Evangelist Billy Graham - one of the most influential preachers of the 20th Century - has died aged 99
An interesting article:
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BJU’s statement:
“Bob Jones University extends its sympathy to the family and associates of Billy Graham at this time of loss and trust they will experience God’s comfort and strength. As an evangelist, Dr. Graham desired that men and women hear the Gospel and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We rejoice for all of those who accepted Christ’s free gift of salvation through his ministry.”
http://blogs.bju.edu/pr/2018/02/21/dr-billy-graham-passes-away/
Is Graham above criticism? Of course not. My question is why some feel it so necessary to criticize now? He is dead. Just barely but yes, dead.
Is it about warning people of the dangers of Graham? If so, why? He is certainly not doing any more damage now. And preaching here about the dangers of Graham is preaching to the choir anyway. Everyone already know this stuff. It feels sort of like the recent attacks on MLK by the ACCC resolutions except even in worse taste.
It just seems like now might be a time to celebrate what he did rather than tear him down. And by the way, the racial issue in itself was huge. Graham was trying to desegregate his crusades about 2 decades before BJU would even allow an African American to enroll. Maybe celebrate that he was right on some things a lot more than fundamentalists were during his time.
Positive:
- Clear gospel message
- Financial integrity
- Moral integrity
- Broke down racial barriers
- As some have said: “America’s Pastor” (here and here)
- Books and materials that many found helpful (my Mother)
- Advised Presidents and other leaders (I mentioned the Queen above)
Experience: I was a Pastor in Denver when Billy Graham came to town . One of my deacons really thought our church should participate in crusade and I would not.
The negatives:
- The big one is the problem of ecumenical evangelism. Much has been written but will link to just this
- The GARBC brochure: A Limited Message or a Limited Fellowship (Nettleton) is a worthy read and still applies (I couldn’t find a better link - apologies)
- At the Denver crusade, for example, “counselors” from all stripes were used (even from mainline apostate churches) and gospel respondents were guided to stay in those churches (as I recall even Catholic counselors))
- He seemed to equivocate on Christ being the only way. Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oaapCTGVrA0 / but here not https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VWv1jiWC4b0
- He was a showman (The Truman link above)
- I am convinced that mass evangelism is not the best method! Rather one on one
“Billy Graham was a gospel preacher and evangelist. He has also been an architect of and most influential spokesman for the movement that has become present day evangelicalism. His influence has been immense. There are many thousands in heaven today or assured of their place there who came to Christ as a result of the simple gospel message Billy Graham preached. For that we, and certainly they, are truly thankful. As the head of a far reaching evangelistic organization and in a tempting world, full of corruption, Billy Graham remained above the financial scandals and moral accusations that destroy so many. While the FBFI has been critical of the methodologies that birthed present day evangelicalism, we are also truly thankful for the salvation of many, many thousands through the ministry of Billy Graham. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family at this time.
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance. Luke 15:7”
https://www.proclaimanddefend.org/2018/02/21/fbfi-statement-on-the-death-of-evangelist-billy-graham/
Thank you, Darrell, for clarifying the truth that many do not know, or are unwilling to acknowledge.
G. N. Barkman
Thanks for your comments.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
Is there any ecumenical evangelism going on today? Aside from low impact actions like the Manhattan Declaration, are there any examples of Bible believers joining with apostates in joint ventures?
I’ve heard both Dever and Mohler say that Graham’s ecumenism was misguided.
BTW, is there anyone who doubts whether BG is in heaven?
"Some things are of that nature as to make one's fancy chuckle, while his heart doth ache." John Bunyan
[Ron Bean]Is there any ecumenical evangelism going on today? Aside from low impact actions like the Manhattan Declaration, are there any examples of Bible believers joining with apostates in joint ventures?
I’ve heard both Dever and Mohler say that Graham’s ecumenism was misguided.
BTW, is there anyone who doubts whether BG is in heaven?
