Pastor Rocky Sasaki with Kauai Island Ministries will miss Billy Graham.
“But what he did will live on,” Sasaki said. “He always preached with dynamics and conviction.”
Sasaki has always been a supporter, once visiting Graham’s church in North Carolina, standing on his pulpit, and being impressed with his humbleness and hospitality.
“His presentation is always simple; it’s always the same message,” said Sasaki. “He wants you to go to heaven with him.”
Many leaders have expressed respect and admiration for the evangelist, who provided spiritual counsel for every American president from Harry Truman to Barack Obama.
“My memories of Billy Graham are mainly from my childhood and seeing him on TV with his annual crusades,” said the Rev. Larry LaSota. “I do, however, remember his support of Martin Luther King to fight racism, transcending religion for brotherhood.”
Graham’s crusades even brought him to Kauai one Sunday afternoon on Feb. 28, 1965. He preached to an audience that filled the Kauai War Memorial Convention Hall’s 1,100 seats, while several hundred more overflowed into the back and lobby.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association produced books and inspirational movies that were shown across the Hawaiian Islands, many for free outdoor shows at Sasaki’s previous church in Kahuku on the Big Island.
“Those Christian movies really impacted me as well as the people who came to see the movies,” Sasaki said. “They’ve done so much for the Christian community.”
The Evangelistic Association is working to bring Graham’s grandson, Will, to speak on Kauai in the summer of 2019. Kauai also continues to remain in the forefront of contributing to Franklin Graham’s program, Operation Christmas Child, last year sending about 3,000 shoeboxes with gifts to children overseas.
“He’s among the greatest evangelists we’ve ever known in present day,” said Pastor Tom Iannucci from Breath of Life Christian Ministries of Lihue. “There’s nobody readily available to step up and fill that void.”
Iannucci served as an infield captain at one of Graham’s last crusades that drew 270,000 people to San Diego’s Qualcomm Stadium in 2003.
“Just the compassion and the passion in his message that he preached was very simplistic,” Iannucci said. “He was never up there preaching down on people, but he definitely preached an eye-level message of love and hope. His message was consistent throughout the years of his ministry.”
Iannucci related a story when a famous Christian musician kneeled in front of Graham on the stage and kissed his hand. Graham quickly yanked the man back up to look him eye to eye.
“He was a regular guy. He wasn’t a superstar, he was a man of humility,” Iannucci said,
“There was never a sense of grandeur.”
“His unswerving dedicated message in life never changed,” he added. “You could count on him, he was consistent.”
Graham preached the Gospel of Jesus to millions of people for decades, Iannucci said.
“You just don’t see guys like that,” he said. “It’s a great loss, he was very
impactful.”
Billy Graham was anything but humble. He was clearly in it for money and power. Make no mistake about it. His son Franklin is even worse.
Wow. Did he die? Remembering hearing him on TV on Sundays. He used to preach on TV when I was 9 years old. I forgot the specifics of it. Many people knew about him, even devout catholics heard of him. I guess. He preached God and man needing a saviour. 1965, start of the Vietnam war, Saigon, Vietnam. Vietcong forces. But what was that to him. Not much churches on Kaua’i then. Many believed then. But what was that to them now? Many saw the healing sevices he had. He was a descendant of European ancestors. From the 1700s movement into U.S.A.
I am assuming Billy Graham died. Anyway, I just remember he preached God and the need for man’s salvation. So that was him. I didn’t keep up with his ministry, but many on Kaua’i, oldies, may have heard of him.
Is it safe to say, because I heard of Billy Graham on TV, I can finally call California my retirement home and that job my career job. Really. I’m going to point him out and say he did it. When I retire in California and live a life of fulfullment, rather than a life of failure. Is this ok? Salvation message. Kaua’i. I will have fulfilled all my goals, and have prevailed victory over the hardships of making a living. If this is so, I’ll do it. I win over the obstacles of life. I will be in California if you need me. Thanks Billy Graham. If this was his mesage also to the world, I am mentioning his name too.