Testimonies of Billy Graham’s impact and influence quickly flooded the internet February 21 as news spread of the passing of the renowned evangelist earlier in the morning.

The following are a few selected excerpts from comments made by NRB members:

“The world has lost a great man, but those in heaven are surely rejoicing in the homecoming of this good and faithful servant. Only God knows how many are there with him because of his ministry and how many more there will be. It seems trite to say he was a giant among men, but no one could doubt the truth of this statement. For more than eight decades, Billy Graham faithfully obeyed Christ’s command to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature as our Lord commanded. Billy Graham loved the Lord with all of his heart and demonstrated this through his ministry. He was a trailblazer in the use of radio, television, film and other communications platforms to spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ…. Billy Graham was and will remain a shining example for us all.”

Jerry A. Johnson
President, National Religious Broadcasters

“His faithful preaching of God’s word, biblical morality, and his lifelong zeal for the Kingdom has inspired me in my walk as a husband, father, minister, attorney, college president, and in my current work for ADF. His legacy will live on in the hearts, souls, and minds of all those who work tirelessly to proclaim the Good News and the healing power of Jesus Christ. May God comfort his family and his countless friends, and may God continue to richly bless the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.”

Michael Farris
President, CEO, and General Counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom

“Like so many in the Christian world, we were initially saddened upon hearing that God had called Dr. Billy Graham home. He was one of the most significant men of God of our time. However, that sadness was quickly overshadowed by our awareness that an extremely joyful celebration in heaven took place as he arrived.”

Steve Douglass
President, Cru/Campus Crusade for Christ

“Dr. Graham holds a special place in the hearts of all of us here at Evangelism Explosion. He was a good friend of EE founder Dr. D. James Kennedy and the EE ministry.  In fact, he had a huge role in the establishment of EE in its early days.”

John Sorensen
President, Evangelism Explosion

“His work here on earth has been unsurpassed and we are comforted that he is at the side of his heavenly Father.  Our world is forever impacted by the example he set as a follower of Jesus Christ, and for that we are grateful.”

Mark Schoenwald
President and CEO, HarperCollins Christian Publishing

“While I never had the opportunity to meet him personally, I have admired his faithfulness and obedience. His ministry has opened many doors to spreading the gospel. We are so thankful for our partnership with Billy Graham ministries over the years.”

Troy Miller
President & CEO, NRBTV

“The Christian faith has lost the greatest communicator it has had over the last century. He took the message of salvation to billions of people, giving them hope that even though we are all sinners, we can have eternal life through faith in Jesus Christ. It was a simple Gospel, but nobody could communicate it like he did. He inspired so many people and gave them a reason to live. Many of Billy Graham’s family were students at Liberty, and they are close friends. The Liberty family will continue to keep them in our prayers.”

Jerry Falwell Jr.
President, Liberty University

“Billy Graham served as a great evangelist, statesman, prophet, teacher, Godly example, friend to us all (including Presidents), father, husband, educator, an icon of a generation, and a champion of spiritual integrity. On behalf of the ORU board of Trustees, students, faculty and staff we are praying for the Graham family and are thankful for the shared legacy of Billy Graham.”

William M. Wilson
President, Oral Roberts University

“While it can be said that D.L. Moody was among the greatest evangelists of the 19th century, no one can dispute that Billy Graham was the greatest evangelist of the 20th century. The legacy he has left could be measured by the number of world leaders that sought his counsel, by the honors he received or by the hundreds of millions of people who heard him speak, but a better measure is the countless number of people who, alone in their homes or in a crowded stadium, said a prayer and willingly turned their lives over to Jesus Christ.”

Greg Thornton
Interim President, Moody Global Ministries

“Bob Jones University extends its sympathy to the family and associates of Billy Graham at this time of loss and trust they will experience God’s comfort and strength. As an evangelist, Dr. Graham desired that men and women hear the Gospel and come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. We rejoice for all of those who accepted Christ’s free gift of salvation through his ministry.”

Steve Pettit
President, Bob Jones University

“Billy Graham was a man of extraordinary anointing and extraordinary humility. His was demonstrably a long obedience in the same direction. His loss will be felt deeply. I doubt any one person can ever take his place. The famed Charles Wesley once said, “God buries His workmen but carries on His work.”

Ravi Zacharias
Founder, Ravi Zacharias International Ministries

“Dr. Graham played an important role in the early years of World Vision. Alongside World Vision’s founder Bob Pierce, he visited children’s homes and preached to U.S. troops in Korea, and later served as chair of the World Vision board.

“In 1950, Dr. Graham announced he was canceling an order for a new Chevrolet and instead giving the money to World Vision to help orphaned Korean children. His gift and his endorsement helped the fledgling organization to survive the early years, and grow into an agency that today has more than 40,000 staff helping serve victims of poverty and injustice in nearly 100 countries.”

