Billy Graham's Prophecy

The following quote was authored by Billy Graham in the year 1965. Turns out it was a prophetic word that has come to pass in our time.

Multitudes of Christians within the church are moving toward the point where they may reject the institution that we call the church. They are beginning to turn to more simplified forms of worship. They are hungry for a personal and vital experience with Jesus Christ. They want a heartwarming personal faith. Unless the church quickly recovers its authoritative Biblical message, we may witness the spectacle of millions of Christians going outside the institutional church to find spiritual food.

Quoted in “World Aflame”, pp. 79-80.

Here is another priceless quote by Graham:

I think one of the first things I would do would be to get a small group of eight or ten or twelve men around me that would meet a few hours a week and pay the price. It would cost them something in time and effort. I would share with them everything I have, over a period of years. Then I would actually have twelve ministers among the laymen who in turn could take eight or ten or twelve more and teach them. I know one or two churches that are doing that, and it is revolutionizing the church. Christ, I think, set the pattern. He spent most of his time with twelve men. He didn’t spend it with a great crowd. In fact, every time he had a great crowd it seems to me that there weren’t too many results. The great results, it seems to me, came in his personal interview and in the time he spent with the twelve.

Quoted in “Billy Graham Speaks: The Evangelical World Prospect,” Christianity Today, vol.3, no.1, p.5, Oct.13, 1958.

Wow both quotes are so true! I know there has been many people pull away from Institution for relation to me this will definitely happen more and more. In my mind I don't believe the Church is to far from persecution and this will soon push us into the more relational set that many are seeking. Thank you for sharing!

is EXACTLY how the Emergent Church operates

That's how the early church operated.

hi,I think we including Billy are talking about this subject as if God hasnt a say in.Surely its God that structures the groups and leads to the formation of the groups.If God builds the structure it should surely stand,staff

With Billy's vast experience that he obtained through travel and meeting Believers all over the world, this is a significant statement and observation by him. He is only giving utterance to what he is witnessing. I am sure he sensed more than he could see with his eyes.

The structure that God is building is the Church, His Body, His City and it is surely standing, despite man.

Man tries to overlay the Church with his idealogical template, but it just will not stick.

There is only one Builder and Maker of the City of God. I think Billy simply gave voice to what he "saw" and what he suspected might continue to happen. Of course, Billy did not and cannot make it happen. He is only a witness as are all of us.

I hope I understood what you were saying.

Exactly Approved!

I was keying more on the first part of what he talked about. That many would reject the institution that we call church.

There is no precedence in scripture for the other thing that he talked about. One man taking on eight or ten or twelve men, that would meet a few hours a week and "pay the price". That is not what Paul or any of the other Apostles did. They learned by doing and usually 2 or 3 at a time. They walked the walked, together. There were only a few cases where there were many in one place.

Here are all the examples of Apostles working in plurality with other believers. You don't see big groups of 8 and 12 or more. Another "good idea", but not the way God works. It's not real life or realistic that a man could do this. Paul was single, but most of the others were married and this would be even more difficult.

It sheds light on the fact that many were taught by the Holy Spirit and the Scriptures. It was their own devotion to God and the ever present reality of the Holy Spirit leading them. Most of the 12 were fisherman and tax collectors with no formal training. If you graduated from high school, you have more formal education than the Apostles did, save Paul.

Anyway, here is the list I came up with.

Acts 3:1 “Peter and John”

Acts 4:36-37; 11:22,25-26,30 “Barnabus alone and with Paul.”

Acts 13:1-4 “In Antioch, certain prophets and teachers: Barnabus, Simeon, Lucious, Manaen, and Saul…They laid hands on Barnabus and Saul and sent them out.”

Acts 13:13 “Paul, Barnabus and John Mark.”

Acts 14:4,14 “Barnabus and Saul.”

Acts 15:2 “(apostles) Paul, Barnabus and certain other of them.” (Antioch)

Acts 15:2,4,6,22,23;16:4) “Apostles and elders.” (listed separately) I Peter 5:1; II John 1:1; II John 1:1 “apostles and elders.” (listed together)

Acts 15:22 (apostles, prophets & teachers) “Paul, Barnabus, Judas Barsabas, Silas, chief among the brethren.”

Acts 15:32 “Judas and Silas, being prophets.”

Acts 15:39 “Barnabus and John Mark.”

Acts 15:40 “(apostle) Paul and (prophet) Silas.”

Acts 16:1 “Timotheus (evangelist & apostle)…certain disciple of Lystra and Paul.”

Acts 16:10 “Luke (Physician-Colossians 4:14), Timothy and Paul.”

Acts 18:1-18,26 “Aquila and Priscila and Paul.”

Acts 18:24 “Apollos of Alexandria came to Ephesus.”

Acts 19:22 “Timotheus and Erastus sent by Paul to Macedonia.”

Acts 27:1 “Luke and Paul.”

Romans 16:7 “Andronious and Junius.”

