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Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son and President of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association,recalls one of the most telling moments in his father’s life, and issues a challenge:

My father Billy Graham was once asked, ‘Where is Heaven?’ He replied, ‘Heaven is where Jesus is

and I am going to Him soon!’ On 21 February, at the age of 99, he departed this world into eternal life in

Heaven, prepared by the Lord Jesus Christ – the Saviour of the world – whom he proclaimed for nearly

80 years. He will be missed by our family, his colleagues, faithful ministry partners, and, yes, many around

the world. But what joy he has to be welcomed by God the Father, and be reunited with my mother in

the presence of Jesus who speaks peace to eternal souls.

What about you? When you depart this world do you know with certainty where you will spend eter‐

nity? You can know this today. Jesus said, ‘For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten

Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life’ (John 3.16). The One

who comforts weary souls has given us this promise, ‘Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God,

believe also in Me … I go to prepare a place for you … I will come again and receive you to Myself; that

where I am, there you may be also’ (John 14.1‐3).

BILLYGRAHAM

‘With Christ ...Better By Far’

1918–2018

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page TwoNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Two

VOLUME 80 NUMBER 14

ISSUE DATE:1 March 2018

FILE NO: NL 2018-03-01

ISSN: 1033-7903

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Billy Graham – I Thank My God In Every Remembrance Of HimThe Home-Call of Billy Graham, as with every believer, is a sad but joyful

and triumphant event. How greatly used of God he was to the blessing of so

many throughout the world. I was 15 years old when he held his first series of

Crusades around Australia, and now am one of the diminishing number of

'59ers, so many of whom lived the rest of their lives for Christ and preceded

Billy Graham to Glory.

This is my story: I was born and raised in middle class respectability in the

Western Suburbs of Newcastle, NSW. My parents sent me to Sunday School

from an early age, where I learnt innumerable Bible verses, choruses and

hymns. Over the years I rose through the ranks, from student to teacher to as‐

sistant superintendent, and from an early age felt called to the ministry. But I

did not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour.

In 1959 Billy Graham came to Australia and conducted Crusades in all the

capital cities. In Newcastle we participated by going along to the old Newcastle

Stadium where we heard Dr Graham via the cutting edge technology in those

days, of landline and 35mm slides of the evangelist in various poses projected

onto a giant screen and changed every few minutes.

I went to every meeting and came into a growing conviction that he was

speaking to me, directly to me, only to me, putting his finger on my sin, calling

me to repentance for sin and trust in Christ alone for forgiveness and salvation.

Being a shy 15 year old youth utterly lacking in self‐confidence, I remained

glued to my seat every night as the evangelist made his appeal to come forward

and confess my faith in Jesus Christ as my Lord and Saviour. I went to the last

meeting in turmoil of soul, but determined to go forward when the invitation

was given.

After a particularly moving sermon, Dr Graham issued his invitation. The

choir sang: ‘Just as I am, without one plea, but that Thy blood was shed for me,and that Thou bid’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come, I come.’ Finally, as

they sang the last verse for the second time, I plucked up all my courage and

went forward, where I was counselled for salvation by a godly old minister.

How I thank the Lord that He drew me to Himself that day, and ever since

has called me and enabled me to serve Him in various ways in His Church. So,

at the ‘59 Crusade I was converted; at the ‘69 Crusade I took a busload of boys

from Knox Grammar School where I was teaching; at the ‘79 Crusade I was a

counsellor; in 1994 my church was the venue in the southern suburbs of Mel‐

bourne for Billy Graham’s Global Mission; in 2005 I was chair of Franklin Gra‐

ham’s Festival Victoria; and every month I look forward to receiving DecisionMagazine. Yes, indeed, ‘I thank my God in every remembrance of (him).’

Every time we sing O Happy Day That Fixed My Choice On You, My Saviour AndMy God, at the Faith Factory, I share my testimony and ask the little flock to

cast their minds back to their own 'Happy Day' – or if they haven't experienced

that Day for themselves as yet, to meet with one of the ministers or elders after

the service to be helped along the way.

What about you, my friend? When was your 'Happy Day'? – Bob Thomas.

PLEASE NOTE: This issue of New Life is being posted out early asI have been invited to join the Australian delegation to Dr Graham’sfuneral on Friday 2 March. The next issue, NL 2018-03-15 might bedelayed if there are any unforeseen circumstances. – Ed.

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page ThreeNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Three

PRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAMPRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAM

I once heard that Ruth said (in

CharismaNews.com) about her mar‐

riage to Billy in spite of his many

travels, ‘I would rather be married to

Billy even though I have him only

50% of the time than being married

to someone else and being with them

100% of the time!’

I was saddened to learn that the

great evangelist Billy Graham passed

away at the age of 99 on 21 February

2018. Truly God blessed this man

with a long and fruitful life! Having

read his autobiography several times

as well as other books about him, in

addition to the fact that I served as a

vice‐chair for Billy Graham's last New

York City crusade in the 2000s, I have

had the opportunity to observe how

he operated up close (having met

with his team once per month for more than a year to prepare for said NYC Crusade).

In many ways, Billy Graham was the Protestant equivalent to a pope – a person with huge influence

among a cross‐section of evangelical leaders as well as diverse denominations. His ministry had a broad

reach and appealed to conservative, moderate and even some liberal Christian audiences.

