Who Is Billy Graham? + a deeper question
Take the Cola ... i mean take the Billy Graham challenge. Here it is, randomly ask people under 25 if they know who billy graham is. Ask people at your church, at baja fresh, at delux...wherever. Ask them if they know who Billy Graham, you know, the greatest evangelist of the 20th century is. BTW, i was actually born again through reading a billy graham book. i think you'll be surprised at the results. recently, while speaking at a seeker church i quoted him and my most FAQ afterwards was, "who is this guy billy graham?" i'm being totally serious. (If you really want to freak em out ask "Who is Luis Palau?" Now, for the real question: WHERE is the next Billy Graham? Who has the ear of the (let me emphasize here) Lost in the USA? Note, i'm NOT talking about pastors like Joel Osteen, Rick Warren, or...dare i say it...yes I will...even Rob Bell. And no I'm not talking about Class 100 or a new believers class. All the above are cool and thank God for them. No, i'm talking about American Evangelists. People who take the gospel TO the Lost. You know, people who share the gospel outside the church walls and campuses and are respected...Where are they?
posted by Bobby at 10:49 AM
8 Comments:
Where are they? I hope they're spilling over our church walls! Shouldn't today's evangelists be our disciples? All of us are responsible for doing evangelical work. Isn't this the exhortation of Paul to Timothy? (See 2 Tim. 4:5)
The days of the crusade may well be over...
11:22 AM
Yo Bobby. I have no idea if there will ever be another BG in the same sense. Personally, I would rather see 10 million Bobby Brewers and Jason Fritzs. People who are faithful witnesses as God gives them opportunity.
Quick analogy from my soccer coaching days. There is a weird phenomenon in youth soccer. From ages 5-10, the best teams usually consist of 2 or 3 big, fast kids that dribble and shoot their way over everyone else. However, at around age 11, they will inevitably run into a team of mediocre individuals who pass the ball around as a team. Everone does his part and they absolutely destroy the same teams that used to beat them. This is my dream for Christians. Everyone focuses on being faithful to his/her opportunities and we leave the results and honor to God.
12:35 PM
Definitely gets one thinking...I like it!
2 things:
I don't really know much about Billy Graham to be honest. How is his evangelism style different than the others? You say he takes it outside the church walls, but I just went to a Rob Bell thing at ASU (outside the church walls, although probably aimed at the already churched).
Lastly, I got saved at a Rob Bell event, and fully surrendered 6 months later (a new "saved") after reading Rick's book, and just reached a new pinnacle ("saved" in a new sense) in my spiritual life after watching a Joel Osteen broadcasting recently. They are all doing great things, like you say...so what does an American Evangelist look like in comparison?
1:49 PM
I am very heartened to hear you ask that question because it has been on my heart for years. For over a decade I've been praying that God would raise up the next Billy Graham, James Dobson (specifically these two) and others like these from our generation that have the passion for fighting for, and speaking, the truth in love. Billy Graham has such a unique gifting - to be accepted and respected by believers and non-believers alike, including world leaders, that I think it will take someone very special to rise up in a similar stead. I will keep praying that God will continue to raise up spiritual leaders, for our generation and the ones to come.
2:39 PM
hey bobby.....i wonder if he (Graham) thought maybe the same thing ("where are the leaders within evangelism? who's looking for the lost? who's doing this??...etc)...and saw that something had to change....
So, where are those who are looking for change + putting that into action?....
Anyways...for some reason..I want to know the questions that have run through Billy's mind and heart...
11:17 PM
BB
I can tell you right now that no Czech knows who Billy Graham is! They have barely heard of God and Jesus, so Billy Graham will be totally foreign.
I have to agree with Joe G that the days of the crusades may be over. I just don't know if people want to hear about Jesus from someone they don't have a relationship with...not that it can't be used, but it seems like more and more people are more receptive to personal evangelism.
I think our modern day Billy Grahams are going to have amazing relationships with unbelievers at Starbucks, Delux, and on campus...and on the mission field. I think we need to do a good job of teaching that the US is a mission field and not everyone needs to leave (like me!)... :)
Love ya, B.
nate
2:08 PM
Yeah, that's a great question Bobby. There are guys holding huge crusades in other parts of the world. Perhaps we should be looking to the east, in places like China. Perhaps God's hand is stirring things on the other side of the globe. Maybe God is simply waiting to answer the prayer of the young man who prays it - "Lord, allow me to be your spokesman as Billy Graham was."
1:30 PM
The answer seems, at least immediately, to be us. Good to see you blogging again. We never did get that cup of coffee...perhaps the time is near.
Lionel
10:11 AM
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