falwell-thumbnail.jpgI have to write about the passing of Jerry Falwell yesterday. I was shocked and saddened when I saw the news.

I went to Liberty University, the school Falwell founded, and I have a few memories of the man.

Suburban on the sidewalk. Dr. Falwell used to like to pretend like he was going to run you over as he drove on campus in his Suburban.

Crowd surfing at basketball games. He would start at the floor level in the student section and we’d lift him to the top. He was in attendance often.

Friendly. I remember walking up the ravine one day to get to the top and see Dr. Falwell there. He stopped to talk to me and my friends and shake our hands. He was always very personable.

A visionary leader. His first sermon every year was about having vision, and it would always come from the story of Nehemiah rebuilding the walls. It was, in fact, his life. He was a visionary leader. Another lesson I learned from him was that when he was starting his church, he would knock on doors everyday until he had at least talked to 100 people. He would simply ask them for prayer requests and introduce himself. He was a hard worker.

One day, I was near the mansion praying early in the morning, and I saw him coming in to work after having worked out at the gym. Despite his weight issues, he did work out.

A legacy. Falwell’s passion was to raise up young champions for Christ. I believe he did that in his lifetime. I do not agree with everything that he believed or did, but he lives on in the ministries of those of us who learned from him and the other people he trusted to train us.

Those are a few of the things I remember about Dr. Jerry Falwell.