He probably preached to more people than any other human being in history, won untold millions

to Christ and was responsible for founding or serving as a catalyst to launch numerous evangelical min‐

istries and organizations (for example, Christianity Today magazine and Fuller Theological Seminary, to

name a few). The following are my observations regarding ten things that made him great:

1. HE WAS A MAN OF INTEGRITY.Throughout the scandal-plagued era of the 1980s, Billy was a breath of fresh air as he kept a scan‐

dal‐free public persona that never embarrassed the evangelical church. His ministry spanned nearly

eight decades with no scandal. That's an amazing accomplishment. Part of the reason for his integrity

were the safe guards he placed in his life – like never being alone with a woman who was not his wife or

family – and having a strong board he was accountable to in regard to finances and ministry.

When I was with a small group during the NYC crusade, he spoke candidly about some of his dis‐

appointments in ministry as well as some regrets (one regret was that he did not spend more time cul‐

tivating friendships among younger leaders). He was self‐aware, humble and transparent, which was

the foundation of his integrity. Truly he built his life‐foundation on character development and spiritual

formation more than on his gifts, abilities and influence.

2. HE WAS A MAN OF SIMPLICITY.Billy lived a life of simplicity – and eschewed the lavish lifestyle some of his peers lived, in spite of the

fact his ministry brought in hundreds of millions of dollars. He had a modest home, a modest salary and

lived a modest life, in spite of his significance and celebrity status.

3. HE WAS A MAN WHO SPOKE TRUTH TO POWER.Billy not only preached to the ‘down and out’ but also to the ‘up and in’ and was a pastor/friend to

virtually every President of the United States for the last four decades. He's also met with many interna‐

tional heads of state, including various leaders representing numerous religions.

4. HE WAS A MAN OF INNOVATION.Billy used the latest modes of communication available to him to get the Gospel out. (Cont. P.4)

Ten Qualities That Made Billy Graham Great

The Melbourne Cricket Ground on the final dayof the 1959 Billy Graham Crusade in Melbourne.

The record crowd has never been beaten.(Photo Credit: BGEA, Ramon Williams)

(Continued from P.3) The radio, newspapers, television of the 1940’s and 1950’s were all catalysts to help

found major ministries such as Christianity Today and Fuller Theological Seminary. Billy Graham was al‐

ways on the cutting edge of innovation regarding the release of his prophetic voice to culture as well as

discerning the needs of the evangelical Church.

5. HE WAS A MAN WHO COMMUNICATED PLAINLY TO THE PEOPLE.Billy had mass appeal with his evangelistic crusades, primarily because he had an unusual gift of

communicating the Gospel in the vernacular of the people. I have heard more eloquent, gifted preachers –

but there was no‐one who could garner a crowd with effective results like Billy.

6. HE WAS A MAN WHO WORKED CLOSELY WITH HIS TEAM.Billy had the same team for decades, in spite of the fact that men like song leader Cliff Barrows could

have gone off on his own but did not. There was intense loyalty among his team because of the way he

honoured their input, treated them with dignity and valued them as friends. He knew he could never

fulfill his ministry without a great, loyal team around him.

7. HE WAS A MAN WHO UNDERSTOOD THE TIMES IN WHICH HE LIVED.Billy crafted his evangelistic messages each year based on his knowledge of current events. He had

the newspaper in one hand and the Bible in the other.

8. HE WAS A MAN WHO LEFT A LEGACY WITH HIS BIOLOGICAL FAMILY.It's a great joy for me to see his biological children carry on the mantle of his ministry. It was also

a great joy to see how Billy and his wife Ruth Graham remained true to each other in all the years of their

marriage, in spite of the many challenges of an intense evangelistic ministry. I once heard that Ruth said

about her marriage to Billy in spite of his many travels, ‘I would rather be married to Billy even though

I have him only 50% of the time than being married to someone else and being with them 100% of the

time!’

9. HE WAS A MAN WHO WAS A STATESMAN/AMBASSADOR FOR CHRIST.Billy was not only an evangelist but also a statesman who represented the evangelical Church to

popes, presidents, kings, queens, Imams and every conceivable global leader in politics and religion. In

regard to religion, he was ecumenical without compromising the truth so he could reach as many as pos‐

sible with the Gospel.

10. HE WAS A MAN WHO TRUSTED THE BIBLE AS THE WORD OF GOD.In all his years, he never lost his trust in the fidelity of Scripture in spite of the pushback from liberal

theological trends and currents. Although he kept up with contemporary culture and read broadly, he

was always primarily a man of one book: the Bible. Perhaps this was the most important reason why

God was able to raise him up and trust him with a historic, global platform.

– Joseph Mattera, Breaking Christian News

PRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAMPRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAM

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page FourNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Four

Sydney ‘79

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page FiveNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Five

PRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAMPRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAM

Billy Graham was perhaps the most significant religious figure of the

20th Century, and the organizations and the movement he helped spawn

continue to shape the 21st. During his life, Graham preached in person to

more than 100 million people and to millions more via television, satellite,

and film. Nearly 3,000,000 have responded to his invitation to ‘accept Jesus

into your heart’ at the end of his sermons. He proclaimed the Gospel to more

persons than any other preacher in history. In the process, he became ‘Amer‐

ica's Pastor,’ participating in presidential inaugurations and speaking during

national crises such as the memorial services following the Oklahoma City

bombing and the 9/11 attacks.

‘He became the friend and confidante of popes and presidents, queens

and dictators, and yet, even in his 80s, he possesses the boyish charm and unprepossessing demeanor

to communicate with the masses,’ said Columbia University historian Randall Balmer.

