Father & Child

Scripture downplays even his Christmas role, but Joseph's relationship with Jesus has inspired generations to explore his hidden virtues

Four days before Christmas in 1994, John DavidĀ Edington, 22, the adopted son of a Presbyterian minister named Howard Edington, was driving home through an Orlando, Fla., downpour when he lost control of his car and ran into a tree. He died instantly. The tragedy was mourned deeply in lofty reaches of the evangelical world because the Rev. Edington is an extremely respected minister and at the time was the personal pastor to Bill Bright, founder of the megaministry Campus Crusade for Christ.

Edington could have retreated into his grief, but instead, he preached three Christmas sermons that week on a topic...

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