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The Creative Evangelist


Billy Graham left the earth and got to see the fullness of heaven firsthand today. I got to see him once in Tampa. He had such an impact on so many, myself included. I love who he was and what he did. The earth is going to miss Billy Graham.

My family were not regular church-goers by any means, but whenever Billy Graham was on TV, we watched. That was no small feat, his having caught the attention of my people who were socialite democrats making their mark in the local community.

Evangelism in the early 70's

My Mom was the head of the Democratic Women's club in our town, and had a group of about 50 'close' friends who held some type of social gathering every other weekend, with bridge games alternating in between official 'parties' for birthdays, anniversaries and holiday themes and such. They were an active group. So, for my mother to take time to stop her schedule and stay home to watch Billy Graham, you know the man had impact on her. Even in my rebellious teen years, I loved watching the man, and his words always resonated in me. I wanted that goodness he spoke of to be in my life. It always rang true. I am sure his words were seeds sown in me that led to my personal salvation in Jesus.

Evangelism Now

This morning, before I heard the sad news of Billy Graham's passing, I was reading the passage in John 4:35 where Jesus tells the disciples to 'lift up your eyes, and look on the fields for they are white already to harvest.' As I read, God highlighted to me the phrase 'lift up your eyes and look on the fields.' Then after I cogitated on that I looked at my Facebook, and there was the recent interview of our pastors, and the host said something that struck me so hard- "people don't look up any more." It was another highlight from Holy Spirit.

Creative type ministry is currently being birthed to capture the attention of 'un-churched' people, like Billy Graham did in his generation. We live in a media saturated culture. Video, Social Media, Video Games and now Virtual Reality -all are places where people of our generation like to interact with each other. We have been given the anointing to do something that causes them to 'look up' at God. I am certainly not calling all these things evil. They are part of the tool-set of our day, and God is able to show us how to use them in ways beyond our own imagination. God is also able to show us how to take truths of His word and convey them in new and relevant ways. He can instruct us in applying what He has put inside us for this generation:

Then said he unto them, Therefore every scribe which is instructed unto the kingdom of heaven is like unto a man that is an householder, which bringeth forth out of his treasure things new and old. (Matthew 13:52)

Evangelism from Identity

I don't think this type of ministry is limited to painting, or dancing or writing or ________ (fill in the blank). Nor does it have to have a label or happen inside the walls of the church. Like the old hymn says, the church is not a building, the church is a people. God has created us and anointed us to be so unique in our creative approaches to evangelism. Please start dreaming and don't be afraid to talk about what God is showing you to others. For all you know, the person sitting beside you on Sunday was meant to be your partner in Evangelism! So talk about creative insights God has given you with others. It's not about building a ministry with your name on it. It's about Jesus, and it's about reaching the lost, right? He loves the unique perspective He has put inside of you to use for ministry. It's part of your identity in Him. If He loves that part of you, and nurtures it, so should you in your response to that love. People who believe and are comfortable in their own identity are refreshing and attractive in the homogenous landscape of today.

This past week, a woman wrote a song for me. As I listened, it healed a hidden wound that had been dormant in my spirit for decades. Her song wasn't grandiose, but simple and honest and beautiful. Just a voice and a piano. She had the faith and obedience to produce what God put inside her, and it ministered to me. If we will only believe that the things we enjoy doing- be it knitting, or swimming, or fishing, or cooking or ____________ (fill in another blank) have purpose and potential in God! God wants us to start thinking of how to use that to reveal Him to others... to make HIS mark on our community.

Billy Graham was so different than my parents and their friends. He stood out and showed forth gospel truths that drew the attention and souls of so many to God. He was one man, using what God put inside him. What if he hadn't believed what God put inside him? What if he had said he was too poor or too uneducated or the dream was too _________ (please, never fill in THOSE BLANKS)? We can show forth truth as the light and love of God in so many ways, if we will only 'look up' and see the possibilities held within the fields. Believe your passions can become amazing acts of Evangelism. Do you believe it? Billy did. Props Billy.


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