“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Your email address will not be published.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

“My Thanksgiving Praise”

By wvbaptist | November 23, 2016 | 0 Comments

November 23, 2016 On this eve of Thanksgiving 2016, I am grateful: That I know Creator God personally. Jesus made this possible and I am secure with Him forever. For Carol and that at 51 years of marriage, we continue […]

“In Control of Our Thoughts”

By wvbaptist | November 17, 2016 | 0 Comments

November 16, 2016 After a busy day filled with some not so ordinary events, my mind was racing from one thought to another as I tried to fall asleep. Knowing it would be a challenge and wanting to put the […]

“The Gift of Today”

By wvbaptist | November 9, 2016 | 0 Comments

November 9, 2016 A young man was excited about his first paycheck on a new job. It might have been more money than he had ever received at one time, and his enthusiasm was obvious. With no bank account and […]

“Finding Encouragement”

By wvbaptist | November 2, 2016 | 0 Comments

November 2, 2016 While thinking about friends who are going through trauma, I was pondering ways to encourage them. The challenges can range from terminal illness, broken relationships and financial reversals to seemingly lesser issues that trouble humans – like […]

“The Joy of Childhood”

By wvbaptist | October 27, 2016 | 0 Comments

October 26, 2016 Children look forward to being an adult. “When I grow up, I want to be a fireman” – or doctor, or teacher or president. Little girls dress up in women’s clothes and clop around in high-heeled shoes […]

Scroll to Top