WWJD: In 1989, youth pastor Dan
Seaborn of Holland, Michigan, was searching for a motivating and bonding
logo or name for his Central Wesleyan Church youth group. He had read, "In
His Steps", the 1896 Christian classic novel by Charles Sheldon. In it a
dying beggar challenged the townsfolk to always ask themselves before any
personal or group action, "What would Jesus do?" They had the idea of
putting WWJD on a button, and Ken Freestone of Lesco Company first printed up
WWJD legend buttons. Then, Freestone and his brother came up with the idea of
WWJD wristbands. In 1996, after a big promotional push, they sold 250,000 bands.
Then CNN produced a 1997 story followed by sales of 15,000,000 wristbands.
Wrist-band protocol: if someone asks about your WWJD wrist band or button, the
owner is...in accord with The
Great Commission...to perform an act of evangelization and give the
bracelet/button to the "asker", explaining the initials, answering any
questions, and hoping to be used of the Holy Spirit [see
The Elect] in the interchange. [WWJD web
site]
[posted 20 Nov. 200; reposted 17 Jan. 2002]