Billy Graham, faith, Christian living

John Stark, March 1, 2018

Seven days ago, on February 22, I walked into the hotel lobby and saw the USA Today headline:

“Billy Graham, America’s pastor, has died”.

     I know thousands of blog posts have touched on Billy Graham’s life over the past week.  Here is mine.

When I saw the headline, there was no sadness, but rather a sense of rejoicing for his release from suffering, and his entry into heaven.  I knew Rev. Graham only in the way nearly everyone else knew him, through his public presence.  I did not ever attend a Billy Graham crusade event. I can remember watching only one complete broadcast of a stadium event. Yet he moved me in the direction of living ever more dedicated to Christ, because he moved people toward Christ, who moved others toward Christ, and the chain eventually wove itself into my spiritual growth.  I owe Rev. Graham a deep debt of gratitude.  I also owe that debt of gratitude to Mordecai Ham, who, in 1934, preached the message in a Charlotte N.C. revival meeting where Billy Graham gave his live to Christ.

The chain of influence traces back through famous (Billy Sunday, Dwight Moody) and obscure Christians. Mordecai Ham’s father was a Baptist pastor.  A shoe salesman/Sunday school teacher named Edward Kimball led Dwight Moody to Christ.  How did Edward Kimball come to Christ?

How does all this affect me?  Jim Mayberry, a Church of Christ pastor/preacher led me to Christ July 21, 1971 during a tent crusade in Chillicothe Missouri.  Someone led him to Jesus.  Someone to someone, it is how God works.    This pattern of God’s hand provides me hope that is stronger than hope, it is an assurance that what I do will impact people for Jesus.  Edward Kimball did not see the work of Billy Graham.    Mordecai Ham did not know Billy Graham’s son Franklin would grow to lead the ministry Samaritan’s Purse.

Since the 1980s Janie and I have focused on lives around the call to provide the Word of God to people who do not have access to it.  We don’t really know who will hear God’s message of love and offer of eternity in heaven as a result of our work.  We will not know who among the Kambari will be their Billy Graham, or who among the Ncire-cire will be their Edward Kimball.  We do not know how many years, or how many generations, will be involved as God creates the towers of faith within the communities where we work.  We simply see that that is how he works.

I owe a debt of deep gratitude to the Rev. Dr. Billy Graham,

“Dr. Graham, thank you for a life lived for Jesus.”