Ten Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
by Alex McFarland
The book was titled, "Aflame For God." It stood out on a shelf of assorted religious titles in a used bookstore, and I paid about a dollar for it. As a young believer in the mid-1980's, I found much inspiration in reading Christian biographies. That book was my first exposure to Jerry Falwell, and I have it to this day.
When one of my college buddies saw me reading it, he said, "Ugh! Falwell! I hate that guy!" When I later announced that I was planning to attend Jerry Falwell's college, I was ribbed even more.
While at Liberty, I heard Jerry Falwell speak many times. His insights and truisms began to make an impression on me. Here are some of the core values that Jerry Falwell repeatedly preached, which I believe made him tick:
1. Every one can (and should) believe God for big things. A man of huge faith, Jerry Falwell's God could do anything. No calling was too big, no goal too ambitious.
2. The Bible is God's word, period. There was a time when virtually all ordained men of God believed and preached the Bible. Dr. Falwell was a minister who could be counted on to always uphold Scripture- a fairly rare phenomenon these days.
3. Faithfulness is more important than popularity. Many times I heard Dr. Falwell say from the pulpit, "Obey Christ, even at the risk of being misunderstood." He knew his convictions and lived them out, regardless of the cost.
4. Tell people about the vision God has put on your heart, because this will motivate you to work toward it. Jerry Falwell believed that we should plan specifically, write our "game plan" down on paper, and show it to others. (He derived this from the Old Testament book of Habakkuk, chapter 2). Like the prophet, we would then "run" (or get going). Going public with one's personal calling is an initial step in beginning to follow through on the mission.
5. Leaders are ones who exchange all of the little options for the "one big dream." Falwell had wanted to be an athlete. Then a journalist. He probably could have done either. But when he found the Lord, Christian service became the only option.
6. Don't be ashamed to promote your cause and yourself. When Falwell would begin to repeat the ministry's history, students in chapel services might roll their eyes and sigh, "Oh no. Here we go again. The story of how all this started in the Donald Duck soft drink bottling factory…" But I used to carefully watch Dr. Falwell tell his story. He never told it boastfully. He didn't mind asking you to buy into all that was going on, because after all, it was God who was driving it.
7. Don't defend yourself and don't even bother responding to your critics. On any given day, his name might have been vilified in the news, but Dr. Falwell would appear jovial and pleasant. "The road to bitterness is paved by taking every little injustice to heart," I once heard him say.
8. There are a number of advantages to embracing your troubles. For Jerry Falwell, troubles were an important avenue toward spiritual maturity. "Troubles are not God's way of making you quit," he would opine. "Problems and challenges are God's way of showing you that He is faithful!"
9. Patriotism never goes out of date. Jerry Falwell could preach a sermon on "God and country" like no one else. He did speaking tours called, "I Love America," and "God Save America." The ministry's annual outdoor Fourth of July pageant rivaled something you would expect to see at Radio City Music Hall. He preached that democracy was a blessing entrusted to America by God. You could tell that for Dr. Falwell, America (and especially his home state of Virginia) was a cherished treasure.
10. The Gospel is the message of Christ's death, burial, and resurrection, and Christians are to share it every chance they get. When Jerry Falwell would be on national media, I would subconsciously listen for him to squeeze in- verbatim- the definition of the Christian "Gospel" as found in I Corinthians 15. Regardless of the subject at hand, in a deep Virginia brogue, Falwell would say, "The Gospel is the death, burial, and resurrection of Chreest."
Jerry Falwell taught that Christians are to be consistent witnesses. He might be doing an interview about why some area of Liberty University needed to be re-zoned for extra exit ramps onto the highway- but he would get in the Gospel.
For every one who's ever wanted to make a difference in the world but asks themselves, "I'm only an ordinary person, what can I possibly do?," think about Jerry Falwell. Sure, God did the work and rightly gets all the glory. But seriously folks, what Falwell accomplished in one short life can only be called "astonishing."
He truly was "aflame for God." Some of that fire found its way into countless other hearts, my own included.
