Billy Graham's final sermon: 'I've wept' for America

The Billy Graham special was provocative and no doubt well received by most. One has to admire certain things about Graham. He has kept his reputation pure and morally untarnished. He has maintained a sterling record on financial accountability and honesty. Unfortunately, his record on the gospel is very tarnished. He never met a modernist he didn’t find acceptable in his crusades. His praise for Popes, and Bishops, and Mother Teresa is extremely disappointing. His coziness with politicians is shameful. His follow-up philosophy has put many new “believers” into false religious institutions. All in all, Graham has probably done more to harm the cause of Christ than to advance it. He gained a superlative reputation among the world’s elite, but he has really never suffered anything for the gospel. He set many records for the number of people he addressed in his lifetime, but can you imagine Jesus or Paul following Graham’s plan for evangelism?

There is plenty of legitimate criticism of Billy Graham over the course of his career. Those issues are completely unknown to the vast majority of Americans who regard Graham with respect, even if they’re not sure why.

I say, use it! The video is a very effective presentation of the Gospel for people today. It is clear on repentance and what it means to come to Christ. Nothing is watered down. If people are paying attention, use it! It will be forgotten in a week or two. use it! Link to it, share it, get it out there. It’s the Gospel.

Wayne, I see your point, but it sounds somewhat pragmatic and quite similar to what Graham himself must have been thinking when he invited Cardinals and apostates to sit on his evangelism committees. Graham preached repentance and faith, but his associations and praise were often for people who were diametrically opposed to what he preached. Don’t you think that was a little confusing, not to say hypocritical?

[jimcarwest]

Wayne, I see your point, but it sounds somewhat pragmatic and quite similar to what Graham himself must have been thinking when he invited Cardinals and apostates to sit on his evangelism committees. Graham preached repentance and faith, but his associations and praise were often for people who were diametrically opposed to what he preached. Don’t you think that was a little confusing, not to say hypocritical?

I do think it was at the time. Yes. But I don’t think using this excellent Gospel video is similar to what Graham did at all. I can’t even think of a way that it’s similar. So I would still use it today, absolutely. Very few average Americans know anything about those issues. If the Gospel were in any way compromised in the presentation, I would think differently, but as it is “in every way, whether in pretense or in truth, Christ is proclaimed; and in this I rejoice. Yes, and I will rejoice.” In this case it’s the truth being presented, and presented very well indeed.

Some fundamentalists seem to need a visible, human enemy. In the early years, the enemy was, in a small sense, Fosdick or Ingersoll or Russell. For more than 50 years it’s been Billy Graham (one of the BG’s we were against along with Bill Gaither and Bill Gothard). Now he’s 95 years old and the unpardonable sin of his compromise is only known and remembered by fundamentalists. IMO, his alliances with liberalism and Roman Catholicism aren’t being repeated by the majority of today’s conservative evangelicals. (To compare Al Mohler’s visit to BYU to Graham’s ecumenical evangelical crusades is a real stretch.) To most people he’s an old, respected, preacher who used to be famous. Nearly everyone has heard of him. meanwhile no one has ever heard of his critics and no one is hearing them now.

I’m wondering who will take his place as the brother fundamentalists love to hate.

I understand your perspective, but it seems to me that Graham’s simple gospel message is clouded even by the examples he chose in the video to illustrate the gospel. He chose a rap singer who, after conversion, continued to perform rap in the same disco-rock-music environment. Of course, Graham did this during all his years in the crusades. He brought celebrities who had hardly left their knees right to the platform to declare their faith before being discipled and qualified, hoping to influence others with the power of the gospel. It is no wonder that some of these “babes” didn’t pursue a life in Christ. And I ask you, do you suppose that the BGEA will suddenly change their practice of sending the names of people who contact them after seeing this video to “the church of their choice”? Over the years of his crusades that resulted in new convert’s and inquirer’s names being sent to all sorts of heretical churches. That is completely irresponsible for a Christian leader to do. I do hope some will come to know Christ through the video, but can we not be concerned about whether the follow-up ministry will also be consistent with the gospel?

