Condolence from Africa – South Sudan for late Dr. Billy Graham (1918-2018)
Condolence from Africa – South Sudan for late Dr. Billy Graham (1918-2018) and the writer’s view about his spiritual life
By Akol Kongoor, Juba, South Sudan
March 10, 2018 (SSB) —- Billy Graham’s death is a great loss to the Christian world, but he was promoted yesterday on 21 Feb. 2018 to join his Lord Christ in Heaven. In fact, I felt the shock for some time when I heard of the death of the most famous world evangelist who had evangelized millions of people in the twentieth century in different continents repeatedly.
With his team, he toured my African continent and preached the Gospel to the few independent countries in 1960. But unfortunately, General Ibrahim Aboud of Sudan rejected him as he (Aboud) was sowing seeds of Islamization through Arabicization for Arabization in Southern Sudan Schools – to uproot Christianity. To make it worse, Aboud expelled all foreign missionaries (little Billy Grahams) in Sudan in 1964, the very year he fell out through a public mob demonstration. Later on, “Little African Billy Grahams” resisted his Islamic policy with their deep-rooted Biblical (Old Testament) cultures.
For half a century (1947-1996) Billy Graham’s numerous crusades converted multitudinous crowds of people to Christ in an amazing way that made the past century to be the Century of Evangelism globally. He left no stone unturned to let God’s gracious love through His Son Christ to be known through radio, TV, films, and magazine under the title called “Hour of Decision”, as a means of faith-building for Salvation of Mankind. Billy Graham authored more than 20 books besides the above mentioned published media tools along with his team.
I came to know him through these interesting books in the 1970’s when I was in Khartoum, Sudan. For his ability and the unique gift of preaching, no preacher could be compared to him in the twentieth century as his preaching attracted and moved the world leaders. To quote few from them as follow: Prime Ministers – Dr. Kwame Nkrumah of Ghana, (1960), Mrs. Golda Meir of Israel, (1969) and Mrs. Indira Gandhi of India, (1973), Presidents – John F. Kennedy of USA, (1961), Kim Il Sung of North Korea, (1992-4) and Boris Yelsin of Russia, (1993). Religious leaders – Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr,(1962), Patriarch Alexei of Estonia, (1984) and Pope John Paul II of Vatican, (1993). Monarchs – Emperor Haile Selassie of Ethiopia, (1960), King Hussein of Jordan, (1960), and Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, (1984).
As a pre-millenarian (me) and believer of its literal fulfillment, I am optimistic that Dr. Billy Graham’s evangelical contribution in the Great Commission is so great to deserve him to be seated next to apostles Paul and Peter when Christ comes back to set up his long-awaited Kingdom (government) of 1,000 years, known as the Millennium, in this world (Revelation 20:4-6).
Lastly and not least, in my African sense, I would like to encourage Billy Graham’s Associates and followers, and above all, his family, especially his son Franklin of Samaritan’s Purse, as well as Graham’s grandchildren, to his great grandchildren and great-great grandchildren, to continue his flowery legacy through Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (B.G.E.A.) for generations to come.
All in all, if anyone is interested to know who was this great preacher of the twentieth century, he or she should look for his mentioned books, especially Just as I Am: the Autobiography of Billy Graham, 20 years with Billy Graham, and World Aflame (his best book by far).
I wish one day, one time, for Christ’s sake, that his team who was rejected by Herod Aboud in 1960, would come to South Sudan for that rejected mission of Evangelism as Herod Aboud is no more. When the team comes, Billy Graham will come through his dozens of books and all the published media as mentioned. They will be welcomed with open hearts because we are a Biblical people mentioned in the Bible (see Numbers 12:1; 2 Chronicles 12:1-5 and 14:1-15; Psalms 68:31; Isaiah 18:1-7; Jeremiah 33:7-13; Amos 9:7; Habakkuk 3:7 and Zephaniah 3:10.For better understanding, read these in Today’s English Version (T.E.V.)) These are besides other African Bible references.
May Almighty God rest his soul in Eternal Life, until we meet again at the time of Rapture before God in Heaven (II Thessalonians 4:13-18). My message summary is that we are in the Beginning of the End, but before the coming of the End of the End, we need to spend our short life time as faithful Christians, so that when we die, we die in Christ with assurance of salvation like Dr. Billy Graham!
Yours Sincerely In Christ,
Akol Kongoor-aheerwei
From Jonglei State (now based in Juba)
Episcopal Church of South Sudan (E.C.S.S.)
Republic of South Sudan
No e-mail, but to be reached by telephone – +211926004932
Cc: Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse
Cc: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
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