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Colson Way, The

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A leading young theologian and public intellectual shows how the life and legacy of Chuck Colson can equip Christians to live a bold and loving faith in the public square.



During his life, Chuck Colson was the preeminent evangelical in American public life. He dedicated himself to public witness in the mold of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and William Wilberforce, creating and leading efforts such as Prison Fellowship, Angel Tree, Breakpoint, and the Centurions program. He worked tirelessly on behalf of humanity because he believed that all people needed help to flourish. He knew the importance of working practically to advance truth and justice in public. And he knew that to be courageous—and to speak and act courageously in line with Scripture—was by definition to be loving.



Chuck Colson’s life reveals there is no division between truth and love, between embracing biblical guidance and loving our neighbor. The Colson Way uses the legacy and wisdom of Colson to show Christians a way of living in a public square increasingly hostile to evangelical conviction.

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First published July 1, 2015

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About the author

Owen Strachan

44 books139 followers
Dr. Owen Strachan is Provost and Research Professor of Theology at Grace Bible Theological Seminary (GBTS). Before coming to GBTS, he served as Associate Professor of Christian Theology and Director of the Residency PhD Program at Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary (MBTS). He holds a PhD from Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, an MDiv from Southern Seminary, and an AB from Bowdoin College. Strachan has published fourteen books and writes regularly for the Christian Post, and Thoughtlife, his Patheos blog. Strachan hosts the City of God podcast. He is married and is the father of three children.
You can also connect with Strachan on Facebook.

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 30 reviews
Profile Image for David J. Harris.
268 reviews29 followers
October 20, 2016
Having recently read Evan Thomas' Nixon biography, I was interested in learning more about Charles (Chuck) Colson, the "hatchet man" of Nixon's administration. Colson came to faith in Christ during the Watergate scandal and after his release founded Prison Fellowship, and in time became a leading intellectual for the evangelical faith.

Colson's life is nothing less than extraordinary.

Although there is some great biographical information, I came away feeling like I didn't get enough narrative. It is a short biography (200 pages) considering the scope addressed. The book, after all, doesn't zone in on one event but rather covers everything from high school to the funeral. So if you are looking for a biography that goes into the details of Colson's political life and background to his part in the Nixon administration, you would be well-suited to visit Chuck Colson's autobiography born again. My mistake was that I read this book before I read born again, and the author doesn't re-write what has already been written. In other words, The Colson Way was written, not to simply narrate the events in Colson's life, but to demonstrate the relevance of Colson's strategies. After reading the autobiography and revisiting this book, I came away with a much greater appreciation.
Profile Image for Kristin Mitchell.
65 reviews5 followers
May 7, 2021
Really good book. A combo of a bio of Chuck Colson and some good application of biblical principles in our world today.
Profile Image for Dr. David Steele.
Author 8 books262 followers
July 28, 2015
Gospel-spreading, Jesus-loving, and worldview-shaping. These short phrases describe a special man. This man was bold, unafraid, and merciful. He was filled with compassion for people and longed to see social justice in America and around the globe. These are only a few brief descriptions of the former hatchet-man. This man served under President Richard M. Nixon. This man served time in a federal penitentiary. His name - Charles Colson.

Owen Strachan provides an invaluable service to the church in his latest book, The Colson Way. While the primary target is American millennial evangelicals, the author's message should reach all age groups and is destined to not only inspire a new generation of leaders but also warn against moral decay and worldview erosion. The book is a primer on the importance of loving one another and making a mark for the gospel - a gospel which is characterized by truth, grace, forgiveness, love, and mercy.

Strachan explores the formative years of Mr. Colson and walks readers through his days in the White House which ultimately led to a short stay in the "Big House." The Providential path of pain that Colson travelled led him to a relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ. As a result, his life was transformed by Jesus which resulted a series of unexpected events that would have an effect on people around him and thousands of people who never met him.

The author chronicles the various ministries of Chuck Colson, especially Prison Fellowship which spans around the world and offers hope, peace, and forgiveness to prisoners.

Strachan summarizes the Colson life creed: His God-given role in the kingdom was to go to the needy, the suffering, and the forgotten, and to minister grace to them ... As a former prisoner, disgraced in the public eye, he never lost sight of just how freeing the gospel truly was. He knew what it was to have lost everything, to be at the mercy of routines and regulations that were not of his choosing, and to taste shame and guilt that left only to return.

This fascinating book not only introduces readers to the life and legacy of Charles Colson; it also serves as a primer for living with a bold faith in the public square. It is a a clarion call to young evangelical leaders. It is an invitation to proclaim, defend, and live the truth in a world which is hostile to the truth of the gospel.

