The Good News

The Good News, traditionally, and in a religious context, directly referred to the good news of Jesus Christ. The Good News is the fulfillment of God’s plan. It’s the promised gift of his forgiveness for sin made available by faith, deliver to us through Jesus the Savior. But the term “good news” is frequently used out of this context. This is not to say that there isn't other good news, it is simply to point out that people use it generically and sometimes it doesn't even mean "the good news" (“gospel”) of Jesus Christ.

For example, Rick Warren, founder of Saddleback church was on CNN in 2005 talking about a woman named Ashley Smith and the man, Brian Nichols who had held her at gun point and subsequently released her unharmed. Warren was on the world viewed news because Ashley Smith, during the ordeal, had read to Nichols from Warren’s book, the Purpose Driven Life and it was being announced to the world that “like a miracle” Ashley was released from the known killer unharmed. The catalyst for the miracle, as reported by CNN, the thing that changed Brian Nichols life that fateful day, was Ashley reading from Warren’s “best selling book.”

No doubt people thought it was a miracle she came away from her ordeal unscathed for on the day of Ashley’s abduction, March 15, 2005, Nichols had been on a killing spree that caused what was being reported as “the largest manhunt in Georgia’s history.”

As it was reported, Nichols was being escorted to trial for rape charges when upon arrival to the courthouse he overpowered his female escort. Leaving her beaten, he stole her gun, held three people captive then went into a courtroom where he proceeded to shoot the judge in the head, and kill the court reporter. He shot and killed a deputy sheriff, too, leaving the scene calm, cool, and collected. Then Nichols escaped to the streets.

Following his escape he spent the day baffling police for 26 hours. He stole several cars at gunpoint terrorizing and threatening the people he encountered. The whole state was on the hunt for an escaped killer… Nichols. They knew what he looked like, they knew what he had done. He was a dangerous man. Officials offered a $60,000 reward for information of his whereabouts. Later that day, Nichols failed at a robbery attempt and then he shot and killed a random victim and stole the victim’s truck. Shortly thereafter, he met up with Ashley Smith.

The story is that he forced his way into her apartment when she was returning from the store. He tied her up, took a shower in her bathroom and somehow she began to earn his trust. She even accompanied him to hide the truck. Then they returned to her apartment where she made him pancakes and he let her leave to visit her daughter at her aunt’s house, from where she called police.

It was excellent news that day as CNN reported that police apprehended Nichols... even better was the news that the woman he had kidnapped, Ashley Smith, was found unharmed. But the media was especially amazed because Ashley was a Christian and the word she gave police was that her reading to Brian that day about God from a book was what actually saved her life; it made Brian turn himself into authorities. Subsequently, Rick Warren, who authored the book, rushed to the scene to congratulate her.

Regarding the incident, Rick Warren said, “I just wish the message had got there sooner, that maybe Brian wouldn't have taken four lives before he got the good news. But I was thrilled that Ashley was able to have the presence of mind to talk to him. And when he got the concept, it changed his life.”

Rick Warren assured a watching and astonished world, that Nichols got the good news, (too bad he didn;t get it sooner.) Not only that, he got the concept too... it even "changed his life!"

When Nichols went before the next judge on his next court day, there was no change of heart, no remorse. He actually pleaded ”not guilty” to the murder of the judge he had shot in the head in front of witnesses. Later, while in custody, it was reported that Nichols converted to Islam.

Certainly it was “good news” that Ashley Smith was not raped or murdered by Nichols. It is "good news" that Nichols is accounted for, in prison where he is less likely to hurt another person. But “the concept,” was not the "good news" of Jesus Christ. Brian had no remorse for hius actions, he didn’t repent. He didn’t even admit his guilt in court.

It is not every day that CNN gives free airtime to a pastor to tell the world about the book they just wrote and how reading it can really change the world, but we all saw how Rick's not only saved Ashley's life but helped a wayward criminal mind like Brian's understand the truth he never got until that fateful day with Ashley. The world can sleep better now because he knows that his life has purpose and meaning after all.