1950's Billy Graham Perspectives on His Life and Theology (part One)

Billy Graham is my grandfather's pastor. To understand my grandfather better it is important to understand the man my grandfather listened to in order to come develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. 


 When I saw that the book Billy Graham His Life and Influence was available for review, I grabbed the book. I am glad that I decided to read this one.  The book unlike a number of others (roughly 128) focuses on a panoramic-historical context of Billy Graham's effect on Christianity from 1949 to the early part of the 21^st century.

There are a number of themes covered in this book, they include:

1. Modern Methods: "We take for granted publicity, bigness, modern techniques. Why should not the church employ some of these methods, that are used by big business or labor unions to promote their products or causes, in order to win men for Christ?"
   
   
2. Mainstream Evangelicalism and its Gospel Representation since 1949 to the early part of the 21^st Century. The terms liberalism and fundamentalism have arisen in modern days. Neither is found in sacred Scripture.
   
   
3. Media's Coverage of American Evangelicals. The media by and large has been friendly and sympathetic in every city that we have visited.
   
   
4. International Relationships through the gospel with diverse groups such as India, North Korea, Germany, England, and New York.

"John Wesley once said, "The World is my parish." Would it be right for us to limit our ministry to only the United States when other countries of the world that are even more spiritually in need. The American government realizes that we no longer live unto ourselves and that what happens in other countries vitally affects us. A spiritual awakening in some of the world's strategic countries will have tremendous impact on the U.S."

  5. Role of Emotions in Evangelicalism:

And I do not think that Christianity holds the emotions in stoic contempt or that it leaves the emotional emptiness of modern life to be filled by secular things…. The content of the message is mainly distinctive bible doctrine.    

 (Items from a look Magazine Article) found at http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/exhibits/NYC57/05sample23-1.htm

Last visited 06.05.2010

1520 Martin Luther and the Stair Way to Heaven

There's a lady who's sure all that glitters is gold
And she's buying a stairway to heaven
When she gets there she knows
If the stores are all closed
With a word she can get what she came for

Ooooo, and she's buying a stairway to heaven.

There's a sign on the wall
But she wants to be sure
'Cause you know, sometimes words have two meanings
In a tree by the brook there's a songbird who sings sometimes
All of our thoughts are misgiven

Ooooo, it makes me wonder
Ooooo, it makes me wonder

There's a feeling I get when I look to the west
And my spirit is crying for leaving
In my thoughts I have seen rings of smoke through the trees
And the voices of those who stand looking

Ooooo, it makes me wonder
Ooooo, it really makes me wonder

And it's whispered that soon if we all call the tune
Then the piper will lead us to reason
And a new day will dawn for those who stand long
And the forests will echo with laughter

If there's a bustle in your hedgerow don't be alarmed now
It's just a spring clean for the May-queen
Yes there are two paths you can go by
But in the long run
There's still time to change the road you're on

And it makes me wonder (Ooh)

Your head is humming and it won't go - in case you don't know
The piper's calling you to join him
Dear lady can you hear the wind blow
And did you know your stairway lies on the whispering wind

And as we wind on down the road
Our shadows taller than our soul
There walks a lady we all know
Who shines white light and wants to show
How everything still turns to gold
And if you listen very hard
The tune will come to you at last
When all are one and one is all (yeah)
To be a rock and not to roll

And she's buying a stairway to heaven...