It…[was] be a quiet celebration [this past weekend] in Montreat as Billy Graham gather[ed] with family to mark his 92nd birthday.
His health fragile, but his mind alert, the Charlotte-born evangelist still has a to-do list: He’s working on another book, “Nearing Home,” about aging, and he hopes to preach one last time.
“He still has the sermon on his heart,” said spokeswoman Melany Ethridge.
Heartwarming. I love the humility of this man, the greatest evangelist of all time, as in his apt choice of Gal. 6:14 as the text for a final taped sermon: “[i]God forbid that I should glory, save in the cross…[/i]” Marvelous.
Especially endearing is Billy’s wistful longing to be reunited with his beloved Ruth, whom he says he misses more every year. Billy Graham wasn’t well enough to attend the big Lausanne III world congress on evangelism in Capetown last month, but the very fact that the huge event was held at all is one more sign of how vast and deep has been Billy’s influence on world Christianity (he organized the first such congress in Lausanne in 1974).
David Handy+
The Billy Graham exhibits at Wheaton College are simply amazing too! I was so blessed and awed by his life that as I went out the door, I just had to sit down on the steps and pray… Thank God for one example of a man who kept the faith, the course, guarded his heart and marriage and kept Jesus first throughout his life. He is finishing with honor. What an example of a beautiful godly life.
Just a little nitpick.
Graham is the greatest modern evangelist.
I would nominate St. Paul as the greatest of all time 🙂
My admiration for both these men just keeps growing. Graham is such a godly man. The work of the Lord in him is just awe inspiring.
There was a MUST WATCH video tribute summarizing the preaching of Billy Graham shown at Lausanne III in Cape Town. Just amazing. I really urge T19 readers to give it a watch and be reminded of what 50 years of faithful ministry and preaching looks like. I long to run the race and proclaim Jesus as faithfully as our brother Billy has done.
The link is here:
http://conversation.lausanne.org/en/conversations/detail/11488
StayinAnglican (#3),
I’ll happily accept that as a friendly amenment.
Karen B. (#4),
Thanks for the link. I’m glad that you were one of the many Anglicans able to participate in that historic event in Capetown. BTW, I’d be curious to know how many other women you saw there. My guess would be that there were probably a lot more women present at Lausanne III (as invited participants, I mean, not just as wives) than there were at the original Lausanne event back in 1974.
I only heard Billy preach once in person myself, at the big Urbanna Missions Conference in 1976, along with some 17,000 other college students. But I remember the occasion very fondly. The man had a very special anointing and vocation.
May we all be as faithful as Billy has certainly been!
David Handy+