“Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead don’t believe a word of it, I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address.” Billy Graham
When you saw the title of today’s blog, you probably thought Billy Graham had personally mentored me face-to-face. What an amazing blessing that would have been!
Actually, we didn’t meet in person, but I had the joy of being at two of his crusades. First time, as a teenager when our church took a bus of kids from Ventura to a stadium in LA. I had never heard anyone preach like that before! Even though I was a believer, I was drawn down on the field to praise and worship God with all the new believers.
The next time was with my husband, Dave, who had never heard Billy Graham in person. I wanted Dave to have the experience so we flew to Oakland when Rev. Graham had announced it would be his last crusade. But it wasn’t his last. God kept using him, and as he said so many times, he would keep preaching until God told him to stop.
[Tweet “Whenever asked on a survey or questionnaire, “Who is the earthly person you admire the most?” My answer, “Billy Graham.””]
Whenever asked on a survey or questionnaire, “Who was the earthly person you admired the most?” My answer, “Billy Graham.” So how did the Reverend Billy Graham mentor me?
[Tweet “Mentoring doesn’t have to be face-to-face. Observe someone’s life and let his or her words and actions mentor you from afar.”]
Mentoring doesn’t have to be face-to-face. You can observe someone’s life and let his or her words and actions mentor you from afar. A verse I use to explain mentoring to mentors and mentees is Hebrews 13:7, Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Over the years, Billy Graham mentored me as . . .
- I remembered the impact the gospel had in my life when hearing Billy Graham share it so powerfully in person, and following his crusades and preaching over the years.
- I considered his way of life, putting Jesus first above all else, studying his Bible, and living with integrity and humility. I read his autobiography, Just As I Am. I also read several biographies of his precious wife Ruth, which gave tremendous insight into her husband as a man of God and life without him when he was on the road while she raised their family almost as a single parent.
I didn’t always live with integrity or humility, but after I rededicated my life to the Lord in my early forties, everything changed for me. I had a hunger and thirst to study my Bible. I understood that putting Jesus first might cause the loss of a career, which it did! But God opened a new door into ministry.
I would lose friends, and maybe some family members would even reject me, as I devoted time and energy to starting the Woman to Woman Mentoring Ministry, writing, and speaking a biblical world view.
I would need an understanding spouse, as Ruth was to Billy, who supported my ministry and the times I would need to cloister away in solitude to write, or be on the road sharing God’s messages, wherever He sent me. God provided that godly husband in my helpmate in ministry and life, my beloved hubby, Dave.
I would come under criticism.
I would need to live my message with integrity, as best I could, with the Lord’s guidance, admonishment, and discipline.
- I listened to Billy Graham’s message. A simple one he never wavered from because he spoke the Truth straight from the Bible, which never changes.
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16
Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. 7 You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:6-7
Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (emphasis added)
[Tweet “One generation must teach and train biblical truths to the next generation”]
God has given me a message of the need for one generation to teach and train biblical truths to the next, One generation commends your works to another; they tell of your mighty acts, Psalm 145:4. And since the day I heard “Feed my sheep” twenty-three years ago, I’ve devoted the second half of my life to helping women understand the simple message of “Sharing Life Experiences and God’s Faithfulness.”
- I admired his passion for everyone to have an opportunity to accept Jesus Christ as his or her Lord and Savior, right then, right now!
As we listened to tributes and segments of his sermons on TV last week, my husband commented on how passionate Rev. Graham was when he spoke. I remember that well. His passion came from knowing that those who did not accept the free-gift of salvation from Jesus, would not be in heaven, but in hell, and he couldn’t stand that thought.
The best compliment I hear when I speak is, “I appreciate your passion and enthusiasm!” I know that comes from the Lord. He chose me to share a simple message of mentoring, and I’ve always said, “Enthusiasm is contagious.”
- I observed his boldness and not wasting time defending himself!
[Tweet “Billy boldly took his message of salvation through a relationship with Jesus Christ anywhere and everywhere the Lord led him.”]
Billy boldly took his message of salvation through a relationship with Jesus Christ anywhere and everywhere the Lord led him. He was not intimidated, nor did he spend time acknowledging his critics. I’ve used this story about him many times when I talk about resolving conflict:
The third month of the Greater London crusade unreeled at the same frenetic pace as the previous two. Billy had lost fourteen pounds, and both he and Ruth were exhausted. The press had reversed their original cynical opinion of him. Several reporters had gone forward at altar calls. In part, the media’s change in attitude was due to his refusal to respond to criticism and insults “I do not intend to get . . . into endless arguments and discussion with them,” he explained in a letter to Ruth the following year. “I am going to take the position of Nehemiah when he refused to go down and have a conference with his enemies. He [Nehemiah] said, ‘I’m too busy building the wall.’ We are too busy winning souls to Christ and helping build the church to go down and argue.”
