What’s In A Name?

On October 7, 2011, we officially dedicated the new Billy Graham Community Life Commons. Northwestern was honored to have Rev. William “Will” Graham IV, Billy Graham’s grandson, here for the ceremonies. Before all of the joy subsides, let’s take this moment to re-dedicate ourselves to serve the Master Builder of this great facility!

Who but the great I AM, when a great evangelist was needed, would pick an inexperienced young man who was president of a small Christian college in Minnesota? And who but God, when that college chose to honor the evangelist 60 years later, would make it possible to build the 70,000 square-foot, award-winning Community Life Commons?

In his letter to Northwestern, read at the dedication by Will Graham, Billy Graham said, “I never dreamed, back then in 1952, what great things God had in store for Northwestern. We have seen Him expand and bless the college and its outreach. To God be the glory—great things He has done!”

Graham continued, “It is my prayer that each student who uses the Community Life Commons building will be challenged to a deeper personal commitment to faith in Jesus Christ, first of all, and then to do the work of an evangelist at every opportunity the Lord puts before them, to share the good news of the Gospel in their daily lives, whatever career path He has chosen.”

Yes, the Graham Commons truly is a place where students will be challenged to grow in their faith. I think that Billy Graham will be pleased to learn that the building named in his honor is quietly becoming a place on campus where students go to be with God and fellowship with one another.

Long before the formal ribbon cutting on October 7, faith was running through the halls of Northwestern. We have heard the stories of how Billy Graham liked to engage students and others in fruitful conversation during his four years as president of Northwestern. He helped build and sustain our Christ-centered, biblically based mission. Many of our alumni and past employees are witnesses to those moments.

In his remarks at the dedication, Will Graham told the audience, “God knows what our shortcomings in life are. But He puts the right people around us [to strengthen us].” Graham named some of the people who helped his grandfather. He shared about George Wilson ’36, “my granddaddy’s right-hand man,” and Luverne Gustavson ’39, Billy Graham’s long-time personal secretary. Both Wilson and Gustavson were Northwestern employees during Dr. Riley and Billy Graham’s tenure and both later left the college to help Graham build his ministry with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. God is faithful!

In his letter, Billy Graham also wrote, “I am never comfortable having my name on buildings or organizations, but because of my deep appreciation for Northwestern, I am overwhelmed that you would name the new building in my honor.”

In Christian humility, Billy Graham is pointing us to God.

In 1 Corinthians 8:6, Paul helps us focus on the One who we truly honor: “…there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.”

God the Father and Jesus Christ are one. Names above all other names. I think Paul’s verse gives us a framework for understanding Billy Graham’s reluctance to have his name used on buildings. More importantly, Paul helps us understand that it is because of Christ we live and can share the same name: Christian.

To read previous On the Journey meditations, please visit our archive page.