This much-needed book will serve the church well and prompt much discussion and debate. Better yet, it will lead a new generation of leaders to the front lines where the battle is fought, and where our Commanding Officer beckons us to heed His sovereign call.

Highly recommended - 4.5 stars

I received this book free from the publisher. I was not required to write a positive review.
Profile Image for Flynn Evans.
198 reviews13 followers
July 11, 2017
An Excellent Account of the Life of Chuck Colson

Strachan paints the picture of a man who was sold out to the gospel that saved him from himself and dedicated to proclaiming it to the broken world that he knew all too well. He uses the accomplishments of this hero of the faith to stir evangelicals to action in the public square, confronting the world in the most loving way possible by speaking the truth that it desperately needs to hear. The last thing the Church needs to be in the cultural conversation is silent, and even if we do not see it prevail as we would have it, we will still hold to it, knowing that there is a final victory in the kingdom that is not of this world.
Profile Image for Collin Coffee.
72 reviews8 followers
August 16, 2017
I cannot be more complementary of this book. Absolutely timely, engaging, and challenging this work reminds us all that we are citizens of two kingdoms, the City of God and the City of Man. Chuck Colson lived out this understanding "contra mundum pro munda" against the world for the world. This was to oppose evil everywhere that it was found and proclaim the saving message of Jesus. We live in a society promoting a philosophy increasingly out of step with its ethical inheritance. Colson is an excellent model for going on the offense against the tide and showing the surpassing value of personally knowing and surrendering to Christ Jesus.
Profile Image for Nancy Head.
59 reviews31 followers
August 29, 2016
This is a wonderfully told story of redemption, mentoring, and discipleship. Charles Colson was an advocate for the downtrodden, for Christian unity, for life, for traditional marriage, and for freedom. Strachan depicts the man so that we feel as though we knew him too. What a loss. What a legacy. What a challenge to keep the faith and continue his work, God's work.
661 reviews10 followers
October 27, 2017
This was an exceptional biography. The author accurately captured Colson without slavish flattery. "At the center of the church's witness is the reality of conversion." That was the focus of Colson's life after he came to know the Lord. Colson always remained the hard driving, brilliant intellectual. These character traits were just used to further God's Kingdom instead of achieving a political purpose. Other than mentioning Colson's dtr. Emily and her autistic son Strachan does not mention Colson's family. I would wonder about the spiritual commitment of the two sons. I do recommend reading this book.
Profile Image for Hannah King.
10 reviews
July 20, 2020
Wow! If you have never heard of Charles “Chuck” Colson, I encourage you first to read his autobiography Born Again. Then do yourself a favor and then read this book. So many great Christian men today rest on this great man’s shoulders because he did what few American Christians do—stand up and engage the culture as a Christian without compromise and yet with boldness to share the truth with love. Ex-convict involved with the Watergate scandal who become a Christian in the midst of it all, his life is a testament to God’s powerful work—work that is still possible today. Read this book and be changed—changed to live out the Gospel in a biblical way—the Colson Way.
Profile Image for Diane Busch.
239 reviews3 followers
March 11, 2021
The author, Owen Strachan, takes specifics from Colson’s life and writings to use as examples, but also uses the generalities of concepts that Colson wrote about, spoke about, and lived by to continue to teach us the same principles. I could have underlined the whole book. Chuck Colson had an articulate way of writing and speaking about the culture, Christianity, world view, the Bible, etc that is so on point and outlives him, that it is all noteworthy. 

I highly recommend this book, partly as an autobiography of an amazing human being, but also for the teaching of the basics of our faith and how to live out that faith in our world/culture today.
Profile Image for Blaine Conzatti.
7 reviews
March 28, 2025
Great biography of Colson. It's an untraditional biography in the sense that Strachan focused more on providing a primer to Colson's thought and outlining his intellectual development than offering a systematic history of Colson's life, but this approach worked well.

