The Man of God- Dr Billy Graham Sermon Excerpts

During the Lent season, we usually ,as a church hear the sermons from the heroes of faith that inspire us.Dr Billy Graham spoke to the largest crowds and to the biggest of positions in the 20th Century. He was undoubtedly God's voice in a society looking for answers. The sermon we heard this time was not a crusade sermon. This was given in Southern Seminary and shows Dr Billy Graham in a more candid way. He gave an earnest appeal to the audience to long to be used by God. He spoke on six important traits for the man of God(read as woman of God for women).

• A Man of God will have an experience with Christ. He recalls how Martin Luther and John Wesley had solid experiences with Jesus Christ. Having a ministry position does not mean that we have had an intimate experience with the Lord. He encouraged the listeners to long for this experience.
• A Man of God will have the call. Ministry must be a call and not a profession. God has commanded us to go . To go into places that noone has gone , where its never easy. "If we have a ministry, only because we are in the ministry, then we don't have an authentic ministry". He stressed husband and wife , both should sense the call of God and work together as a team.
• A Man of God leads a holy and disciplined life -Stressed on preparation and prayer that we need for ministry. He mentions of instances where he had to say No to many fellowship opportunities to prepare, recharge , write for the next ministry. Pride, money, morals are the three dangers that can destroy the ministry of an evangelist. To be humble is our job. He encouraged ministers to be less focussed on money and budget the needs properly. He himself took a renumeration to support his family and not thought that he is entitled to all the funds that came his way.
• A Man of God has a devotional life- Power comes in your closet with God. Stressed on the prayer life of a minister and a systematic devotion time.
• A Man of God will have a Biblical message: The Gospel should never be watered down and we should not try to be relevant. Call "hell" hell, Call the "blood" the blood and God will honor it. The Cross and the Resurrection should be there in every gospel sermon. Evangelists use rifles while pastors use shotgun ,as in the evangelist only has one sermon as there is only one gospel. He encouraged to preach the gospel simple and with authority . To preach it to a decision. He says when he gives an invitation to come to Christ- he sensed strength going out from him. Those moments of presence and power of God that draws people to God.
• A Man of God should have a Compassionate and sensitive social conscience. Those days when there was discrimination based on color , he went and removed the rope where the people were segregated to hear God's word. A man of God should be a person of peace. In a world ravaged by war and threatened by nuclear weapons, the only hope for peace is when Christ comes. The mission of the church hence is two fold- Proclamation(Kerygma) and Diakonia(Service). They both go hand in hand. We have to have love and be compassionate and call people to peace , by helping people who are less fortunate and lifting up of oppression.