I haven't appreciated all of Graham's actions: the way he insinuated himself into Southern Baptist Convention politics, for example, never attending but occasionally sending letters to endorse a fundamentalist candidate or affirm some convention action.The major thing that bugged me about Graham, however, was that he lived in Montreat, N.C., but maintained his church membership at First Baptist Church of Dallas, Texas. He first joined there in 1953, when firebrand Wally Criswell was still early in his pastorate and Graham was conducting a crusade in the city. This month, Graham finally decided to join a church closer to home -- in Spartanburg, S.C., where his friend and associate Donald Wilton is pastor.
But, Spartanburg is still 60 miles from Montreat, while the 90-year-old Graham is largely infirm and rarely leaves the house. He's close enough to watch services on TV and for the pastor to visit and minister to him occasionally, but in no position to help the church in any way but through his reputation and his tithe.
I was raised with the belief that faithful believers should be actively involved in a local church. In my childhood church and the first I served as pastor, we followed the traditional "Church Covenant" that used to be printed in the back of the Baptist Hymnal. After affirming various aspects of holy living and mutual support, the covenant closed with " When we remove from this place, we engage as soon as possible to unite with some other church where we can carry out the spirit of this covenant and the principles of God's word."
I grew up believing that was important, and when I became a pastor, I believed it even more. Christ followers serve Christ best when they are actively involved in a local community of faith where they can both contribute to and receive from the ministries of the church -- and worship in an environment of accountability. Long distance church membership typically leads to inactive Christ followship.
Maybe Billy Graham could remain an active and devoted Christian while remaining aloof from the churches in his community, but in doing so, he has set a poor example for those who can't.
19 comments:
Interesting observation. I suppose a lot depends on what the concept of church means. Phyllis Tickle of Emergent Village just offered this definition hoping to spur offerings from others:
"I believe both church and Church are "a body of people delighting in God, the Father, God, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit."
As you know I am a member of a local church where I am physically present often, primarily because of the other people who will also be there, but sometimes I am there alone. But people connection seems to be one mechanism for facilitating God connection.
I don't envision Billy Graham hanging out online a lot, but some of my people connections have evolved online, even a few of the local church people connections.
Increasingly there is a distinction between "church membership" and "active church participation."
On our newly revamped website, while still evolving, people are now displayed more prevalently than the building which previously was more visually prominent:
http://www.tmbc.org//index.php
Anyway, Dr. Graham seems to have succeeded in causing us to think about things once again.
One's church membership must be where one feels they are being helped, by the teaching of God's word, Chapter by Chapter and Verse by Verse. All churches are not doing that, and one must find a church that does.
True, one must go to a lot of churches to find the right one, if one needs to. But if one knows a church that teaches God's word properly, what is wrong with joining that church?
Being taught God's word as it was meant to be taught is more important than showing up in some church building, IMHO. We must be taught so we won't be deceived.
Many will come in Jesus's name in these end times, and many will be deceived. There is also a famine, but it's for hearing the word of God, not for food. Not so much here in the U.S., anyway.
Obey God's commandments, love, study His word in His letter to us, the Bible. We won't go wrong.
star
Starduster,
In my opinion there are enough churches, especially in the Bible Belt, for anyone to find a church within at least 1/2 an hour of their home that fits their description of biblical instruction. Teaching can be found anywhere, even on TV on Saturday night. I believe firmly that we go to church to form a community of faith, not just to receive instruction. The history of the church is a group of local individuals working locally, especially in Baptist life (for whom local autonomy is a supreme freedom). Dr. Cartledge's point is well stated: we should be involved in local ministry, not just following great preachers. I think often you can tell a great church by the pews rather than the pulpit.
Couple thoughts:
First I am glad to see somebody other than me take what I have always considered to be a fare reservation about Graham's coy if not less than honorable "insinuations" into the Baptist takeover Presidential machinations.