Billy Graham was born in 1918 in Charlotte, North Carolina, attended (briefly) Bob Jones College,

graduating from Florida Bible Institute near Tampa, and Wheaton College in Illinois. He was ordained a

minister in the Southern Baptist Church (1939) and pastored a small church in suburban Chicago and

preached on a weekly radio program. In 1946 he became the first full‐time staff member of Youth for

Christ and launched his evangelistic campaigns. For four years (1948–1952) he also served as president

of Northwestern Schools in Minneapolis. His 1949 evangelistic tent meetings in Los Angeles brought

him to national attention, and his 1957 New York meetings, which filled Madison Square Garden for four

months, established him as a major presence on the American religious scene.

Graham appeared regularly on the lists of ‘most admired’ people. Between 1950 and 1990 Graham

won a spot on the Gallup Organization's Most Admired List more often than any other American. LadiesHome Journal once ranked him second only to God in the category of ‘achievements in religion.’ He re‐

ceived both the Presidential Medal of Freedom (1983) and the Congressional Gold Medal (1996). Sher‐

wood Wirt, who for 17 years edited the Graham organization's Decision magazine, described one Scottish

minister who made this observation about Graham: ‘My first impression of the man at close quarters

was not of his good looks but of his goodness; not of his extraordinary range of commitments, but of his

own committedness to his Lord and Master. To be with him even for a short time is to get a sense of a

single‐minded man; it shames one and shakes one as no amount of ability and cleverness can do.’

Graham was a model of integrity. Despite scandals and missteps that toppled other leaders and min‐

isters, including Graham's friend Richard Nixon and a succession of televangelists, in six decades of min‐

istry, no‐one ever leveled a serious accusation of misconduct against him. That's not to say he wasn't

seriously criticized. Some liberals and intellectuals called his message ‘simplistic.’ Some fundamentalists

considered him ‘compromised’ for co‐operating with mainline groups and the National Council of

Churches.

His moderate anti-segregationist stance during the Civil Rights era drew fire from both sides:white segregationists were furious when he invited the ‘agitator’ Martin Luther King Jr to pray at the

1957 New York City Crusade; civil rights activists accused him of cowardice for not joining them on

protest marches and getting arrested for the cause.

In 1982, when he visited the Soviet Union, agreeing to preach the Gospel at the invitation of the gov‐

ernment, he touched off a firestorm of criticism. Despite having met with The Siberian Seven, Pentecostal

dissidents who were seeking political asylum, Graham was quoted as saying he ‘had not personally seen

any evidence of religious persecution.’ Some called him a ‘traitor.’ But he insisted he would go anywhere

to preach as long as there were no restrictions on his freedom to proclaim the Gospel. He returned claim‐

ing he saw the hand of God working in the Soviet Union. He was fiercely attacked for being naïve and ‘a

tool of the Soviet propaganda machine.’

(Continued On Page 6)

The Significance Of Billy Graham– Christianity Today’s Tribute:

PRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAMPRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAM

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page SixNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Six

(Continued From Page Five)By 1990, however, after the fall of the Soviet Union, his prescience was vindicated when then‐Presi‐

dent George H.W. Bush said to the National Religious Broadcasters, ‘Eight years ago, one of the Lord's

great ambassadors, Rev Billy Graham, went to Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union and, upon returning,

spoke of a movement there toward more religious freedom. And perhaps he saw it before many of us be‐

cause it takes a man of God to sense the early movement of the hand of God.’

Perhaps Graham's lasting legacy was his ability to present the Gospel in the idiom of the culture.He did this brilliantly, making innovative use of emerging technologies – radio, television, magazines,

books, a newspaper column, motion pictures, satellite broadcasts, Internet – to spread his message.

In the 1990s he re-engineered the formula for his ‘crusades’ (later called ‘missions’ out of deference

to Muslims and others offended by the connotation). His standard youth night was revolutionized into a

Concert For The Next Generation, with Christian rock, rap, and hip‐hop artists headlining the event, fol‐

lowed by Graham preaching. This format drew record numbers of young people who cheered the bands

and then, amazingly, listened carefully to the octogenarian evangelist.

In addition, he helped launch numerous influential organizations, including Youth for Christ (he

was the first full‐time staff member of this entrepreneurial and innovative organization), the Billy Graham

Evangelistic Association, and Christianity Today. The ripple effect of his shaping influence extends to

such schools as Wheaton College in Illinois, Gordon‐Conwell Divinity School in Massachusetts, North‐

Western College in Minnesota, and Fuller Seminary in California. His encouragement and support helped

develop the Evangelical Council for Financial Accountability, Greater Europe Mission, TransWorld Radio,

World Vision, World Relief, and the National Association of Evangelicals.

Billy Graham brought the global Christian community together through international conventions:

a 1966 Congress on World Evangelism in Berlin, the 1974 International Congress on World Evangeliza‐

tion in Lausanne, Switzerland, and three huge conferences in Amsterdam for itinerant evangelists in

1983, 1986, and 2000, which drew nearly 24,000 working evangelists from 200 countries.

In many ways, Billy Graham both formed and embodied the evangelical movement. Theologian J.

I. Packer attributes the evangelical ‘convergence’ to Graham. ‘Up to 1940, it was every institution for

itself. There wasn't anything unitive about the situation. There were little outposts of resistance trying

to keep their end up in face of the liberal juggernaut. Increasingly, from the 1950’s onward, evangelicals

came together behind Billy Graham and the things he stood for and was committed to. It continues that

way to the present,’ Packer says.

For many, however, William Franklin Graham won't be remembered for these accomplishments.He'll always be ‘Billy,’ as he preferred to be called. He titled his autobiography Just As I Am, a reflection of

his humble spirit, taken from the hymn sung most often when he invited people to come forward and

receive God's love. And for millions, his humility before the Almighty encouraged them to approach with

that same spirit.