Foundational to Colson's worldview and program was his conviction that we enter the public square out of love—love for God and love for neighbor. The City of God is called to positively influence the City of Man by standing for biblical truth and opposing evil in society. Colson stood for the belief that the gospel not only saves our souls but also seeps into and transforms every area of life.
297 reviews7 followers
December 2, 2018
A book worth reading. It shows how God changed one man’s life from destruction to bringing others to Christ by going into the prisons and sharing the gospel. Through the gospel, we are set free. The book reminds us that we are a people of hope and we should continue to share the gospel to bring others to Christ. Christians must love their neighbors and work to end hatred. Our hope lies in the truth which is Jesus Christ.
243 reviews
December 19, 2024
This book is a great introduction to Chuck Colson a leading Christian apologist and founder of the Colson Center and Prison Fellowship. It is a little dated on cultural issues as it was published in 2015 but the issues are all being addressed and foreseen. It is interesting to see the predictions that were made by many in the earlier 2000’s have unfortunately come to full fruition today. However, the lessons and exhortation on engaging in the public square are still needed today.
Profile Image for Paul  Gandy.
2 reviews
May 30, 2017
For someone who had hardly heard of Colson, this book lit me up to examine his life more in the future for a model of someone who understood how to engage the culture in a bold and graceful way. Strachan's hope was to reach the hearts of millennials, and I believe he achieves this goal well, being a millennial myself. This book did a phenomenal job of introducing Chuck Colson, and I'm looking forward to learning from him more in the days of ministry to come!
Profile Image for Rolo.
17 reviews1 follower
October 31, 2016
Interesting bio of a great life. Owen Strachan does a very good job, not only recounting Chuck Colson's life, but also giving the reader the "inside stuff" in regard to Chuck's thinking and what really moved him in life. I would highly recommend this bio.
Profile Image for Michaela.
11 reviews
April 21, 2025
A great blend of biography, history, and application of biblical principles in the public square.
Profile Image for Olivia.
68 reviews
January 13, 2024
Such an excellent book!

I didn't know much about Chuck Colson until I picked up this book and now I want to read everything he ever wrote.

He is such a great example of how to be a Christian on the public square.
Profile Image for Andrew.
792 reviews13 followers
July 27, 2015
I’m a member of the Family Christian Bloggers and they provided me with a free copy of “The Colson Way” for this review.

In the Colson Way, Owen Strachan explored the life of Charles “Chuck” Wendell Colson and how he became Special Counsel when President Nixon was in office. The book also discussed how Colson faith in God played an active part in his life. Colson grew up in Winthrop, Massachusetts and in his childhood, he worked on the school newspaper as the editor-in-chief and he was able to successfully increase the paper’s advertising revenue. He was also the valedictorian and was voted “Most Likely to Succeed”. He also received two scholarships to Harvard and Brown. He turned down Harvard and attended Brown. He met his wife, Nancy Billings during college and they had three children. He also joined the Corps but he didn’t go into battle. After two years of being a Marine, he was promoted to the Navy’s Junior Management Assistance program and he interned in Washington, D.C. Eventually he was the co-director of the Key Issues Committee for President Nixon and he was appointed to the position of Special Counsel.

While working as Special Counsel, he was able to work alongside organized labor and unions and he tried to repair the damage the Vietnam War caused between workers and politicians. President Nixon was reelected as president and then everything began to fall quickly. A former employee leaked classified documents about the secrets of the U.S. role in the Vietnam War. President Nixon ordered Colson to expose the former employee. There was also more documents released and there was also a robbery at the Watergate office. Colson quit his position as Special Counsel. It was later revealed that Nixon was taping conversation and they were voice activated and contained details about Nixon’s corrupted activities. Colson took a lie detector test to prove he had no part in the Watergate scandal. It was at this time that his friend shared the message of Christ with him. Colson accepted him as his Savior and he realized that he was a sinner. He didn’t commit the major crimes in the Watergate scandal but he did struggle with pride and he used tactics to help try and get Nixon reelected. He eventually went to trial and admitted to defamation towards the former employee.

I would recommend this amazing book to anyone who loves history and wants to read an excellent book about how God can turn anything around. This is the first time, I have heard about Colson’s life and his role in the Watergate scandal. I liked how Owen Strachan dug deep into the life of Colson and how he made the book flow so well together. I enjoyed how Colson reached out to others and tried to teach them the ways of Christ while he was in prison. I also loved how the book shared the background of the Angel Tree program and how Colson met Mary Kay Beard, who founded this amazing program for other prisoners and their families. He helped the program to get National and international recognition where it could spread everywhere. I thought this program was a really neat idea and it’s truly inspiring how it has helped so many families. I also liked how the book discussed important issues and how critical it is to be a witness for the Kingdom of God.
Profile Image for Aaron.
152 reviews2 followers
August 17, 2015
The Colson Way by Owen Strachan is a book about the remarkable life of a remarkable man. Strachan caught my attention from the onset of the book and held it all the way through to the end. The book follows a natural progression through Colson’s life beginning with his assent to power, conversion, prison, and life after prison.

Colson’s life in the public sphere is a model to many. I enjoyed reading about how his beliefs on how Christians relate to culture changed over time. The chapter on his roots was particularly helpful in understanding how his Christian mind developed, eventually adopting a strong Two Kingdom framework for his life and ministry. I also appreciated hearing about his motivation for ETC and the Manhattan Declaration; two events which created a divide between him and other Christian leaders.

