As we commemorate the life and ministry of the Reverend Billy Graham today, there is much that can and should be said about his legacy.

But I also have to speak about him in a very personal way. In 1993—when I was elected President of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary—he indicated he wanted to do whatever he could to help me in the cause of recovering and reforming SBTS, moving it in a very clearly, confessionally, decidedly conservative direction.

So: I asked him to speak at my inauguration as President of Southern.

And he did. He pointed to the gospel, he pointed to Christ, and he gave an enormous word of affirmation that was invaluable to the great cause of recovering the institution I lead to this day.

The best way to honor Billy Graham—I’m confident he’d say—is to preach the gospel he preached. Starting here. Starting now.