“Non-Contact Mentoring”

“Non-Contact Mentoring”

February 28, 2018

I am grateful for the many tributes to Billy Graham that have come from both the secular and religious media. The man gave his life to preaching the Gospel: Humans are sinners in need of the Savior Who is the Gift of God that brings us eternal life when we believe Him. His theme – “The Bible Says” – and his ability to relate to anyone, anywhere earned him the title of “America’s Pastor.”

I have been thinking about how much this man mentored me, even though I never met him personally. Carol and I were privileged to work in two Billy Graham Crusades – one in So. California and one in Portland. We completed the training classes to be counselors and were able to take a youth group through the training so they could participate at the meetings.

Only one time did I come close enough to shake his hand when his staff rushed him past where I stood. But I feel like he mentored me in so many ways. He gave me encouragement to stay focused on the Gospel. He modeled accepting all people as valuable and in need of Jesus. He appreciated the testimony of other followers of Jesus and often included them on the platform to share their story. He was a team player.

He was a global evangelist, but he always worked through the local church. His organization followed careful financial procedures. His team members maintained stated moral boundaries, enjoyed long-term marriages and modeled strong family values.

I cannot get past thinking about how much mentoring he did without personal contact. We think of a mentor as one who spends a lot of one-on-one time with another person. We appreciate their investment of time and energy, sometimes finances and certainly patience as they watch us try to develop better skills. But Billy Graham did “non-contact mentoring.” I feel the loss of a friend whose hand I never held, who never called me by name.

I am forever grateful for the man who had so much impact on me but only knew it when he got to heaven.

Pastor Bill Ehmann

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

RECENT POSTS

“If I Were a Rich Man”

By wvbaptist | March 16, 2017 | 0 Comments

March 15, 2017 The title of this “Ponder” comes from a song in “Fiddler on the Roof.” Surely no one would question why the hard-working father with five daughters would dream of how his life might be different if he […]

“For the Sake of Progress”

By wvbaptist | March 8, 2017 | 0 Comments

March 8, 2017 Property developers try to save the landscape, but if a tree gets in the way, it usually is removed. During recent years, I have observed this process as some acreage that used to be farmland is being […]

“Small Encouragements”

By wvbaptist | March 1, 2017 | 0 Comments

March 1, 2017 Growing up in Colorado, I understand the significance of cold and snow. While unusual, I remember snow falling on both Labor Day and Memorial Day. Do the math on that and you have a long winter. January […]

“Long-Lasting Benefits”

By wvbaptist | February 22, 2017 | 0 Comments

February 22, 2017 In a culture that often focuses on the fast and temporary, it is good to think about things that have lasting value. A quick return is not always the best investment. Financial advisors remind us to consider […]

“Self-Discipline with Discretion”

By wvbaptist | February 15, 2017 | 0 Comments

February 15, 2017 There is something refreshing about a person who has consistent self-discipline. Most likely they do not talk about it – we become aware of it by observation over time. Their life habits are consistently positive and their […]

Scroll to Top