As I type these words, I’m listening to Billy Graham preach. It’s a rebroadcast of one of the messages he preached decades ago. You can tell that from the hairstyles and clothes worn by those in the arena.
But while the look of the crowd is a bit dated, Billy’s message is incredibly current. He’s speaking to deep, abiding needs in the human heart. And he’s pointing to the hope found in Jesus.
There is still much that preachers and teachers can learn from Billy Graham. Let me highlight three takeaways from Billy’s ministry that have helped me over the years.
Rely on the authority of the Word of God
You may have heard how one of Billy Graham’s friends and fellow evangelists, a man named Charles Templeton, shifted and drifted from his confidence in Scripture. Billy tells of a conversation he had with Templeton about the authority of Scripture.
Templeton said to him, “Billy, it’s not possible any longer to believe the biblical account of creation. The world wasn’t created; it has evolved over millions of years.”
Billy replied, “I don’t accept that and there are reputable scholars who don’t.”
Then Graham took a different tact. He told Templeton what he had seen happen as he preached God’s Word. “When I take the Bible literally, when I proclaim it as God’s Word, I have power.” He continued, “When I stand before the people and say, ‘God says’ or ‘The Bible says’, the Holy Spirit uses me. There are results. People respond. I have decided once and for all to accept the Bible as God’s Word.”
Certainly there is a legitimate place for exploring the reasons we can have confidence in the Bible as God’s inspired, inerrant Word. Still, Billy is on to something important. You see, we will never have all our questions answered about the Bible. But we still have good reason to have full confidence in the Bible as God’s Word.
When we preach and teach the Bible as the very Word of God, the Holy Spirit uses His Word to change lives.
Preach the Cross of Christ
In the message I’m watching on television right now, Billy is repeatedly pointing to the cross of Christ and the saving impact of His death.
Billy learned how important it was to “preach Christ crucified” (1 Corinthians 1:23). In a video tribute I watched on Billy Graham’s life and ministry, he told about a time he preached in Germany but saw very little response.
Afterwards, as he walked from the meeting feeling discouraged, a friend said to him, “Billy, do you know what was wrong tonight? You didn’t preach the cross.”
Billy took that to heart and went on to make the cross a central in his sermons. He made sure his message centered on the central truth of Christ death for our sins and his triumphant resurrection (1 Corinthians 15:3-5).
Billy came to understand the truth of 1 Cor 1:18: the preaching of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to those who are being saved, it is the power of God.
So Billy spent a lifetime pointing to the death of Christ as our remedy and rescue from sin. God used his messages to change the eternal destiny for thousands of people around the world. If you want to learn from Graham’s example: Preach the cross of Christ.
Tell people how they can know they are going to heaven
In the book, The Preacher and the Presidents, we learn Billy had private, powerful conversations with both President Dwight Eisenhower and Lyndon Johnson right before they died. Both Eisenhower and Johnson called Billy to talk to them near the ends of their lives. Both men wanted to be clear on the way to heaven.
President Eisenhower had Billy come to visit him in the hospital. Eisenhower asked the doctors and nurses to leave and then said, “Billy, I want you to explain once again what you did in Gettysburg, about how you can know you are going to heaven”
Billy told him one more time from the Bible. Afterwards, Eisenhower said, “I’m ready.” He gave Graham a big smile.
President Johnson had Billy come to his ranch in Texas. As they drove around the ranch, Johnson got serious. He said, “I’m not sure in my heart I’m really going to heaven.” Graham asked him if he had ever personally declared Christ as his Saviour. Johnson said, “I think I have.” Billy replied, “Mr. President, when someone says that I don’t feel too sure about it. Why don’t you make this a definite moment that you can remember that you have received Christ.”
Johnson bowed his head, and they prayed. Johnson later asked Billy to preach at his funeral: “I want you to look in those cameras and just tell them what Christianity is all about. Tell them how they can be sure they can go to heaven. I want you to preach the gospel.”
That’s what Billy did for at President Johnson’s funeral. That’s what he did for a lifetime. And that’s a good example for us to follow.
I got to hear Billy Graham preach when I was a young boy. I also heard him preach when I was pastoring in California and in Ottawa.
When he died in February 2018, Linda and I were traveling from Florida back to Canada. We stopped at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, NC and joined thousands of others to pay our respects and give thanks for the life and ministry of Billy Graham.
I’d ask you to pray for me as I preach and teach God’s Word. Pray for Linda too, as she has many upcoming opportunities to teach and reach women. If you are teacher or preacher, pray that God will help you follow Billy’s example of preaching and teaching God’s Word.
Rick and Linda Reed 