Alex McFarland earned an M.A. in Christian Thought / Apologetics from Liberty University. He has authored five books, and currently serves as president of Southern Evangelical Seminary and the Veritas Graduate School, located near Charlotte (www.ses.edu)
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Re: 10 Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
| Posted On: 05/29/07 08:27:59 PM |
Age 62, TX |
You deny being judgmental, but you need to own up to the fact that you are. I didn't agree with everything Falwell said or taught, but I believe he did the best job he could with how he had been gifted, and truly tried to be a good Christian before God. In his lifetime, he did much more good than not. Will they say that about you when you die? So far, all I know about you is that you're a negative, bitter, critical, angry, Godless person. Over the years, I learned plenty from Falwell, and you have to admit that he has left quite a legacy through Liberty University (or are you only interested in the negative things?). You said you view the Bible as a work of fiction. You must deny belief in all the prophesy that was fulfilled by Jesus Christ, from His birth to His death and resurrection, including all the precision of the "when, who, how and why" of it. In light of that, how strange that you mentioned "End Time" prophecy. You bet it's interesting, and being fulfilled, in fact, is right on schedule like it never could have been in history before now. Why do you care who the early church or anyone else thought would be the antichrist? If Falwell believed the antichrist would be a Jew it doesn't make him an antisemite. You must be looking for antisemitism. If I said I believed the antichrist would be an American that doesn't make me anti-American! If you really don't believe there's any chance the Bible is true, then WHY are you wasting your time on it? Then WHY are you reading the articles on this site, or bothering leave posts on them? There is always one answer for all of you who do this: You're NOT SATISFIED that you're sure you shouldn't believe in God/Jesus as believers know Him. You're AFRAID of what's ahead for you and it's eating at you. You "pick" at Christians and try to engage them in arguments with your snide critiques and overt bashing because you're looking for some statement that will prove you right and Christians wrong. Well, sadly, you will never get it, and you're on your own in your bitterness. How sad. You're not receptive to the truth.
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Re: Re: Re: 10 Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
| Posted On: 05/23/07 02:22:55 PM |
Age 51, OH |
As re: your point #6 on Tinky Winky, I had to smile. Fully ONE YEAR BEFORE Rev. Falwell made his statement about Tinky Winky being a gay TeleTubbie, Newsweek, the Washington Post, and other major "news" magazines etc. had already spoken about the purple GAY TeleTubbie! Did you get that?? It was already known that this particular TeleTubbie was supposed to be gay. (check the Nexis archives online for 1998 and see for yourself) So for Rev. Falwell to repeat it shouldn't have been such a big deal - and yet it was. Such an outcry! It was disgusting the way the media howled and carried on about Falwell's comment.
Now - Rev. Falwell was not a perfect person. No one is. His life was under public scrutiny all the time - can you say that every utterance you made during the same timeframe was correct? No - neither you nor I nor anyone else besides Christ Himself could make that claim. It's okay to agree with the good and proper things Falwell said, and it is good to disagree with the improper things he said. Let's just determine to do it politely, remembering that when we point a finger at someone else - 3 fingers point at ourselves.
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Re: Re: 10 Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
| Posted On: 05/23/07 12:12:00 PM |
Age 37, NY |
No, I’m angry and saddened—big difference. For starters, the person that I responded to believes that apartheid was justified, as did Falwell. This has nothing to do with belief or disbelief in a god. Also, it seems to be contrary to kindness. So in a way, my response is an act of kindness.
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Re: 10 Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
| Posted On: 05/22/07 10:06:41 PM |
Age 68, MA |
You are eaten up with hate and bitterness. Since you don't believe in God, why torture yourself by reading articles on this site ?
Get outside of yourself & go commit an act of kindness toward someone. It may save your life. All that rage & anger can kill you.
