I join so many around the world in mourning the passing away of Billy Graham. What a preacher. What an evangelist. What a Christian!
I admire so many things about Billy Graham.
(1) I admire his impeccable Christian character. He was always above-board. He went the extra mile to make sure that his credibility was never in doubt. He did not preach one way and live the other. He truly walked his talk.
(2) I admire Billy Graham’s incredible zeal for spreading the good news of Christ. Year after year, Billy Graham pressed forward, reaching more people with the good news of Christ than anyone else in the history of the world. He preached the Gospel in 185 countries around the world.
(3) I admire the fact that Billy Graham rarely mentioned his denomination. Of course he was proud of being Southern Baptist, but that label was not a part of his preaching or his outreach. He faithfully preached Jesus Christ, not a denomination.
(4) I admire what Billy Graham has meant to my life personally. I had the privilege of hearing him preach three times: at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, the Cotton Bowl in Dallas and Riverfront Arena in Cincinnati.
It was while hearing Billy Graham preach in Dallas that I heard God’s call to the ministry in my life. I was only in high school, but I responded that night to the Lord’s call upon my life, and my life has been different since then.
I will be forever grateful to Billy Graham, for being the instrument of God in touching my life. I thank God today for a faithful person who was used by God to reach a hurting world!