When I was 20 years old, I met Billy Graham. And for the next 40 years, he mentored me, encouraged me and shaped my life in profound ways.
Here are a few things he taught me:
- Make the Bible your authority for everything. Billy Graham said, "I accept Jesus Christ by faith, so I'm going to accept God's Word by faith—even though I don't understand it all."
- Stay true to your calling. Billy Graham was more focused on bringing people to Jesus than anything else. He was a friend of sinners. He showed that we don't have to agree with someone to love and respect them.
- Remain humble, encouraging and pure. Billy Graham encouraged people. He encouraged other ministries. He stood before millions of people, yet never forgot he was simply God's servant. He maintained personal purity throughout his ministry.
- Use the latest technology and multiple channels. Billy Graham preached the same gospel message in a world that was constantly changing. He proved that a pure heart transcends time, culture and generations.
I hope this encourages you to live the life you've been created to live! 
For the original article, visit pastorrick.com.
Rick Warren is the founding pastor of Saddleback Church, one of America's largest and most influential churches. He is the author of the New York Times bestseller The Purpose Driven Life. His book, The Purpose Driven Church, was named one of the 100 Christian books that changed the 20th century. Pastor Rick started The PEACE Plan to show the local church how God works through ordinary people to address the five global giants of spiritual emptiness, self-serving leadership, poverty, disease, and illiteracy. You can listen to Daily Hope, Pastor Rick's daily 25-minute audio teaching, or sign up for his free daily devotionals at PastorRick.com. He is also the founder of Pastors.com, a global online community created to encourage pastors.
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