2) I have maintained for some time you cannot understand Graham unless you have a conversational knowledge of Marshall Frady's 79 biography of him
3) At same time none of us want to alienate Anne Graham Lotz cause I think in her may be the better aspects of Graham and she may make up for some of his flaws nobody much wants to talk about
4) My Dad wholeheartedly agreed with you about the primacy of the local church.
5) back to Graham; one of his finest moments was at the 911 Service on Sept 13 01 when he came down on the side of Grace.
Joshua,
Thanks for writing. I agree with everything you said. I have also never been taught the true word of God, Chapter by Chapter and Verse by Verse, until this year.
Pastor Arnold Murray of Shepherd's Chapel Church teaches that way. His knowledge of the original languages makes all the difference in the world toward proper understanding. Unless you know the Hebrew or Greek or Aramaic word that was translated into English, it's hard to understand what was originally written.
As I said, until this year, I never understood lots of things I've learned from Pastor Murray. I've always thought that to understand what was written, one would have to be able to read Greek, Hebrew and Aramaic. This is as close as I've gotten to that state.
Thanks again for writing. Speaking of TV, I think the History Channel ruined their special, God v. Satan. From the way it was presented, you could tell THEY sure don't know the languages or understand the Bible they were trying to convey to the viewer.
Before this year, I would not have had that opinion, and would have probably thought it was ok. Funny what a little knowledge will do to someone's belief system. You know what they say, a little knowledge can be dangerous.
We as men will only ever have a "little" knowledge about anything. Only our Father has all the knowledge of things, no matter how smart we think we get.
Speaking for myself here, I need to be reminded of this quite often.
star
I'm not sure about that; an evangelist is seldom in the church where his membership remains.
He may have moved membership to a church where he knows the pastor personally; distance not being a factor.
I think that the perfect counter-example is President Carter's active membership at his church in Plains, GA.
I agree, Tim -- I think President Carter sets a sterling example of an accomplished man who has many commitments, yet keeps local church activity in the forefront.
I started to mention him in the blog, but decided to hold off and see if someone else would mention him.
Thanks.
Cartledge, I disagree with your charge that Billy Graham has "set a poor example." I think of no person in religious life, including our beloved Mother Teresa, who has set a more examplary life for Christian believers to follow than Billy Graham. Are you using your rejection of his 'conservatism' to level your charge of 'poor example'? I believe your 'insinuations' are an invalid allegation against a unique true servant of God. Amen?
No, I tried to draw a distinction between Graham's conservatism and his lack of involvement in a local church. Actually, Graham has adopted some views that put him at odds with many conservatives. I admire Graham for many reasons, and respect his conservative convictions.
As I said, the only thing I have a quibble with is his lack of involvement in a local church, which could lead others who are less firm in the faith to think that local church involvement needn't be on their priority list, either.
Tony, as you quote and affirm the Church Covenant here, surely you are not an inerrant literalist in interpreting it all as you do the phrase about moving. Could you share with us your feeling on "abstaining from the use of alcohol?" I assume from your blog here that you are an active member of the Baptist church there in Buie's Creek, rather than a mega-church in nearby Raleigh or Fayetteville. Right ? Billy
Hi Billy,
This is a sidetrack, but I'll be glad to answer your questions.
Question 1: Nope, I'm not a literalist in interpreting or accepting either the old church covenant or the Bible, though I do affirm the idea of abstaining from alcohol. The Bible teaches moderation rather than abstinence from alcohol, but I choose not to drink for several reasons: (1) I don't like the idea of killing off my brain cells, which are dying off quickly enough without additional help, (2) I don't need alcohol to relax or enjoy life, and I'd like to remember the life I enjoy, (3) it eliminates the chance that I'll ever drive drunk (my daughter was killed by a young driver besotted with Bud Ice), (4) that's one less thing I have to pay for, and (5) it smells nasty, and I see no need to acquire a taste for it.
