Starlightblog

“Remember your former leaders who spoke God’s message to you. Think back on how they lived and died and imitate their faith.”(Hebrews 13:7)

When Jerry Falwell recently died at age 73 no one would have claimed he was well liked by liberal commentators.  After all he kept goring oxen that mostly belonged to the liberal left. On the other hand, few could have predicted the outpouring of vitriol and hatred from so many different commentators. Bob Ripley of London, Ontario refers to him as Jabba the Hut, and pours scorn on the notion that Falwell had contributed positively to Conservative Christianity. At the Chicago Sun-Times, the religious editor wrote “Ding-dong, the witch is dead,” and Christopher Hitchens, well known atheist, casually refers to Falwell’s dead body as a carcass.  Jerry Falwell was hated by the cultural left primarily because he was so successful in temporarily stopping some of their momentum. Many hold that his work through the Moral Majority was one of the keys to Reagan’s winning the presidency.  

But, I think Falwell was also hated because he unabashedly proclaimed Jesus Christ and righteousness. He did not retreat from speaking the truth of scripture in the public square. He bravely took stands on issues like abortion and homosexuality and accepted all the flak that secularists and liberal Christians could throw at him. He publicly rebuked the major idolatry of our time, which elevates sexual autonomy to almost cult-like status.  For that alone the supporters and practitioners of such idolatry truly hated this man.  Perhaps Ann Coulter has said it best, “No man in the last century better illustrated Jesus’ warning that ‘All men will hate you because of me’, than the Rev. Jerry Falwell.” What legacy does this man leave that is worthy of emulating? He was above all a man of vision and faith. He had ideas of things that might be accomplished for God’s glory, and then he stepped out in faith to pursue these visions and make them a reality.  His son, Jonathan Falwell, recently wrote, “ As I think back on my dad’s nearly 51 years of ministry, I can only attribute its great success to God and a man who understood vision.” 

Falwell was a man of courage. He was not afraid to speak his mind and especially the truth of scripture whether it was a popular stand or not. It was precisely because he did this that he drew so much fire from both secular sources, and liberal branches of Christianity. Indeed, even some of his evangelical friends were made uncomfortable at times because he was such a straight shooter.   He was a Christ-like man. He carried with him a spirit of love, which extended even to his enemies. He did not respond in kind to the numerous personal attacks and insults. On one occasion Larry Flynt, editor of Hustler magazine, provoked Falwell in a most hateful way in the pages of his magazine. Nevertheless Flynt said on the occasion of his death, “I hated everything he stood for, but after meeting him in person…Jerry Falwell and I became good friends.” Now, I did not agree with everything that he said and did. Controversial he was, and to his own Master he stands or falls.  But, by God’s grace I aim to emulate his model of vision, faith, courage and Christ-likeness so that Christ may be exalted in all. 

If the Evangelical church of today had a thousand more leaders like Jerry Falwell, I dare say light would be blazing in a thousand more darkened places.  God grant it soon.