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10 Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
| Posted On: 05/22/07 07:18:23 PM |
Age 37, NY |
I made some conclusions at the end that some might view as negative but the items on my list were mere observations based on Falwell’s actions. I was not making any judgments good or bad. But I will answer you anyway 1. Yes, but Falwell never learned any lessons as shown by his support for apartheid 20 years latter. 2. Are you telling me that it is better for some people to live in slave like conditions if it is for their own good or the good of some other people? You are a sick individual. You have no concept of what it means to be an American. Please leave. 3. First of all, I view the Bible as a work of fiction like just like The Iliad. The way that prophecy works in religious texts is so that at any given time the conditions of the world will reflect the prophecy. The beauty of these kinds of fictions in literature is that they reflect a deep understanding of human nature. How better to promote a religion than with a perpetual “End Times”. So early Christians thought the antichrist would be someone from the Roman Empire, later some thought it might be a Pope, Martin Luther, or Hitler. Falwell was just a product of his time and place (a white male in the south, coming of age before the civil rights era). Thus his anti-Semitic swipe is also not surprising. 4. The fact that you, Falwell and Osama all think like this way makes me feel sad for our civilization. Are you telling me the your imaginary god not only created everything but knows what is going to happen and controls exactly how it happens? Basically you are describing an animated cartoon. Wouldn’t this make your god responsible for everything that happens? How could our actions—that are scripted by god—be judged for anything? 5. So now, not only are we guilty for what god has orchestrated, we also have to pay for what Adam and Eve have done?!? 6. No don’t watch it, I prefer “Lost”. 7. No they did not do it out of love or Christian Brother they did it for something called 'civil liberties'—you should check it out. 8. Christians, Jews, and Muslims all have their own little take on what belongs to whom and for what reasons—all based on their own fictional holy books. If the problem were approached with secular eyes, a reasonable solution is foreseeable. But none of these religious groups are willing to do that. How sad. 9. No, I understand. Christianity is a self-deluded slave mentality. 10. There is big difference between saying something racist and being racist. Nor am I a community leader and an “educator” of young minds. But wait. You’re not allowed to quote Mathew 18 on this website…
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Re: Ten Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
| Posted On: 05/22/07 02:00:27 PM |
Age 44, PA |
1. You need lots and lots of money to build the Kingdom of men (Church).
2. Church building money can even come from Sun Yung Moon.
3. The greatest shall be first in his kingdom.
4. Degree's and education will move you up in the kingdom of men (institutional church).
5. The road isn't so narrow, just look at those BIG churches.
6. Politics and faith do not mix.
7. God loves big choirs
8. Ritual, Tradition and money= Church
9. There is nothing honorable by filling your institutions with mostly unbelievers (Cultural Christians)
10. How not to build the Kingdom of God!
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Re: Ten Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
| Posted On: 05/22/07 12:12:18 PM |
Age 45, MN |
Did Jerry Falwell really preach "that democracy was a blessing entrusted to America by God?" Did he refer to the democratic election process, or that of the Democratic form of government?
You see, it is important to know the difference between a Democracy and a Republic, as they are dissimilar forms of government.
These two forms of government—Democracy and Republic, are not only dissimilar but antithetical, reflecting the sharp contrast between The Majority Unlimited (Democracy), lacking any legal safeguard of the rights of The Individual and The Minority, and The Majority Limited (a Republic), under a written Constitution safeguarding the rights of The Individual and The Minority.
Consider the following quote,
“A Democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of Government. It can only exist until the voters discover they can vote themselves largess out of public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidate promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that Democracy always collapses over a loose fiscal policy, always to be followed by a Dictatorship." (Professor Alexander Fraser Tytler)
While our form of government was established as a Republic (see the US constitution, section 4), in practice we see it today function as a Democracy (a word that does not occur in the US Constitution).
Perhaps, according to Tytler, we should be concerned with what comes next?
For believers it should be noted that the difference between a Republic and Righteous Republic is that in a Republic the Government rules according to the law(s) set up by men. In a Righteous Republic, the law is the Law of God. Only in a Righteous Republic it can truly be said "One nation under God," for it is governed under the Law of the One True God. However, the promise is that it will be written on the heart, not parchment,
"I will put My Law within them and on their heart I will write it; and I will be their God, and they shall be My people." (Jeremiah 31:33b, NASB)
Politics aside, to this, I believe, Falwell would agree, as he is a man that lives by the Word.
