April 2018 Press Toward the Mark
March 2, 2018 I sat mesmerized before the television viewing the funeral service for Billy Graham. My heart sored and my tears flowed as his family and friends voiced their tributes to a great man of God. More than that, they lifted up Jesus as the only way to God.
God used Billy Graham to share the Gospel to millions of people. He used him to bless my life as well.
My earliest memory of Billy Graham is reading his books and listening to the Hour of Decision. I still recall driving back to college after preaching at Northside Baptist Mission on Sunday enjoying the cool night breeze in my Ford Falcon station wagon listening to Cliff Barrows and the Crusade Choir, George Beverly Shea singing “I’d Rather Have Jesus” or Ethel Waters singing “His Eye Is On the Sparrow” before Billy Graham preached a gospel message. That weekly short radio program always proclaimed eternal truth.
Later, I received an invitation to attend a “Prayer Breakfast” sponsored by Holiday Inn in Memphis, Tennessee. Anita Bryant sang and shared her testimony. Billy Graham preached Jesus the only way to God. Admittedly, I was star-struck. What really struck me was how both of them exalted Jesus.
My next encounter with Billy Graham occurred in 1971 when I served as a counselor for the Billy Graham Crusade in the former Dallas Cowboy Stadium. The Crusade preceded all other events at the stadium. At the time of the Crusade, the artificial turf only covered about half of the field.
Prior to the beginning of the meetings, I attended the First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. I arrived early for the service and sat on the second row from the front on the left facing the pulpit. During the service, the pastor Dr. W. A. Criswell called upon Billy Graham to lead in prayer. To my surprise, he had sat behind me. When he rose to pray, he momentarily touched my shoulder. I felt as if I had been anointed.
Many years later, Billy Graham desired to return to Little Rock, Arkansas to hold a planned evangelistic crusade. He came to Little Rock in 1957 after the racial conflicts at Central High School to conduct a service with all races attending. His advance planners contacted me to share his desire to involve all racial groups in the community in the crusade. God blessed the crusade with multi-racial attendance and many professions of faith. Billy Graham honored me by requesting that I sit on the platform with him and other leaders one night.
God used Billy Graham to preach the gospel to more than two million people; the Holy Spirit of God reached out to each one individually. Only eternity will reveal the impact and influence of the life and ministry of Billy Graham.
I continue to praise God for blessing my life through the ministry of Billy Graham. Please join me in following the example of Billy Graham by seeking the share the gospel of Jesus Christ to everyone in Ohio. Mission Ohio is the cooperative effort of Baptists to reach 1,000,000 believers in 2,020 congregations by the end of 2020. Let’s press toward that Mark.
