Jerry Falwell
Rev. Jerry Fallwell collapsed at his Liberty University office today and died. He was 73.
It maybe goes without saying that Rev. Falwell and myself were on different sides of the aisle on almost all major social and political issues. However, I wish him God’s speed all the same.
He was a dedicated follower of Christ and a believer in the power and renewal of the Church. He understood the centrality of scripture and the feedom that the Holy Spirit gives each and everyone of us to become true children of God. He and I may have had totally different ideas about how all that plays out, but at heart we were Christian brothers.
I have taken more than a few occasions to preach rebuttals to his crusades. But I will always appreciate one talk he gave on Larry King Live about ten years ago. He was asked if he had any regrets about his long career as a public theologian and preacher. He said he had a big one. When the civil rights movement was in full swing in the 50s and 60s, he was approached by several Black Baptist churches to join in their cause and he said “No, that’s not right.” He did not say it out of prejudice, but out of his support for the traditional conviction that Baptists support the separation of the Church from the world. He said that night on Larry King that he had made a terrible mistake and had missed being a part of a great work by God in the world. He used the word “repent”.
Many will applaud the death of Rev. Falwell, but by doing so they show themselves to be lesser men than he was. He showed more humility, more willingness to change, and more concern for all God’s children than most people suspect - even if he went about it differently than say I would.
Jerry, I’ll miss thinking you were wrong, but wondering how we talked so much alike. Thank you for reminding me the Church is bigger than my own wisodm. Peace be upon you. For all our differences, I pray you will be greeted in heaven with the same words I hope one day to hear: “Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master’s happiness!” (Matthew 25:21)
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