One of my former professors, Dr. Timothy Beougher of The Billy Graham School of Evangelism, Missions, and Church Growth, shares insights into the life of one of God's servants.
"Definitive
pronouncements about a person’s legacy are best left to future historians, but
in the case of Billy Graham, certain reliable observations can be made now. As
I both mourn his passing today, and rejoice that he is now with the Savior whom
he deeply loved, I offer these reflections on his enduring legacy. These
observations are not about the vast numerical impact of his evangelistic
ministry (such as preaching to over 200 million people), but about his on-going
legacy from which we can draw inspiration in our own lives and ministries
today.
1. BILLY
GRAHAM BELIEVED IN THE AUTHORITY OF SCRIPTURE.
After
struggling with a season of doubt, prompted by his friend Charles Templeton’s
skepticism, Graham made a bedrock commitment to affirm the Bible as God’s
certain and trustworthy Word. The signature phrase in his preaching became “The
Bible Says.”
2. GRAHAM
KNEW THE POWER OF PRAYER.
He
repeatedly said 'there are three secrets to my ministry. The first is prayer;
the second is prayer; and the third is prayer.' He pled with God for the souls
of people. In his 2006 book, The Journey, Graham gives this advice: 'Every man
or woman whose life has ever counted for God has been a person of prayer. A
prayer-less Christian is a powerless Christian. Throughout both the Bible and
the history of the church, those who made the greatest impact for God were
those who prayed the most. ' ”