you can hear the music playing now. the private service is being held at the billy graham library in charlotte, north carolina. as you can see the president and the vice president have made their way under the tent where the ceremonies will begin shortly. let's pause and bring in our stations. thank you for joining us, this is fox news coverage of the funeral for the reverend billy graham. i'm sandra smith in new york. you are looking live in charlotte, north carolina, at the billy graham library where the president and the vice president and first lady and karen pence have made their way to say good-bye to the nations pastor as we say good-bye to billy graham today. the ceremony has begun, you can hear the music playing now. the official ceremony will begin in just moments. we are joined now by

chris wallace and bret baier. brett, i wanted to bring you in here as we have now seen the president has made his way ther there. it's -- this is a special moment for this country as we say good-bye to a religious leader that touched the lives of so many millions of people around the world. but also offered guidance to multiple presidents, 12 to be exact. >> he met with every president through barack obama since world war ii. he met donald trump in 2013 when he wasn't president. point out as the family gets ready to move into the tent here, president trump and the vice president met with the family today. billy graham lost his wife in 2007, married 64 years. they had three daughters, two sons, 19 grandchildren and several great grandchildren. harris was referencing the text on the gravestone, as you see

the casket there being taken by the pallbearers. all members of his family. the text on the grave marker will say john 14:6 for the reverend billy graham. his wife ruth graham died at 87, her grave marker quotes a construction sign she saw on the side of the road, selected her marker. "end of construction, thank you for your patience." a bit of a sense of humor. you are right, the reverend billy graham touch to this country's life arguably more than any single religious figure in this country. and clearly had an impact on presidents for many years. >> sandra: he will be buried next to her as he requested. chris wallace, you are standing by as well. we are watching his family members, the pallbearers.

all family members of billy graham, some sons and some son-in-law's. making his way to the tent there. >> i think one of the things we want to look at today as we watch the services that in a sense it is billy graham's last crusade, having died at the age of 99. he knew this day was going to, and didn't fear it at all. he said he looked forward to meeting god and to dealing with him face-to-face and especially being reunited with his beloved wife ruth. he also planned this funeral, an awful lot of what you are going to see today was part of what billy graham wanted to transmit to the nation as a kind of final crusade. he had been an evangelical leader since the 1940s. back in 1949, an eight week crusade at the canvas cathedral. a tent set up at los angeles,

that really put him on the mark as something nobody ever seen before, this kind of an evangelical preacher who offered enormous crowds a path of salvation through jesus christ. he considered that crusade around the world, 200 million people, 185 countries around the world. one of the things he very much wanted for this funeral was to continue spreading the message of the gospel of jesus christ and it's no coincidence that they are holding it in a tent which is one more case of billy graham, his last time in a canvas cathedral spreading his message. >> sandra: as we look at the life picture of those in attendance, we can also see a live look at the president looking on. after billy graham's death, the president responded "we will all miss him, he was a great man.

this was someone the current president got to meet and spend some time with as well. >> he reflected on that in his remarks on the capitol rotunda as billy graham laid in honor there. this president has not shied away from the pros of referencing religious faith. it evangelical see this president does something they can identify with especially when it comes to the key issues they care about. billy graham met donald trump in 2013. there you see franklin graham, his son, and ruth bell graham. they have taken the baton of the ministry and move forward, saying that their father has inspired them to continue to try to help this country come to cultural and moral state that they felt and still feel the

country is falling away from. >> sandra: you are reminded of the other day when we saw the casket of billy graham carried up the steps of the capital till i am and honor in the rotunda, in , and honor only a few private citizens of had. much like we are seeing now where we are all coming together to celebrate somebody who had such a huge, profound impact on this country and around the world. >> there is no question, he is one of the giants of the 20th century. i don't think there is another religious leader in this country, obviously in a international you talk about the pope and leaders of other religions but as an american evangelical leader he was one of the great spiritual figures of the 20th century. i want to talk a little bit about his relationship with presidents, he was very close with a lot of politicians early in his ministry, he is one of

