SOME OBSERVATIONS REGARDING CHRISTIANS WHO WORK IN THE BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADES

We have reached a new milestone in the history of the Lord's church here in America. Just this last year we have heard of three of our largest congregations and their preachers participating in the Billy Graham Crusades in their cities.  There was a time, not many years ago, when involvement in these interdenominational programs would have left a preacher or church scorned by fellow-Christians as unsound and unfaithful. Today, in the wake of the "change movement," such is quite acceptable to the more liberal sort among us.

For Mr. Graham to have our people come and work in his campaigns is quite a victory since for 50 years they had spurned his invitations. For him it poses no problem to accept our preachers and churches into his team.  In his view one church is as good as another; Churches of Christ are just another denomination and most doctrine really doesn't matter so long as you believe in Christ as God's Son. No doubt he has always viewed us as narrow and misguided and now at least a few of our people have finally come around to his point of view. 

For our preachers it is a different story. For if they really believe the Bible to be God's Word, they cannot believe that one is saved by faith alone.

Such contradicts plain teaching of God's Word (Jas. 2:24). They cannot believe that one church is as good as another for that would mean that the creations of men are equal to the body of Christ. They cannot believe that a sinner can be saved by a simple prayer, when Scripture plainly teaches that remission of sins and the gift of the Holy Spirit comes with baptism (Acts 2:38). Thus if our brethren participate in the counseling of respondents to Dr. Graham's lessons, they have to tell them to do something they know is foreign to God's will in hope of salvation and encourage them to choose any kind of church they wish. Such is a betrayal of Christ and the church for which he died (Acts 20:28). To do this one of the following things has to be:

Either they believe what Dr. Graham teaches and thus they are only pretending to be loyal members of the Church of Christ.  Or, They don't really believe the doctrine of the Graham team but have to pretend to do so in order to be involved in his crusade.

In either case they are being dishonest. If they believe the doctrine and practice of Dr. Graham they should be honest and severe their ties with Churches of Christ and seek membership in a denomination that holds such views. If they do not share his views, they should be ashamed of themselves and repent of their involvement in the crusades.

Many of the ancient Hebrews desired to be part of God's holy people and still be acceptable to their heathen neighbors. To win their approval they would participate in the religious activities of the worshipers of Baal. Attempts to mingle two disparate religions is called "syncretism."  When confronted with such a problem, Elijah, the mighty man of God, challenged his people saying, "How long go ye limping between the two sides? If Jehovah be God, follow him; but if Baal, then follow him" (I Kings 18:21).  To those brethren standing with one foot in the Church of Christ and one in the denominational circles of Mr. Graham, Elijah's question is pertinent, "How long go we limping between the two sides?"