Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Netflix releases Billy Graham documentary – The Christian InstituteThe Christian Institute
— Read on www.christian.org.uk/news/netflix-releases-billy-graham-documentary/
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
an Anglican priest. I dismissed this expectation, being convinced that I would become an electrical engineer like my father. In my family system, there were no adult males that attended church. In 1965, my late mother had a spiritual encounter at a Billy Graham event at the Pacific National Exhibition. Fifty-two years later, my mother’s family faithfulness has had a huge impact on my life. I am a more loving, forgiving person today, because of my mother’s faithful example and prayers.
seriously. Henry Kissinger commented: “To my surprise, I found myself not only impressed but deeply moved by how he touched some profound spiritual yearning…I have an immense regard for Billy Graham. He is a strong but humble man, with a generous and compassionate heart that is open to every human being of every religious faith and to those who profess to have none.”[1] It is not easy to finish well as a high-profile public figure. Everything that they say and do is constantly scrutinized. They and their families are living in a public goldfish bowl.
personal access to every American president since Harry Truman in 1950. The opening sentence of Billy’s autobiography is “It was July 14th 1950, and I was about to make a fool of myself.”[2] Unschooled in presidential protocol, the 31-year old Billy Graham innocently told the reporters the content of his conversation with the President. Truman was so offended that he dismissed Billy Graham as a counterfeit.[3] Later Billy Graham visited President Truman, apologizing profusely for his ignorance and naivete. “Don’t worry about it”, replied Truman, “I realize that you hadn’t been properly briefed.”[4] Billy Graham vowed that such a mistake would never happen again if he was ever given access to a person of rank or influence.
have met both the Billy Graham family and the Billy Graham team. Are they perfect? No. Do they make mistakes? Yes. I do sense a family faithfulness, a willingness to humbly admit where they need to grow and learn. My thankful prayer regarding the March 3rd to 5th Greater Vancouver Festival of Hope is in thanksgiving for the tens of thousands who came to hear the Good News and the thousands who experienced rising faith for themselves.[1] Chicken Soup for the Soul: Billy Graham and Me (CSS, 2013), 203
[2] Billy Graham, Just As I Am (Harper & Collins Publishers, Toronto, Ontario, 1997), xix.
[3] Stephen Rankin, “Confessor-in-Chief”, Christian History Institute, Issue 111, https://www.christianhistoryinstitute.org/magazine/article/confessor-in-chief/ (Accessed February 15th 2017)
[4] Graham, Just As I Am, xxiv.
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Prime Minister Lester Pearson’s wife Maryon once famously quipped “Behind every successful man is a surprised woman.”[1] The late Billy Graham, who died at age 99, was recently named for the 60th consecutive year in a Gallup poll as one of the ten most admired people in the world, along with Bernie Sanders, Pope Francis, and Bill Gates.[2] It was Ruth Graham his devoted wife for sixty-three years who enabled Billy Graham to be healthy in the midst of relentless international attention. Without Ruth’s loving care for their five children, it would have been impossible for Billy Graham to have taken part in 417 city-wide celebrations in 185 countries, speaking to live audiences of nearly 215 million people.[3] Billy and Ruth Graham were a Valentine’s love story that we can all learn from.
[1] Maryon Pearson spoke her mind”. Toronto Star, December 28, 1989.
[2] “Sweet 60: Billy Graham one of 10 ‘Most Admired Men’ again”, One News Now, January 8th 2017, https://www.onenewsnow.com/culture/2017/01/08/sweet-60-billy-graham-one-of-10-most-admired-men-again (Accessed January 16th 2017)
[3]Billy Graham -Biography, http://www.biography.com/people/billy-graham-9317669 (Accessed January 16th 2017)
[4] Patricia Daniels Cornwell, A Time for Remembering: The Ruth Bell Graham Story (Harper & Row, San Francisco), 60.
[5] Cornwell, 61.
[6] Cornwell, 63.
[7] Cornwell, 65.
[8] Cornwell, 67.
[9] Cornwell, 72.
[10] Cornwell, 155.
[11] Cornwell, 78.
[12] Cornwell, 78.
[13] Cornwell, 79.