the people who persuaded dwight eisenhower to run for president which gives you a sense of how enormously powerful he is. he continues to be very close to presidents over time. in early 2002, some tapes came out of him talking with richard nixon, the nixon tapes, in which he said some things he very much regretted. marie was talking earlier about the fact that he was not above looking and learning from mistakes that we all as human beings make and he thought he had gotten too political and in the last years of his life and ministry, he stayed away from politics in much more of a purely spiritual message because he felt that perhaps was divisive and not something a preacher should be involved in, getting too close to politics. >> harris: i'm listening right now, we have the program before

us and we can tell you what is coming ahead. the scripture will be read shortly from now, everybody is seated. the president of the united states and the first lady and vice president. this moment with this music is so, so deep and soulful. we know how much a part of the evangelical movement of this particular spiritual leader was so important. bret baier, we talk about how reverend graham was politically neutral but it also speaks to the issue that sometimes politics blend with other things, like faith. >> we should point out as we were watching this, reverend graham was adamant that the word didn't have to do with white or black and he came up in time where that obviously was a central issue of the civil rights era.

and he was one of the ones leading the charge on some of the speeches he gave. chris mentioned dwight eisenhower. he was the first president that reached out to billy graham for counsel before he sent troops. dwight eisenhower said that billy graham is one of the best ambassadors of our country, but graham turned around and told him "i am ambassador to heaven." he did try to keep himself out of the day-to-day politics. each president up until this current president really had some aspect of counsel from billy graham. >> harris: as he looked up and brought forth those notes, it takes us back to to a time in r nations history where it took faith and christianity from every corner of the united states, and this was a man who was willing to do that.

even in the tough times, to continue to say that jesus was the way and christianity is the way. up next we've got david bruce who is the executive assistant to billy graham. he will give the welcome is the gospel continues. we see somebody who works on a day-to-day basis. chris wallace, you are still with us. maybe a final thought as you get ready for the program here. >> i want to follow-up on this idea of civil rights. in the 1950s, civil rights was a very fraud issue. the evangelical movement space was in the south where it was especially fraught. billy graham, and this was quite a brave and daring thing for him to do, insisted that in his crusade the audience had to be completely integrated. blacks and whites sitting

together, no barriers one to the other. >> and service of thanksgiving and celebration for the life of william franklin graham jr., better known to the world as evangelist really graham. the preacher of the gospel of our lord jesus christ. for more than eight decades, mr. graham preached the good news of the gospel. in it he spoke the very words of jesus who said himself, i am the resurrection and the life. he who believes in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. who shall ever live and believe in me shall never die. i never know that my redeemer h and he shall stand and though this body be destroyed, yet

shall i see god. while who i shall see for myselt as a stranger. it is certain we can carry nothing out, the lord has given, the lord has taken away. blessed be the name of the lord. our service continues as mr. graham's longtime pastor, pastor of the first baptist church of spartanburg, south carolina, read scripture and leads us in prayer. >> mr. graham had a profound and deeply spiritual conviction concerning the word of god, the bible. he loved the bible. it governed how he lived and it governed how he died. he believed that the bible teaches us the truth about god

in christ. one of the passages he requested that i read at his funeral service speaks most eloquently to the life and testimony of our beloved mr. graham. i am reading to you, verse four through nine. but god being rich in mercy, because of his great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trust trespase us alive together with christ. and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in christ jesus. so that in the ages to come, he might show the surpassing riches of his grace in kindness toward us in and through the lord

jesus christ for by grace you have been saved through faith and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of god. not as a result of works so that no one may burst. would you join me as we pray together? our god and our father, we lift high the name of the lord jesus christ today, recognizing that you alone are lord. you are god, you created us and your purpose for us would be through the love of god in christ jesus, we would be reconciled to a holy and a righteous god. mr. graham would want us most desperately today to think of nothing other than lifting higher than name of the lord jesus christ, his lord and savior. we gave you all praise and all

glory. and as we celebrate the life of your servant, we pray oh god that you would bless us today, that you would speak to us in our hearts and that we as a people would rise up and to be determined to live lives that would be well pleasing in god's sight, just as mr. graham did. we pray these things in the wonderful name of the lord jesus christ and for his sake alone, amen. >> as we continue this wonderful celebration, let me ask you to join as we sing great coronation him "all hail the power of jesus name." stand as we continue to rejoice.