Read: Read: Can The Theory Of Evolution SurviveCan The Theory Of Evolution SurviveThe Attack Of Science? The Attack Of Science? by David Holden at

www.defenceofthefaith.org

TURN BACK THE BATTLE: TURN BACK THE BATTLE: Isaiah Speaks To ChristiansIsaiah Speaks To ChristiansToday.Today.With persecution escalating globally, Elizabeth Kendal calls us to revisit the prophecy of

Isaiah,For purchasing options, visit:www.turnbackthebattle.com

On Sunday evening 18 February local Christians gathered in Kizlyar's Russian Orthodox church to usher in

the Eastern Orthodox Lent. The Sunday mass was the culmination of a week‐long traditional pre‐Lenten festival

known as Maslenitsa. Then, terror struck. Father Pavel explains: 'We had finished the mass and were beginning

to leave the church. A bearded man ran towards the church shouting ‘Allahu Akbar’ (‘Allah is greatest’) and killed

four people. He was carrying a rifle and a knife.' To prevent the gunman getting inside, church members shut and

barricaded the door. Police then shot the gunman dead. A fifth woman later died in hospital. A further four people

were wounded, one seriously, including at least two policemen and one or two more Christian women. The gunman

has been identified as Khalil Khalilov (22), a local Muslim from the Tarumovsky District of Dagestan.

Islamic State claimed responsibility, identifying the gunman by his alleged 'nom de guerre', Khalil al‐Dagestani

and describing him as a 'soldier of the caliphate'. In a video subsequently released by pro‐IS media, a man alleged

to be the gunman appears dressed in what seems to be the same black vest and camouflage pants, his rifle and

knife on display. Sitting cross‐legged beside an IS flag, the masked man swears an oath of allegiance to IS.

Kizlyar, where the attack occurred, is located in Dagestan, a majority‐Muslim republic in the volatile North

Caucasus region of southern Russia. Whilst Dagestan is 90% Muslim, Kizlyar – a town of some 50,000 people, lo‐

cated 170km northwest of Dagestan's capital, Makhachkala, near the border with Chechnya ‐ is around 40% ethnic

Russian. In recent years multitudes of Chechnya's and Dagestan's unemployed and increasingly radicalised Muslim

youths have travelled to Mesopotamia (Syria‐Iraq) to engage in jihad. Known collectively as 'Chechens', jihadists

from the North Caucuses are known for being especially fierce and highly skilled, many having been trained by

former‐Soviet military personnel. According to a recent study, some 3,400 'Chechens' have fought with jihadist

groups in Mesopotamia; of these, an estimated 400 have returned.

The North Caucasus region has long been a hive of jihadist activity. For decades, Russia has sought to pacify

the region by delegating power to local authorities who are loyal to Moscow. This strategy has largely worked in

Chechnya where, despite human rights abuses, overall security has improved and economic development has ad‐

vanced. However, the strategy has failed in more ethnically diverse Dagestan where clan rivalries predominate

over nationalism. In an effort to 'decriminalise' the republic and rein in its debt (caused mostly by embezzlement

and fraud) Moscow has intervened, replacing clan heads with outsiders. Naturally, Dagestanis are split, with some

protesting about the intervention and others living in hope that it will ultimately work to improve security and

enable development. One analyst comments that,

since 5 February, Dagestan has come to resemble 'a

disturbed anthill'. Doubtless, purged officials, crimi‐

nals and all who had profited from systemic corrup‐

tion will furiously resist the intervention and be bent

on revenge.

As journalist Anton Orech notes, lawless, out‐of‐

control Dagestan has long been home to Russia's

'main Islamist cells' and the source of 'the biggest

stream of people to ISIS'. This is unsurprising, for it

is well known that jihadist groups thrive in corrupt

and lawless regions. Therefore, we should expect

that jihadists too will furiously resist Moscow's in‐

tervention and seek to undermine it. It is quite pos‐

sible that the terror attack on the RO church in

Kizlyar was as much an attack on Moscow as on the

Christian presence in Dagestan. It may also have

been an attempt to trigger religious conflict around

which IS could rally trans‐national jihadists. Ten‐

sions are boiling and terror attacks may well escalate

in direct proportion to Moscow's success at cleaning

up the republic.

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page SevenNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Seven

MATTERS FOR PRAYER:MATTERS FOR PRAYER:

DAGESTAN (RUSSIA): Terror Strikes As Tension Boils

Elizabeth Kendal is the author of Turn Back The Battle: Isaiah Speaks To Christians Today (DerorBooks, Melbourne, Australia, Dec 2012) which offers a Biblical response to persecution and ex-istential threat; and After Saturday Comes Sunday: Understanding The Christian Crisis In TheMiddle East (Wipf and Stock, Eugene, OR, USA, June 2016). See www.ElizabethKendal.com

PLEASE PRAY SPECIFICALLY FOR:• The new administration installed in Dagestan; in par‐

ticular for: Vladimir Vasilyev (68), the eminently qual‐

ified ethnic‐Kazakh native Muscovite appointed by

President Putin on 3 October to serve as Acting Head

of Dagestan until elections can be held; Artem Vasilyev

(39), the young former Minister of Economy of

Tatarstan appointed by Vasilyev on 7 February to serve

as Prime Minister over Dagestan's new government.

• May God be pleased to use the new administration to

bring peace, justice, development and security to

Dagestan so that the Gospel will advance and God will

be glorified (see 1Timothy 2.1‐4); may resistance be

minimal and may the way of the wicked come to ruin

(Psalm 146.9).

