Colson, former White House special counsel to the Nixon administration, shared three personal reflections in his own life as he spoke to the 296 graduates and more than 5000 friends and family in attendance. The first counsel was to never despair because God is sovereign.

"There is a tendency in the Christian world today to be dismayed because of the persecution we're experiencing on all sides," said Colson. "Christians will always be mocked because we believe in the scandal of the world – that Christ was crucified."

Once known as the White House "hatchet man," Colson relayed his experience in prison 27 years ago, explaining it was a shock to go from an office next door to the president of the United States to a cell with drug pushers, swindlers and car thieves.

"The shattering experience, though, was the realization that ever since childhood I had wanted to be in politics and do something significant. I had reached that point, but it had all crashed down around me and I was in prison," re-called Colson, "but I underestimated the power of God." Colson said that God is not looking for our accomplishments, but for our brokenness.

"God used my one failure for my achievement," said Colson. "What God wants is not the great things that we can accomplish but our obedience for Him to work through."

According to Colson, 50% of the people who voted in the last election said they voted for moral issues. 78% wanted a return to moral values while 75% said they wanted faith-based solutions to public policy questions.

"People are saying to themselves that we want something better – and who's going to give it to them?" questioned Colson. "Only the church offers a view of life and reality that people can live with and you and I are the ones that can present that."

Colson also charged the graduates to defend the truth.

"Two-thirds of all Americans say there is no such thing as truth and 60% of evangelical, born-again Christians agree. But there is truth and we find it in biblical revelation. Think as a Christian, and you will realize that Christianity is more than John 3:16," Colson told the graduates. "It is more than the cross, it is more than our salvation, though it is never less than that.

"If we do the gospel and people see it, all of the other arguments fade away," explained Colson. "If we want to overcome the resistance that we find in society today, you must go and do the gospel and let them see it, and they will be drawn to you."

The third and final point Colson made was that Christians need to do their duty. He told of visiting the Czech Republic in 1991 just after the Velvet Revolution. He talked with a priest who had been instrumental in leading the people toward non-violent democratic reforms.

Before their visit was over, Colson told the man what a hero he was to himself and others in the West. The priest replied that he was no hero: "a hero is someone who does something he doesn't have to do. I just did my duty."

"My whole idea on Christian service has changed," Colson announced to the graduates. "It's not heroic – I don't have any choice. If we really understand what God has done for us, then we have no choice. We are compelled to serve Christ with everything we have – to do our duty out of gratitude for what He has done."