What Is Written 24-Jan-99: Cooperation and the Billy Graham Crusade

In last Saturday’s Indianapolis Star there was a full-page advertisement about the upcoming Billy Graham Crusade scheduled for June 3–6 of this year at the RCA Dome in Indianapolis. The ad asked, “Is your church one of these 400 churches preparing for the Indiana Billy Graham Crusade?” Then below a picture of Billy Graham, the ad made the following statement: “If not, there is still time to get involved!” The ad also lists the 400 churches. As I read the list of churches, I was somewhat bewildered. Frankly, I found the list bizarre. The list reads like a smorgasbord. There are United Methodist, Nazarene, and Wesleyan churches listed along with several Church of God and Assembly of God denominational churches. Included are Lutheran, Mennonite, Presbyterian, Baptist, Friends, Salvation Army, United Church of Christ, and Christian churches. As a matter of fact, the large Christian church who is our closest religious neighbor about a quarter mile to our south is a partner in this crusade. Their preacher serves as a delegate to the planning committee. I also found it somewhat interesting to note that one of the largest, if not the largest, Baptist church in Hendricks County is also listed for being part of this interdenominational effort. Before proceeding further I must admit that I know I risk being labeled as a narrow, intolerant bigot for even daring to question this crusade. And furthermore, I recognize that anytime the name Billy Graham is mentioned it should be with the utmost reverence because of his high public opinion ratings. He consistently rates on the top ten lists of most admired men in America. But just because this is supposed to be an evangelistic crusade and just because it involves a modern religious icon, it’s not automatically biblical. As I read the advertisement, I found at least three things peculiar.

One thing I found odd is that these 400 churches can suddenly tear down their distinctive denominational walls and divisive barriers. Now, you might be saying, “Why, that is a good thing.” But my response is that if these churches can lay aside their peculiar doctrines for a few days, does this mean those doctrines are not all that important in the first place? The reason different denominations exist, as we reported last week, is because of distinguishing doctrines. That is, what makes a Presbyterian church a Presbyterian church is that it believes and teaches doctrines peculiar to that denomination. This is also true of every denominational church in the world. The Baptists do not believe the Methodists are right when they sprinkle water on someone’s head and call it baptism. Baptist preachers labor long and hard to prove that baptism must (if it is to be baptism) be by immersion. Methodist preachers will sprinkle a little water on a man or even on a baby and call it baptism. I’ve even heard Baptist preachers appeal to the original language of the New Testament to prove that baptism is an immersion and not simply sprinkling. But for this crusade, suddenly we are told that it doesn’t really matter. For four days this summer Methodists and Baptists can agree that baptism can be either sprinkling or immersion. So, I guess the message we should take from this is that the doctrines that separate them (such as baptism) are not that important. Also, I guess that the doctrine of the Assemblies of God, which says that all believers will speak in tongues as evidence of receiving the baptism of the Holy Spirit, doesn’t matter. After all, for four days this summer they can join forces with and cooperate with the United Church of Christ who has some ministers who would even question that the miracles of the Bible are real. Does this suggest that the doctrine surrounding the Holy Spirit and miracles is not that important in the first place?

It is time that the religious community began to be consistent. If these doctrines separating these churches are unimportant enough that they can be laid aside for four days this summer, then I affirm they are not important enough to form a denomination in the first place. And what about the sacred cow of many Baptist churches — the doctrine of once saved always saved? Many of you Baptists will not even fellowship other Baptists because they reject or accept the doctrine of once saved always saved. Now, you are going to join hands with denominations that ridicule this doctrine. Does this mean that the doctrine is not that important in the first place? And what about you people in the Christian church or the Nazarene church? Has your opposition to the once-saved-always-saved doctrine been merely religious rhetoric? Have you really felt that this doctrine is nothing more than an opinion that does not make any difference? I’m sure that all the people who belong to these 400 churches that are cooperating with the Billy Graham Crusade accept, at least for four days, the doctrine of once saved always saved. I would challenge my friend who preaches for the Christian church just down the road to tell his congregation whether he believes that a disciple can be lost after being saved. Tell them whether once saved always saved is true or whether it is false or maybe it is true and false at the same time. Is this doctrine like the President’s testimony in the sexual-harassment trial? Remember that he stated that his answers were both misleading and accurate. Is this the way of the doctrine of once saved always saved? It is both true and false? I want to inform all these preachers who are fawning to become involved in this crusade that Billy Graham and his team believes in once saved always saved. And I want you to know that any who “accept Christ” during this crusade will be informed that they can never lose their salvation. I suppose that for these four days in June the doctrines that have meant so much to you will not be that important.

Just in case you have forgotten let me tell you what this crusade will tell people. I retrieved the following information from the Internet on the Web site of this Indiana Crusade. This was written to tell people how to have peace with God. Notice the words lost and saved are not mentioned in this so-called plan of salvation. People are told how to have peace with God. Bible students know that peace with God is attained when one is saved, but the Billy Graham Crusade Web site does not make this clear. Ministers, when you bring your congregation to the Billy Graham Crusade or when you bring the unchurched, they will be told that there are four steps to having peace with God. Listen to them, and then consult your Bible to see if the Billy Graham Crusade will teach these people the truth.