• The Church in Dagestan – Orthodox, Catholic and

Protestant – comprised of ethnic Russians and Muslim

converts; in particular that: the Lord will pour out His

grace on the church in Kizlyar, to bring comfort and

peace to those who grieve and are fearful.

PRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAMPRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAM

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page EightNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Eight

Billy’s Last PrayerThis was Billy Graham's final prayer for the world on His

99th Birthday: ‘Go to your knees and pray until you and God

have become intimate friends. I cannot describe to you the

joy and the peace He gives as a result of the daily routine

that you have.’

[CBN News] On his 99th birthday back in November, world

famous evangelist Billy Graham released a video encourag‐

ing people to seek God with their whole lives. It turned out

to be his final public prayer for the world.

‘I've been praying that we might have a spiritual awak-ening,’ Graham said. ‘I think that becomes possible only as

individuals surrender their lives afresh and anew to Christ.’

He also shared advice about how people can truly live the

Christian life. ‘First, we must do everything we can to follow in the footsteps of Jesus. Live a life in which

we love one another, we help one another, and we live according to His Word as Jesus lived. The Holy

Spirit is the One who helps us live that new lifestyle. It's one of love, gentleness, and patience and all of

these things that are the fruits of the Spirit,’ he added.

Graham stressed the importance of reading the Bible every day. ‘You read his Word every day, the

Bible. I know it's very difficult but you need to start somewhere and I suggest you start with the Gospel

of Luke in the New Testament and in the Old Testament start with the first verse – “In the Beginning,

God”.’

Dr Graham pointed out that intimacy with God is essential, and this must be achieved through prayer.

‘Go to your knees and pray until you and God have become intimate friends,’ he said. ‘I cannot describe

to you the joy and the peace He gives as a result of the daily routine that you have.’

– Breaking Christian News

Dr Graham at prayer.Photo Credit: Ramon Williams,

Worldwide Photos.

Ramon A Wi l l iamsRamon A Wi l l iams– Wor ldwide Pho tos –– Wor ldwide Pho tos –

WANT TO SEE MORE?New Life can only publish a small selection

of photos, but you can see more of thoseattributed to Worldwide Photos by contacting

Ramon Williams,e-mail: rlgmedia@ozemail.com.au

VISITING MELBOURNE?You’re welcome at The Faith Factory:

ST KILDA: Cnr Alma Rd/Barkly St. Every Sunday 11am & 7pm;Living Stones Korean Presbyterian Church. Every Sunday 1pm;

BALACLAVA: Cnr Hotham St/Denman Rd. Every Sunday 9.30am.MINISTER: Rev Bob Thomas 0417 592 646

You’re Welcome At The Faith Factory– A Friendly, Caring, Bible-Believing Christian Fellowship –

And Inspiring Talkwww.96three.com.auPhone: 03 5241 6550Email: listen@96three.com.au

WHO CAN WHO CAN YOUYOU INVITE TO SIGN UP FOR A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO NEW LIFE?INVITE TO SIGN UP FOR A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO NEW LIFE?

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page NineNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Nine

Time For A Change – With Jesus, The Game ChangerTwo hundred churches across Australia have

begun a Jesus The Game Changer campaign. Churches

from every state and territory representing many de‐

nominations are involved. Jesus The Game Changer is

a documentary series looking at how the life and

teaching of Jesus changed the world and why it mat‐

ters. It is also being shown on global TV cable net‐

works.

Karl Faase CEO of Olivetree Media, the producer of

Jesus The Game Changer says they are pleased broad‐

casters have taken it on. But he says the ultimate goal

is to have churches use it to influence their commu‐

nity with the message of Jesus.

An added bonus for the production team was the new Jesus The Game Changer song written by Aus‐

tralia’s leading Christian children’s artist, Colin Buchanan, who features in the video series. The campaign

will run over the six weeks leading up to Easter. – Olivetree Media

FAITH NEWS FAITH NEWS ...... With Stan HuntWith Stan Hunt

Long Ride Ends For Broncos’ ChaplainThe Brisbane Broncos rugby league team chaplain

is stepping down after 20 years service. Bill Hunter,

who also leads a ‘sports church’ in Brisbane, says

the chaplaincy has been a dream role, but he says

that it’s time to make way for a new face and a fresh

approach. Bill was involved supporting players,

staff and coaches. A long‐distance runner and fit‐

ness fanatic, Bill has credibility with the players

and was able to encourage them on and off the

field. Bill says he never prayed for them to win, only

that God would protect them and help them to play

their best. Bill will continue to lead the church and

will also train young leaders from Papua New

Guinea through the Salvation Army’s Hope And AFuture program. Warren Crank has been appointed

to take Bill Hunter’s place at the Broncos.

– The Salvation ArmyA Sweet Message For EasterHundreds of thousands of chocolate eggs with a

Bible story inside are combating a decline in

knowledge about Easter, according to Church of

England bishop Julian Henderson. The bishop is

backing a campaign by the Meaningful Chocolate

Company to distribute more than a quarter of a mil‐

lion eggs containing the Easter message. This

comes after research revealed that more than half

the UK population do not associate Easter with

Jesus Christ. David Marshall, from The Meaningful

Chocolate Company says it is quite a surprise to

discover that nearly 60% of under 24 year olds do

not connect Jesus with Easter. The company hopes

to reach more than a million people with the Easter

message. – Christian TodayEncouragement For Hurting WomenA new audio Bible, designed for hurting women, is

being created, by the non‐profit organisation

Courage For Life. The Courage For Life Women'sAudio Bible will be offered free of charge in the US

to women in local at‐risk facilities, such as home‐

less shelters, jails and domestic violence safe

houses. It is the first audio Bible, from Genesis to

Revelation, recorded for women by women, and

will be available through a specially created app. It

is being read from the New Living Bible and in‐

cludes commentary by Courage For Life founder

and Bible teacher Ann White. After more than a

year of research, negotiations, and fundraising, the

audio Bible is set to begin production on 26 March.