Richard Stearns
President, World Vision

“He never claimed to be more than he was, not a towering intellectual, but a rural North Carolinian dairy farmer’s son summoned to preach. His gifts were courage, magnetism, savvy, perseverance, energy and, above all, faith. May the fruits of his labors be blessed for many more generations.”

Mark Tooley
President, IRD

“His example of servant-leadership will continue to inspire Christians around the world to be salt and light.  What a joyous moment it had to be when Dr. Billy Graham heard the words that he has longed to hear from his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, ‘Well done good and faithful servant.’”

Tony Perkins
President, Family Research Council

“Part of his powerful influence is that Graham was known for his personal integrity. He, like all of us, was one who needed a Savior; yet he proclaimed this message everywhere, and also innovated many new means of getting the message out – through books, magazines, TV, satellite, internet, and conferences all over the globe.

“It was my privilege to have met Billy Graham on five different occasions. I was always impressed by his humility and grace.”

Donald W. Sweeting
President, Colorado Christian University

“He counseled presidents and kings. He preached to millions. Volumes have been written about his life and ministry. Some have seen him to be the world’s most influential person of the second half of the twentieth century. Yet in each of the times I was with him, I witnessed one of the most humble men I’ve ever known. Billy Graham never thought too highly of himself. What an incredible example he was.”

Thom S. Rainer
President and CEO, LifeWay Christian Resources

“He was a man who appealed to people of every class and culture. He was approachable and down-to-earth. He didn’t fancy himself a theologian and crossed denominational lines throughout his storied ministry.

“In the end, Billy Graham wanted his legacy to be marked and measured by devotion.”

Jim Daly
President, Focus on the Family

“After more time has passed, and the history books are written, it is my belief that Billy Graham will not be remembered only as the greatest evangelist in church history, but that he will also be remembered as a major American historic figure. He deserves that and more.”

Greg Laurie
Senior Pastor, Harvest Christian Fellowship

“Today I praise God for the life and message of Billy Graham. Throughout his 99 remarkable years on Earth, he never wavered to call people to repentance in Jesus. Every single one of his sermons — and he preached countless times to millions — was about the cross and the resurrection of Jesus; and every single time he called people to get up and make a public decision and follow Jesus. He did it all with grace and humility and without any apology.”

Jack Graham
Pastor, Prestonwood Baptist Church

“Billy Graham was, in my view, the most important evangelist since the Apostle Paul. He preached Christ, not himself, not politics, not prosperity. When many saw evangelicals as just so many Elmer Gantrys, he carried unimpeachable personal integrity.”

Russell Moore
President, Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

“People often ask, ‘Who is going to be the next Billy Graham?’ This question assumes that there is a Billy Graham in every generation or that we can expect another Billy Graham as if the gift of such men is cyclical. There was never anyone like him before his ministry, and we cannot assume that there will be another. We may not see his like again. We are of all people most blessed that he ministered and walked among us in our lifetimes. We can only hope and pray that God will gift us with another such powerful messenger of the Gospel.”

Richard Land
President, Southern Evangelical Seminary

“He was an inspiration to the Body of Christ worldwide—to be all God made us to be for the Gospel. At a sad passing like this, some may choose to send donations or flowers, but Billy Graham would want us to recommit ourselves to the Great Commission.”

Dr. Alex McFarland
Nationally Syndicated Radio Host

“Apart from the apostle Paul, I cannot think of a single figure in the 20 centuries of Christian history whose name is synonymous with the good news of Jesus Christ in the way that Billy Graham’s is. No one in modern times can approach his influence of several-plus decades internationally representing what we Christians call the gospel.

“He took the Bible as his ultimate source on all things, and he led the way in bringing racial reconciliation to the evangelical church in America.”

Eric Metaxas
Host, Eric Metaxas Show

“I am overcome with emotion when I think of Billy Graham and his influence on all of Christianity. He was a giant for God, a one-of-a-kind, once-in-a-generation prophet of God’s truth and grace. He called everyone, young and old and even boys and girls, to get up from their chairs and give their lives to Christ. And they poured out by the thousands…. I pray we may never forget his legacy and his unrelenting passion for Jesus, and may we follow his footsteps in calling people to repentance in Christ.”

Ronnie Floyd
Pastor, Cross Church in northwest Arkansas

“He is the nearest thing to a true prophet that Christians have had in the past century. He was a man of integrity, simplicity, love and evangelistic fervency. He preached to more people than anyone else in the history of Christianity. He was a legendary man of God, and every born again Christian will miss him.”

Steve Gaines
Pastor, Bellevue Baptist Church

Read more at NRB Members React to Passing of Billy Graham.