Charles M. Sheldon

Born in Wellsville, New York, in 1857, Charles M. Sheldon grew up in a minister’s family, studied at Brown University and Andover Theological Seminary, and went on to become a Congregational pastor. He is most closely associated with Central Congregational Church in Topeka, Kansas, where his preaching and writing made him a leading voice in the Social Gospel movement.

Sheldon’s best-known work, In His Steps, began as a serial in the 1890s before appearing in book form and becoming an extraordinary bestseller. The novel invited readers to measure their choices against the question “What would Jesus do?”, a phrase that continued to influence Christian culture long after his lifetime.

Alongside his work as a novelist and pastor, Sheldon was known for urging Christians to respond practically to poverty, inequality, and other social problems. He died in 1946, but his blend of storytelling, moral challenge, and concern for everyday life has kept his work in circulation for generations.