Discussion about Billy Graham?

[longdistancerunner]

What did you always hear discussed about Billy Graham? What I remember is CoC people were somewhat lukewarm to him. The biggest beef with him was saved by grace without baptism (which is not what he believed really). They said they had tried to discuss the topic with him and he refused. Billy Graham discussed this and said he believed baptism was absolutely essential, however the question always came up about what if a person died between the time he believed and confessed and was baptized, Graham said obviously the person wouldn't go to hell (CoC tended to believe the physical act of baptism was what was essential).

[B.H.]

Jesus also said unless you eat his flesh and drink his blood you have no life in you. What if you get baptized on a Wednesday night but due Friday before taking communion on Sunday?

[B.H.]

I heard in the Coc that Billy Graham admitted the Church of Christ was right about most things but if he started teaching Coc stuff his ministry would fall apart

[zeek]

Just about everyone I ever heard comment on Billy Graham, admired his sermons on morality, but all contended that he crashed and burned at the end with his altar call with no teaching of the necessity of baptism for salvation.

[Ivy]

Pretty much what all of you said. I remember one preacher saying something like "Billy Graham 'knows the truth but refuses to admit it".

[longdistancerunner]

Here is a somewhat fascinating discussion about Billy Graham, the CoC guy says he basically views Billy Graham as a false prophet and that it has been confirmed by biographers of Graham.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GjXfju0yFRE

[FinallyFree]

I really doubt Billy Graham gave any thought to the CofC.

[longdistancerunner]

Here is a funny story I found almost certainly false!

Guy Woods used to tell an interesting story about Billy Graham, which you probably won’t hear in the media. He suggested that, despite Billy Graham’s erroneous message, he would indeed be responsible for at least one soul going to heaven. Many years ago, while preaching to a large gathering, Billy Graham quoted part of Acts 2:38, as follows: “Repent! and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!” Someone in the audience called out, “Read the whole verse!” Graham ignored the call at first, but the person persisted, “Read the whole verse!” Finally, Graham said, “Oh, you must be one of those Church-of-Christers!” The man had never heard of the Church of Christ before. But he knew that, whoever they are, they must believe in quoting the whole verse

[agricola]

Here is a funny story I found almost certainly false!

Guy Woods used to tell an interesting story about Billy Graham, which you probably won’t hear in the media. He suggested that, despite Billy Graham’s erroneous message, he would indeed be responsible for at least one soul going to heaven. Many years ago, while preaching to a large gathering, Billy Graham quoted part of Acts 2:38, as follows: “Repent! and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!” Someone in the audience called out, “Read the whole verse!” Graham ignored the call at first, but the person persisted, “Read the whole verse!” Finally, Graham said, “Oh, you must be one of those Church-of-Christers!” The man had never heard of the Church of Christ before. But he knew that, whoever they are, they must believe in quoting the whole verse

Oh that sounds EXACTLY like a pulpit story in any random CoC!

[Shane R]

My experience was that opinions of Graham broke down along educational lines. The better educated (indoctrinated) CoC people tended to loathe him and write him off as a false teacher. The simpler folk tended to secretly like him a bit and maybe even listen to his radio broadcasts or whatever. These were also the folks who would watch Hagee and Piper and others of that ilk on TV. In short, if you did not live within a CoC echo-chamber you might have less bias to Graham.

The Edwards of Indiana tried to inculcate a deep dislike for Graham in the years that they ran the preacher training school from the old man's church in Ellettsville. The middle Edwards had sent off a letter to Graham's ministry offices sometime in the 90s with several proof texts about baptism and the one true church and requested comment. Some lowly staffer, no doubt, had replied with a short letter. Both were dusted off each year and shown to the students to warn of the dangers of Graham crusades.

Interestingly, J.I. Packer, the Canadian Anglican scholar was actually a friend of Graham and said if Graham had not enjoyed so much success in a Baptist format who would have become a low church evangelical Anglican. This is probably closer to the truth than Graham acknowledging the CoC's rightness about anything.