By Sosamma Samuel-Burnett, J.D.
Founder/President, G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice
January 20, 2020
I recently had the opportunity to visit a remarkable exhibit hosted by Colorado Christian University on the life and ministry of Billy Graham. Billy Graham is widely considered the greatest evangelist of all time. While this statement is a strong one in light of many major Biblical, historical, and contemporary leaders, his numbers support this statement. He directly spoke to nearly 300 million people in his nearly 60 years of ministry. He indirectly through various forms of media spoke to more than 1 billion people. He had spoken in nearly every country and in nearly every state of the United States, and was a spiritual advisor to each president from Truman to George W. Bush. His reach and access are truly unparalleled by any leader. But what struck me most were not his numbers or his reach, but rather his message. Throughout his many years, his many presentations, his many locations, Billy Graham was steadfast in his simple, clear message of the Gospel, the Good News of Jesus.
Billy Graham was not the greatest pastor or the greatest preacher. He was just a man who was dedicated to his faith and to his singular, sincere, strong message – that Jesus loves us. He brought more people to Christ than perhaps any other person in history by sharing his simple, clear message. But why would that singular message reach so many and in so many places to put him into a historical category unlike any other person? The answer is faith – he truly and sincerely believed in the message he shared. The Bible tells us that we only need the faith of a mustard seed for God to move mountains. Billy Graham’s life was a testimony to what God could do through just one faithful person. As a result, countless people’s lives were eternally transformed by his sincere message.
I am particularly moved by Billy Graham’s faithfulness as I also reflect today -- Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day -- on another man of faith, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. himself. While Dr. King was a remarkable pastor and preacher, what set him apart in his time and in our history is the same dedication to faith as we see in Billy Graham’s life. What drove Dr. King was his understanding of the Bible and the belief that through God we are all equal. His faith compelled him to act on behalf of those who were treated unfairly. His faith led him not only to pursue civil rights for African Americans, but human rights for all people. His message was also singular, and his faith steadfast.
“What strikes me most this MLK weekend, as I consider these two examples of remarkable leaders, is that faith is the fundamental element for leadership today or in any age.”
While many canonize these remarkable men today, the respect they gained in history was not based on the following they had in their times. A singular message and purpose takes time to develop and is not always received in their time. In today’s age of instant gratification and social media “likes”, we often confuse following, fame, or even notoriety for impact. Billy Graham and Dr. King were focused on positive, long-term impact – and that is rarely immediate and certainly not about fame or notoriety. Their recognition was in the deeper significance that history would place on their faith and influence.
What strikes me most this MLK weekend, as I consider these two examples of remarkable leaders, is that faith is the fundamental element for leadership today or in any age. So many leaders of various generations are focused on becoming “famous” or “powerful” and rather than considering how faith can lead to something more profound than personal accolades. It is true faith that calls individuals to dedicate their lives to something noble regardless of what others may think and even on behalf of those who may not appreciate them. Neither Billy Graham nor Dr. King was looking behind them to see how significant they had become. They were looking ahead to realizing their purpose, a purpose that God had revealed to each through their personal and spiritual journeys.
Each of these men had to look within, had to walk in the shadows, and had go to the depths in prayer, to find their message and purpose in God’s calling on their life. The process was neither easy nor immediate. In both of their lives Billy Graham and Dr. King experienced times of challenge and despair. But their perseverance to find their message and purpose is what shaped them for the impact that they each made. It is that same perseverance that can shape each of us as leaders in our families, communities, and world.
In our world today, we have been convinced, mostly through media, entertainment, and politics, that morality is relative, that there are no universal truths, that a singular message will not resonate, and that fame and notoriety mean impact. But many leaders of today who receive the most attention, may be making the least positive impact. But they and we could benefit in learning more about the leadership qualities of Billy Graham and Dr. King who both demonstrate that the purpose of leadership is positive, societal impact, not personal notoriety. Emerging leaders of today may not be the “next” Billy Graham or Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., but they can be the leaders that God calls them to be, if they too act in dedication to faith.
I am grateful to leaders like Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Billy Graham for being beacons for us. Dr. King once said that he wished his children could be judged by the content of their character rather than the color of their skin. And Billy Graham once said people around the world have different responses to different things, but not to the Gospel…in that everyone is the same. The idea that both men represent through these and many other related statements is that there is something deeper than unifies us all, that we are individuals but yet not as different as we might think, that not everything is relative.
Leadership for 2020 and beyond requires something completely opposite to what we are seeing in the world today, and more like the examples of Dr. King and Billy Graham. The issues of today require people of faith to speak truth and hope, and lead people to significant transformation – spiritual, moral, and societal change. It is not fame and notoriety that make change, that move mountains. It is the steadfast conviction of people who care for one another. That is when we will see healing, progress, and justice.
The views and opinions expressed are those of the author(s) and do not imply endorsement by G.L.O.B.A.L. Justice. We are a faith-based, nonpartisan organization that seeks to extend the conversation about justice with a posture of dignity and respect.