I Corinthians 9:5 “Apostles, sisters and wives.”

II Corinthians 8:23 “Titus and messengers(apostles) of the churches…unnamed.”

Galatians 1:19 “But other apostles saw I none, save James the Lord’s brother.”

Philippians 2:25 “Epaphroditus, my brother, and companion in labor, and fellow soldier, but your messenger(apostle), and he that ministered to my wants.”

I Thessalonians 2:6 “Paul, Silvanus and Timotheus, as apostles of Christ.”

hi,I get what the posts are saying here.Was it a prophesy though?or an observation?
If God calls a group together so be it.
I really enjoyed his last interview on youtube,staff

Could be that it was an observation, but the writer may have(Journalist) called it a prophecy. You know how journalists can be! Sensational headlines to get their material read. They want to make a name for themselves just like a lot of other people.

Anyway, observation or prophecy - it surely is happening.

Regarding the list that you provided. I just wanted to say how I was glad to see it displayed like that. It was like going up and down the aisle looking over the soldiers that stood for the testimony of Jesus Christ. The men (and women) who paid the price.

I know. It hit me that way, too. They were doers of the Word, not just Hearers. Their qualifications were few to none. They knew and loved the Lord.

Two very good comments by Dr. Graham. Sad that it seems he himself didn't go that route.

Then I would actually have twelve ministers among the laymen who in turn could take eight or ten or twelve more and teach them.

And sad to see that one word there: laymen.

That is certainly interesting and while I don't disagree or agree with the structure it does remind me that the Methodist movement started with a small group of people that found a common ground among themselves in their passion for the gospel. Not to be argumentative but to add a counterpoint I would recommend Martyn Lloyd Jones' sermons on schism in the church (they can be found on his website if interested). He speaks of the right and wrong reasons for schism and remarks how the devil in his craftiness often leads the most passionate and intelligent Christians into this folly. I don't think that was what Graham was saying here but I could see the potential for a Christian to take it as that and run with it.

Yes, interesting. I don't think Billy Graham is saying that schism is the cause, but I see why you might think this. Afterall, there are over 15,000 church splits a year in America. And Billy Graham could not have foreseen all the different reasons why God's people have left. It seems that he just saw them leaving without giving any further explanation.

And sad to see that one word there: laymen.

Yes, that is a very divisive word. The Lord Himself must not like it either for it divides the brethren. There should be no place for it in the church. There is certainly no mention of it in the Word except in the Old Testament.

Sad enough that the Catholic church's clergy/laity system is built on OT priesthood, but the Protestant church had to continue it also. The Holy Spirit is bringing more light today to the Church and showing us that we did not come out of the Catholic church, fully.

The problem is not with a hierarchy setup the problem is with power-loving and grabbing men who love this and are full of pride.

Amen. It is amazing how error ALWAYS makes people swing the wrong way. I always tell people that it is not the Devil's lies that bother me. It is the truth he wraps them in. It seems to me as if error, whether that be doctrinal, or attitudinal, has the believers reaction in mind more than the actual event itself. That is to say, the purpose of the error, is not for the enemy to revel in the error itself, but rather to revel in the reaction that error begets.

This is God's way and model to have no authority is to fall into great error and I believe if we individually cannot submit to healthy authority the problem could be our pride (which is something very dangerous).

Amen as well. "Rebellion is as the sin of witchcraft." -1 Samuel 15:23. Our inability to submit to our brothers in Christ willingly, becoming the least, and promoting the more "external" members of the Body, may speak to the fact that we are malfunctioning, and gainsaying as Korah.

1 Peter 5...

By the way, just in case people do not notice, this website is literally loaded to the rafters with "leaders" sermons. Men who had positions of authority in the body. If it were not for that fact, there would be no website. I find it odd how often I see people on here decrying Godly authority. When this website could not even function apart from it.

An attitude that rejects authority is Satanic in its origin, and is the hallmark of end-time apostates. Jude 8, and Jude 11.

The problem is not with a hierarchy setup the problem is with power-loving and grabbing men who love this and are full of pride.

And people who are vying for the same position.

Seems to me if all would consider "how can I be of the most help to....most, if not all, power struggles would cease. But if there is a bully, just leave and find some others who would welcome your help. We are here to help others, not bully them around or grumble when some one else calls the shots contrary to your likening.

A proper perspective of authority is liberating. When the WORD with the enabling power of the Holy Spirit is our authority, we find ourselves is positions of service that brings delight to those we serve and provides us with lots of satisfaction.

I know this is idealistic, we have to deal with the old man who wants the preeminence. But we must always continue to strive to live as Jesus did - He is the perfect teacher.

Consider: Jesus is God. He is the creator who made the earth and heavens in 6 days. (How much can you accomplish in 6 days?) But he chucked his power, his authority and became obedient....He learned obedience...He worked in the carpenters shop fashioning whatever with man-made tools into...This is a drastic step down from his ability as the creator of the universe. Amazing. No, mind-boggling! Does this teach us something?