They sum up by saying that peace with God is attained by: 1. Admitting your need. 2. Being willing to turn from your sins (repenting). 3. Believing that Jesus Christ died for you on the Cross and rose from the grave. 4. Through prayer, inviting Jesus Christ to come in and control your life through the Holy Spirit. Then they will tell the so-called converted to worship, fellowship, and serve with other Christians in a church where Christ is preached. This is a variation of choosing the church of your choice. I want to ask those ministers in the Christian church, are you comfortable with this? Is this what you tell people who want to come to the Lord? Where does baptism fit into these steps? I find the advertisement bizarre because all these denominational churches that survive because of their peculiar doctrines now confess to the world their divisive doctrines are not important at all.

I also find this collaboration strange because, according to a transcript I have of an interview that Robert Schuller had with Billy Graham, Graham does not believe that one must believe in and accept Christ in order to be saved. Yes, you heard me right. Billy Graham is going from city to city preaching Christ as the means of one having peace with God, but according to a published transcript Billy Graham reportedly believes that people can be saved regardless of whether they are Christians, Buddhists, Hindus or even atheists. Let me read to you from this transcript of an interview that Robert Schuller conducted with Billy Graham. What I am about to read is an exact transcript of an interview Schuller had with Graham for his TV show.

Billy Graham: Well, Christianity and being a true believer — you know, I think there’s the Body of Christ. This comes from all the Christian groups around the world. Outside the Christian groups, I think everybody that loves Christ, or knows Christ, whether they’re conscious of it or not, they’re members of the Body of Christ. And I don’t think that we’re going to see a great sweeping revival that will turn the whole world to Christ at any time. I think James answered that, the Apostle James in the first council in Jerusalem, when he said that God’s purpose for this age is to call out a people for His name. And that is what God is doing today, He’s calling people out of the world for His name, whether they come from the Muslim world, or the Buddhist world, or the Christian world or the non-believing world, they are members of the Body of Christ because they’ve been called by God. They may not even know the name of Jesus but they know in their hearts that they need something that they don’t have, and they turn to the only light they have, and I think that they are saved, and that they’re going to be with us in heaven.

Schuller: What, what I hear you saying that it’s possible for Jesus Christ to come into human hearts and soul and life, even if they’ve been born in darkness and have never had exposure to the Bible. Is that a correct interpretation of what you’re saying?

Graham: Yes, it is, because I believe that. I’ve met people in various parts of the world in tribal situations that they have never seen a Bible or heard about a Bible, and never heard of Jesus, but they’ve believed in their hearts that there was a God, and they’ve tried to live a life that was quite apart from the surrounding community in which they lived.

Schuller: I’m so thrilled to hear you say this. There’s a wilderness in God’s mercy.

Those who are involved with this Crusade: Are these things you believe? Do you believe that there are people in the Body of Christ (the saved) who do not know anything about Jesus? Do you believe as do Robert Schuller and Billy Graham that there are saved people who are Muslims and Buddhists or unbelievers? Write to Robert Schuller and request a transcript of his interview with Billy Graham, and then decide if this is an evangelist effort you want to support. Billy Graham seems to have undergone an evolution in his religious conviction. He states, “My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Christ.” If this is what he truly believes, then why say what he did in the Schuller interview? It has been 40 years since Billy Graham, a 79 year-old Southern Baptist preacher from Charlotte, North Carolina, was in Indianapolis. Now he comes apparently believing that many will be in heaven who denounce the Lordship of Christ. Is this something you are comfortable with? I am sure that many if not most of the churches involved in this crusade have not researched what it is they are doing. They probably felt a sense of religious and civic pride because their names were listed among the 400 churches supporting this crusade. However, I find it absolutely unbelievable that these churches can confess to their members and to the world that their doctrines separating them from other professed believers are not important when Billy Graham comes to town. Furthermore, I find it astonishing that you can endorse everything Graham believes especially as it pertains to those being saved without believing in Christ. But that isn’t all.