Your comments seem to parrot the same criticisms that new evangelicals had for those of us who were concerned about Graham during the years of his active ministry. We were said to be the “angry, hate-filled fundamentalists.” My comments are for “in-house” consumption and based upon a desire to keep alive the history of our fight against theological compromise that was the result of the birth of new-evangelism. Of course, we rejoiced then, and we rejoice now in all who come to Christ through the preaching of the gospel. Nevertheless, though Paul rejoiced that Christ was preached “even of contention,” this did not prevent him from calling out the names of numerous individuals who compromised the gospel. In fact, he told the believers in Rome to “mark them that cause divisions and offenses contrary to the doctrine you have received and avoid them” Rom. 16:15. I don’t them any of us would limit that to the first century.

[jimcarwest]

I understand your perspective, but it seems to me that Graham’s simple gospel message is clouded even by the examples he chose in the video to illustrate the gospel. He chose a rap singer who, after conversion, continued to perform rap in the same disco-rock-music environment. Of course, Graham did this during all his years in the crusades. He brought celebrities who had hardly left their knees right to the platform to declare their faith before being discipled and qualified, hoping to influence others with the power of the gospel. It is no wonder that some of these “babes” didn’t pursue a life in Christ. And I ask you, do you suppose that the BGEA will suddenly change their practice of sending the names of people who contact them after seeing this video to “the church of their choice”? Over the years of his crusades that resulted in new convert’s and inquirer’s names being sent to all sorts of heretical churches. That is completely irresponsible for a Christian leader to do. I do hope some will come to know Christ through the video, but can we not be concerned about whether the follow-up ministry will also be consistent with the gospel?

Well, on the first point about Lecrae. He seems like the real deal. He’s been a Christian for more than 10 years, I believe, hardly just off his knees. His testimony was powerful and comprehensive. I have very conservative musical tastes, but I have to admit I’m rather impressed with the content of some of the better Christian rappers. Rap, as an art form, has way more content than popular music. Some of it is pretty funny, too – “I gotta back pack fulla tracts, plus I keep a Johnny Mac.”

Jim, I do think your point about follow up is a good one. I don’t follow BGEA so I don’t know what they currently do regarding church recommendations. That would be a concern. When I say, “Use it.” I mean use it for us. There is more solid Gospel content in that video than I see in most outreach efforts. It connects with people.

Jim,

I thought I’d also chime in about Lecrae. I’ve sat under his Bible teaching at two different urban ministry conferences. He goes deep with the Word of God. His non-profit ministry provides Bible studies and tools for urban churches and ministries. He has certain songs that go deep, including a song that utilizes pre-suppositional apologetics towards a skeptic. He has some songs that are geared for the edification of the church. He has other music that is geared towards those who are outside of the faith.

Yes, he has become a celebrity. But hardly in the mold of your examples “of who had hardly left their knees right to the platform to declare their faith before being discipled and qualified, hoping to influence others with the power of the gospel.” And I can point to several within the urban ministry that I lead that have grown in certain aspects of their faith due to the Christ-centered influence of Lecrae.

I have serious concerns about some of Billy Graham’s ministry, but this video was a crystal-clear presentation of the Gospel. It was well done, powerful, and pulled no punches.

When it first aired, I stumbled upon it by accident. I happened to look out my window and across the street and saw that my neighbor was also watching it on the TV in his garage (yes, I can see what he is watching in his garage from my living room—he has a 55 in. TV in his garage). After a few minutes I decided to go over and watch it with him but then I saw that he had closed his garage door, which generally means he has gone in for the night. I prayed that he would continue to watch it. I hope to talk to him about it in the near future. (This is the neighbor that I have already done two Bible studies with but who has not made a profession of faith in Christ.)

I didn’t see a link to it in the above article, so if you didn’t see it, you can watch it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bba2Dqaw6SI

I may stand corrected about Lecrae, and I don’t want to cause people to doubt his credibility by expressing my doubts about celebrities who have appeared in Graham’s crusades. I am of the old school and remember occasions when it didn’t turn out as well. The name that came to my memory was the rock singer Cliff Richards whose “testimony” was lauded soon after his conversion. And there were others. I think you get the point. You do remember that the same Apostle Paul who rejoiced that Christ as preached even in contention, named some in Scripture who fell along the wayside. In Rom. 16:17, he enjoined the church to “mark those who cause divisions and offenses contrary to doctrine which you have learned, and avoid them.” Frankly, BG would seem to fall into that category. He preaches the right words on salvation, but he veers far away from the Scriptures on other issues and practices which has caused great division. Wouldn’t you agree?

