Preach the Word…

…in Season and Out of Season

TERRY SHANAHAN, NE REGIONAL PASTOR

As I write this it is the day after Billy Graham’s funeral. This past week as I met with various Pastor groups there has been much sharing about how this one man’s preaching affected the lives of many.

Karlotta and I have one such impactful story. In May of 1994 Billy Graham was the commencement speaker for our graduation from Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary. The venue was Gordon Chapel on the campus of Gordon College where we will be for our CCCC Annual Gathering this summer.

As he addressed the graduates he told us there was no better time to be entering the ministry. The need is so great, the lost are hungry for the gospel message. He told us that he wished he was just entering ministry himself. He said that people often asked him if on this side of ministry did he have any regrets and he admitted that he had a few.

To the surprise of all he said he wished he knew the Bible better. In fact he said he wished he knew it as well as his daughter did. Then he shared that he wished he had earned an advanced degree— which we had the opportunity of doing at Gordon-Conwell.

He commented that he would have studied anthropology because the study of man was so complex and of great interest to him. He also shared that he regretted not spending more time with his family. He was always gone. Ruth did the lion’s share of raising the children and he cautioned us to balance our ministry with time for family.

But he told us the one thing he never regretted was presenting the gospel at every opportunity. He spoke of the previous years’ funeral of former president Richard Nixon on June 26th 1993 where he was asked to preside. He was on a national stage; in fact an international stage. He had the five living presidents in attendance and he said even Billy Graham could be a little intimidated by all of that.

He continue by telling us that he asked the question. “Lord do I give them the full Gospel message?” And the answer came back a resounding “Yes, Preach the gospel!” So at President Nixon’s funeral the world heard of the saving grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.

He concluded by saying what a  great advantage we have to spread the Gospel. In his lifetime he was able to go from preaching to hundreds at a rally, to preaching to thousands in a church, to tens of thousands in a stadium, and then to millions on TV and now we are able to preach to the world.

Let us follow his example. . . Use every opportunity you have tell the world of the Good News of Jesus Christ!