Posted on 03/05/2018 6:41:26 PM PST by metmom
Evangelist Billy Graham lived 99 years, wrote 30 books, met with 12 sitting American presidents and preached the gospel to millions. But when he is buried this Friday, March 2, in his hometown of Charlotte, North Carolina, he will be remembered not only as a world-changing hero of faith but as a humble preacher whose personal integrity set the gold standard for every minister in this country.
Why was this man so respected? How was he able to keep his ministry free from scandal for more than 75 years?
In 1948, when Graham was just 30 years old, he and his small ministry team met for Bible study and prayer at a tiny motel in Modesto, California. The other men in that meeting including assistant evangelist Grady Wilson, singer George Beverly Shea and song leader Cliff Barrows. Graham challenged them to pray about what codes of behavior they needed to adopt in order to keep the ministry clean.
The results of that meeting were profoundly prophetic. The men outlined what would become "the Modesto Manifesto"—a list of core ministry values that became the guiding principles of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The BGEA was founded two years later, in 1950, just one year after media coverage of Graham's eight-week gospel campaign in Los Angeles made him a household word.
Here are the four key components of the Modesto Manifesto, along with notes that Cliff Barrows jotted down in their meeting:
Honesty: "It was resolved that all communications to media and to the church would not be inflated or exaggerated. The size of crowds and the number of inquirers would not be embellished for the sake of making BGEA look better."
Integrity: "It was resolved that financial matters would be submitted to a board of directors for review and facilitation of expenditures. Every local crusade would maintain a policy of 'open books' and publish a record of where and how monies were spent."
Purity: "It was resolved that members of the team would pay close attention to avoiding temptation—never being alone with another woman, remaining accountable to one another, etc. A practice of keeping wives informed of their activities on the road and helping them feel a part of any and all crusades they undertook would be encouraged."
Humility: "It was resolved that members of the team were never to speak badly of another Christian minister, regardless of his denominational affiliation or differing theological views and practices. The mission of evangelism includes strengthening the body of Christ as well as building it!"
Graham has always been a spiritual hero to me for this reason. Early in his ministry—in fact, before he ever became famous—he realized that his ministry was a stewardship from God and that he could not run it any way he wanted. He had to manage it according to clear biblical principles.
Graham never forgot his humble roots, and he never let popularity change him into an egotistical monster. Even though he was invited to dine with presidents, queens and celebrities, his passion was taking the message of Christ to the common person. And when an usher tried to segregate black and white sections of an auditorium in Chattanooga, Tennessee, in 1953, Graham removed the barriers himself. Related Articles
"I am not a great preacher, and I don't claim to be a great preacher," he once said. "I've heard great preaching many times and wished I was one of these great preachers. I'm an ordinary preacher, just communicating the gospel in the best way I know how."
He also carried with him a healthy fear that he might try to touch God's glory or take credit for evangelistic results.
Graham said: "So many people think that somehow I carry a revival around in a suitcase, and they just announce me and something happens—but that's not true. This is the work of God, and the Bible warns that God will not share His glory with another. All the publicity that we receive sometimes frightens me because I feel that therein lies a great danger. If God should take His hand off me, I would have no more spiritual power. The whole secret of the success of our meetings is spiritual—it's God answering prayer. I cannot take credit for any of it."
So much of what we call ministry today has been compromised by ego, marketing and man-made agendas. Some of our own "Spirit-filled" preachers are happy to sell a healing or a financial miracle for $29.95. Others claim spiritual superiority because they have the largest following on social media or because so many lined up to attend their packed conferences.
We have exchanged honesty, integrity, purity and humility for hype, fake anointing, manipulated photos, inflated attendance reports, sensuality and boastful swagger. God forgive us.
Billy Graham raised the bar for all ministers. I pray we will never forget his legacy.
And you're accusing him of saying something that you can't prove he said.
But it's OK when you do it to him but not when you think someone does it to you?
Actually I did source what he said.
And I’ve seen a jpg of that Luthern Standard. I mean, why would I lie about something like that?
