Honoring Billy Graham
Chris Howell, CrossPoint’s Adult Education Minister called me Sunday night to inform me of a special on PBS about Billy Graham. The hour long telecast was hosted by David Frost.
Early in his ministry Graham recognized the urgent need to separate his evangelistic ministry from the some of the “evangelistic gold diggers” of his day. While leading in a crusade in Modesto, California, Billy Graham, along with his cohorts in ministry, George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows developed what would later be called the “Modesto Manifesto.”
During the crusade the godly men developed four simple standards that would govern their work. The values included:
During the crusade the godly men developed four simple standards that would govern their work. The values included:
1. They would ask an outside committee to handle the finances of each crusade.
2. They would never be alone with another woman other than their wife.
3. They would never speak critically of the local pastors or ministers.
4. They would never inflate the crusades numbers or exaggerate the results.
Sixty years later the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association remains as a sterling benchmark of credibility and integrity. Today’s modern evangelist (and I might add, pastor) would be wise to emulate Graham’s example, not only in integrity but also in faithfulness to the Word of God.
2. They would never be alone with another woman other than their wife.
3. They would never speak critically of the local pastors or ministers.
4. They would never inflate the crusades numbers or exaggerate the results.
Sixty years later the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association remains as a sterling benchmark of credibility and integrity. Today’s modern evangelist (and I might add, pastor) would be wise to emulate Graham’s example, not only in integrity but also in faithfulness to the Word of God.
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