BGEA

The Rev. John Stott, one of the most influential evangelical thinkers of the 20th Century, died in London Wednesday. He was 90.

“The evangelical world has lost one of its greatest spokesmen,” said Billy Graham in a statement, “and I have lost one of my close personal friends and advisors. I look forward to seeing him again when I go to heaven.”

Stott’s death was announced on the website of All Souls Langham Place, the church he attended as a child, then led as rector after he was ordained. It was there, during the 1954 London Crusade, that Graham first met Stott.

In 1955, Stott introduced Graham to C.S. Lewis and in 1960, Stott participated in a gathering of 33 Christians leaders in Switzerland, led by Graham, that discussed God’s strategy in missions and evangelism.

AP Images/Pete Muller

Thousands around the world lifted prayers of thanksgiving on Saturday as South Sudan celebrated its first day as an independent nation. And some of the people praying thanked God specifically for the role that Franklin Graham, president and CEO of BGEA and Samaritan’s Purse, played in helping South Sudan achieve independence.

USA Today acknowledged that role in a Tuesday article. DeWayne Wickham wrote that along with the efforts of Presidents Bush and Obama, “South Sudan also has Franklin Graham to thank,” saying that Graham “played an important role in supporting the secession of South Sudan—whose 8 million people are mostly Christians—from Muslim-dominated Sudan.”

As the turbulent '60s concluded and a new decade began, Billy Graham appeared at a July 4 event in Washington, D.C., called “Honor America Day.”

More than 400,000 people attended, while millions watched on television or heard it on the radio in 123 other countries.

Bob Hope, Dinah Shore, Jack Benny, Glen Campbell, The New Christy Minstrels and Teresa Graves were among those who performed that day.

According to liner notes on the album, Honor America Day was denounced by the extreme right and the extreme left, but was supported by ordinary Americans, “rich and poor, black and white, Republicans and Democrats, Christians and Jews.”

Billy Graham, who is hospitalized at Mission Hospital in Asheville, NC. near his home in Montreat, had a comfortable night and was able to sleep well, his nurses reported today. He is listed in fair condition.

Graham’s pulmonologist, Shaw C. Henderson, MD, confirmed this morning that he does have pneumonia, as indicated by initial tests, and that his temperature is normal. Henderson said that Graham is doing well and is being encouraged to resume his normal activities, including his ongoing program of physical therapy. No discharge date has been set.

During his stay, Graham has engaged in watching television and joking with hospital staff. He was visited last evening by his eldest daughter, Gigi, and met this morning with his pastor, Dr. Don Wilton.

Through his spokesperson, A. Larry Ross, Graham expressed his appreciation for the media interest in his condition and his gratitude for the outpouring of love, concern and prayers of so many individuals across the country.

During an interview regarding his book, A Simple Blessing, Michael W. Smith talked about how much Billy Graham has blessed him—and how he recently returned the blessing.

Enjoy this snippet from our conversation:

Billy has always been a special encouragement to me. I was with him the day before we went to Haiti. My wife and one of my girls, Anna, we all went up to Montreat and had a visit. I try to go every three, four months just to be with him and visit him.

I think we actually have a little bit in common. You know, we both have five children and we’re both in ministry and everything that comes with that. It’s a high calling and sometimes it comes down to the whole family thing. Billy will say, “I wish I hadn’t been gone as long.”

He seems to really want to pour into me, family wise, especially when my kids were growing up. He’s just so encouraging. You walk in the room and he starts talking and you’re edified for a good year! You got a good dose. He has a real gift of encouragement and I see that encouragement as nothing but a blessing.