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I had the wonderful privilege of doing part of my undergraduate work at Liberty University in Lynchburg, Virginia (it was called Liberty Baptist College in those days). As a Liberty student and member of Thomas Road Baptist Church I met Dr. Jerry Falwell on more than one occasion and always found him to be warm and accessible. I was still wrestling with God’s call on my life to preach the gospel when I enrolled at Liberty, and it was on a Sunday evening at Thomas Road Church that I walked the aisle, shook Dr. Falwell’s hand, and said, “Tonight I surrender to God’s call to preach the gospel.” In those few seconds together, Dr. Falwell told me he was proud of me, prayed with me, and challenged me to always be faithful to God’s Word.
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My Wife Kim In College Pictured with Jerry Falwell & B.R. Lakin c. 1981
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So it was with a fair amount of sadness that I received the recent news that Dr. Falwell had gone home to be with the Lord. It seemed to me that his death represented the end of an era, although I pray often for God's blessing and annointing on Dr. Falwell's sons Jerry, Jr. and Jonathon, who will lead the university and church respectively.
As a Liberty alumnus, I was especially blessed by a recent article by Thomas Road Baptist Church staff member, Don Fanning, entitled, “The Jerry Falwell I Knew.” I hope you enjoy it too.
The Jerry Falwell I Knew by Don Fanning
I was sitting in a restaurant in Lynchburg with Dr Falwell and key leaders of the ministry discussing a strategy for a multi-million dollar fundraising project and future building changes for the church and university. We had finished the heavy conversation and were enjoying “batting around” baseball scores and player statistics when a man walked up to the table.
Dressed in wrinkled kakis, a shirt half tucked in and half out, a several day-old beard, a cigarette in one hand and a beer can in the other, the man breaks into our conversation, “Excuse me, Are you Jerry Falwell?” Everyone braced for what might happen next.
Dr. Falwell gave him his full attention. With a slight slur the man continued, “I’ve always been a fan of yours, but I’d like to ask a favor of you.” Jerry responded, “Sure, I’ll do whatever I can to help you.”
“Well, you see I’ve got a friend who needs some help. He was in the war (Viet Nam) and got pretty messed up, lost his family, got on drugs, and now he is diagnosed with cancer. He doesn’t have much more time to live. He lives in a run-down trailer park and doesn’t care about living anymore. Doc, would you be able to go visit him to encourage him a little?”
“Sure I would,” taking out a paper from his pocket he asked, “What is his name and address?” The shocked visitor did not really expect such an immediate positive response, but said, “Well, it is a small trailer that is pretty unkept and dirty.” Jerry said, “That doesn’t make any difference, I’ll go see him.” The man gave Jerry the name of the trailer park and the address of the trailer. The man couldn’t believe Jerry would be willing to go visit his friend.
A week later I heard one of his assistants relate that indeed, Dr. Falwell did go visit this war veteran, who lived as miserably described or worse. He spent thirty minutes in his trailer and led the man to Christ. Someone told the ministry that two months later the man died of cancer.
Oddly, nothing more was ever said of this encounter. As I have talked to others of his close staff, there are hundreds of such stories that only a few know about. Dr. Falwell was not the bragging kind. He was just as comfortable sharing the gospel with a poor alcoholic as speaking on a national television program to millions, or speaking with clarity God’s truths to the President of the United States … often in the same day.
This is the Jerry Falwell that I knew, loved and had the honor of serving in the ministry at Thomas Road Baptist Church and Liberty University.
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