I received a letter dated December 15, 2000 soliciting my interest in the Greater Louisville Billy Graham Crusade scheduled for June 2001. It was signed first by the president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Under his signature were those of three pastors of prominent Louisville churches of the National Baptist, United Methodist, and Christian denominations. It was signed also by a prominent member of Jefferson County government. I have since then received various other correspondence encouraging me and my church to support the crusade.

Mr. Graham is perhaps the best known and most revered preacher in all the world. His own denomination, the Southern Baptist Convention, honored him by giving his name to the school of evangelism in their foremost seminary. His attraction transcends denominational lines like none other, as his ministry is embraced by Baptists, Catholics, Protestants, other Christian sects – and even non-Christian religions. And he is exalted by politicians and the world in general to a level reserved arguably only for himself and the Pope of Rome.

But I will neither support nor condone Mr. Graham's ministry.

The reason is simple: Mr. Graham's gospel is contrary to that of Christ.

The proof is from the lips and writings of Mr. Graham himself. He denies the gospel of God's free grace, and preaches instead that of man's free will.

His decisionism and altar-calls are nowhere found in God's Word. He blatantly contradicted Christ's teaching in John 3:1-9 by titling one of his best selling publications How to Be Born Again. And among the many widely-publicized and well-known statements he has made contrary to the gospel are the following:

"I have some difficulty in accepting the indiscriminate baptism of infants without a careful regard as to whether the parents have any intention of fulfilling the promise they make. But I do believe that something happens at the baptism of an infant, particularly if the parents are Christians and teach their children Christian Truths from childhood. We cannot fully understand the miracles of God, but I believe that a miracle can happen in these children so that they are regenerated, that is, made Christian, through infant baptism. If you want to call that baptismal regeneration, that's all right with me" (interview with Wilfred Bockelman, associate editor of The Lutheran Standard, October 10, 1961).

"The gospel that built this school and the gospel that brings me here tonight is still the way to salvation" ("Belmont Abbey Confers Honorary Degree," The Gastonia Gazette, Gastonia, North Carolina, November 22, 1967). (The "gospel" to which Mr. Graham here referred is that of the Roman Catholic Church.)

"I used to believe that pagans in far-off countries were lost – were going to hell – if they did not have the Gospel of Jesus Christ preached to them. I no longer believe that. – I believe that there are other ways of recognizing the existence of God – through nature, for instance – and plenty of other opportunities, therefore, of saying 'yes' to God" (interview titled "I Can't Play God Any More" in McCall's Magazine, January 1978).

These items – and hosts of others like them – are evidently not problematic to those religious leaders who are bringing Mr. Graham's crusade to Louisville, and by others who will support it (Amos 3:3). But they are anathema to Christ, and therefore to everyone who rightly esteems the gospel of God's free and sovereign grace in Jesus Christ.

I consequently will neither support nor condone the Greater Louisville Billy Graham Crusade.

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