♪ ♪ all hail the power of jesus' name! ♪ ♪ let angels prostrate fall ♪ bring forth the royal ♪ and crown him lord of all ♪ bring forth the royal diadem, ♪ ♪ and crown him lord of all! ♪ o seed of israel's chosen race ♪ ♪ now ransomed from the fall, ♪ hail him who saves you by his ♪ and crown him lord of all

♪ hail him who saves you by his grace, ♪ ♪ and crown him lord of all! ♪ oh, that with all the sacred throng ♪ ♪ we at his feet may fall! ♪ we'll join the everlasting song ♪ ♪ and crown him lord of all

>> you don't know how funny it makes me feel to sit here and look at my house. and my husband and i just had an argument about which room was mine. thank you all for being here. you are here because you are loving. but you don't love him like i do. and you haven't loved him as

long as i have. when the president's army today, he said "my goodness, your family has good genes." he didn't know that my name is jean. [laughter] my brother billy, my sister catherine, my brother melvin and i grew up here in this house, we learn the hard, we learned to love the lord. we learned to pray. we learned to love the scriptures. and that's never left any of us. my other brother and sister have gone on and i was reminded when i heard that my brother died of

the song the choirs used to sin sing, "heaven came down and filled my soul with glory." on february 21st, heaven came down. and took my brother for me. one day, heaven will come down and take me. and i know what he would want me to say today. heaven is coming again. and would like to take you also. i am the eldest, i tell people that i don't want to be called the oldest or eldest of the family, i want to be called the one that daddy loved the longest. i read many articles, i've seen

things on television, the cards so many have written, there are so many adjectives have been given and they are also wonderful. i wanted to read something, there's a little girl that was born many years ago on a faraway country. and she -- i don't believe had probably ever heard of charlotte, north carolina, but she was born many years ago, a long time away. her parents had taught her to pray, even at that early age, that god was prepared for her. there was a little boy here in charlotte milking cows every morning and every afternoon and he had no idea that there was a little girl praying for him in china. mother, many years after that wrote -- she was about 13 when

she wrote this little poem and i couldn't think of any adjectives that have been said that could do better than this poem and i want to share this poem that many of you have maybe heard or heard quoted but it is worth doing it again. 13-year-old girl, remember. "dear god, i prayed all unafraid as we are inclined to do. i do not need a handsome man, but oh god let him be like you. i do not need one big and strong or are so very tall, nor need he be a genius or wealthy lord at all. but let his head be high, dear god. and let his eyes be clear. his shoulders straight, but ere

his earthly sphere. but oh god, let his face have character and a ruggedness of soul. and let his whole life show, dear god, singleness of gold. and when he comes, as he will come with those quiet eyes aglow, i'll understand that he's the man i prayed for long ago." the lord answered every single one of those prayers that mother and many more. of course that little girl, my sisters and my brothers and i called mom and the little boy was daddy. how grateful that god has brought them back together again for eternity. >> when i was a girl growing up, mother let us do family devotions every day. she read the bible and she

prayed and that was that. when daddy was home he led in family devotions, he read the bible but he didn't just read it. my daddy would stop and make a comment, he would ask a question and we would discuss the scripture. my mother taught me by her example to love reading my bible every day and my daddy taught me by his example to think about what i was reading. so about ten years ago, 11 years ago when my mother went to heaven, my daddy started asking me to read him the bible. at first it was very intimidating and then it became such a joy and there were times when i would sit in front of my daddy, he was hard of hearing so i would sit in front of him, need to need, and he would ask me to give him a full 60 minute message. he never took his eyes off my face. once in a while he would interrupt and ask a question or we would discuss it. but he loved to hear god's words. as he got weaker, we went from 60 minutes to 5-10 10 minutes bt

