He grew up in a home where the Bible was read every night
and the family prayed together. But, when he tried to pass that heritage
along to his children, his oldest son said, "No thanks," and walked away.
I'm Bill McCartney... It's 4TH and Goal!
Billy Graham is the most famous evangelist of all time. He
has had the ear and trust of presidents and other world leaders.
Millions have flocked to his crusades to hear his preaching.
Now, ailing and in his mid-eighties, Billy Graham is preparing to
pass the torch to his oldest son, Franklin. But, there was a time
when the last thing anyone thought Franklin would do was follow in his
father's footsteps.
Despite his rebellion, he had a deep respect for his father's faith,
love, and consistency, which had also been so central to the lives of his
father's parents. Franklin says, of his father, "[he's] the
man I loved and wanted to please more than anyone on earth."
In his mid-twenties, the spiritual legacy that Franklin received
from his dad turned his life around. While sitting on a hotel bed,
he picked up a Bible and read the words of a man named John. "That
night," he said, "I had an overpowering conviction that I needed to get
my life right with God."
Guys, one of our greatest jobs as fathers is to show our children
a strong spiritual foundation to build their lives on. We've
got to show them something to return to when they see the emptiness of
their lives without it.
Guys, let's admit it. On our own, none of us are ever fully
prepared to hand over a strong spiritual legacy. It seems our kids
never run out of profound questions about God and heaven. But, we
don't always have the answers. And, we need to be honest when we
don't. But, let's take their curiosities seriously enough to look
for the answers.
When we decide that passing on a spiritual heritage is important,
there's no limit to what can be accomplished through us.
I'm Coach Bill McCartney.
Source: Kurt Bruner, Otis Ledbetter, "The Heritage," (Chicago: Moody
Press, 1996), pp. 43-44.
Copyright (c) 2000 Promise Keepers.
4th and Goal - Coaching for Life's Tough Calls, with Bill McCartney,
is a radio ministry of Promise Keepers.
Heard on more than 470 outlets nationwide, 4th and Goal - Coaching for
Life's Tough Calls, with Bill McCartney, is a 3-minute daily radio commentary
providing men with a hope-filled approach to issues that men deal with
every day. The program addresses vital topics such as parenting, the fatherless,
teenage alienation, and marriage relationships, as well as reporting on
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