Well; I can get SOMETHING for you; just not at wholesale.
For a low; LOW! price of ONLY $11.95...
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.
What about Pharaoh? Or Jonah?
Non context You refuses to answer the question because the answer will embarrass you.
And what about the millions of unbaptized aborted babies?
Just a little scripture reading shows that all little children held a special place in Jesus’ heart.
And our Veep; from Indiana; has a similar plan in place.
He; too; gets raked over the coals for it by Liberals.
He DID?
Got any proof?
Well; I can get SOMETHING for you; just not at wholesale.
Or a PURE one.
Likewise...
It’s a good thing many of us know the Book that Rome produced too well to believe the later stories She came up with.
I know, I appreciate you and your posts, mm...
As I recall, Grady did the Gamaliel dance with the NAR, along with other formerly solid charismatic preacher Jack Hayford.
(They presumptiously thought they were so lofty, they could play Gamaliel’s “wait and see” game with the false prophets and immoral fruit of the NAR, when we are all instructed to beware false prophets and oppose such ravening wolves. They will come to account before the Lord for the slaughtered faith of the people.)
Note that Graham was careful to say this was what he believed and he gave careful qualifications. He did not teach it as scripture. Unlike you, Graham realized the gift God gave us in the freedom to think. Without it we are lost and unable to truly love and accept the gospel voluntarily. Basically we would become robotic Pharisees who, unless they open their eyes, will never see the beauty of the forest through the trees. Sound familiar?
Don’t have 20 minutes to listen to this guy. Please give us the facts that he states. And back them up with links that prove them to be true. Since you’re so willing to dance on a man’s grave, I’m sure you’re willing to spend the time to backup whatever claims are ‘exposed’.
When David’s newborn son with Bathsheba died, David said, He will not come again to me, but I shall go to him.”
Based on that scripture I’ve come to a personal conclusion that pre-born and newborn babies don’t go to Hell.
Based on scripture, that’s what I think.
But would I foolishly claim, like Billy Graham has, that infant baptism is salvational? No, I wouldn’t.
I also think it was wrong of him to accept the vain Catholic tradition of salvation by works.
“In an interview with McCall’s Magazine, Graham said: I’ve found that my beliefs are essentially the same as those of orthodox Roman Catholics ... we differ on some matters of later church tradition” (McCalls, January 1978).”
But would I foolishly claim, like Billy Graham has, that infant baptism is salvational? No, I wouldn’t.
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Please cite where Graham says that infant baptism IS salvational or shut up.
Wait, you don’t know who Dave Hunt is?
(I mean, you doubt that The Berean Call has all of what Hunt is saying here completely documented? LOL)
I DO BELIEVE THAT SOMETHING HAPPENS AT THE BAPTISM OF AN INFANT, particularly if the parents are Christians and teach their children Christian Truths from childhood. We cannot fully understand the miracles of God, but I BELIEVE THAT A MIRACLE CAN HAPPEN IN THESE CHILDREN SO THAT THEY ARE REGENERATED, THAT IS, MADE CHRISTIAN, THROUGH INFANT BAPTISM. If you want to call that baptismal regeneration, that’s all right with me.”
~Billy Graham
Snark is one thing.
Profanity is another.
He's probably basing it on this Scripture.
1 Corinthians 7:14 For the Christian wife brings holiness to her marriage, and the Christian husband brings holiness to his marriage. Otherwise, your children would not be holy, but now they are holy.
If he's saying it saves the babies, he was wrong, but that does not fit with the message he preached of salvation by faith in Christ and the need to repent and confess and turn towards Christ.
You absolutely need a lesson in reading comprehension. You stated that Billy Graham said that infant baptism is salvational. That is an objective statement and something that he did not say. He made a subjective statement that was his opinion clearly based on his life experiences and scriptural interpretation. Giant difference and absolutely one that needs to be emphasized, especially when one is accusing someone of heresy.
Earlier you also implied that Billy Graham had cheated on his wife. Which you also will have no citation for and absolutely need to be called out on. If I were you I would look deep into my soul to see what my problem actually is with this wonderful man that allows you to play so loose with words in an attempt to destroy a great man’s reputation.
I have no idea if he was ever unfaithful to his wife.
But if he were unfaithful, I’d give him a pass for that. He was a man who spent a lot of time away from his spouse. Men have physical needs. That’s just a fact of life. To me, that’s crazy that he did spend so much time away from her, but what’s done is done.
Not going to give him a pass however for his insane belief in infant baptism. Or his staunch support for other false teachings of Catholicism.
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