The Evangelists

I saw a headline the other day that read, "New Orleans Crusade Probably Graham's Last Sermon". This of course referred to well known evangelist Billy Graham and the declining state of his health. It was ironic that as I was reading this headline on crosswalk.com I could overhear my kids preaching one of their first sermons to a visiting friend.

They were all in my son's room playing "superheroes". They soon began to discuss the various merits of superman, batman, Luke Skywalker, and others. Finally my son said, "well, Jesus is stronger than anybody and he can do anything." Dawson's friend Silas seemed impressed, and agreed that God did trump the other superheroes. My 4 year old was in there as well. After trying in vain to contend that Dora the Explorer qualified as a superhero, Karsyn followed up Dawson's remark with this; "yeah, and did you know that Jesus died on a cross to forgive our sins so we could go to heaven?".

It really is a simple message, isn't it. So simple that humanity's intelligence so often gets in the way of figuring it out. As I eavesdropped on this wonderful exchange, I thought again of the great evangelist - Billy Graham. What successor to the evangelist could possibly have the impact on the world that he has had? Graham was quoted a number of years ago on the subject of a successor. He said, "I don't need a successor, only willing hands to accept the torch that I have been carrying, those who will present the gospel to a new generation,".

I heard 2 kids receive that torch into their hands the other day. My prayer is that this knowledge of Truth would grow in them and develop a passion to present the gospel to this new generation. I had a Bible College professor who's signature phrase to his students was "Keep Preaching!". Well, Dawson and Karsyn - keep preaching!