Excellent review by Mark Snoeberger at DBTS.

Wow, this review seemed really harsh and jaded. The one lady’s testimony became the whole lens through which he filtered the entire presentation. It was almost like “Can you believe how off base her testimony was? Oh, and I guess the Gospel was mentioned.”

To me, it was, “Can you believe how crystal clear the Gospel message was? Oh, and there were a few things the one lady said that were a problem for me.”

[Dave Gilbert]

I heard references and testimonies about people ” looking for something ” and finding it in Jesus Christ. What I didn’t find, was anything said by anyone about, ” God finding me when I wasn’t looking. ” ( Romans 10:20, Isaiah 65:1 )

[Dave Gilbert]

All I heard about during Billy’s whole message was, ” The Cross “, “committing one’s life to Christ “, ” God loves you “, many of the benefits of the regenerate believer’s life, but very little of God’s wrath, little about mankind’s desperate and rebellious situation before Holy God, ( although he became rather pointed at one spot, about 8-9 minutes in, about sin, death and Hell )…I heard references and testimonies about people ” looking for something ” and finding it in Jesus Christ. What I didn’t find, was anything said by anyone about, ” God finding me when I wasn’t looking. ” ( Romans 10:20, Isaiah 65:1 )

[Dave Gilbert] I also can’t get over something Billy said about the cross…” One of the reasons the cross is such an offense is because it demands a new lifestyle ” I disagree with this statement wholeheartedly, because from what I see in scripture and what the cross demands, is that we believe. ( Acts 2:14-21, 1 Corinthians 15:3-7 ) Nothing else, because everything else will eventually be provided by the indwelling Holy Spirit when we believe on Christ. Repentance, faith, holy living, true spiritual discernment, zeal, talents and everything else is all of God… ( Philippians 2:13 ). I realize Mr. Graham was probably speaking in the vernacular when he said that, but the reality of the true Gospel is its simplicity…it demands that we believe, from the heart. ( Romans 10: 9-20 )

And he DID talk about believing in Christ. At 17:15 he said, “[You are offered] eternal life if you come to the cross by repentance and faith.” At 23:00 he says, “There are many things about the cross and about salvation I do not understand, and I’m not told I have to understand it all. I’m told I’m to believe. And anyone can believe. A blind man can believe. A deaf man can believe. An old person can believe. A young person can believe. And that word ‘believe’ means ‘commit.’ I commit my life totally to him. Jesus Christ from the cross says, ‘I will save you. I will forgive you. I will change you. I will make you a new person—if you come to the cross by repentance and faith. Come to Christ!” Then he explains repentance. At 25:53 he says, “Now God says, ‘Receive him! Believe in him! Put your trust and your confidence in him, and I will forgive your sins and I will guarantee you eternity in heaven.” At 26:39, when he is leading the sinner’s prayer, he encourages people to pray, “I believe you died for my sins…I want to trust and follow you as my Lord and Savior.” So to imply that he didn’t talk about believing in Christ is just completely wrong.

This message of repentance and faith/belief in Christ is the Gospel and is entirely biblical, as this is the message Jesus and the apostles preached (Matt. 4:17; Mark 1:15; Luke 13:3, 5; 5:32; Acts 2:38; 3:19; 8:22; 17:20; 20:21; 26:20; 2 Tim. 2:25).

[Dave Gilbert] Crystal clear? I found it to be rather “warm and fuzzy”, with a sprinkling of the bad news…but at least the bad news was there, and probably enough to believe on for someone hearing it for the first time, IMO. To me, Mr. Graham’s presentation has been, and continues to be, prefaced with many of the good things that can be found having a relationship with the one, true God… The good things Mr. Graham talks about seem to me, to be luring people to the Gospel message he preaches. He often “leads off” with the good aspects of God, and not the bad…appears to emphasize those as well, throughout his presentation. The Gospel I remember hearing as a young teenager scared the stuffing out of me, and for good reason.

Something to think on:

If the Gospel that Billy Graham preaches is such an offense ( and Paul declared it to be ), then why are so few people that Mr. Graham has and had contact with, genuinely offended by it? I’ve never heard of anyone who hates Billy Graham, honestly.