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frequently asked questions


1.  What is gracEmail?
    It is a free, weekday, e-mail ministry of Edward Fudge -- usually no more than four paragraphs long. Most of the time, a gracEmail answers a biblical or other spiritual question asked by a subscriber.
2.  Who is Edward, anyway?
    He is a Christian scholar, author and Bible teacher living in Houston, Texas, who has been a pulpit preacher, pastor/elder, editor, publisher and, since 1988, a practicing attorney.
3.  What is Edward's academic background?
    As a foundation (besides having devout Christian parents who both taught the Bible), he attended Athens (Ala.) Bible School, where he had a Bible class and chapel every day for 12 years. For three years beginning in 1962, he studied under the late Homer Hailey verse-by-verse through much of the Bible at Florida College, then earned bachelor's (1967) and master's degrees (1968) in biblical languages from Abilene Christian University, followed by another year of theology and related topics at Covenant Theological Seminary and Eden Theological Seminary, both in St. Louis, Missouri. Nearly two decades later, he earned a doctorate in jurisprudence (1988) from the University of Houston. You can see his Curriculum Vitae here.
4.  To which denomination does Edward belong?
    Edward's heritage is in the Stone-Campbell "Restoration Movement," and he has lived most his life in the Churches of Christ, in which he presently serves. From 1975-82, he was pastor of a small nondenominational church called "Elm Street Church."
5.  Does Edward minister the Word in person or only in writing?
    He conducts weekend seminars, retreats or special meetings each year, and has preached and taught in Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Episcopal, Adventist, Christian, Pentecostal, Independent, Charismatic and other churches, retreats, colleges and seminaries, besides numerous Churches of Christ. To find out where Edward will be speaking in the future or to inquire into having him speak at your event, visit the Speaking Ministry.
6.  What about Edward's family?
    He has been married since 1967 to Sara Faye Locke, his college sweetheart. They have a daughter, Melanie, and a son, Jeremy. Melanie is married to Michael Simpson and they have two children. Melanie serves as worship minister and children's minister at her church and gives private piano and voice lessons. Jeremy Fudge is married to the former Kristy Lang and they have two children. Jeremy is an immigration attorney and advises Edward on website issues. To read more about Edward's family and to see pictures, visit the personal pages.
7.  Does gracEmail promote the doctrines of any particular sect?
    No, it does not. Edward is committed to the Christ-centered Scriptures without regard to any denominational or sectarian "slant." He believes that every legitimate Christian movement has something to contribute to the body of Christ, and that all Christians should be willing to learn from each other.
8.  That doesn't sound like some Churches of Christ I have known.
    The Holy Spirit is doing a gospel work among Churches of Christ, glorifying Jesus Christ and turning hearts to trust in him alone for salvation. Edward has been used by God in that work for almost 50 years, and he is widely known for his focus on Jesus Christ and his emphasis on the grace of God. This pleases some people and displeases others.
9.  Does gracEmail cost me?
    Only the few minutes it takes you to read it. It is sent out free of charge, although a single gracEmail may represent many hours of work by Edward in preparation and delivery.
10.  Who reads gracEmail now?
    The first tier of readers are the approximately 4,000 subscribers in more than 25 countries around the world, representative of most major Christian denominations and nondenominations. The actual number of readers is unknown, since many subscribers forward gracEmails, print them and share them with others, or reprint them in church bulletins and other media. A devotional book containing a gracEmail for every day of the year is available from Leafwood Publishers here.

11.  How did gracEmail begin?
    In early 1996, Edward was asking God for more opportunity to serve with the gifts God had given him, particularly in encouraging and teaching. About that time, friends persuaded him to get on-line, and he soon began correspondences with many people. GracEmail quickly evolved out of those circumstances.
12.  How can I subscribe?
    Send an email to: EdwardFudge-subscribe@myinjesus.com . Write "SUBSCRIBE" in the subject line (without the quotes).