– Christian Newswire

Jesus SHALLSHALL Reign!More than 700,000 people from 3,300 churches in 68 countries joined in the 2018 Global

Hymn Sing on 25 February. Churches from different traditions and languages sang Isaac

Watts’ classic hymn Jesus Shall Reign as an expression of their commitment to the mission

of Jesus Christ. The use of the hymn was inspired by Scottish Olympic athlete Eric Liddell,

who was the focus of the award‐winning film Chariots Of Fire. When he was leaving Edin‐

burgh as a missionary to China he was asked to comment and instead of making a statement he sang:

'Jesus shall reign where'er the sun/ does his successive journeys run;/ His Kingdom stretch from shore

to shore/ till moons shall wax and wane no more.' – Christian Today

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page TenNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Ten

PRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAMPRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAM

Why Lausanne? Connecting Influencers And Ideas For Global Mission‘Why Lausanne’ is Billy Graham’s opening plenary address given at the First Interna-tional Congress on World Evangelization in Lausanne, Switzerland, in 1974. The fulltext can be found at wwwlausanne.orgThe Planning Committee has invited participants from every possible nation and

nearly every evangelical denomination and para‐church organisation in the world. Never

before have so many representatives of so many evangelical Christian churches in so many

nations and from so many tribal and language groups gathered to worship, pray, and plan

together for world evangelization. This Lausanne Congress is also significant because rep‐

resentatives are here from older churches that have witnessed and evangelized for cen‐

turies, and younger churches in Africa, Asia, and Latin America who have taken up the torch

and are sending missionaries to other nations as well. It is a new day for world evangeliza‐

tion when the whole church can go into much of the world.

The evangelistic cutting edge of the church of Jesus Christ worldwide is here to seek how we can work to‐

gether to fulfill Christ’s last commission as quickly and thoroughly as possible. Therefore, I have come to Lausanne

with great hope, even as you have. We have met at a time marked by signposts of both promise and danger. Prom‐

ise – in that God is at work in a remarkable way. Never have so many people been so open to the Gospel.

It is true that old traditional denominations with theologically liberal tendencies are declining, yet it is in‐

teresting to note the more evangelical denominations are showing steady growth. Evangelical theological semi‐

naries and Bible schools are overflowing and the more liberal schools are seeing a dramatic drop in enrollment.

At the same time scores of para‐church evangelistic organizations are flourishing as never before.

One reporter states that East European students are looking wistfully over their shoulder to Moses and to

Christ for a reason to live. In these days, God is giving His people an opportunity for worldwide witness – perhaps

a last chance! But with the promise, there are many dangers. As we meet here, world problems press upon us. In‐

flation is sweeping the world; but even worse, the world stands on the very brink of famine. Droughts, floods, and

other calamities have destroyed, or drastically diminished grain stocks in Africa, the Philippines, India, Bangladesh,

and Pakistan. (Continued On Page 11)

Arrange your visit at:www.creationresearch.net/museums

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page ElevenNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Eleven

(Continued From Page 10)Millions of people have a mood of deep pessimism. Men’s hearts are indeed failing them for fear as our Lord

predicted. Absence of a fear of God, loss of moral absolutes, sin accepted and glorified, breakdown in the home,

disregard for authority, lawlessness, anxiety, hatred, and despair – these are signs of a culture in decay. We are

witnessing societies in trauma, shaken by war, scandals, inflation, surfeited and bored with materialism, turned

off by lifeless religion.

Thousands are turning to perversions, the occult, with its Satan worship, mind control, astrology, and various

ploys of the devil to lure men to turn from the truth. It is right that we look for answers and solutions but we must

look in the right place, and that place is the Lord Jesus Christ who can bring spiritual renewal and liberation.

We meet at a time when the world longs for reassurance, peace, hope, and purpose. Isaiah the prophet said

centuries ago, ‘And when they shall say unto you, Seek unto them that have familiar spirits and unto wizards that

peep, and that mutter: should not a people seek unto their God?’ (Isaiah 8.19). Most of us hold the view of Scripture

that teaches that as we approach the end of history things will get worse – that our Lord predicted in Matthew 24,

false prophets, earthquakes, famines, wars, betrayals, moral permissiveness, persecution, apostasy, would precede

His return. We know the whole world will not be converted to Christ – the whole world is not going to become

permanently peaceful, but our Lord did promise, ‘And this Gospel of the Kingdom shall be preached in all the world

for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.’

God is calling out a people for his name – a Christian community in the midst of the ruins of man’s sins, a bride

from all races, tongues, and nations for the coming bridegroom. It is an exciting and thrilling time to be witnesses

to this Gospel. However, 64 years ago, the delegates to the historic Edinburgh Conference left Edinburgh with an

overwhelming optimism about the future of evangelism, missions, and its impact on what was already being called

‘The Christian Century’. They never dreamed they were less than four years from the devastation of World War l

and only thirty years away from World War II. But we here at this Congress have an unparalleled opportunity as

the world may be standing at the very brink of Armageddon.

