Jeff Durbin begins with Paul's words in Philippians 4:8–9, where the apostle, writing in chains, urges believers to practice what they have seen in him. From there he turns to the early church in the book of Acts, whose humble, joyful boldness kept bringing it into conflict with the authorities. Durbin calls this being godly troublemakers: not proud, arrogant or hateful, but unwilling to stop telling the truth about Jesus.
He tells how his own church has been criticized for preaching with amplifiers on a beach and for pleading with parents outside abortion clinics. He answers by pointing to people who have come to Christ and to children saved through that witness. He describes a recent opportunity to address a room of legislators, where he spoke plainly about abortion as sin requiring repentance rather than regulation. A senator then spoke of the need for repentance, which Durbin credits to the truth itself, not to his delivery.
Durbin warns that Christians can cloak a love of comfort and reputation in pious language. Drawing on the apostles' consistent message in Acts, which included coming judgment, he calls believers to speak the truth with grace and compassion, but boldly and without compromise.
