A titan of his times

A statement from WORLD Opinions editor R. Albert Mohler Jr. on the death of Joel Belz:

He was a titan of his times. The death of Joel Belz marks a signal event in Christian publishing and points to a moment of decision and transition among American evangelicals. Joel was one of the last of the great evangelical Christian publishers and institution builders of his generation. WORLD News Group grew directly from Joel’s passion for promoting Christian journalism, serving Christian families, and furthering the cause of the gospel. Long before many others, Joel Belz was ambitious to model Christian worldview thinking and the highest standards of journalism, and he blended them together in his life and in his work. He was a true Christian gentleman who modeled the best of the Southern Presbyterian tradition. He encouraged so many and served the cause of Christ. I knew Joel Belz for more than three decades, and he was a great encourager to me. His gracious character was a constant, as was his passion for the gospel. Evangelism was always on his heart. At a crucial moment for WORLD, Joel said, “We stand by our story.” He was making reference to a news story, but his entire life underlined the truth that the story to which he was ultimately committed was the saving gospel of Jesus Christ. To the end of his days, Joel stood by that story with conviction and Christian hope. Well done, good and faithful servant.