Last week as I watched the Memorial Service for Dr Jerry Falwell on television I was deeply moved by all of the eulogies, video and music. Jerry Vines gave a great message and the Gospel was so unmistakably clear. How fitting it was for the service to end with the Thomas Road Baptist Church singing the Hallelujah Chorus.
The line that stuck with me the most, however, came from Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham. Among many wonderful comments, Franklin spoke of when his oldest son was looking at colleges. Franklin had heard many good things about Liberty University and called a pastor friend in North Carolina who was familiar with Dr Falwell’s school in order to ask his opinion. This pastor friend told Franklin that there was something special about the campus at Liberty. He said, “The students who go there get a ‘fire in their belly’ and greatly impact their world for the cause of Christ.”
As Franklin Graham told that story, my spirit leaped within me. That is exactly what happened to me during my collegiate years at Liberty and under the ministry of Jerry Falwell. I went to Lynchburg after graduating from High School in 1983 and left four years later in 1987 with much more than a diploma in Pastoral Ministries. I left with a “fire in my belly!” I left with a desire to make an impact for Jesus Christ.
During my short four years at Liberty I caught a vision…a vision that came directly from Dr Falwell and swept over most everyone that was on campus. You couldn’t help but catch it. Dr Falwell was a man of faith and vision and his fire was very contagious. As I heard him speak every Sunday morning and Wednesday night at Thomas Road Baptist Church and each and every Wednesday morning in chapel, the passion and vision grew within me. As I watched this special funeral service, that fire in my belly that I received while a student at Liberty was once again being fanned within me.
When I first walked on to campus as a young freshman, I knew I wanted to be a pastor. I was sure that God had called me to such a lifetime ministry. But during those four years I caught a passion to dream big dreams and attempt big things for God. I left with a passion…a fire in my belly…a desire to be used by God to see as many lives as possible changed through the power of Jesus Christ. Now, 20 years later, I am ready to pick up the pace. I am ready to get more aggressive…to take more risks. I am ready to preach harder, to pray longer and to dream bigger. I am ready to prayerfully make a new list of what Dr Falwell called BHAG’s (Big Hairy Audacious Goals).
The fire in my belly continues to burn. I honestly am not sure that I would have caught that fire at any other Christian college. I’m not saying that Liberty is the only good Christian College or University but I am saying that there is more to a good collegiate education at a Christian institution than theological training. Many schools offer that. But if it is a “fire in your belly” that you want…one that will cause you to dream big dreams and attempt great things for God, I humbly recommend Liberty University.
The line that stuck with me the most, however, came from Franklin Graham, son of evangelist Billy Graham. Among many wonderful comments, Franklin spoke of when his oldest son was looking at colleges. Franklin had heard many good things about Liberty University and called a pastor friend in North Carolina who was familiar with Dr Falwell’s school in order to ask his opinion. This pastor friend told Franklin that there was something special about the campus at Liberty. He said, “The students who go there get a ‘fire in their belly’ and greatly impact their world for the cause of Christ.”
As Franklin Graham told that story, my spirit leaped within me. That is exactly what happened to me during my collegiate years at Liberty and under the ministry of Jerry Falwell. I went to Lynchburg after graduating from High School in 1983 and left four years later in 1987 with much more than a diploma in Pastoral Ministries. I left with a “fire in my belly!” I left with a desire to make an impact for Jesus Christ.
During my short four years at Liberty I caught a vision…a vision that came directly from Dr Falwell and swept over most everyone that was on campus. You couldn’t help but catch it. Dr Falwell was a man of faith and vision and his fire was very contagious. As I heard him speak every Sunday morning and Wednesday night at Thomas Road Baptist Church and each and every Wednesday morning in chapel, the passion and vision grew within me. As I watched this special funeral service, that fire in my belly that I received while a student at Liberty was once again being fanned within me.
When I first walked on to campus as a young freshman, I knew I wanted to be a pastor. I was sure that God had called me to such a lifetime ministry. But during those four years I caught a passion to dream big dreams and attempt big things for God. I left with a passion…a fire in my belly…a desire to be used by God to see as many lives as possible changed through the power of Jesus Christ. Now, 20 years later, I am ready to pick up the pace. I am ready to get more aggressive…to take more risks. I am ready to preach harder, to pray longer and to dream bigger. I am ready to prayerfully make a new list of what Dr Falwell called BHAG’s (Big Hairy Audacious Goals).
The fire in my belly continues to burn. I honestly am not sure that I would have caught that fire at any other Christian college. I’m not saying that Liberty is the only good Christian College or University but I am saying that there is more to a good collegiate education at a Christian institution than theological training. Many schools offer that. But if it is a “fire in your belly” that you want…one that will cause you to dream big dreams and attempt great things for God, I humbly recommend Liberty University.
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