Let us unite in proclaiming Jesus Christ as God and only Saviour and persuading men to become His disciples

at this fateful hour. It is my prayer that we will return from Lausanne to carry the Gospel of Christ throughout the

world. (Continued On Page 12)

PRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAMPRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAM

PRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAMPRAISE THE LORD FOR BILLY GRAHAM

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page TwelveNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Twelve

(Continued From Page 11)This Congress stands in the tradition of manymovements of evangelism throughout the his‐

tory of the church. From the time of the early

apostles to the present, evangelism has been the

lifeblood of the church. When the Spirit fell on

the church at Pentecost, 120 believers soon be‐

came 3,000, then 5,000. And so the fire of Christ

spread throughout the Roman Empire to Britain,

France, Germany, and Spain, into the Caucasus,

into India, and to the islands of the sea. This Con‐

gress is the most recent link in a long chain of

evangelism conferences stretching back into the

last century, which Latourette called ‘the great century of missionary advance’. At that time, sparked by thousands

of young people, the Student Volunteer Movement set as its goal ‘the evangelization of the world in this generation’.

It is one of the tragedies of the missionary movement that today, over 60 years after Edinburgh, many Christians

not only doubt that the goal is possible but even question whether it is desirable.

The missionary and evangelistic movements of the last century were based on the authority of the Scriptures

as the Word of God. Because these people were biblically oriented, they had a definite view of salvation. They took

seriously what the Bible says about man’s lostness and his need for redemption. They also believed strongly in

‘conversion’, convinced that by the regenerating power of the Holy Spirit, men could be forgiven and changed.

They believed that evangelism was not an option but an imperative. They were convinced that the primary mission

of the church is to declare the good news of Jesus Christ. They were preoccupied with obedience not obstacles.

But somehow, as time went on, many of these movements lost their zeal. Why?

Evangelism always faces two dangers. First, there are external barriers to effective evangelism. Many of these

we will be examining at this Congress. The dangers experienced did not dampen their zeal. True evangelism thrives

on dangers. I believe, however, an even greater danger comes from within missionary and evangelistic agencies –

the internal danger. The reason that the great missionary movements of the 19th Century were able to make a

lasting impact on the world was because internally they were strong. They knew what they believed and they de‐

termined to proclaim it to the world. We need to pray for that kind of faith and urgency today.

But they gradually lost their strength. How? In the 19th Century there was little disagreement about ‘the mes‐

sage’ of evangelism. Holding to a high view of Scripture, Christians preached the unique Gospel of Christ to a lost

humanity. In a series of conferences Christians sought to examine and reaffirm the evangelistic task of the church.

But theological changes were subtly infiltrating Christian youth movements, causing some to weaken their ties to

orthodox faith. The authority of evangelism began to shift from the Scriptures to the organized church. They fo‐

cused attention on the materialistic salvation of the community rather than the individual. This became known

as the ‘social gospel’. Emphasis turned to man ‘in this world’, rather than ‘in this and the next world’. It is my hope

and prayer that Lausanne 1974 will take us back theologically, though not politically or sociologically, to the visions

and concepts of those great conferences in the early part of this century. In more recent times the world church

has floundered. It has lost much of the vision and zeal of those days, for three primary reasons: the loss of the au‐

thority of the message of the Gospel; the preoccupation with social and political problems and the equal pre‐oc‐

cupation with organizational unity.

This is a Congress of World Evangelization. Now we are enthusiastic about all the many things churches prop‐

erly do, from worship to social concern. But our calling is to a specific sector of the church’s responsibility – evan‐

gelism. We believe our point of view has not been adequately represented at some of the other world church

gatherings. Therefore, we are met to pray, talk, plan and – please God – to advance the work of evangelism. This is

a conference of evangelicals. The participants were asked to come because you are evangelical – concerned with

evangelism and missions. We stand firmly in the evangelical tradition of biblical faith.

This Congress convenes as one body, obeying one Lord, facing one world, with one task. We should not stress

older and younger churches. We see the church as one. Some churches are older, some are younger. Cultures and

circumstances differ, but our mission is the same, our spiritual resources are the same – one body, one Lord, one

task. Salvation is by faith in Jesus Christ alone. Therefore, we come to the task of evangelism as one church, one

body, one company of the redeemed, proclaiming the Lord Jesus Christ. We assemble not as strangers, but as mem‐

bers of the household of God, to find out more perfectly his will for evangelism in our critical time. Certainly we

have some doctrinal differences. We have cultural and political differences, but we are one in the Spirit. We shout

with one voice, ‘Jesus alone saves.’ We have one task—to proclaim the message of salvation in Jesus Christ.

NEW LIFE ADVERTISINGNEW LIFE ADVERTISING

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page ThirteenNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Thirteen

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Through many dangers, toils and snares … Having faced court charges, opposi‐

tion and riots, Paul now faces a natural catastrophe. Paul and his companions join

a ship sailing to Italy, under the oversight of the centurion, Julius. It was late in the

sailing season and becoming dangerous to travel (v 9). Paul warns about the dan‐

ger awaiting them, but is disregarded (v 10). Instead, Julius listens to the owner

of the ship and sails on.

A great storm hits and the ship takes a violent battering. Luke the eyewit‐

ness, says, ‘we finally gave up all hope of being saved’ (v 20). Paul now takes the

lead. God has spoken to him directly in 18.20 and 23.11. Now, an angel appears

to him (v 23). Paul’s words are hazy on the detail, but he confidently reassures

all those on board that the ship will run aground (v 26) and that none will be

lost. They must stay with the ship in order to be saved (v 31).

Luke tells us the exact number of people on board – 276 (v 37) and records that the ship is

wrecked (v 41). All on board are kept safe (vv 43,44).