[14] Cornwell, 194.
[15] Cornwell, 149.
Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.
Father’s Day. I am so grateful that my father was here on earth for so long. When a person deeply admires their father, it is easy to feel that one can never fill their shoes. When I lost my voice for eighteen months in December 1980, I remember feeling that I must be disappointing my father. What I have discovered over the years is that my father has been one of my greatest supporters, and has never stopped cheering for me.
Recently I read the book Rebel with A Cause, which described the fascinating relationship between the late Billy Graham and his son Franklin. Growing up is rarely easy, especially for those with highly successful, famous parents. During his time of rebellion, Franklin learned that he could truly be himself rather than have to be another Billy Graham. Franklin commented: “Almost every child who has a famous parent struggles with finding his own way and wondering if he is being viewed as an individual, not just an extension of his father or mother.” Finding out whom we really are takes time, self-reflection, and willingness to grow.
couldn’t do much to help themselves.” The Graham family has a deep spirit of adventure which causes them to sometimes hang over the edge. Out of compassion for workers at a Jordanian medical clinic, Franklin and a companion drove a much needed land rover from England to Jordan, travelling thousands of often precarious miles through nine countries, including Turkey, Syria, and Lebanon. When international or North American tragedy strikes, Franklin through Samaritan’s Purse is often one of the first to be there helping. The book tells gripping stories of risking life and limb as lives are helped in the tumultuous Middle East and in war-torn countries like Rwanda during the 1994 genocide. Through Samaritan’s Purse, many doctors and nurses like Dr. Kent Brantley have served in places like Liberia during the Ebola epidemic, even sometimes contracting and surviving the virus themselves. Samaritan’s Purse reminds us that the love of God and love of neighbour go together. Jesus not only shared good news with people. He also practically fed the poor and healed the sick. May we too on this Father’s Day be people who love both God and neighbour.Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.Note: This is an article that I wrote as we participated in the 1984 Billy Graham Crusade. We are grateful for the faithfulness of the late Billy Graham, particularly for his leading my mother to Christ and his impact on Queen Elizabeth.
The first thing that needs to be mentioned is that Billy Graham comes to this BC Crusade (and in fact to every crusade) at no salary expense whatsoever. His salary is paid totally by the Minneapolis office, and he receives no personal remuneration whatsoever from the local committee. Billy Graham has not accepted as personal remuneration a love gift, an offering, or an honorarium since 1952 when he went on an annual salary. This amount has been pegged at the salary received by an average high school principal. You may ask, ‘Why has Billy Graham been so scrupulous?’ Basically he realizes that unless people trust a person financially, they won’t trust him spiritually. Far too many evangelists in the past were ‘easy marks’ for being suspected as financial crooks and as incompetent people.
Fern discovered that 85% of the people who became Christians at the Billy Graham crusades were actively involved in the life of the church , ten, fifteen and even twenty years later — an astonishing success rate when it comes to followup on new Christians. The case is clear. With 85% of converts still in church twenty years later, there can be no doubt that this is more than a quickie hyped-up decision. They are well-thought out, careful life choices.
A third concern raised by some people is “Isn’t Billy Graham just an extreme right-wing fundamentalist?” Some people have even tried to link him with Ian Paisley of Northern Ireland and Bob Jones Jr. The truth is that Bob Jones and his university blacklisted Billy Graham crusades. During the New York Billy Graham Crusade, Bob Jones, along with other well-known fundamentalists, put a full page ad in the New York Times, calling for a boycott of the Billy Graham Crusade. Billy Graham’s name is ‘mud’ among true fundamentalists. Although he certainly believes in the biblical essentials, he is more accurately described as a solid evangelical than as an extreme fundamentalist.
My challenge to you and your local church is to examine any reservations regarding the three ‘f’s of finances, followup, and fundamentalism. You are invited to take the bold step of throwing your weight behind this exciting outreach with Billy Graham.Sandy Brown and her family have just moved to Spokane, Washington where her husband, Scott, is pastoring a new church. With a fresh start, Sandy is determined to devote more time to her four children. But, within weeks of settling in their new life, the Brown family is plunged into turmoil.Seek wisdom leading to life and peace.
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