WITNESSES
“Dr Billy Graham stood as an exemplar to generation upon generation of modern Christians”. This is the tribute that the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, the spiritual leader of the Anglican Communion in the world, paid to the great preacher Billy Graham, who died yesterday aged 99 in North Carolina after a long illness. The Evangelical leader was a central figure in the Protestant movement in the United States and his fame extended to politics, so much so that he became spiritual advisor to several presidents and one of the most influential religious leaders of all time. “When it comes to a living and lasting influence upon the worldwide church he can have few equals”, Archbishop Welby said. “He introduced person after person to Jesus Christ. There are countless numbers who began their journey of faith because of Dr Graham”. “The debt owed by the global church to him is immeasurable and inexpressible. Personally I am profoundly grateful to God for the life and ministry of this good and faithful servant of the Gospel; by his example he challenged all Christians to imitate how he lived and what he did. He was one who met presidents and preachers, monarchs and musicians, the poor and the rich, the young and the old. Now he is face to face with Jesus Christ, his saviour and ours. It is the meeting he has been looking forward to for the whole of his life”.