There is a parallel and a contrast between these events and the experience of Jonah. Jonah is disobe‐

dient of God, but Paul is obedient to the Word of God. Jonah escapes to sea, but Paul takes to sea. Jonah

knows the only hope is for him to leave the ship and the others on board reluctantly throw him in to the

sea. In contrast, Paul knows the only hope is for all to stay on board – his companions are reluctant to do

so and try to abandon ship (v 30). We see a parallel in that ultimately, the compliance of Jonah’s and

Paul’s fellow travellers ensures their safety in both cases.

No raging tempest can thwart God’s plan – not even the mur‐

derous intent of the soldiers (v 42), thwarted by Julius (v 43).

As the events unfold, Julius’ leadership recedes as Paul’s be‐

comes more dominant.

John Newton began his career as a sailor on board his father’s

merchant ship in these same waters of the Mediterranean. On

10 May 1748, he captained a slave ship struck by a great storm

off the coast of Africa. He later wrote of this experience in the hymn Amazing Grace, perhaps recalling

Paul’s experience in Acts 27: Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come:’tis grace has brought me safe thus far, and grace will lead me home.

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page FourteenNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Fourteen

ACTS ACTS –– A JOURNEY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTHA JOURNEY TO THE ENDS OF THE EARTH –– DAVID COOKDAVID COOK

Don’t Jump Ship (ACTS 27)

FOR REFLECTION:In what ways does Acts 27.25 reveal

the key to Paul’s steadfastness?

Compare and contrast Paul’s de‐

meanour with that of the sailors and

the soldiers on board the ship.

Content taken from 'ACTS –To The Ends Of The Earth' by David Cook, published by 10Publishing, used with permission.

M a t t h ew 8 . 1 3M a t t h ew 8 . 1 3Yo u r f a i t h wo r k s.Yo u r f a i t h wo r k s.

Words Of Wisdom:

SEEN ON FACEBOOK:

‘Faith is nurtured and nourished asit ponders God's being and rejoicesin His attributes. This is what itmeans to live by faith.The faithful Christian is the trustingChristian. The faithful Christian isthe Christian who obeys God evenwhen their circumstances seem tobe all against them.’

– Ian Hamilton

BOOKS WORTH READINGBOOKS WORTH READING

NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page FifteenNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Fifteen

THE PURITANS DAY BY DAY, Compiled by H. J. Horn, Edinburgh: TheBanner Of Truth Trust, 2016. ISBN 978-1-84871-7076-7The Puritans often get bad press! They have the reputation (quite undeserved)

of being harsh, joyless and the preachers of interminable sermons and the writers

of ponderous tomes. Yet they also had a way with words, for they knew the Scrip‐

tures and they knew the human heart, and that combination makes for wise and

memorable sayings – such as recorded in this book, which provides 6‐8 pithy quo‐

tations for every day of the year (including February 29). It is, therefore, a kind of

17th Century version of the Proverbs Of Solomon, full of wisdom and insight.

The compiler of this treasury of pearls of wisdom is the Rev H.J. Horn, who re‐

tired from pastoral work in England in 1935. This book was originally published in

1928 as The Puritan Remembrancer. Over many years he had amassed this store

from his reading of devotional literature, especially by those nicknamed Puritans.

These men of God knew the ways of God, even when those ways were strange to

human ways of thinking, such as when God uses an unworthy instrument in His

work, as observed by Thomas Watson (someone frequently quoted in this book),

‘God can make a straight stroke with a crooked stick’. William Gurnall provides en‐

couragement to believers in times of general apostasy, saying ‘News may come that

truth is sick, but never that it is dead’. Likewise, John Flavel writes (almost 400 years

ago, be it noted), ‘O be not too quick to bury the church before she is dead’.

The Puritans were those who stood for and proclaimed God’s truth. The Gospel

will triumph and overcome all opponents, as John Calvin says, ‘The Gospel is an

anvil that has broken many a hammer, and will break many hammers yet’.

William Secker encourages a thankful spirit, with these words: ‘He enjoys much

who is thankful for a little’. The Puritans knew how to give wise counsel, ‘It is not a

sin to be angry, but hard not to sin when we are angry’ (John Trapp). Warning

against vain worship, Thomas Goodwin advises, ‘God is most exalted with fewest

words’.

The Puritans had a striking way of presenting an old truth, such as when

Thomas Watson says, ‘The two Testaments are the two lips by which God hath spo‐

ken to us’. God knows the right time to answer our prayers and bless, as Thomas

Boston states, ‘God does not keep our time, because it is not the due time’. In other

words, God knows best!

Mr Horn sets an example of what all preachers should be doing in collecting

useful quotes for sermons and pastoral work, but also the gathering of well‐crafted

sayings will train the preacher to be able to frame his own pithy sayings and mem‐

orable expressions that will stick in the memory of his hearers. A lot of the value is

in the very exercise of collecting such quotes, for the process of doing so, will help

to refine the collector’s taste and will assist in turning an average preacher into a

wordsmith. This book would also be a delightful and practical gift to any Christian

to keep with their Bible to be used daily.

– Greg Goswell

‘Thisbookwould bea delight-ful andpracticalgift toanyChristianto keepwiththeirBible tobe useddaily.’

‘A preacher who does not preach the Bible is like a comedian who isn’tfunny – what’s the point? ... Once you move away from the eternal Gospelyou inevitably end up with nothing to say to the times.As G.K. Chesterton opined – “If you marry the spirit of this age you endup a widow in the next”.’’ – David A. Robertson, ‘The Wee Flea’.

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NEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page SixteenNEW LIFE – 1 March 2018 – Page Sixteen