10 Beautiful Tributes from Christian Leaders on the Death of Billy Graham

1. "He was a titanic figure in evangelicalism."

“An epic era of evangelical history has come to an end. Billy Graham was not only a titanic figure in evangelicalism, but in world history and perhaps represents the last of a kind. He dominated 20th century American evangelicalism and remained a major figure on the world stage throughout most of the 20th century in a way that we can envision no evangelical leader in our times.

Billy Graham was a supremely gifted man. He was a man of deep conviction whose passionate heartbeat was for the gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was an evangelist, and was unashamed to be called an evangelist."  -- Albert Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.

Photo: Franklin Graham (R) helps his father Billy Graham to the stage during the Billy Graham Library Dedication Service on May 31, 2007 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Approximately 1500 guests attended the private dedication ceremony for the library, which chronicles the life and teachings of Evangelist Billy Graham. Former U.S. Presidents Bill Clinton, Jimmy Carter and George H.W. Bush made short speeches during the dedication ceremony.

Photo courtesy: David Turner/Getty Images

2. "My father's legacy is one that encompasses the world."

"My Father’s legacy is one that encompasses the world…and engulfs my own life. When I think of him, I don’t think of Billy Graham, the public figure. I think of my Daddy. The one who was always a farmer at heart. Who loved his dogs and his cat. Who followed the weather patterns almost as closely as he did world events. Who wore old blue jeans, comfortable sweaters, and a baseball cap. Who loved lukewarm coffee, sweet ice tea, one scoop of ice cream, and a plain hamburger from McDonald’s. Who was interested in everything and everyone, from the small to the great. Whose mind remembered details that even a computer would have trouble recalling.

But when I think of him I also think of his message because he was immersed in it. Saturated in it. He was his message…a simple man who had responded to God’s love by placing his faith in Jesus, receiving the assurance that his sins were forgiven, that he would not perish, but would have everlasting life. Simple faith. Faith that now matters more than anything else." -- Anne Graham Lotz, founder of AnGeL Ministries and daughter of Rev. Graham

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

3. "Graham's ministry... changed the lives of millions."

"Karen and I were saddened to learn of the passing of one of the greatest Americans of the century, Reverend Billy Graham. We send our deepest condolences to the Graham family. Billy Graham's ministry for the gospel of Jesus Christ and his matchless voice changed the lives of millions. We mourn his passing but I know with absolute certainty that today he heard those words, 'well done good and faithful servant.' Thank you Billy Graham. God bless you." -- U.S. Vice President Mike Pence

Photo: Franklin Graham, Billy Graham, and former U.S. Presidents George H. W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton bow their heads in prayer during the Billy Graham Library Dedication Service on May 31, 2007 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Approximately 1500 guests attended the private dedication ceremony for the library, which chronicles the life and teachings of Evangelist Billy Graham. Former U.S. Presidents Clinton, Carter and Bush made short speeches during the dedication ceremony.

Photo courtesy: Davis Turner/Getty Images

4. "He introduced person after person to Jesus Christ."

"Dr. Billy Graham stood as an exemplar to generation upon generation of modern Christians. When it comes to a living and lasting influence upon the worldwide church he can have few equals: for he introduced person after person to Jesus Christ. There are countless numbers who began their journey of faith because of Dr. Graham.

The debt owned by the global church to him is immeasurable and inexpressible. Personally I am profoundly grateful to God for the life and ministry of this good and faithful servant of the gospel; by his example he challenged all Christians to imitate how he lived and what he did. 

He was one who met presidents and preachers, monarchs and musicians, the poor and the rich, the young  and the old, face to face. Yet now he is face to face with Jesus Christ, his saviour and ours. It is the meeting he has been looking forward to for the whole of his life." -- Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby

Photo: Billy Graham speaks during his Crusade at Flushing Meadows Corona Park June 24, 2005 in the Queens borough of New York. Flushing Meadows Corona Park is the site for Graham's sermons on June 24-26, which looks to draw thousands of people from across the country, and will purportedly be the aging Christian televangelist's final crusade.

