Owen Strachan, an assistant professor of Christian Theology and Church History at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary and Boyce College, opens THE COLSON WAY with some brief personal history about his work in Washington, DC as a staff intern at the U.S. Department of State. He notes that his time there had him running into countless power figures at work, en route to work, and even during his lunch breaks. According to him, one can’t help but describe DC as “nerd Hollywood.”

Strachan has written this book in the hopes that he can ignite a passionate flame in fellow Christ followers to engage or re-engage with their communities to lead as offence players in displaying the love of Christ to those they impact daily. He realizes that Millennial Christians know very clearly what they don’t want to be, and they also see very few public square role models worth following. However, Strachan believes that Charles Wendell “Chuck” Colson is such a role model worth studying and subsequently following the lead he began so many years ago.

"[P]atterning new ministries and organizations after Colson’s style is both timely and urgently needed. Christ followers will find encouragement and lots to contemplate in this fine work."

Throughout this dynamically written resource on all things related to Chuck Colson and the impact his legacy has made on the world at large, Strachan details Colson’s life from childhood right through to his death in 2012. Readers will learn much about the private makings of this game changer who was once a ruthless power monger, then a born-again Christian who continued to boldly proclaim what Jesus Christ had done in his life.

Specifically, readers will discover the background behind Colson’s decisions and what spurred him on at each season of life. In eight chapters, Strachan fleshes out the scenes of Colson’s growing-up years; his conversion to Christianity; his stint in prison; where he found his theological roots; and how he expanded into ministry by creating Prison Fellowship, Angel Tree, Breakpoint and the Centurions program.

Strachan not only guides readers through the timeline of Colson’s fascinating life, he helps them better relate to this giant of the faith by sharing how very human and full of faults Colson knew himself to be. The author likewise invites today’s Christians to stop complaining about politics and other social ills, and get busy investing their time and talents into being the change they want to see in the world. He notes the current distressing statistics of divorce and the breakdown of the family unit in candid terms. Still, he is optimistic that Christians can enter the public square with a glad winsomeness that will attract folks to the Jesus they love so dearly.

THE COLSON WAY is important because, as Strachan notes in his introduction, there are few noble role models left in the public domain. So patterning new ministries and organizations after Colson’s style is both timely and urgently needed. Christ followers will find encouragement and lots to contemplate in this fine work.