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Re: 10 Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
| Posted On: 05/22/07 03:31:43 AM |
Age 41, TX |
1. Have you ever said something in the past that you based on the culture of the past, and changed your mind, later? 2. Are you aware of the current conditions of rampant crime, and elevated violence in general, in South Africa, these days, now that the indigenous locals have taken authoratative control? 3. Prove Dr. Falwell wrong, if you can. Only time will tell. 4. Judgments occur daily, and not one hair is harmed without God's approval. A judgment you should be more concerned about is your own, when you face Christ, and have to answer for your own transgressions against Him on Judgment Day. 5. AIDS, STDs, cancer, Alzheimers, etc., are all consequences of the Fall, and all are an example of God's punishment upon a world that has rebelled against Him. The individuals stricken aren't neccessarily guilty, directly, but through Adam and Eve's defiance of God's first instruction, death entered the world. Disease is one of its methods of fulfillment. 6. I don't watch Teletubbies, so I can't answer this one. Do you watch it? 7. I'm glad the ACLU did something right for a change, but I doubt if they defended Dr. Falwell out of love and Christian brotherhood. It was most likely a case they took to "balance" their defense record, if under scrutiny. 8. Christian Zionism IS good. Genesis 12:3: "And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed."
God made the real estate, God controls the real estate, and He can give it to anyone whom He chooses; If the neighbouring Islamic countries really cared about the Palestinians' plight, they would have given them some of their own vast, unused territory to establish a homeland, but they want to keep this open wound of refugee-ism a festering sore against Israel. Palestine was only named so due to an attempt to wipe out any memory of the Israelites' claim to the region, but God does not forget, and neither do we. 9. Christians do not question the desires and commands of the Lord for us. True Christians obey His Word, period. Since you are not a Christian, you will not understand this. I would venture to say that you have never been a slave, or a soldier, either, and know little of actual discipline. 10. I'm not familiar with this statement, but would deem it an awkward choice of comparison. I will point out, though, and only you know the answer to this, you have most likely said something racist, yourself, and when it comes to Matthew 18, "Judge not..." consider your criticism, wisely...
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10 Things I learned from Jerry Falwell
| Posted On: 05/21/07 08:11:26 PM |
Age 37, NY |
I leared some things too: 1) CIVIL RIGHTS ARE WRONG In 1965, he gave a sermon criticizing Martin Luther King and the Civil Rights Movement, which he sometimes referred to as the "Civil Wrongs Movement". 2) SUPPORTING APARTEID IN SOUTH AFRICA WAS GOOD. He was critical of sanctions against the Apartheid regime of South Africa. He called Nobel Peace Prize winner and Anglican Archbishop Desmond Tutu a phony "as far as representing the black people of South Africa." 3) “THE ANTICHRIST WILL BE A JEW.” 4) 9/11 WAS JUSTIFIED RETRIBUTION FROM GOD. We all know what he said about this. Ironically, Osama bin Laden feels the same. 5) “AIDS IS PUNISHMENT FROM GOD.” 6) “TINKY WINKY THE TELETUBBIE IS GAY.” 7) THE ACLU IS USEFUL ONLY IF YOU NEED IT. Falwell accepted support from The American Civil Liberties Union in his challenge of Virginia laws that restrict how much property a church can own. 8) CHRISTIAN ZIONISM IS GOOD. Despite Palestinian claims to their land. Falwell supported the no compromise attitude of the far right Israeli leaders to not only not give certain land back but taken even more—furthering the conflict to the heights we see today and ruining its chances for peace. 9) “CHRISTIANS, LIKE SLAVES AND SOLDIERS, ASK NO QUESTIONS.” 10) “THERE ARE ALMOST AS MANY ALCOHOLICS AS THERE ARE NEGROES.” Aside from his unscientific observations about the origin of AIDS and his self-proclaimed gaydar (radar that detects that which is gay), basically I’ve learned that Falwell was a racist, homophobic, Zionist, terrorist sympathizing warmonger.
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