the pattern was always the same. whoever was in the house was called together around him, and we did that whether he was in the kitchen or his study or more recently when he was in his bedroom. people would gather around and i would read a passage of scripture. before i did i would explain to him why i had chosen that particular passage of scripture. i don't need them, those are all kleenex. i may need them, actually. we would gather around and i would explain to him why i had chosen that passage of scripture and i would read the passage to him and i would always end by saying daddy, i love you. i want to do that this time, we are gathered around daddy and i want to read a passage of scripture but i want to explain to you why i have chosen this particular passage and the reason is this. i believe from heaven's perspective, that my father's death is as significant as his

life. and his life was very significant. i think when he died, that was something very strategic from heaven's point of view. i know that for the foundations of the world, february 21st 2018 was the day god chose to take my father home. i looked up what was significant about that day and i found out that february 21st, 2018 is the day of focus of scripture readings on the death of moses. he brought many people out of bondage of slavery, brought them to the edge of the promised land. then god brought joshua to take them into the promised land and take them home. my father is a great liberator, he brought millions of people out of bondage to sin and god has called him home.

could it be that god is going to bring joshua, to lead us into the promised land, to lead us to heaven. you know the new testament's name for joshua? it's jesus. i believe this is a shot across the bow for heaven. i believe god is saying wake up, church. wake up, world. jesus is coming. jesus is coming. and jesus says, when the gospel is preached to the whole world as it is today, jesus said it best. when the gospel is preached to the whole world, then the end will come. i would like to read to you, beginning with verse 13, i will read it the way my mother taught to me. then i will read it to the way my daddy taught me and i will make a comment here or there. it says "i do not want you to be

ignorant, falling asleep is just the physical term for when god's children die. falling asleep is when you close your eyes to this life and open them to the face of jesus. i don't want you to be ignorant concerning those who have fallen asleep, lest you sorrow and others who have no hope. if you believe jesus died and rose again, and i do, even so god will bring with him those who sleep in jesus. for this we say to you about the word of the lord, this is not fantasy, not wish, this we say to you about the word of the lord. we who are alive and remain, by no means precede those who sleep. the lord himself will descend from heaven with a shout for the trump of god, that's my daddy, that's my mother, that's my husband. you and i who are alive and

remain will be caught up together. and thus we shall always be with the lord. therefore, comfort one another with these words. this is the comfort. there is hope for tomorrow. this life is not overcome of the best is yet to come. i want to make a pledge for my daddy. i pledge to you today, in front of all these witnesses, i will preach the word. i will do the work of an evangelist, i will share the gospel and i will run my race and live my life so that 5 minutes before i see jesus, i have no regrets. i will live my life to exalt and glorify the name of the lord jesus christ. i love you, daddy. [applause] >> i have followed her all my life.

i want to thank each one of you for being here today. from those in the very back of the tent to the very front row, we are blessed and honored that you are here. thank you. i have learned this week as never before, everybody has a billy graham story. even this week, president trump told us about his billy graham story. as a little boy his father took him to yankee stadium to hear my father preach. and he said this is a big deal. little did they know their paths would cross many years later. i have my own billy graham story so i am going to tell you that one. i have told it many times but it bears repeating because to me it speaks to the essence of who my father was and is.

after 21 years, my marriage ended in divorce. i was devastated, i floundered. i did a lot wrong. the rug was pulled out from under me. my family thought it would be a good idea for me to move away, to get a fresh start somewhere else. so i decided to live near my older sister and her family and near a good church. the pastor of that church introduced me to a handsome widower and we began to date fast and furiously. my children didn't like him but they were almost grown, they couldn't tell me what to do. i knew what was best for my life. my mother told you not called me from seattle, my father called me from tokyo, why don't you slow down, get to know this man. they had never been a single parent, they had never been divorced, what did they know? being stubborn, willful, and

sinful, i married this man on new year's eve. within 24 hours i knew i had made a terrible mistake. after five weeks i fled. i was afraid of him. what was i going to do? i wanted to go talk to my mother and my father. it was a two day drive. question swirled in my mind. what was i going to say to daddy? what was i going to say to mother? what was i going to say to my children, i had been such a failure. what were they going to say to me? we are a tired of fooling with you. we told you not to do it. you've embarrassed us. let me tell you, you don't want to embarrass your father, you really don't want to embarrass billy graham. many of you know that we live on the side of a mountain.

