “Crime begins when children are not given adequate moral training, when they do not develop internal restraints on impulsive behavior."
A man of boundless energy, his last two big projects prior to his death when he was 80 years old were: (1) establishing the Chuck Colson Center for Christian Worldview, which promotes worldview teaching and (2) helping write the Manhattan Declaration, which calls for the church to defend the sanctity of human life, traditional marriage, and freedom of religion.
Chuck was planning yet another big project just prior to his death. It was "A movement of Christians to reform education - public, charter, private and Christian - from kindergarten through university." Hopefully someone will respond to the challenge and carry that dream to a reality.
Along the journey of my life which now spans eight decades, I have watched the changes and am alarmed at what has happened to our society. We now have generations of people who do not trust in God. The modern world has abandoned the Bible which is our standard for the way in which we should live. When Scripture is abandoned in the culture, it leads to relative morality, hopelessness and meaninglessness.
Our nation is divided. There is so much fear and anger. Children are being led down a primrose path of a life of pleasure and leisure that results in disastrous consequences.
Since it crept into our society, evolution affects every area of our lives. The enemy has used other organized groups to deceive people. There have been a number of revolutions which resulted in drastic cultural changes. From the sexual revolution to the radical feminism movements, to the anti-gun marchers, much of the rhetoric has been vile, vitriolic and offensive. Sadly the feminists maintain the focus on the right to abortion of unborn babies. Most of the marches are used for purposes that are opposite to God's standards.
Because of the great concern for our children, youth, and adults, I'm continuing a different march. This is the march I invite you to join in as it is the only way to spend an eternity with Jesus Christ. For all those who love the Lord.
