More from Chuck Colson

Here's more from Chuck Colson in his book Who Speaks for God? As usual, I like what he has to say--challenging. Hope you find it so as well.

1. A survey a few years back revealed that only 26% of the general public (and only 43% of evangelicals) believe Jesus Christ to be fully God and fully man. Other polls reveal that between 1963 and 1982 the percentage of Americans who believed the Bible infallible dropped from 65% to 37%. Why are Christian values in retreat across the landscape of American life? First, it is obvious that we Christians are biblically illiterate, failing miserably to educate ourselves and defend our beliefs to others… Second, equally obvious, is that the Christian worldview has been undermined by a fierce frontal assault for the past 25 years.

2. We must discern the false values of our culture. Tragically, the church has become so comfortable with the culture it can no longer see the bankruptcy of its egocentric, materialistic ways… We must study and know the holy, infallible word of God and the great theological truths of our faith… Third, we must crown him "Lord of all" as the great  hymn proclaims… Fourth, we must take the church to the people. Too often we sit in churches as spectators, waiting for the needy multitudes to come watch the show with us.… And finally, we must invade the secular marketplace. Our best writers should infiltrate the newsrooms of the New York Times and CBS. Christian scholars should debate their secular counterparts and shatter the myth that Christian faith is intellectually inferior.

3. It's not hard to see why the communists viewed the demonstration of Christian compassion as a formidable threat. After all, individual involvement – people helping people – undermines the all-powerful pretences of the central government. So totalitarian leaders have always repressed individuality. It is in the sinful nature of man – all men, by the way, not just the Stalins and Hitlers – to hunger for power. Since that appetite is insatiable, it is axiomatic that government without restraint inevitably leads to totalitarianism. Our country's founding fathers understood that truth and wisely constructed a system of checks and balances to prevent excessive concentration of power. They also saw the corollary need for volunteer involvement to meet public need… If we lose our freedom in this country, it will be because an apathetic church has grown sluggish and uncaring, it's very indifference fueling the steady growth of government – to the eventual loss of liberty.