ChristianNews
Billy Graham had his last crusade…
The Evangelical leader’s funeral was held on Friday at the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina.
2,000 mourners, including leaders from around the world joined the Graham family to pay their respects to “America’s Pastor.”
Facing the Billy Graham Library’s giant glass cross façade, the crowd packed into a 28,000-square-foot white tent meant to evoke the “canvas cathedral” where the evangelist held one of his first crusades in 1949 in Los Angeles.
According to the Christian Post, Graham’s daughter, Anne Graham Lotz urged the Church, the world, and herself to “wake up,” as she paid tribute to her father during the ceremony.
“And I believe this is a shot across the bow from Heaven. And I believe God is saying, ‘Wake up Church! Wake up world! Wake up Anne! Jesus is coming. Jesus is coming,'” she said, pledging to preach God’s Word for the rest of her life.
Graham’ son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, praised his father for the love he had for his late mother and noted that “the Billy Graham that the world saw on television, the Billy Graham that the world saw in the big stadium was the same Billy Graham that we saw at home. There weren’t two Billy Grahams.”
Those gathered, including President Donald Trump, and VP, Mike Pence heard family tributes from Graham’s sister, Jean Ford, and his other children, Virginia “Gigi” Graham, Ruth Graham, and Nelson “Ned” Graham.
Following the funeral services, a private ceremony and interment was held at the foot of the cross-shaped Prayer Garden on the northeast side of the Billy Graham Library.
A slab of North Carolina stone marks the grave of Billy Graham, buried next to his wife, Ruth, at the Prayer Garden located next to the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte. The marker inscription bears the text, “Preacher of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ” with the Scripture reference, John 14:6.
