Jerry Falwell was one of the giant figures who towered over the 20th century American church. Most people knew him as the founder of the Moral Majority, the face of the Religious Right, and because of some of his more controversial statements, many saw only a caricature of the real man.
The story was never told about his compassionate heart, his gentle spirit, his enormous sense of humor, and the millions he invested in helping the underprivileged. Jerry founded the Elim Home for alcoholics, the Center for tutoring inner city children, the Hope Aglow ministry for prisoners, Liberty Godparent Home for unwed mothers, and literally dozens of other compassion projects to help the poor, the sick, and others in desperate need.
I believe Jerry Falwell’s primary legacy will not be his political leadership, but the church he pastored for 50 years, the university he founded that has produced two generations of leaders, the millions who heard him preach the Good News, the innovations in ministry he introduced, and the thousands of young pastors, like myself, that he constantly encouraged.
Rick
5 responses so far ↓
David Foster // May 16, 2007 at 5:18 am
Thank you for rerminding me of those things that I admired most about Dr. Falwell in the early years. I had allowed other things to observe these more important qualities. Thanks for reminding me.
Dr. Falwell had a postitve impact on my life during my formative years.
Amy Scott // May 16, 2007 at 7:09 am
I would like to find out how others pastors reach families for Christ in their neighborhoods. I am putting together a VBS Family Fun Nights based on some of the Focus on The Family stuff. Does anyone have thoughts or ideas or have they done this before? All stories and comments are welcomed. Thanks
Pastor Amy Scott
Apopka FL
markeades // May 16, 2007 at 8:06 am
I’m one of those simple young people Jerry impacted. I’m thankful for him and his ministry.
John Brown // June 1, 2007 at 11:16 pm
I had the honor of sitting under the ministry of two giants in evangelical world…..different in their own ways but pivotal in their leadership…….”Jerry” and “Rick”. The first was just a regular guy who loved people, especially students at his university like myself and the latter is also just a goofy guy with a heart for God and heart of grace for people with a vision to “do church differently”.
I am indebted to both!
Blessed Dad // June 7, 2007 at 6:13 am
Jerry Falwell is a controversial figure, and I have often wished God had put a “clutch” on his mouth that automatically engaged when he made public comments and forced him to think about the implications of what he was going to say. It would have led to fewer public apologies. Then two things happened that totally changed my attitude toward him, one small, and one big.
I heard R. C. Sproul comment that he had once talked to a reporter about Falwell. Sproul said that he had never read or listened to Falwell very often, but he knew that Falwell was often making the media mad at him, so he said Falwell must have been doing something right.
Then my wife and I tried to get pregnant. We went through infertility treatments for several years, and I cannot image a more de-humanizing set of medical treatments. We learned of the Liberty Godparent Home, a home for unwed mothers, and Family Life Services, the adoption agency that works closely with the home.
Jerry Falwell raised the money to found both of these institutions after a reporter asked him a question. The reporter had asked Falwell where young women could go who needed help when they became pregnant and wanted to avoid abortion. Falwell replied, in typical, straightforward fashion, “I don’t know, but I will find out.”
To make a long, glorious story short, we adopted an infant girl from the agency Falwell founded. There was a special placement service when our daughter was placed by the agency in our care. Falwell himself came to the service, shook my hand, hugged my wife, held our daughter, and prayed a beautiful prayer for our new family.
It is very difficult to criticize a man like that. We are poorer for his absence.
In addition, keep in mind what Falwell himself would want emphasized: we serve a God who can take the pain of infertility and the anguish of an unplanned pregnancy, wrap His big arms around them, and mold them into something very beautiful. He truly does “work all things together for good,” and He often does this through the ministries He empowers His followers to begin.