God gave Billy favor with both political sides. He was named by Americans as “One of the Ten Most Admired Men in the World,” a record-breaking 59 times with the Gallup poll.
Sadly, a Christian today would never receive that honor!
His son Franklin Graham, an evangelist carrying on his father’s mantel, receives continuous and ruthless attacks by the liberal culture and media, as do Christians. But like his famous father, Franklin doesn’t spend time defending himself. Every time I hear him speak or interviewed, he transitions the conversation to sharing the gospel, just like his father did.
[Tweet “Every time I hear Franklin Graham speak or interviewed, he transitions the conversation to sharing the gospel.”]
I’ve been called bold and either applauded or attacked. I try not to let either one influence me. If we say Jesus is the most important person in our life, shouldn’t we let people know about Him? If we know that those who don’t accept Jesus into their heart in this lifetime will be lost for eternity, how can we be quiet?!
[Tweet “If we say Jesus is the most important person in our life, shouldn’t we let people know about Him? “]
[Tweet “If we know that those who don’t accept Jesus into their heart in this lifetime will be lost for eternity, how can we be quiet!?”]
I know not everyone appreciates my boldness or style, but in our failing times, like Billy and Franklin Graham, I feel a sense of urgency that overcomes any sense of fear in sharing the gospel. Am I ever intimidated? Yes, sometimes. Do I worry about offending some people? Yes, I do. Do I still have work to do in this area? Absolutely! But Satan can’t keep me quiet or intimidate me, as I continue to pray for even more boldness.
The Bible tells us to tell the truth in love, but never waiver from telling it.
[Tweet “The Bible tells us to tell the truth in love, but never waiver from telling it.”]
What if every pastor was bold enough to share Billy Graham’s biblical message of salvation with his passion and urgency?! How many lives would be saved from eternity separated from God?
[Tweet “What if every pastor was bold enough to share Billy Graham’s biblical message of salvation with his passion and urgency?!”]
What if every Christian, you and me, took up Billy Graham’s mantel, not leaving it to his son and family alone?
[Tweet “What if each of us imitated Billy and spread the Good News that Jesus saves with every breath and in every circumstance where God puts us?!”]
What if each of us imitated Billy and spread the Good News that Jesus saves . . . with every breath we take and in every circumstance where God puts us?!
How different would our world be today?
How different would our lives be?
How different would our government be?
How different would our schools be?
How different would our children and the next generation be?
I believe God took Billy Graham home because God wanted the simple message Billy preached to come alive again, not just for a day or maybe a couple of weeks, but for a revival!
[Tweet “I believe God took Billy Graham home because God wanted the simple message Billy preached to come alive again in a revival!”]
What do you think? Are you with me on this?
Let’s remember our leaders, like Reverend Billy Graham, who spoke the word of God to us. We’ll consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith! (Hebrews 13:7 personalized)
[Tweet “Let’s remember our leaders, like Reverend Billy Graham, who spoke the word of God to us. We’ll consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith! (Hebrews 13:7 personalized)”]
Who has mentored you from afar?
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*Two pictures from BGEA
I’m with you Janet!
I knew you would be!
He led well. Thank you for reminding me of how important it is to focus on the task/commission at hand. I loved the excerpt about Billy not being willing to give time defending himself to the media. Would you please post the source of that quote? I’d like to read more. Thank you.
Yes, Billy Graham was an amazing example of staying focused on what’s important, sharing the gospel. Billy talks about that crusade in his biography Just As I Am. I think it was from one of Ruth Graham’s biographies. I printed it out on a card to read when I’m speaking about conflict.
Thank you. I’ll be adding “Just as I Am” to my “To Be Read” stack. What a colossal influence that man was and is – and I suspect his death will serve to reignite and intensify his influence.
Oh, to be faithful in little and in much over a long period of time. This is my goal!
It’s a very big book but you learn so much about his ministry. Any books about Ruth Graham are a delight to read too. And that’s a great goal. Mine too.
I knew you would be!
This is a great article!!! We have lost a great man of faith, and hopefully the ripple effect of his ministry will go far. I also believe God will raise up another evangelist like Billy Graham or John Whitfield to speak into the lives of our people and create a Great Revival or Great Awakening. We are at the tipping point and there is so much that needs to come under God’s authority. You have encouraged me to read more about both Billy & Ruth. Thanks so much!!!
I pray with you Linda that while we each take up Billy Graham’s evangelistic mantel, God is preparing another young man to become “America’s Pastor” to lead the charge to a Great Revival. America is ripe and ready for repentance.
Hi Sis Janet, Im inspired of what you ‘ved shared, saying in your early 40s your faith and fire was revived thru Rev Billy Graham. Im also wishing to have a mentor like him, and its interesting to know that there’s another way of mentoring aside from face to face or hands-on way.
Yes, Rev. Billy Graham has inspired me since I was a small girl. Many people we admire can mentor us from afar, just like we can mentor others. I’m so glad you were inspired by my words.