Other editions of book In His Steps

In His Steps is a classic of religious fiction about preacher Henry Maxwell, who asks his congregation to consider "What would Jesus do?" before taking any action for a year. This simple request produces marked results in the small mid-western town. Formerly silent and passive members of the congregation become emboldened to enthusiastically speak truth and become frank about various situations they face, while confronting what they view as inadequate or wrong in the locality. Owing to his experience living in and observing individuals throughout late 19th century America, Charles Sheldon created a reasonably accurate vignette of the USA and its people. The setting and characterization helped readers relate easily to the tale and the wrongs which - through conversion - are confronted by various characters. The novel duly became a famous bestseller. Today, In His Steps is credited for introducing the phrase 'What would Jesus do?' to a much wider audience. Although variations of the rhetorical question had appeared in English and other languages for centuries, it was the colossal popularity of this book that embedded it as a household saying.

The penetrating and provocative question 'What would Jesus do?' in all of life's complex situations, is the central theme of this book. It is the soul-stirring novel of men and women torn between their faith and the demands, compulsions, and temptations of life. Dr. Henry Maxwell, respected pastor of the First Church of Raymond, struggled with the idea that Christian discipleship demanded more than mental assent. He vowed to preface every attitude and action of his own life with the question: What would Jesus do in this situation if He were me? Electrifying his congregation with the same challenge, people responded with agreement to try it for one year. This book is the moving, dramatic story of a handful of Americans--a newspaper editor, a college president, a railroad executive, a pastor, a singer, a writer, a wealthy philanthropist--who pledge to walk in 'the steps of Jesus.' At each turning point in their daily lives, they must ask: 'What would Jesus do?' For decades, readers have been gripped by this narrative and have been challenged by its implications for their own lives. In His Steps is a convincing testimony to the worth and influence of Christian witness in all of life. A Christian classic every Christian should read!

"For hereunto were ye called; because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, that ye should follow in his steps." It was Friday morning and the Rev. Henry Maxwell was trying to finish his Sunday morning sermon. He had been interrupted several times and was growing nervous as the morning wore away, and the sermon grew very slowly toward a satisfactory finish. "Mary," he called to his wife, as he went upstairs after the last interruption, "if any one comes after this, I wish you would say I am very busy and cannot come down unless it is something very important."

"I want volunteers from First Church who will pledge themselves, earnestly and honestly, for an entire year, not to do anything without first asking the question, What Would Jesus Do?" A minister's challenge, spurred by a mysterious stranger's impassioned plea, is answered by an heiress, a newspaper editor, a college president, and the local beauty queen. Their stories form the inspirational novel that popularized the expression, What Would Jesus Do?Author Charles M. Sheldon, a Congregational minister, preached popular sermons that focused on Christ's example. His philosophy derived from the Social Gospel movement within Protestantism, a crusade of the late nineteenth century that applied Christian ethics to problems such as injustice, crime, poverty, and other social issues. Originally published in 1897, this classic continues to speak to modern readers with its thought-provoking explorations of what it really means to be a Christian.

One of the best-selling books of all time and an inspirational classic, this 1896 phenomenon popularized the question "What would Jesus do?" American minister CHARLES MONROE SHELDON (1857-1946) was renowned as a preacher more concerned with practical perspectives on living a moral life than on other rarefied theological matters removed from the experiences of ordinary Christians. It was in this novel that many of his own sermons came together in fictional form, through one Reverend Henry Maxwell, of the imaginary Eastern town of Raymond, who inspires his congregation to let the question "What would Jesus do?" guide their actions. Those seeking a virtuous path through everyday life continue to turn to this beloved book even today, more than a century after it was written. It remains a comfort to the soul for readers the world over.

The penetrating and provocative question "What would Jesus do?" in all of life's complex situations, is the central theme of this book. It is the soul-stirring novel of men and women torn between their faith and the demands, compulsions, and temptations of life. Dr. Henry Maxwell, respected pastor of the First Church of Raymond, struggled with the idea that Christian discipleship demanded more than mental assent. He vowed to preface every attitude and action of his own life with the question: What would Jesus do in this situation if He were me? Electrifying his congregation with the same challenge, people responded with agreement to try it for one year. This book is the moving, dramatic story of a handful of Americans--a newspaper editor, a college president, a railroad executive, a pastor, a singer, a writer, a wealthy philanthropist--who pledge to walk in "the steps of Jesus." At each turning point in their daily lives, they must ask: "What would Jesus do?" For decades, readers have been gripped by this narrative and have been challenged by its implications for their own lives. In His Steps is a convincing testimony to the worth and influence of Christian witness in all of life. A Christian classic every Christian should read!