Family Life

04.24.12 | Jeremy Miller

Christian leaders continue to pay tribute to Prison Fellowship Ministries Founder Chuck Colson who passed away over the weekend.  CitizenLink points to several of these tributes including: Dr. James Dobson, quote, "The world has lost one of the most brilliant Christian leaders and articulators of the faith.  He was a scholar, a constitutional lawyer, and a compassionate humanitarian who befriended lost and lonely prisoners for nearly 40 years."

Former presidential candidate Gary Bauer, quote,  "Chuck Colson was a dear friend and I will miss him greatly. He was living proof of the transformative power of Jesus Christ. Chuck went from the highest of levels of government power in the Nixon White House to the tragedy of a jail cell. There he gave himself fully to Christ, found his true calling and emerged a new man."

Retired Director of the Federal Bureau of Prisons, Norman A. Carlson, quote, "Chuck was a truly brilliant visionary, a man who understood human frailties and wanted to bring Christ's love and compassion into the lives of the downtrodden. His life exemplified the admonition for all of us contained in Micah 6: 'to do justice, love mercy and walk humbly with our God.' "

Pastor and Author Max Lucado, quote, "It is hard to imagine the Christian landscape without Chuck Colson... He will be sorely missed. But let us rejoice at the power of a redeemed life. May God bring healing to the hearts of his family and friends and glory to His name."

Dr. Charmaine Yoest, president of Americans United for Life, quote, "At the heart of the pro-life movement is the certainty that one life can make a difference, and Chuck Colson is proof of that. While he became well-known through his political career in Washington, D.C., it was through his ministry, Prison Fellowship, that he lived out his faith and demonstrated transformative spiritual and cultural leadership."

Baptist Press listed tributes from Southern Baptist leaders including:

Hayes Wicker, pastor of First Baptist Church in Naples, Florida, where Chuck Colson was a member, quote, "Chuck Colson was a towering intellect who already has a high-impact place in history as a courageous reformer. He was an exemplary Christian, faithful churchman and the most precious encourager possible of my ministry."

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention's Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, quote, "Chuck Colson was a giant among evangelicals.  In many ways Chuck was like the Apostle Paul, a man completely changed by his Damascus Road experience with Jesus. Those of us who only knew Chuck this side of his conversion experience found the description of him as ruthless and a political 'dirty trickster' incomprehensible. What a gracious, humble, caring, servant of God Chuck was." Colson died Saturday at the age of 80.