BELTON, Texas— The University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) was honored to welcome Christian evangelist and missionary Franklin Graham as the featured speaker for the 2023 McLane Lecture on Oct. 11 in the Frank and Sue Mayborn Campus Center arena.
The fourth of five children of the late evangelist Billy Graham and his wife, Ruth Bell Graham, Franklin Graham is the President and CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, an international Christian relief and evangelism organization, and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), which proclaims the Gospel of Jesus Christ around the world. He actively works with hurting people in areas affected by war, famine, disease, poverty, disaster, and persecution. Proclaiming the Gospel in the far corners of the globe, he has shared the hope of Jesus through more than 325 evangelistic outreaches in over 55 countries and territories and in all 50 states.
As a speaker and author, Graham regularly addresses current moral and social issues, calling Christians to stand for Biblical values and challenging them to make a difference in the world for the sake of the Gospel. He is editor-in-chief of BGEA’s Decision magazine, the “Evangelical Voice for Today,” which features solid Scriptural teaching as well as timely articles with a Biblical worldview about issues and events in today’s culture, including many topics that affect the freedom of believers to live out their faith.
Graham challenged the crowd of more than 2,500 students, faculty, staff, and special guests to “get it right!” He said, “We’re all on a journey called life. You only have one shot at life. You don’t want to miss it. You don’t want to mess around. You want to get it right. Make your life count. Don’t waste your time. Have some fun, but know what you want to do and do it!”
Graham went on to say, “Proverbs 3: 5-6 – ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways, acknowledge him; he will direct your path.’ That doesn’t mean you don’t use your understanding or education. It just means that you don’t depend or lean on them. You have to trust the Lord. Acknowledge him. And then, start moving!”
This is the 19th McLane Lecture sponsored by Elizabeth and Drayton McLane Jr. The purpose of the McLane Lecture is to bring outstanding individuals to the UMHB campus to share their experiences and insights about leadership, government, business, and faith. Franklin Graham joins a long list of exceptional McLane Lecture speakers, including Dr. Tony Evans, Charlie Duke, George W. Bush, Chuck Norris, Mary Lou Retton, George Foreman, and more.
