Originally posted by TheOliveBranch:
</font><blockquote>quote:</font><hr />Originally posted by gb93433:
Those who often claim to have the "right" theology often prove otherwise by their lack of obedience to Mt. 28:19,20. Often they cannot name anybody who is living for Jesus Christ because of their life.
Their advice and words don't agree with their proof of obedience. JAmes says that the proof of a saving faith is followed by good works. One of those works is making disciples.
So are you agreeing that BG is not obeying Mt 18:19-20? I wonder how many he can actually name? Does he do follow-up visits? Does he disciple those people that come forward at his crusades?
I had also read that before the opening of Russia, he had several crusades in Russia. He would abide by the Communist law, not to speak openly, in public, of the Gospel. When asked about what he could do for those believers that were imprisoned for the sake of Christ, he stated that their is punishment for breaking the laws, and that those people became too zealous in their belief. 
</font>[/QUOTE]I was directly involved with the follow up of those who made decisions as were many other pastors and churches. We attended classes before the crusade. The team that helped Billy Graham made sure each person was contacted and what the response was. We had a number of them in Bible study in our church. It was the best thing that ever happened to the people in the church. The influence of the classes and the crusade itself gave the people more boldness and they began to pray more for lost people.
Billy Graham has a team of men that oversee the follow up. The person who started that was Dawson Trotman. Now it is a man who was in The Navigators in the past.
I do not know much about the situation in Russia nor do we. He may have been told that he should not make a big splash because the situation might have been worse for the Christians. I do not know.
We can see in scripture that even Jesus told a man to say nothing. Jesus instructed his disciples in Mt. 10:5,6, "These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them: "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; but rather go to the lost sheep of the house of Israel." Jesus did not send them to just anybody. He gave them specific instructions.
Mt 10;17-21 says, "As He was setting out on a journey, a man ran up to Him and knelt before Him, and asked Him, "Good Teacher, what shall I do to inherit eternal life?" And Jesus said to him, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good except God alone. "You know the commandments, `Do not murder, Do not commit adultery, Do not steal, Do not bear false witness, Do not defraud, Honor your father and mother.' " And he said to Him, "Teacher, I have kept all these things from my youth up." Looking at him, Jesus felt a love for him and said to him, "One thing you lack: go and sell all you possess and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me."
IF a man came to us what would we do? Jesus did not give him the gospel. He reached into his heart first and then said, "Come follow me."
I have a very close friend that was a missionary in a communist country for 26 years. He told me that it was illegal for sharing your faith as a Christian. You could be executed. But he did and people came to Christ. Today there are an enormous number of people living for Christ because of his life. He told me that every week they had their Bible study at a different location because of visitors that could be informants. He told me of hundreds that were executed almost for no reason. Perhaps if I asked him more questions he might give me more information. It amy sound bad to us about what BG did but he may have been given some advice by some Christians there. I really don't know. So I just leave it alone and trust that he did what he felt was right before God. I guess when God gives us that chance then we can do as we see fit. But God in His sovereignty has not given me such a direct opportunity.
