Loading ...Billy Graham has Barack Obama-Jeremiah Wright moment
flockwoodAn amazing little news brief just moved on the AP wire. But I’m not sure the AP writer realized it was amazing when he wrote it. According to the wire service, Evangelist Billy Graham, at age 90, is switching churches. America’s pastor is moving his church membership — after 55 years — from First Baptist Church in Dallas to First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, S.C.
The article suggests that the change of membership occurred because Graham lives far away from Texas. But I doubt that’s the entire motive.
The article says the new church is near Graham’s “retirement home in South Carolina.” There’s only one problem. To the best of my knowledge, Graham doesn’t have a retirement home in South Carolina.
Graham’s always lived far from Texas. He grew up in Charlotte. He attended Bible school in Tennessee. His ministry had its headquarters in Minneapolis. And he always kept a home in North Carolina.
Graham’s gigantic ministry these days is located in Charlotte, roughly 75 miles from Spartanburg. His mountain retreat in Montreat, N.C. is even farther away from Spartanburg, if my GMS (Google Mapping System) is working.
Graham, at age 90, isn’t in great health. It’s doubtful that he’s showing up for worship services in Spartanburg — even on Easter.
So, why was Graham a member of FBC Dallas? And why is he cutting ties now?
During the early years of his ministry, First Baptist Church in Dallas was the nation’s most prominent Southern Baptist megachurch, the most sought-after pulpit in all of Baptistdom. A really big deal. Graham embraced the church and kept his membership there throughout his long career. He was good friends with W.A. Criswell, the congregation’s longtime pastor and the most powerful pastor in Texas for much of the 20th century.
These days, the church isn’t America’s most prominent Baptist Church. In fact, it’s no longer Dallas’ most influential Baptist Church. And it’s new pastor, Rev. Robert Jeffress, made headlines during the last presidential campaign, just months after being picked to lead the church.
Jeffress denounced then-GOP front-runner Mitt Romney in the fall of 2007, telling his congregation: “Even though he talks about Jesus as his Lord and savior, he is not a Christian. Mormonism is not Christianity. Mormonism is a cult.”
Jeffress, I understand, has made a few other comments since then that got folks riled up.
I’d bet Graham’s membership switch, in the twilight years of his life, has less to do with geography than theology.
DALLAS (AP) — Evangelist Billy Graham is changing membership from a Dallas church to one near his retirement home in South Carolina.
First Baptist Dallas said Monday the church was told by Graham’s personal assistant that the 90-year-old was switching to First Baptist Church of Spartanburg, S.C.
Graham joined First Baptist Dallas in 1953 during his first crusade in the city. The Rev. Robert Jeffress tells The Dallas Morning News that the church will “always treasure the relationship” with the preacher.
The pastor of First Baptist of Spartanburg, the Rev. Don Wilton, has preached for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
December 30th, 2008 at 6:58 pm
First of all, this story is more than 24 hours old: http://www.palmettoscoop.com/2008/12/29/hello-billy-graham/
Secondly, he chose Spartanburg because, according to the Dallas Morning News, “the Rev. Don Wilton [of the First Baptist Church of Spartanburg] has preached for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He has ministered to the evangelist – now a widower, and infirm – in recent years.”
I would have thought you folks at the esteemed Arkansas Democrat-Gazette would have been able to decipher the truth. Or perhaps you’re just in the mood for picking on a dying 90-year-old man who has spent his entire life bringing good to the world.
January 1st, 2009 at 7:53 pm
Picking on Billy Graham? Not a chance. In the Lockwood household, growing up, we used to tune in to Billy Graham whenever one of his telecasts aired. And when I was in college, I traveled 700 miles, round trip, so that I could see Billy Graham preach.
Reviewing my original post and your response, I’m still not sure why you think I was out of line.
January 2nd, 2009 at 1:43 pm
This all seems very strange to me. I never knew that Graham was a member of the church in Dallas, and can’t imagine that very many people did. By the same token, I can’t imagine that he gets much pastoral care from a minister in Spartanburg, SC, which is apparently a good distance from Montreat.
I wonder what the real story is. I agree with the Palmetto Bug that there’s a story here, but don’t buy the idea that this change came about because the panjandrum in Spartanburg used to preach for Graham and “has ministered to him” in recent years. Something tells me that there are plenty of people “ministering” to Graham, probably largely from his own staff. Something also tells me that the Dallas Morning News, the home newspaper of the spurned church, is probably not going to say something terribly negative about its local church; therefore, they put the best face on it they could.
But what I wonder is who is really behind this. If Graham is 90 years old, infirm, and dying, as Palmetto says, it doesn’t seem likely that he would be motivated by disassociating himself from a church that probably not one person in ten thousand knew that he belonged to anyway. Somehow I always thought he was still a Presbyterian. The original story said that Graham’s aide had contacted the Dallas church, and I wonder if some of his aides, perhaps desiring to distance the evangelistic association itself from church, persuaded him to take the action.
Billy Graham is arguably the most respected clergyman in American history, and certainly the most respected evangelist, the man who kept his respect when all about him were losing theirs in the ’80s, and who remains the public face of Christianity for millions. I think it cheapens his image to be engaged in this type of thing; surely he’s earned the right at his age not to fight the culture wars any more.
January 6th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
Frank, other stories I’ve read including this one from the Dallas Morning News: http://religionblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2008/12/billy-graham-moves-membership.html) have noted that FBC Spartanburg’s Sunday-morning services are broadcast in the Asheville, N.C., media market (of which Montreat is a part), and that Graham feels part of the church by virtue of that fact.
March 16th, 2009 at 10:53 pm
Grahams Grandson and Daughter have spoke at First Baptist Spartanburg.And his Grandson has told how his grandad(Billy) always watches Pastor Wilton. Spartanburg is not far from Billy Grahams home. Pastor Wilton is an exceptional Pastor. You can hear his sermons on Sundays on TV. Also you can look up their church online.
July 14th, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I’m sure the majority of christendom knew of Graham’s membership at FBC Dallas. Especially, across the midwest, west and south. I’ve always known it and I’m not Baptist and I daresay everyone I cross paths with in this great state that knows of Graham knows he was a member here in Dallas FBC. Mrs. Graham’s brother pastored Highland Park Presbyterian in Dallas for many many years. The Grahams had very close ties to the church world family in Dallas Texas. It was common knowledge among most Texas people.