- My take is that you had an unusually gifted communicator that could do mass evangelism (could command a crowd)
- In an era where large-crowd evangelism was popular (seems that day has passed)
- And that large-crowd evangelism required ecumenism (for logistics and organization)
- My sense is that the evaluators of evangelism have concluded that large-crowd evangelism is really not effective (as an aside - I don’t think it is)
- B/C there is no large-crowd evangelism / there is little need for ecumenism (for logistics and organization)
- [The Promise Keepers tended to ecumenism - but that is the past]
- So today no ecumenical evangelism (in the US that I know of)
- BG is in heaven
Last Fall in Ft Wayne, IN, Billy Graham’s grandson (Will Graham) and the BGEA organized an evangelism event where all churches were invited to participate, including Catholic churches. Workers and counselors came from churches with theological beliefs from conservative to liberal. I know this because I talked with one of the organizers of the event. This type of “evangelism” also occurs in large, well-known youth ministries and women’s ministries. Again, I know because I talked with the organizers of these events. The influence of Graham’s philosophy of ministry/evangelism will far outlast his personal life. To say that his ministry philosophy was “misguided” is a tremendous understatement. Again: Now that Graham is dead, perhaps someone will be able to write a balanced, honest, and thorough evaluation of his ministry and its impact. Did he have positive qualities? Of course. I have said that, and so have others. But the theological compromise will far outlast any memory of his positive qualities. We would be living in a different country today if Graham had never begun ecumenical evangelism.
Only the Lord knows what Graham’s exceptional communication gifts could have accomplished. And only the Lord has the knowledge necessary for final judgment. We must evaluate by what a person says and does. By those criteria and what the Bible teaches, Graham’s compromise cannot be excused, justified, or rationalized. How the Lord will evaluate Graham is beyond our ability to know. We leave final judgment to the Lord, yet we must evaluate what we see and know in order to make decisions about what is right and proper. That is a necessary part of ministry and life.
Wally Morris
Huntington, IN
[Ron Bean]To give another example, take the Together 2016 gathering in Washington DC where you had evangelicals and the Pope. We just talked about this event on the Tim Tebow thread. They are doing another one in 2018. The Luis Palau Association is still holding rallies. New Evangelicalism basically won the day. Why would we expect its ecumenicalism to disappear?Is there any ecumenical evangelism going on today? Aside from low impact actions like the Manhattan Declaration, are there any examples of Bible believers joining with apostates in joint ventures?
“The Rev. Billy Graham will lie in honor in the US Capitol rotunda beginning next week, House Speaker Paul Ryan said in a statement on Thursday.
Members of the public are invited to pay their respects while Graham lies in honor from Wednesday, February 28 through Thursday, March 1.”
https://www.cnn.com/2018/02/22/politics/billy-graham-lie-honor-capitol/index.html
The ACCC just released a statement which reads, in part:
The legacy that the late Dr. Graham has left is an evangelical movement bereft of any unyielding theological moorings.
I just emailed this to the ACCC via the “Contact” option from their website:
Your statement on Billy Graham was ill-timed. Your position on him is well-known. Your decision to use this time to re-hash all your differences with his theological position on separation, and your philosophical differences with his methods of evangelism, are in very poor taste. Please look to the FBFI’s recent statement on Graham as an example of how to do this in a classy way. Your statement is cheap, trite, angry, and unworthy of your organization.
Tyler is a pastor in Olympia, WA and works in State government.
It seems to me that with all the renewed focus and praise of Graham it may be a good time to remind people that not all was well. Delaying that to a later time when the attention has passed may be to miss the opportunity all together. As you say, their position was well known (at least to people familiar with the ACCC).
Graham was not some “hidden in a bushel” guy. He was well known, though uncritically accepted by many.
As Jim pointed out elsewhere, there are a lot of people who have no idea of the issues with Graham over the years. The recent tributes by people who should know better are evidence that now is a good time to remind people that there were serious compromises and it doesn’t take the ACCC position to draw that line.
“Legendary American evangelist William Franklin “Billy” Graham Jr. has died at 99, Fox News has confirmed, leaving behind a net worth of $25 million, and associations worth hundreds of millions.
Graham had humble beginnings, and was born on a dairy farm near Charlotte, N.C., in 1918, and started conducting evangelistic “crusades” in 1948. He rose to celebrity status with his sermons broadcast on radio and television. His net worth is $25 million, according to the Richest.com.
Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, and according to its website, in 2016, the association received $105.58 million in support and revenue, had operating expenses of $100.91 million. Including carryover and profits from investments, the association finished the year with $284.52 million in assets.
The ministry directs a wide range of domestic and international outreach programs.”
https://www.foxbusiness.com/markets/billy-graham-dies-what-will-happen-to-his-charities
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I guess I’m not (overly) surprised. He wrote 33 books, which collectively have sold many millions of copies. From just his publishing royalties alone, invested wisely, and living to age 99, it stands to reason he would have significant wealth.
Discussion