It’s just an aspect of Billy Graham. His wife was a life-long Presbyterian. She believed in infant baptism as well, and since he was gone over half of each year until they sent all the children to boarding school, I imagine that she had a lot of say so over whether the babies were sprinkled.
He himself says that all of his children were, except the youngest.
It’s not something he was ashamed of.
For me personally, I can accept that the man did have “contrary to each other” beliefs. Don’t we all?
That belief in infant baptism he held, it didn’t stop him from preaching the Gospel. So that’s a plus.
It’s sort of like Spurgeon being a Calvinist. He believed there was an Elect. But since he didn’t know who was elect and who wasn’t, he preached to everyone.
For many years I attended Greg Laurie’s church and he puts on evangelistic crusades called The Harvest Crusades. They are in the model of Billy Graham crusades.
At every one of these events there are always a bunch of self righteous wackos that stand outside the stadium with big signs that accuse Laurie of preaching a false gospel and the signs all read stuff like “Laurie Leads to Hell”.
They reach no one but these clowns think that by showing up at these events with their stupid signs they are doing the work of God.
They are simply puffing themselves up as being better than the guy who has spent his life preaching the simple message that Jesus died for your sins and proclaiming the hope of heaven to a lost generation.
I feel as if this thread was hijacked by someone with the same mentality. I asked you several times what you personally have done to further the work of Christ as Billy Graham did and all you could do was to keep harping on some insignificant off the cuff remark that you believe is evidence that Billy Graham preached some damnable heresy.
Well, here’s your sign.
I don’t think Billy Graham “preached” infant baptism. I never said that.
I only supplied the evidence that he believed in infant baptism and had all of his children (except the youngest) sprinkled.
To me, it’s a very interesting dichotomy. Nothing more, nothing less.
And so what if people object to false doctrine, whether it’s uttered by Greg Laurie, Billy Graham or anyone else?
I’m not a hive-mind type person. That’s just me though.
And that is what all spiritually mature Calvinists believe.
As opposed to many cage-stage Calvinists.)
Well maybe it took. They’re all saved now. They all came to Christ, didn’t they? Who are you to claim it is heresy?
Is the efficacy of a person’s baptism measured by the volume of water, or can God turn a mere drop of water into a fountain of Living Water?
I’d suggest you quit while you are behind.
Some people just don’t allow that people’s views on doctrine can change over the course of almost 60 years.
I guess once you suggest or imply something, it’s then written in stone and you are forever judged by that standard.
I’m glad God is a forgiving God. Because many of those claiming to be His people sure aren’t.
I don't believe in infant baptism.
The Bible says that you must believe to be baptized.
Thanks for the post. :-)
Yeah. 60 years ago I was getting baptized into the Mormon Church. It was by immersion. I’m sure Bo Girl would approve. 13 years later I was baptized again in a Cove in Newport Beach by some long haired hippy guy. That was immersion too.
The day before yesterday, on my way to work I got Sprinkled by the Almighty. It was raining. Does that count?
Actually it doesn’t teach that at all.
I’m sure Gamecock would agree since he is OPC.
I’m sure the Jews preferred infant circumcision to having to wait until they reached the age of majority.
It accomplishes nothing to baptize someone who doesn’t believe.
Acts 8;36 And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37 And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
You must be a fast reader. Or you didn’t read the link at all. Which is it?
With all the bulls around it?
Could you point this out?
I see.
Sorry, didn’t see the link. But since I don’t believe in infant baptism, I’m sure you’ll forgive me if I don’t read the link.
No offense intended at all.
yeah I’m sure you don’t want to read something that might make you question your uninformed presuppositions.
Just stay ignorant. Ignorance is bliss.
I never made it to the bulls. The bulls are not for baptizing the living. That tub is reserved for baptizing people who didn’t realize they were Mormons until they were dead and took a proxy bath.
You can call me ignorant all day long.
But I’m never going to believe anything is salvational aside from a belief in Jesus Christ.
I hardly think God would send his only Son to die for our sins if we could all be saved by a few drops of water on our heads as unbelieving infants.
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