Question 2: I commute to Buies Creek, about 25 miles away. I live 12 miles from downtown Raleigh, where I'm actively involved a small church that focuses on ministering to the downtown community.
I just believe we serve God best through participation in a local family of faith. That's the point I was trying to make.
I believe that the referral to abstaining from alcohol was added to most Baptist church covenants during prohibition. They did not exist prior to that time. Immigrant Baptists found that they were often rejected because they actually used wine in communion.
I used to drink, like most people did when I grew up. Started at 14 and quit at 41, thank God.
There's a reason I learned last year about why they call it "intoxicated" when you are affected by alcohol. The answer is plain and simple, and I'm surprised I never thought of it before: alcohol is "toxic," hence, intoxication occurs. Makes sense to me.
I know, lots of things are toxic but we use them in small quantities to our benefit. Well, from experience I can say that when something feels good, tastes good, etc., we have a tendency as human beings to overdo it. If it feels good, we want more to make it feel better. We always want more.
This is a human failing. Maybe that's why some religions stress removing desire. When you desire something, and then get it, it's hard to stay satisfied. Our system of buying and selling doesn't want us to stay satisfied, they want us to constantly desire whatever they've come out with. Those who are materialistic are never satisfied, for this reason. They'll never get it all, there is always more to buy out there promising to make you more loved or better looking or whatever the claim is.
Speaking of not staying satisfied, this is especially the case with drugs. (Alcohol is the second most widely abused drug in this country. Caffeine is the first.) They make you feel good, so you automatically think you'll feel better if you do more. So, you usually do more, desire it more, always on the increase. Am I right?
star
Good heavens, give me a break! Anytime Billy Graham went anywhere, he was mobbed. This included the churches he tried to attend. What you don't know is that he DID have a church he attended, and where people left him alone. That was not the church where his membership was, but the First Presbyterian Church of Montreat, where his late wife was a member. They knew the Grahams, respected their privacy, and allowed Ruth to be an active member (she said early-on that she would never become a Southern Baptist.) When Billy was in town on those rare Sundays, he would often show up for the worship service, but did not participate in the church's visitation program or serve on the stewardship committee.
Jimmy Carter and his wife stand dutifully outside the Plains church every Sunday to get their picture taken. This is a noble gesture. Now, if he had only been as successful a president as Billy Graham has been an evangelist,then perhaps he would be mobbed wherever he goes today.
"Anonymous, I wholeheartedly agree with your position and knowledge of Dr. Graham's personal worship traditions at First Prez, Montreat. Dr. Cartledge should have done a bit more research, before he leveled the charge of "Poor Example." against Graham. His blog reeks more of politics than it does of ecclesiology. Is it time for an apology here?
What's the matter, Tony? Not enough World History in parallel with the Word of God to give you something to write about - that you have to resort to personal attacks on Dr. Graham? Dr. Graham has preached all over the world the Gospel. He has had personal prayer meetings with Presidents and World Leaders. He is directly responsible for thousands of decision for Christ. You...wrote a blog. Get a life! Your jealousy is painfully obvious. And painful for us who has to read this sorry excuse for a blog.
I consider the anonymous entries here worthy, but think they'd carry a lot more weight if named.
If you believe in something, for gosh sake, don't be afraid to speak out. Unless, of course, being named might get you kicked out of class!! Just kidding, Tony!
The only way evil will overcome good is if enough good men do nothing. A good man has a name. It's like his word. It can be his most valuable asset.
Of course, anybody can sit on the sidelines and spout hot air. Who would you be more likely to listen to?
Just a thought. I apologize if I've offended anyone.
star
Do you not believe that Dr Graham is only preparing for his great homecoming service by joining First Baptist at Spartanburg. Dr Wilton would thus be the senior pastor and great friend to oversee the occasion. Can you imagine the number of people that would want to attend when the time comes. May God bless both Dr Graham and Dr Wilton for all the service they have lived for our Lord and Savior.
Post a Comment