as i wound myself up the mountain, i rounded the last bend in my father's driveway and my father was standing there waiting for me. as i got out of the car, he wrapped his arms around me and he said "welcome home." there was no shame, there was no blame, no condemnation. just unconditional love. and you know, my father was not god. but he showed me what god was like that day. when we come to god with our sins, our brokenness, our failure, our pain and our hurt, god says welcome home. and that invitation is open to you. thank you and god bless you. [applause]

>> and i followed her my whole life. i was told we have 3 minutes. to try to sum up the life of my father billy graham. i'm going to take less than 3 minutes because my siblings took a little more. i just want you to know that my father was fat. he was faithful, he was available, and he was teachable. i want each of you to remember that. faithful, available, teachable. may we all be that way. and thank each one of you for coming and giving us this honor. it an honor for my father, thank you. [applause]

♪ ♪ above all powers ♪ above all kings ♪ above all nature and all created things ♪ ♪ above all wisdom and all the ways of man ♪ ♪ you were here before the world began ♪ ♪ above all kingdoms ♪ above all thrones ♪ above all wonders of the world has ever known ♪ ♪ ♪ above all wealth and treasures of the earth ♪

♪ there's no way to measure what you're worth ♪ ♪ crucified ♪ laid behind the stone ♪ you lived to die ♪ rejected and alone ♪ like a rose trampled on the ground ♪ ♪ you took the fall ♪ and thought of me ♪ above all ♪ crucified ♪ laid behind the stone ♪ you lived to die ♪ rejected and alone ♪ like a rose trampled on the ground ♪ ♪ you took the fall ♪ and thought of me

♪ above all ♪ like a rose trampled on the ground ♪ ♪ you took the fall ♪ and thought of me ♪ above all ♪ >> we are here to celebrate and honor the life of billy graham.

when we talk about billy graham in the middle east, we describe him like this. we say he is a faithful man, he is faithful for the world of god. he is never preached his own opinion or his ideas or philosophy, but he preached the word of god. we say about him, he is a courageous man. he has never run away from the word repentance. he spoke exactly like our lord jesus spoke. our lord jesus said the time is fulfilled and the kingdom of god is at hand. he said repent and believe the gospel of christ. we don't say he is only a great evangelist but we say he is a great teacher. dr. graham has used the best

method of teaching. he has taught by example. he's never used a computer or facebook or blackboard but he taught by example. he said to him, "be an example for the believers in context and love and faith and purity" and this is exactly what dr. graham has taught us. he lived a holy life, when he spoke about holiness, he lived a holy life. when he spoke about prayer or he spoke about humbleness, he was a humble man. his grace is really from his humility. one time i was in amsterdam in 1971 and mrs. graham said "have you made an appointment with dr. graham?" and i said "no, i am a little man and he is a great man and i

was afraid to go and see him or make an appointment with him." but she took me to the prayer room and that she open to the room so slowly and he and i saw a giant on his face before god, praying and crying before he went went to preach the gospel. he depended completely on god. one time he said to me, do you want to be successful in your ministry? i said of course i want to be. he said people, they all want to talk about themselves, they love it. they want to talk about themselves. but don't talk about, talk about jesus. lift him up. when we lifted jesus up, he will draw all men to himself. we don't preach ourselves, but we preach christ as lord and

ourselves for the sake of christ. he was a great man and he was a humble man. he has made great effort in the middle east for all the believers. dr. graham, rest in peace. you have a wonderful family, wonderful children and grandchildren and i am sure they are going to take the life of the gospel to all the world. american people, i thank you in the name of jesus for standing behind this great man, to fulfill the mission which was given to him by god. and i do pray that god will thank america forgiving the world such a great man like billy graham. glory and honor to our lord and savior jesus christ. [applause]