If these 400 churches can unite for four days when Billy Graham comes to town, why can’t they have unity for the remaining 361 days of the year? That is, if these churches can lay aside their divisive doctrines for this crusade, why can’t they lay aside their division and unite upon the scriptures? I find it incredible, but the truth is, most denominational preachers disregard the urgent prayer of Jesus in Jn. 17:20–21 when he said to the father, “I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in me through their word; that they all may be one, as you, Father, are in me, and I in you; that they also may be one in us, that the world may believe that you sent me.” In spite of this prayer of Jesus, denominational churches continue to advance their divisive doctrines. Presbyterianism continues to advance the doctrine of limited atonement. Some Baptist churches continue to allege the doctrine of once saved always saved. In spite of Christ’s prayer for unity, Methodism continues to maintain that baptism can be sprinkling. Regardless of this unity prayer, many Community churches will defend homosexuality as a wholesome lifestyle, while most churches categorically denounce such a position as heresy. Just hours before Jesus was arrested and crucified for lost humanity, he prayed that those who believed on him would be united. Yet today modern denominationalism disregards the Lord’s prayer. Denominationalism proudly builds their divisive fences and remains divided. Until, that is, Billy Graham comes to town. Then they can unite for four days. My question for these churches is this: If they can unite for four days for the Billy Graham Crusade, why can’t they unite permanently for the Lord? If Presbyterian churches can give up their insistence of limited atonement for a few days, why can’t they abandon it entirely? By giving it up for four days they confess that it is divisive and unimportant. If the Baptists can unite with the Christian churches for four days by giving up their insistence that it is impossible to be lost after being saved, why can’t they just completely give it up? By compromising their convictions for a few days they are confessing that their doctrine of once saved always saved is both divisive and unimportant. If these divisive doctrines are unimportant, why are they even being taught?

And beyond this — if these churches can all meet together on Sunday, June 6, for an interdenominational worship service, then why don’t they just do this every Sunday? Think about this for a moment. If these Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, Wesleyan, Nazarene, and all other preachers can bring their churches together for an interdenominational worship on June 6, then why not do this every week? Think of the money this would save. Instead of paying the salaries of all these denominational preachers, there would be just one salary to pay. Instead of building all these competing and elaborate buildings people could just assemble in one big building. If this can be done once every forty years for the Billy Graham Crusade then I contend that it can be done every week.

Speaking of money being saved, I’m not at all sure that these cooperating churches are saving money. Did you know if your church is part of this cooperative Billy Graham Crusade effort, then you will be helping pay $250,000 toward the expenses of this crusade? That’s right! Local cooperating churches will be kicking in a quarter of a million dollars to help pay the expenses of this Crusade. Now, I ask you, is it money well spent? To answer this you have to remember that you are paying your money to have fellowship with each and every other church that is cooperating in this effort. This means that you accept every doctrine and concept, regardless of whether it is biblical or not, of every church involved. This means those of you in the Christian church are paying for Graham’s team to teach the doctrine of once saved always saved. This means that you are paying for Graham’s evangelistic team to teach that one can be saved or, in their words, find peace with God by means of faith only. Is this the way you want to have your money spent? I will say this about those in Christian churches that are flocking to support this Crusade — you have certainly come a long way from the singular issue of an instrument in worship. You have gone from the simple melodeon in Midway, Kentucky to walking arm in arm with mainstream Protestant denominationalism. By doing this, you have lost your claim that you differ only in music with the churches of Christ. The church built by Christ has never nor will it ever cooperate with unscriptural doctrines and practices. I am convinced that some of you do not want to have your money spent to teach things you don’t believe. If you are one of those who don’t like the idea of supporting false doctrine, then why don’t you raise a scriptural objection? Why don’t you begin to demand Bible authority for what you are doing in evangelism and in worship? In doing so, I believe you will be taking a breath of fresh air.

In answering the question of whether this is money well spent, let me ask you: What do you expect from the crusade as a result of this $250,000? Do you expect to increase your membership? If so, by how much? And if you do, what will you get? Will you get men and women who have been truly converted to Christ? You will not, if what is going to be taught is vintage Billy Graham doctrine. This is where the sinner is told to just say the sinners’ prayer, and receive Jesus as personal savior. Men and women were never told this in the first century under the preaching of the apostles. Instead they were told to “repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit,” according to Acts 2:38. I can almost guarantee that you will never hear Acts 2:38 mentioned in this Crusade. Furthermore, if you increase your membership by gaining those who would have heard what Billy Graham told Robert Schuller, then you might have some people wishing to be members with you who are in the wilderness of God’s grace. These are those who, according to Billy Graham and Robert Schuller, who don’t know and don’t believe in Jesus as the Son of the living God. If this is the case, then would you say you have spent your money well?

I have not spoken these words this morning in an effort to be uncivil or unkind. I have not said these things in an effort to impugn the integrity or character of Mr. Graham or anyone associated with the Billy Graham Crusade. I have no reason to doubt that Billy Graham is a good man. I also believe that these local ministers who are involved with this crusade are men of decency. It is the Crusade and what it says that I am calling into question. The ad I mentioned from the Indianapolis Star is bold and ambitious in its quest to recruit participants for the Crusade. I am only calling into question the following. I question how these 400 denominational churches can suddenly give up their peculiar doctrines and unite. I question how these 400 churches can overlook what Billy Graham said on Robert Schuller’s Hour of Power religious program about the possibility of devout Moslems and other unbelievers being saved who reject Jesus. I question why these 400 denominational churches do not just unite for good if they can unite for four days. I have only attempted to highlight what I believe to be gross inconsistencies in this cooperative effort. If you believe this makes me villainous, then you are affirming that it is wrong to do what the Holy Spirit said through John in 1 Jn. 4:1: “Beloved, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits, whether they are of God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”