Photo courtesy: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

5. "He led countless persons... into everlasting joy and love."

"There are different ways to measure the greatness of a man’s impact. One would be the institutions that were created in the wake of his influence. Another would be the shaping power of his ideas in the culture at large. Another would be the methodological and stylistic impact of his way of doing things on the religious life of America.

Another would be the incalculable eternal difference in being the human instrument in God’s hands, bringing hundreds of thousands of people out of darkness into light, and out of Satan’s authority into God’s family, and out of condemnation into forgiveness, and out of sin into holiness, and out of hell into everlasting joy with God. Not to mention the billions of practical effects for good in the way these people’s lives were changed in this world.

While only God can rightly assess the ripple effect of a person’s life in all the ways it has influence, my own judgment would be that Billy Graham’s greatest impact is the eternal difference he made in leading countless persons, from all over the world, out of destruction into everlasting joy and love. This was his primary mission. “Because God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16)." -- Pastor John Piper

Photo courtesy: Flickr.com

6. "He had this incredible, loving presence."

"I think the value of a life is if you can look back and say you impacted one person’s life for eternity — how awesome is that? Well, Billy can look back on his life and be absolutely assured that he has impacted millions of lives for eternity.

The thing that I adored most about him is that he remained the most humble and giant of a man you would ever, ever, ever want to meet. He had this incredible, loving presence of a person for the masses, but then when you were one-on-one with him, you were the only person in the room. Rarely do people have both of those gifts." -- Television host Kathie Lee Gifford

Photo: Television host Kathie Lee Gifford attends the 2017 CMT Music Awards at the Music City Center on June 7, 2017 in Nashville, Tennessee.

Photo courtesy: Michael Loccisano/Getty Images

7. "He departed this world into eternal life in Heaven."

"My father Billy Graham was once asked, 'Where is Heaven?' He replied, 'Heaven is where Jesus is and I am going to Him soon!' This morning, at the age of 99, he departed this world into eternal life in Heaven, prepared by the Lord Jesus Christ—the Savior of the world—whom he proclaimed for nearly 80 years. He will be missed by our family, his colleagues, faithful ministry partners, and, yes, many around the world. But what joy he has to be welcomed by God the Father, and be reunited with my mother in the presence of Jesus who speaks peace to eternal souls.

What about you? When you depart this world do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity? You can know this today. Jesus said, 'For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life' (John 3:16). The One who comforts weary souls has given us this promise, 'Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me … I go to prepare a place for you … I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also' (John 14:1-3)." -- Franklin Graham, son of Billy Graham and president of Samaritan's Purse

Photo courtesy: Getty Images

8. "He's more alive right now than he's ever been."

"When I heard this morning that Billy Graham had died, I said that's fake news. He's more alive right now than he's ever been.

And the fact is, that's what he preached, is that there is life beyond this one because of Jesus Christ and his message never wavered from that.

If somehow Billy Graham did not inherit eternal life, and if he's not alive right now in a life that will never end, then everything he stood for, everything he said is null and void. I don't believe that's so." -- Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee

9. "The death of Billy Graham is a time for all of us to reflect on the hope that he preached."

“My earliest memories are watching him preach on television as a very small child. I remember being struck as a child with the gravity with which he took the Gospel. That continued with me for the rest of my life. When I met Dr. Graham, that same sense of weightiness of the Gospel was evident in him personally – just as it was in public.

I think the death of Billy Graham is a time for all of us to reflect on the hope that he preached – forgiveness of sins and peace with God through Jesus Christ. I hope there’s a great deal of reflection, not just on what he did, but why.” -- Russell Moore, president of the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission for the Southern Baptist Convention

Photo courtesy: Wikimedia Commons

10. "Heaven is richer and earth poorer as a result [of Graham's passing]."

A great man of God, Billy Graham has gone to Heaven. Heaven is richer and earth poorer as a result. Billy preached the Gospel to more people then any person who has ever lived. He was the same man privately that he was publicly. Billy was the most Christ- like man I have ever met." -- Pastor Greg Laurie

Photo courtesy: ©Thinkstockphotos.com

Publication date: February 21, 2018