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It started with a scene in a novel. The Reverend Henry Maxwell asks for "volunteers from the 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?'"

It was both a challenge and the premise of the 1896 classic In His Steps, by Charles M. Sheldon. First appearing as a serial in the Chicago Advance, a religious weekly, the story was thrown into the "public domain" because the publisher didn't understand copyright law. No one had legal rights to the story, so publishers all over the world released the book.

	Paul Harvey mentioned the bracelets on his syndicated radio broadcast every day for a week during the spring of 1997.

Fast forward to the late 1980s. A copy of In His Steps sat on the shelf of Janie Tinklenberg, youth leader at Calvary Reformed Church in Holland, Michigan.

"It was one of those books I pulled off the shelf and read periodically," she said. "Then in 1989 I re-read the book and began discussing Rev. Henry Maxwell's proposal with the members of my youth group. I prodded them to consider this question, 'How do we make ethical and moral judgments about who we are as a people of faith?' I wanted the young people to understand that we have a standard—Jesus."

At the time, friendship bracelets and wait-until-marriage rings were becoming popular, and Tinklenberg came up with an idea for a similar tangible reminder for members of her group. She contacted Mike Freestone of Lesco Corporation in Holland about producing woven bracelets with the letters WWJD —an acronym for "What would Jesus do?"

"The bracelets had a two-fold purpose," she says. "First, I wanted the young people to be reminded, every time they looked at the bracelet, of the commitment [to Christ] they made. Second, the bracelet could be a tool for witnessing to friends."

The few hundred bracelets made were quickly gone. As more and more young people gave the bracelets away, demand grew.

Timely words
In the spring of 1996, Jeannette Taylor, a consultant for Zondervan Publishing House in Grand Rapids, Michigan, heard a powerful devotional based on Sheldon's book. Its timeless—and simple—message of commitment seemed a natural witnessing tool, especially for teenagers. Unaware that WWJD bracelets were already being produced nearby, Taylor began working on her own marketing ideas. At the time, "Just Do It" was Nike's slogan; "What Would Jesus Do?" seemed a fitting counterpoint.

Visiting a Family Christian Store, Taylor discovered the bracelets. She enlisted ForeFront Communications, Zondervan, Youth Specialties, and Lesco Corporation to produce the "What Would Jesus Do?" CD, devotional books, student journals, and a devotional Bible based on the WWJD theme.

The catalyst for the explosive popularity of the bracelets may have been Paul Harvey, who mentioned them on his syndicated radio broadcast every day for a week during the spring of 1997. Both CNN and the Associated Press picked up stories about the bracelets. Suddenly, Lesco Corporation had an avalanche of orders. Sales soared off the charts—15 million bracelets have been sold to date.

Marked as Jesus' own
Although the WWJD bracelet may be just a fashion accessory to some, many Christians wear the bracelets for their intended purpose—as a personal reminder of their commitment to Christ.

Mike Haringa, a member of Janie Tinklenberg's youth group back in 1989, still wears the bracelet. "It's a good reminder for me as well as a witness to other people," he says.

One day Haringa, wearing a WWJD hat, went into a music store. "I stood in the aisle looking at sports videos," he recalls. "Then I realized that on the other side of the same aisle were the adult movies. What if someone saw me wearing that hat and standing near the adult videos? Even though I wasn't looking at the objectionable tapes, I thought I needed to be very careful."

Haringa got into the habit of wearing at least two bracelets. "Whenever someone asked me about the bracelet, I would explain its meaning and then give it to him or her. I decided to wear two at a time—one for myself and one to give away."

Dan Modderman, a student at Michigan's Grand Valley State University, was approached by a girl while he ate lunch one day. "I want to thank you," she said.

Having never met the girl before, Dan was surprised. "What do you want to thank me for?"

"Last year as a high school student I came for a campus tour," she explained. "I was walking through the cafeteria and I noticed you wearing a WWJD bracelet and saying grace before you ate. I'd been afraid to attend a state school because I thought it would be too difficult to find other Christians. Your actions helped me decide to come here and be one of the Christians who wants to make a difference."

No doubt, the Rev. Henry Maxwell would be pleased.

A Christian Reader original article.

Evangelism is not what we tell people, unless what we tell is totally consistent with who we are. It is who we are that is going to make the difference. If we do not truly enjoy our faith, nobody is going to catch the fire of enjoyment from us. If our lives are not totally centered on Christ, we will not be Christ-bearers for others, no matter how pious our words.

—Madeleine L'Engle

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