WWJD--THE REAL DEAL (4 OF 7)
by Roger Thomas
Scripture: EPHESIANS 4, EPHESIANS 5
This content is part of a series.
WWJD--The Real Deal (4 of 7)
Series: Forty Days of Purpose
Roger Thomas
Ephesians 4:17-5:2
Introduction: It is only four letters, but most of us know what the abbreviation stands for. Several years ago, it was all the rage. Wristbands, bracelets, necklaces, key chains--jewelry of all sorts sported the WWJD logo. I am sure there was even a fair share of WWJD tattoos. But I would wager that some of you have some WWJD memorabilia on you this morning. Anyone here have anything WWJD on them? Please, nobody needs to show your WWJD tattoo!
We probably all know what the letters stand for--WWJD--what would Jesus do? But do you know when that slogan first became so popular? In fact, the current WWJD popularity started almost exactly one hundred years after the first. Let me tell you the rest of the story.
When Charles Sheldon became the preacher of Central Congregational Church of Topeka, Kansas in the 1890's, the church board told him he had to preach two sermons a week. Sheldon preferred that they cancel the Sunday evening service. It was supposed to be primarily a youth service, but hardly anyone came. The board didn't change their mind so Sheldon adopted Plan B.
Instead of preaching a typical sermon, Sheldon decided to tell a story. Each Sunday evening he would tell an episode in an on-going fictional drama. He would end each episode with a cliffhanger designed to draw the young people back to find out what happened next. Eventually a growing throng of young adults crowded the Central Church sanctuary to listen to Sheldon's tale.
By the time he brought the story to a close, the preacher had spun thirty-one episodes. In 1896, the story was picked up and ran as a weekly series in a popular religious newspaper of the time. When In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do came out in book form, it swept the world like wildfire. It has sold over thirty million copies making it the most widely published religious fiction book of all time. (See Topeka Capit ...
Series: Forty Days of Purpose
Roger Thomas
Ephesians 4:17-5:2
Introduction: It is only four letters, but most of us know what the abbreviation stands for. Several years ago, it was all the rage. Wristbands, bracelets, necklaces, key chains--jewelry of all sorts sported the WWJD logo. I am sure there was even a fair share of WWJD tattoos. But I would wager that some of you have some WWJD memorabilia on you this morning. Anyone here have anything WWJD on them? Please, nobody needs to show your WWJD tattoo!
We probably all know what the letters stand for--WWJD--what would Jesus do? But do you know when that slogan first became so popular? In fact, the current WWJD popularity started almost exactly one hundred years after the first. Let me tell you the rest of the story.
When Charles Sheldon became the preacher of Central Congregational Church of Topeka, Kansas in the 1890's, the church board told him he had to preach two sermons a week. Sheldon preferred that they cancel the Sunday evening service. It was supposed to be primarily a youth service, but hardly anyone came. The board didn't change their mind so Sheldon adopted Plan B.
Instead of preaching a typical sermon, Sheldon decided to tell a story. Each Sunday evening he would tell an episode in an on-going fictional drama. He would end each episode with a cliffhanger designed to draw the young people back to find out what happened next. Eventually a growing throng of young adults crowded the Central Church sanctuary to listen to Sheldon's tale.
By the time he brought the story to a close, the preacher had spun thirty-one episodes. In 1896, the story was picked up and ran as a weekly series in a popular religious newspaper of the time. When In His Steps: What Would Jesus Do came out in book form, it swept the world like wildfire. It has sold over thirty million copies making it the most widely published religious fiction book of all time. (See Topeka Capit ...
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