>> mr. graham, on behalf of millions of international christians around the world, those who have heard you proclaim the gospel and i join all of them to say thank you. thank you for bringing salvatio salvation, hundreds of letters, and phone calls came to me to bring condolences to your family and friends. indeed, you have had the impact of millions of lives, including kings, presidents, and vice presidents. and common people around the world. the former prime minister of the republic of korea asked to say this. "the crowd attracted was unprecedented in our history. the size and scope of the meetings, i am convinced

radiated intensity that amounted to an outpouring of the holy spirit, which will change the lives of each and every participant and plans a sacred message of scripture in the hearts of all those who work within the sound of your voice. he is why, you have done that all your life and all the world. on a personal note, you impacted my life far greater then one can imagine. my wife, when she was 12 years old, went to the crusade you had in grand rapids, michigan. after your preaching, when you gave the invitation, she gave her heart to christ and dedicated to become a missionary. she is cap that decision until now. during the crusade, my family went every night. at the final meeting, estimated 1.1 million people attended.

all of our children dedicated their lives to serve the lord. the pastor at that time, attendance was mere 300. after your crusade, more than 20,000 members. the rapid growth of the mega-church movement in korea, we have more churches and missionaries than any other country in our region. all because you came to preach the word to our people. the last time i saw you, your eyesight and hearing were not too good. "daddy, your favorite korean preacher is here." you said "you're kidding." i said "dr. graham, i am here to

thank you." then you said "let's have one more crusade in korea." to conclude my remarks, you and mrs. graham have been such an inspiration and encouragement and your family are wonderful friends in the ministry. your journey has ended on this earth, but may the lord gave you perfect rest in the presence of our heavenly father. you have fought a good fight, you finish the course. you have kept the faith. henceforth, there is for you a crown of righteousness. god bless you all, thank you. [applause] ♪ ♪ god sent his son ♪ they called him jesus

♪ ♪ because he lives ♪ i can face tomorrow ♪ because he lives ♪ all fear is gone ♪ ♪ because i know he holds the future ♪ ♪ and life is worth the living,

just because he lives ♪ ♪ how sweet to hold a newborn ♪ and then one day, i'll cross the river ♪ ♪ i'll fight life's final war with pain ♪ ♪ and then, as death gives way to victory ♪ ♪ i'll see the lights of glory and i'll know he reigns ♪ ♪ because he lives, i can face tomorrow ♪

♪ because he lives, all fear is gone ♪ ♪ because i know he holds the future ♪ ♪ and life is worth the living, just because he lives ♪ ♪ [applause]

>> shall we pray? almighty god, our heavenly father. we have come together here and joined with millions of your people around the world to praise you and to worship you. open the gates of heaven, oh, god, and pour your holy spirit upon us. we've come, oh, god, to thank you for a life that has been so precious and will always be very precious to all of us. god, you, not for jesus christ to shed his blood on the cross, that he might be our savior. you, oh, god, have also followed

him in your servant billy graham might be the champion of the proclamation of the gospel of jesus christ. oh god, at this time, we knew it was you who brought countless souls to the foot of the cross. for this is what your servant would feel, not me, not me. we rejoice, oh, god, at this time, as we've gathered togethe together, the seed your servant has planted will multiply, oh, god, that the whole world may hear all the gospel. that we as sinners, oh, god, shall repent before the cross. and invite christ into our life. we thank you for the gospel, oh,

god, and at this time, lord, we pray for the children of dr. graham. for gigi, four and, for ruth, for franklin, for nettie. we pray for the wonderful ministries they were involved i in. we pray especially for franklin as they continue to uphold the legacy. that your servant billy graham had, to proclaim the gospel of jesus christ to the nations of the world. may this day, be a dawn of a new era in the proclamation of the gospel of jesus christ.

father, at this time we pray for a fresh anointing upon thy servant franklin graham as he comes to share from his heart, as it comes to share from your word the message, lord. the message that your servant has lived his life. lord, prepare our hearts, and this moment we might respond to your love and your forgiveness. we pray in jesus name, amen.

