(Photo: The Christian Post / Sonny Hong)Posted on 05/24/2014 7:35:51 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
(Photo: The Christian Post / Sonny Hong)
Rev. Franklin Graham addressing pastors at the Watchmen on the Wall National Briefing, held at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Thursday, May 22, 2014.
WASHINGTON – The Rev. Franklin Graham told a large gathering of pastors on Thursday to address controversial issues from the pulpit, declaring that "God hates cowards."
Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, based his remarks on Revelation 21:8, wherein God lists eight groups of people who will be "in the lake that burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
Of groups like murderers, idolaters, unbelievers, and others, the first group of persons listed were the cowardly. It was this first group that Graham focused on for his speech, titled "Standing Strong on the Controversial Issues," at the Thursday evening session for the 2014 Watchmen on the Wall National Briefing.
"The definition of a coward: a coward will not confront an issue that needs to be confronted due to fear. That is a coward," said Graham.
"God hates cowards. And the cowards that the Lord is referring to are the men and women who know the truth but refuse to speak it."
In his remarks at the dinner session, Graham spoke about the need for churches to speak out against abortion and homosexuality, declaring that "you're not going to shut me up."
"We have a responsibility to speak on the moral issues. Abortion, homosexuality, these are moral issues. This is a free country, you can do what you want to do but I want you to know it's a sin against God. This is a sin," said Graham.
Graham mentioned how he has "friends who are pastors" who say they want to preach the Gospel and not "become targets."
"Well don't you think the Lord Jesus Christ was a target?" asked Graham. "Could we get our heads chopped off? We could, maybe one day. So what? Chop it off!"
(Photo: The Christian Post / Sonny Hong)Rev. Franklin Graham addressing pastors at the Watchmen on the Wall National Briefing, held at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC on Thursday, May 22, 2014.
Graham's remarks were part of a multiday conference organized by the Family Research Council. Held from Wednesday to Friday, the Watchmen on the Wall National Briefing was geared toward pastors and encouraging churches to become more involved in politics, social issues, and public policy.
Featured speakers included Pastor Rafael Cruz, the father of U.S. Senator Ted Cruz; Bishop Harry Jackson, author and senior pastor of Hope Christian Church in Beltsville, Maryland; Joyce Meyer of Joyce Meyer Ministries; U.S. Senator Tim Scott of South Carolina, and several others.
For the Thursday evening dinner portion, attendees experienced worship led by contemporary Christian singer Charles Billingsley and were present to see awards given to assorted pastors for their actions on religious liberty.
The last honoree for the evening was Graham. FRC President Tony Perkins commended Graham for his actions in the public sphere.
"Franklin is not the pastor of a church, but in a real sense he is a pastor to America's pastors," said Perkins before presenting Graham with the 2014 Watchman Award.
"And in that role, he has sounded the alarm and raised the righteous standard as have few other leaders in our time."
The son of the famous evangelist Billy Graham, Franklin Graham has garnered controversy in recent years for his remarks on same-sex marriage, Islam, and President Barack Obama.
Some have contrasted his public career with that of his father, arguing that Franklin Graham has taken more overtly political positions than Billy Graham has.
I have been waiting to hear someone speak out other than that black Miami football player and some black ministers. I honestly believed all the white people were cowering under their beds. I praise God that he has the courage to remind people of the truth showing them who is an enemy to God.
God did not give us a spirit of fear. If people are fearful, it does not come from Him. It comes from somewhere/something else.
Thank you for posting that.
They are afraid because our national elites have turned away from Christian morality and they might close their checkbooks to them.
This will fall on deaf years to most of mainline Protestant clergy. 80% are aLready enslaved on the Democrat plantation.
And as Jesus said, “You will see more trouble than I have seen”
No, I will not confront Nero; nor will I deny the LORD. - well said!
You do not have to “confront Nero.” Nero will confront you. Active persecution is coming, as Jesus clearly teaches. Christians in many countries are already giving their lives as a witness to their faith today.
Understood - the gist of the article was that we need to "get in Nero's face" which is not biblical and actually goes contrary to Jesus's preaching. It is understood that those who do evil will always be at our throats.
A profile in courage.
The truth is that, just being a Christian, a believer in Jesus, will by his or her faith “confront Nero”, that is, the world. It is very Biblical because it is doing it in OBEDIENCE to God.
AMEN and safe to say it is starting in the west, including America.
A gentle correction is needed here.
Did not Moses confront Pharoah? Did not Elijah confront the false prophets? Did not John the Baptist confront King Herod?
Did not Jesus confront the temple officals by taking down the merchants tables?
The Bible does show there is a time and a need to “confront” the world.
“I don’t think his old man was like that in his prime.”
Yes. IIRC, in the late ‘90s, when an interviewer asked BG if Jews will/won’t go to Heaven (they deny Christ). He tapdanced around the issue and didn’t answer.
Franklin seems to be extremely bold for Christ and the Christian life. No longer in print, but his autobiography, “Rebel With A Cause”, is one of the best books I’ve read. I needed to buy something quickly to read on a plane, found the book for $1 in a thrift shop, and couldn’t put it down. He’s come a long way.
His sister has a great testimony as well, and speaks boldly for Christ.
“Billy Graham brought millions to Christ”
The Billy Graham Crusade disagree with you.
I don't think his old man was like that in his prime.
Neither do I.
“Billy Graham brought millions to Christ, no man has done more than him.”
Actually, millions came forward during Graham’s invitations in an emotional atmosphere. It’s hard to say where they went from there, and whether decisions were honest. Follow-up wasn’t done; people weren’t pointed in the direction of Bible-believing churches. If the Holy Spirit led them, that’s a good thing. If simply emotional, then maybe not so much... Only God knows for sure.
I attended a Crusade in the ‘50s or ‘60s in Buffalo. It was wonderful.
Millions have physically come forward at the crusades, we don’t know how many more millions took action in their own living rooms, of the thousands of millions he preached to, or what lingering and mushrooming effect his seed planting has had, and has, and will have.
“According to his staff, more than 3.2 million people have responded to the invitation at Billy Graham Crusades to “accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior”. As of 2008, Graham’s estimated lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, topped 2.2 billion.”
My father never had a religious bone in his body as far as I knew, but after his death and before she died, my mother said that he had attended a Billy Graham revival meeting in the 1940s, probably in Los Angeles in 1949, and had made the walk and accepted Christ, I hope so, and I hope it made a difference after he died.
I’m amazed that Billy Graham isn’t seen as the historical Christian figure that he is, we need more Billy Grahams.
People were pointed towards churches. They just didn’t stick with it.
The worst thing is they may go to Hell while thinking they got Saved.
Where did you get your numbers for that claim, that covers 70 years of his ministry?
I will go on record here. I used to preach ‘many are called, few are chosen; and God opened my eyes forcibly. Having studied thousands of near-death experiences, and survived 4 of my own, be reassured: most people make it to God’s presence. Those that don’t have actively removed themselves from it. Hell? yes. Hitler? sure. Stalin? definitely. Galileo? nope. Harvey Milk? nope. God cares about Love. Love one another. What I can do, in love, I will. And right now, these folks need love, and prayers, and even more prayers. Confrontation? Balderdash! I ask all I meet to pray for our President. There are evil forces surrounding him. Be wise here, friends. Even be cunning. Directly oppositional? I think that’s a trap. Franklin sounds very sincere, but this is not yet the time IMHO.
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