What Billy Graham would have changed in his ministry

I have been reading through a compact book by John Stott, entitled The Living Church: Convictions of a Lifelong Pastor (IVP, 2007). I have a lot of respect for the scholar-churchman, and Stott has filled that role admirably for decades. Consequently, I have been enjoying the wisdom of his years in the pastorate.

Stott, in turn, refers to the wisdom of Billy Graham. Stott writes, "Speaking in 1979 to about six hundred pastors in London, he said that if he had his ministry all over again, he would make two changes. The atmosphere was electric. What changes would he make? First, he continued, he would study three times as much as he had done. 'I've preached too much,' he said, 'and studied too little.' Second, he would pray more. In saying this, he must have had in mind the two apostolic priorities... 'we will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the Word'" (107).

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