Where Has Integrity Gone?

by Simon Schrock

Have you ever heard people brag about how they fibbed a little and got the best end of a deal? The storyteller makes himself look like the smart guy and the victim the dummy. One man tells of fibbing to the police officer and getting out of a ticket. Another boasts of collecting a little extra insurance by pointing to prior damage on a vehicle”damage that was not a part of the accident being investigated. Someone relates that he bought a gift for his girlfriend and claimed it as a business expense. Lying and cheating have become common practice for many people. Is this a laughing matter, or does it represent a serious decline in moral standards? Is dishonesty just a clever way to get ahead, or will it lead to a bitter harvest for our society? Schrock clearly addresses this malady from a biblical perspective.

102 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2007

About the author

Born in 1936 in Oakland, Maryland, to Amish parents, Simon became a Christian and a member of the Amish Mennonite Church. During his childhood years, he knew the serenity of life in rural Appalachia, attending a one room school and a country church.

After his marriage to Eva Lena Yoder, they moved to the Washington, D.C. area and felt the contrast of the smoky, noisy city. He began passing out Christian literature as he moved about the city. The death of his young wife and unborn daughter led him through some deep soul-searching, but ultimately deepened his commitment to Christ. Later he and Pauline [Polly] Yoder were married and have three children and five grandsons.

In 1968 Simon was introduced to a Christian bookrack ministry. He began dreaming of providing good literature for travelers passing through the Washington National Airport, and placed his first inspirational books in the airport during that year. Over the years this grew into a larger bookrack ministry expanding into more airports and other retail store across the nation. As this vision and ministry grew it formed a Board of Directors. Simon then became the President of Choice Books of Northern Virginia, which is one of seven Choice Books distributor partners of Choice Books LLC whose central office is located in Harrisonburg Virginia. Choice Books’ vision is to provide inspirational reading in the secular market place where people go shopping. The goal of Choice Books is reflected in its mission statement, “To share the “good news” of Jesus Christ in the general market place through inspiring and wholesome reading material”.

Out of Simon’s concern to provide wholesome inspirational reading material, he has written eight books and over a hundred articles published in various Christian publications. He lives on the cutting edge of his denomination and participates in evangelistic preaching, writing, and speaking engagements. It is from this perspective that Simon writes. He is a warmhearted Christian whose life exemplifies what it means to live in obedience to Christ. Simon believes that life at its best includes a commitment to the lordship of Jesus Christ. He has been pastor of Faith Christian Fellowship since 1977. He is presently battling cancer and is grateful for God’s sustaining grace and for each new day God gives him.