Leaving A Legacy
The thought of leaving a legacy is something I have never given much conscious thought to.
I guess it has always been in the back of my mind because of my thoughts for family.
Today however in this Saturday Evening Post I want to talk about the legacy of another man who left an indelible impression upon my life.
Memories of Billy Graham
As I am now an old man of 86 I count it an honour to talk about the legacy of Billy Graham.
I was a 19 year old attending a camp with other Bible College students at Burleigh Heads, when we heard that the evangelist Billy Graham was on the coast and was going to preach at Greenmount beach.
I will never forget the sight of thousands of beach goers and swimmers standing in the open air on the sand and listened intently as Billy Graham addressed them in his own inimitable way.
Through a makeshift PA system he stood on the old balcony of the Greenmount Surf Life Saving Club.
I was transfixed by his oratory and authority, as he preached the simple message of the Cross of repentance.
I immediately wanted to learn to preach like him and that was the first legacy he left in my heart.
Star struck as I was of this handsome and gifted preacher little did I dream that I would meet him one day and shake his hand.
When Billy Graham began his Brisbane crusade in 1959 I never missed a service.
We students, somehow were given an opportunity to meet him in person at a welcome banquet.
I can’t remember how that was arranged but what a thrill it was!
Needless to say I never washed my hand for a week hoping that something would rub off in my life from this mans anointing.
Jokes aside, that will give you an idea of the man’s presence and persona when he entered the room.
There are a number of things I learnt when I met Billy Graham and attended his crusade which I sought to copy and carry into my ministry.
Firstly, I remember Billy Graham telling us he wrote out his sermons in full.
I was surprised as I thought all great preachers memorised their sermons or better still spoke extemporaneously as the Holy Spirit inspired them.
From that day on and throughout my ministry vocation I wrote out my sermons in full with colour coordination.
The second thing I learned was to use the phrase “The Bible Says”!
Somehow in my mind that shut down every other argument. “The Bible Says”.
The third legacy left in my life from all those years ago was how to lead worship.
Cliff Barrows was my hero and so I ‘tried’ to copy his style even to the point of using his technique to start a congregation singing on time.
He would introduce a hymn and then would say “Together” and the huge congregations & choir began singing instantly, never missing a beat.
The build up to the crusade in Brisbane was amazing as churches across the city united to promote the campaign.
The services were sent by landline throughout the country.
My wife Betty attended as a trained counsellor in Cairns in far north Queensland, a 1000 miles away.
At the time she was 19 years and single. She remembers attended workshops to train and prepare her to be a counsellor.
She doesn’t remember the Denomination of the Church where they met, nor the background of the volunteers.
They could have been Methodists, Anglicans, Catholics, Baptist, Brethren, Salvation Army, Lutherans, Pentecostals or Calathumpians!
However she does remember the Unity that prevailed amongst all of the churches in Cairns, as they prepared for counselling responsibilities.
I applied as a counsellor and to sing in the choir and to my delight I was accepted.
My excitement was bubbling over as I knew I would be sitting directly behind Billy Graham and could watch him preach at close quarters.
For me at that time more importantly I wanted to watch his song leader Cliff Barrows lead the choir.
I remember watching Cliff Barrows conduct that vast congregation of 80,000 people in praise and worship …. and said to myself “I want to lead worship just like that one day.”
I felt quite emotional at the presence of God in that service as that congregation sang “Just as I am”.
I rededicated my life to the service of God that day and went on to practice the things I’de learned through Billy Graham and his team as a missionary to Papua New Guinea.
It was 30 years later however, in a church in South Australia that the legacy of Cliff Barrows finally gave me the opportunity to lead a large congregation in worship, singing….”Praise Ye The Lord”
The Music of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was of a standard that was second to none.
With Ted Smith at the piano and Bev Shea’s anointed bass voice reverberating throughout the vast arena.
The most moving of all was to hear and be part of the hundreds and thousands of people as they sang in unison the great hymns of the faith.
The sounds of instruments were secondary to the sound of prayer & worship of human voices.
Of all the songs of prayer sung at the Crusades, “Just As I Am” of course was the signature hymn that was sung at the conclusion of every service, inviting the masses to receive Christ as their Lord and Saviour.
During my latter years and since Billy Graham’s passing I learned how to make videos as a hobby & uploaded them from photos I had taken at the Brisbane Crusade again on the internet.
Can you believe it during this last month alone, over 12.7K people from around the world have viewed this video on my Youtube Channel!
Honouring the great Evangelist Billy Graham and another legacy he has left the World!
In conclusion if you were to ask me what were the greatest memories or legacy that Billy Graham left?
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- I would unequivocally say it was the combined Prayer meetings conducted in Churches all over the country for months prior to the Crusades in our cities.
- Secondly, the the Unity that prevailed amongst the Churches as they came together in support of the Crusade!
- Thirdly, the Converts who turned to Christ in the tens of thousands.