Franklin Graham 2019: A Sign of Disunity
Introduction
I keep away from writing about contemporary ministries unless multiple people engage me for a response. This has become the case with respect to the forthcoming visit of Franklin Graham (FG). As prayer coordinator for Festival WA in 1998 I met FG in person, and worked with various staff from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). These were all fine Christian people, even if their grasp of Australian history and culture was minimal. The three day event was in the classic BGEA tradition (480 area churches representing 16 denominations). Billy had a reputation of being able to involve all the churches, Catholic, Orthodox, Evangelical, and Pentecostal in a single movement for gospel preaching. The reputed “liberal” Anglican Archbishop of Perth, Peter Carnley, had oversight of Festival WA. This was marvellous, and as could be anticipated (Ps 133) drew crowds of more than 20,000 with strong responses to the “altar calls”. Little criticism appeared in the press and across the Church. Some murmured that the day of effective mass evangelism is over, but that was about it. Twenty years on how things across the Australian Church scene have changed!
A Sign of Disunity
First internationally recognised New Testament scholar Michael Bird (Melbourne) launched an attack; “Graham’s god looks like an apotheosized version of Ronald Reagan; his Jesus comes with an endorsement from the NRA; and his Holy Spirit is the presence of American military power in the world.” Then influential Evangelical blogger Steve McAlpine (Perth) weighed in with a piece, “Australian Christians: It’s Not Too Late To Ask Franklin Graham Not To Come.” As Steve puts it FG has fused religion and politics in his overt support for Donald Trump. “Never in my lifetime have we had a president willing to take a strong, outspoken stand for the Christian faith like President Donald J. Trump has.” (FG). McAlpine complains, “Here we are in Australia trying to keep that hot religious aspect out of our politics and he’s going to come here with all this baggage.” As a keen observer of culture he predicts that programmes like The Project, Q and A, The 7:30 Report, and online journals will savage FG. It’s hard to refute this prediction, or that we are socially “a world away” from the days of Billy Graham’s visits Down Under. Lastly, justice activist Dave Andrews (Brisbane) sees no place for a person like FG. The peace-making Andrews famed for his work amongst the poor cites FG about Islam, “a very wicked and evil religion…a religion of hatred….of war.” And on gays; ‘Vladimir Putin “is right” in the actions he has taken against gay men and lesbians….’ I had my own concerns before any of the above was published.
My Concerns
In October last year I used FG’s income from Samaritans’ Purse, US $1.2 m ++ per year, as an example of ministers profiting from the gospel contrary to the way of the cross. Then early this year I was surprised by the consultation process with local churches, compared to 1998. BGEA knew they were coming before we did! Thirdly, I can recall the character of FG’s preaching. You tell people they are sinners deserving condemnation who know they’re guilty and then you offer them the gospel. This old-fashioned Evangelical methodology is profoundly unbiblical; when did Jesus ever take this approach with the wicked? Rather, “from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace.” (John 1:16). In my understanding a proclamation of the grace of God in the gospel calls out repentance (Rom 2:4). A sentimental “one night stand” in each capital by a multi-millionaire American reminding the Australian Church of the great work of God through his father in 1959 doesn’t look like the 3 month labours of Billy Graham that year, let alone of the apostle Paul (Acts 20:31). We could have all welcomed another Graham in 2019. FG represents a past that will never return, but his evangelist son Will understands contemporary culture and represents the future. There are however other more “spiritual” concerns than the above on my heart.
Fellowship in the Gospel
If I was to approach the average church leader supportive of or opposed to the FG visit with the following question, “What is it about Franklin’s preaching or theological writing do you agree/disagree about?”, I think you I would just get a blank look. The prevailing assumption is that FG preaches the same gospel as his father. This may be correct, but in the realm of the Spirit assumptions approximate sins. 1959 was great and it’s a wonderful atmosphere when loads of Christians from across the Body of Christ come together to pray and cooperate. However with such ignorance about the message and the man “fellowship in the gospel” (Phil 1:5) is presently impossible. Just as potently, the grounds upon which the critics of FG are operating come across primarily as politico-cultural rather than as gospel theology. The foundational question is whether the BGEA methodology in 2019 visibly incarnates the death and resurrection of Jesus. From my perspective no one seems to be naming the root sin at work polarising the Church in Australia over the Graham visit.
Exceptionalism
I’ve seen many American media productions trumpeting that the United States is “the greatest nation on earth.” This is the message that elevated Donald J. to the seat of supreme power. Many Americans, like the British before them, just visit St Paul’s cathedral and look at the war memorials inside, like the so-called “German Christians” during WWII, or the believers in the “Great South Land of the Holy Spirit” myth, think that their nation is “exceptional”. Such nationalism is idolatrous and idols always blind and deafen us to the ways of God (Pss. 115:4-8; 135:15-18; Isa 6:9-10). The syncretistic fusion of religion and politics amongst our American Evangelical friends shouldn’t stir up imitation or criticism but warn us to turn away from our own national delusions and to pray for them as for ourselves. I don’t see a lot of that from either side of the FG division; we are in a bad way!
Let’s Get Practical
Franklin Graham will come to our cities in 2019, there will be helpful training in advance of this, and some people will be get saved at this meetings. Paul’s counsel from prison must be respected, “What then? Only that in every way, whether in pretence or in truth, Christ is proclaimed, and in that I rejoice.” (Phil 1:18). But what will happen to the event-based unity after the whirlwind tour? That will depend not at all on our reasoned position on evangelistic opportunities or cultural concerns, but whether we are positioned on our knees interceding for a manifestly divided Church. May our hearts join with the liturgy, “”Lord have mercy; Christ have mercy; Lord have mercy.” Jesus only and always.