The Evangelist($9.80Value)

Description

How much can one man do to influence the world for Christ? How do we begin to measure the worth of his work? In this documentary, evangelism scholar Lewis Drummond examines the Billy Graham ministry phenomenon of the last half of the 20th Century-spiritually, culturally, and historically. As a personal friend and student of the Graham family, Drummond has compiled a book that is a great resource for any student, pastor, or layperson seeking a better understanding of the Graham ministry. Sermons ranging from the monumental 1949 crusade sermon in Los Angeles, to the more recent one in Jacksonville, Florida, fall 2000, are included on a multi-media CD packaged with the book. Billy Graham once said, "Mother always told me to preach the gospel, and keep it simple." Mother was right. It's safe to say that no single evangelist has left a bigger mark on Christianity in the past century than Graham, with his simple messages about salvation. Here, Lewis Drummond, who is the Billy Graham Professor of Evangelism and Church Growth at Beeson Divinity School, sets out to place Graham as an evangelist in the context of 12 biblical principles and church history. The result is a synopsis of Graham's teachings, theology, social ministry, and crusades, sprinkled with personal stories from Graham's life. Although Drummond says in his preface that "positive and negative discoveries alike are set forth," readers will find little criticism here and much enthusiastic tribute. The highlights are the anecdotes: Graham tearing down the barriers that separated whites and blacks at an Arkansas rally; the village in India that changed its name to "Billy Graham"; and meetings with former presidents. There are touches of humor, as when Graham throws on his bathrobe in the middle of the night to preach to drunken partygoers in an adjoining hotel room. But for the most part, Drummond plays it straight, outlining Graham's theological positions and recounting his historical crusades from the perspective of an unabashed admirer. --Cindy Crosby Drummond (evangelism and church growth, Samford Univ.) tests the 12 characteristics of evangelism against the teachings and practices of Billy Graham in order to ascertain Graham's place in evangelic history. Providing a short biographical sketch along with a discussion of Graham's beliefs, methods, and principles, he presents an admiring view of the integrity and single-mindedness of Graham's approach to Christian evangelism. Drummond illustrates Graham's inclusive approach to unifying diverse groups by sharing the gospel throughout the world and establishing the groundwork of his practice through conferences that should maintain Graham's his ministry into the future. Based on Drummond's assessment, Graham embodies the prerequisites for Christian living and has made a legitimate contribution to the church in his ministry. This extremely positive and inspirational book about the evangelical ministry comes with a CD-ROM that contains video and audio from various crusades. A fine addition to any library. L. Kriz, West Des Moines P.L., IA Copyright 2001 Reed Business Information, Inc. copyright 2001