>> mr. president , first lady melania trump. vice president pence, karen. to my family, government leaders, notable guest. my father's friends and pastors and church leaders and the wonderful supporters who stood behind him with their support all these years. and to my father's incredible staff, we've come here today to honor a man of god. the library in back of us tells

about the journey of faith that my father traveled his entire life. my father preached on heaven, told millions how to find heaven. he wrote a book on heaven. and today he is in heaven. his journey is complete. you may wonder how i best remember my father. i cannot remember my father without remembering my mother. she loved my father. he loved her, he adored her. she was his soulmate in life. and when she passed away 11 years ago this coming june, it was a big hole into his heart. he missed my mother. he had a big picture of her at the foot of his bet on the wall, he could lie in bed and look at that picture of my mother.

sometimes i come in there to see him and he would say "franklin, i miss your mother more today than i've ever missed her in my life." the last few years of my mother's life, my mother was sick in bed. she would lie in bed on her side and my father would come in and sit beside her and the two of them would look at each other. just look at each other, eye to eye. for hours. if i sat in the room, i felt a little uncomfortable, like i was intruding. [laughter] he loved her, and she loved him. my mother was a part of my father's life at every turn. when i think about my father, i can sit quietly and i can still hear his voice. word of encouragement and

sometimes a word of caution, there were quite a few of those. i can recall him at home laughing with our children, a great sense of humor. he loved his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, all of his family. we would take walks above the mountain trails. but the billy graham the world saw on television, the billy graham the world saw in the big stadiums was the same billy graham we saw at home. there weren't two billy graham' graham's. he loved his family, he stood by us, he comforted us and left us an enduring legacy. his uncompromising testimony of god's great love, all of us children came to see the world and our father in heaven through my father's eyes.

i think the most compelling vision i have ingrained in my memory is my father, the preacher, the evangelist standing behind this pulpit right here. in stadiums around the country and around the world, and his voice booming. proclaiming the gospel of the lord jesus christ. he has often said that someday, you will read that billy graham is dead. and he said "don't you believe one word of it." he said "i will be more alive than i am now. i will have just changed addresses, that's all." every sunday that i was home, i went to visit my father. he loved to walk when he could,

i chaired things that we were doing, he would ask questions. we would talk about the bible. he likes to talk about politics, sports. but the last few years he became rather quiet. in the last year of his life he said very little at all and i believe that his mind was on heaven. he often said "i'm not afraid to die for i know the joys of heaven are waiting." if he could speak to you today, he would ask "will you be making this journey to heaven someday?" my father's greatest longing has been granted. he is in the presence of god. there are a few things my father would want me to share with you today and i will take just a moment. my father would want you to know that he believes the bible to be the infallible word of god. he didn't understand it all but he sure believed it all.

the bible was his sole authority. when he preached, he always took the bible to the pulpit with him and for most of his messages, he would hold the bible in his hand and quote scripture after scripture. his sermons were filled with scripture. when he would quote the scripture he would always say the bible says. why? because it was his authority. my father believed in heaven. he also believed in hell. jesus preached on hell. hell is reserved for the wicked. the bible says that god doesn't want anyone to perish. but all should come to repentance. this motivated

this motivated my father to preach the gospel with urgency. he wanted to warn men and women of the consequences of their sins, that one day we would all have to stand before god, to give him an account of our lives, that there was a judgment coming. the bible tells us that man has been separated from god by sin and sin is a disease of the human soul, the human heart. and it has infected the entire human race. the bible tells us that we have all sinned and we have all come short of god's standards, his glory. and the penalty of sin is death. not just physical death, but spiritual death for eternity. the best view news ever declared is that god so loved the world that he gave his only begotten son that whosoever believeth in him should not