As Strachan retold the events leading to his death and of the ripple effect that his life has had since his death, I couldn’t help but have a newfound respect for Colson. While I have my disagreements with him, his life in the public sphere truly was an example. As the subtitle so appropriately describes, Colson was a man who loved his neighbors, and lived with a strong faith in a world hostile to Christianity.

The Colson Way will is a book that anyone interested in a brief biography of Chuck Colson should read. For me, it has whet my appetite to learn more about this remarkable man and how I, as a Christian, can live in on earth as a citizen of two kingdoms.

Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Thomas Nelson Books. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”
Profile Image for Andrew Wolgemuth.
812 reviews78 followers
November 14, 2016
Several times during this election season I've heard folks ask, "I wonder what Colson would do?" Despite having read Strachan's book, I'm still not sure of the answer to that question, but have a new appreciation for this important American Evangelical figure.

The Colson Way is a mix of Colson biography and Strachan's teaching / encouragement to the reader with Colson's ways and principles as the course material. The combination is effectively given Colson's thoughtful, remarkable life, and it's timely in the midst of this strange season in American political life.

As with the best biographies, this book made me eager to learn more about Colson, and I look forward to engaging his directing (and potentially other biographies) directly.

(full disclosure: the agency I work for represents this author and book)
Profile Image for Nancy.
936 reviews
November 12, 2015
I had never heard of Colson, although apparently he is quite well known by those who were alive during/remember Watergate. This book is short but there is a lot of information efficiently packed in. I think my favorite thing about it (other than learning whom Colson was) is that Strachan references and made me aware of many other modern Christian thinkers and leaders. I'd heard of the great Eric Metaxas, but little did I know that the Colson Center still exists (or that it ever did, for that matter) and produces some great commentary on today's society and problems plaguing our culture. So, Colson's legacy lives on in a strong and very real way, which is fortunate for the rest of us. Colson was pretty boss (and Metaxas still is). Recommended!
Profile Image for Mary Lou.
228 reviews10 followers
February 18, 2016
Owen Strachan’s book The Colson Way is a “tour de force.” He not only succeeds in bringing Chuck Colson back to center stage for his generation—the millennials. He also takes on Colson’s mantle, advocating for the same dynamic combination of intellectual rigor and Christian faith-in-action in the public square. Colson only died in 2012, yet Owen rightly laments that Colson’s legacy is largely unknown among his generation. His book should change that fact and catalyze Colson’s ethics and global mission for a new generation. The book is very well written and provides an insightful understanding of the depth and breadth of Colson’s ministries and the passion of his heart. A must read.
- M.L. Codman-Wilson, Ph.D., 7/30/15
Profile Image for Daniel.
33 reviews7 followers
Want to read
July 30, 2015
Owen Strachan does us all a great service by bringing Chuck Colson's life and legacy alive for today's Christians. Colson lived as a man redeemed, and he brought that gospel of redemption and renewal to prisoners and the world at large. Colson not only witnessed to the gospel's transformative power through his own story, but he provided a robust intellectual defense of that same gospel and the worldview principles it engenders. Strachan brings the man's life together with his ideas to provide an accessible and compelling account of his work in this world.
Profile Image for Daniel.
33 reviews7 followers
July 30, 2015
Owen Strachan does us all a great service by bringing Chuck Colson's life and legacy alive for today's Christians. Colson lived as a man redeemed, and he brought that gospel of redemption and renewal to prisoners and the world at large. Colson not only witnessed to the gospel's transformative power through his own story, but he provided a robust intellectual defense of that same gospel and the worldview principles it engenders. Strachan brings the man's life together with his ideas to provide an accessible and compelling account of his work in this world.
Profile Image for Joseph Sunde.
18 reviews
October 5, 2015
Owen Strachan delivers a concise and compelling account of Chuck Colson's life from the vantage of a young Christian seeking to engage culture. Colson's impact and legacy ought not be forgotten, and Strachan reminds us of this by insightfully interpreting and applying Colson's theology, philosophy, and life story to our present and future challenges as a church and society.
Profile Image for Margaret.
1,339 reviews
October 31, 2015
I enjoyed this book which combined biographical information with the main emphases of Chuck Colson's ministries. It is a short but challenging book that any Christian would benefit from reading. Shows a man who combined deep love of the Lord and spirituality with social justice in a remarkable way.
1 review
February 29, 2016
The best book I have read in the last 12 months! Well written and powerful. You will shed many tears. Great quotes so have a highlighter handy.
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