You're no Billy Graham rap
Are you a publisher? Try Daylife's Intelligent Content Services Platform
The evangelical intelligencia liked (not loved) Billy Graham because, though he wasn't a theologian, he usually spoke carefully (anti-semitic comments in Nixon's office being the exception that proves the rule. Papa Rick is not nearly as circumspect. He and Billy are probably 98% sympatico, but Rick's a SoCal dude, and Billy's a southern gentleman.
We always encourage people to be a member of a church that is close to them and can minister to them ... and Dr. Graham felt like at this stage in his life and ministry, that's what he needed.
This was not an easy or quick decision by Mr. Graham, but he increasingly felt it was important to unite with First Baptist Spartanburg, as that has had his attention and focus, especially through television, in recent years
I have a very strong connection to Dr. Graham ... He worships with us regularly by way of television.