Paul Davis - George Beverly Shea: Tell Me the Story

GEORGE BEVERLY SHEA

tell me the story

Paul Davis

Contents

George Beverly Shea

tell me the story

2009 Paul Davis

All rights reserved

Printed in the United States of America

ISBN 978-1-932307-29-0

Cover Design & Page Layout by David Siglin of A&E Media

Photographs courtesy of Russ Busby - BGEA

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DEDICATED TO MY DEAR WIFE HAZEL, OUR WONDERFUL

CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN, OUR FAITHFUL PARENTS AND

OUR LOVING CHURCH.

Tell Me the Story of Jesus

Tell me the story of Jesus, Write on my heart every word;

Tell me the story most precious, Sweetest that ever was heard.

Tell how the angels, in chorus, Sang as they welcomed His birth,

Glory to God in the highest! Peace and good tidings to earth.

Fasting alone in the desert, Tell of the days that are past.

How for our sins He was tempted, Yet was triumphant at last.

Tell of the years of His labor, Tell of the sorrow He bore,

He was despised and afflicted, Homeless, rejected and poor.

Tell of the cross where they nailed Him, Writhing in anguish and pain;

Tell of the grave where they laid Him, Tell how he liveth again.

Love in that story so tender, Clearer than ever I see;

Stay, let me weep while you whisper, Love paid the ransom for me.

Fanny J. Crosby 1820-1915

Acknowledgments

Special thanks to George Beverly and Karlene Shea, Franklin Graham, Cliff and Anne Barrows, Kerri Bruce, Russ Busby, George Hamilton IV, Bob and Terry Carrise, Maury Scobee, Donna Lee Toney, Pat Boone, Jerry Arhelger, Wes and Sue Davis, Sir Cliff Richard, Bud Tutmarc, Connie Smith, Chet Atkins, Danny Davis, Richard Bewes, Wanda Jackson, Paul and Jill Wheater, Judy Leighand, and Stewart Hamilton.

The people at Ambassador International have been most helpful, with special thanks to Samuel Lowry, who worked with me to make the book a reality and also to Timothy Lowry and Alison Storm for their invaluable assistance in the production.

Appreciation

For a lifetime I have loved to sing the story of Jesus and His love.

Paul Davis has been so kind in bringing together some of his thoughts concerning those who have served the Lord Jesus in the ministry of song. What a privilege I have had for all these years, here in the homeland and in far-off places, just another voice lifting up praises to the Lord our precious Saviour.

Paul has known great success for almost a lifetime in the production of sacred recordings of gospel singers in the UK and the USA. Knowing many of the fine vocal artistsof the Nashville scene he has presented an interesting time line of composers and performers of music over the years. For all of us there are still songs to sing, and Gods promises to rely upon.

George Beverly Shea

Foreword

My father, Billy Graham, is known for a phrase, The Bible says. And the Bible says that a threefold cord is not quickly broken (Ecclesiastes 4:12b NKJV).

In the early beginnings of my fathers global ministry, the Lord gave him a rare gifta team of godly men who travelled with him and ministered by his side. George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows were especially equipped to strengthen my fathers vision to win lost souls for Jesus Christ. Along with others, this band of brothers travelled together across the nation and around the world with a singular focusto fulfill their calling to go into all the world and preach the gospel (Mark 16:15b NKJV).

One of the great testimonies for Jesus Christ has been the longevity of this trio of men who have prayed together, preached together, and praised the Lord for bringing them together to serve the Lord longer than any other evangelistic team.

In this book, George Beverly Shea: Tell Me the Story , its author Paul Davis shines a rare spotlight on George Beverly Shea, a common man in his own eyes, but endowed with an uncommon gift of seeing his life as a vessel for the Lords use. There are not many people today who reach their 100 th birthday with the vigor manifested in this unique Christian gentleman I have always addressed as Uncle Bev.

Paul Davis has captured Bev Sheas talent, humor, commitment and outlook on life that describes one of Gods true servants. In these pages you will get more than a glimpse into the depth of a man who believed Gods Word would open the hearts to searching souls and provide comfort and bring peace through the wonderful gift of music.

In over sixty years of ministry together my father often said that the Lord used Bevs message in song to prepare the hearts of those in the audience and set the tone for the gospel message. There is no doubt that God orchestrated the paths of these two servants of the Lord to intersect. I thank the Lord for the remarkable witness and impact that George Beverly Shea has had for a century. May God continue to bless him and use his music to draw others to Christ as long as time lasts.

Franklin Graham

President & CEO

Billy Graham Evangelistic Association

Introductions

Ive esteemed it to be one of the greatest privileges of my life to have worked with a man whom I loved and respected from afar as a boy. My mother got one of the early copies of his song, Id Rather Have Jesus, and she told me, Son, I want you to memorize this song. These are wonderful words, and I covet them for you. Well, I did memorize them and they moved me greatly, and they have all these years. Bev is not a performer, but one who ministers. Many soloists try to let you know how great their voice is through some dramatic fashion, but Bev would never do that. He did not want to draw any attention to himself. Bev Shea had been the anchor in all of our Crusade programming through the years. Weve had many varied and talented artists who have stirred and moved the people, but we always knew that when Bev sang before Mr. Graham preached, the Spirit of God would overrule anything that had been said, sung or done, and would prepare the people for the preaching of the Word. No one knew this better than Mr. Shea. That certainly goes for me, too. My greatest privilege through the years was to say, and now before Mr. Graham speaks, heres George Beverly Shea to sing for you. I thank God for my brother, for the friendship weve enjoyed together around the world. God has been so gracious to us, to allow Bev to live so long, and I cannot imagine the world of Christian music without the voice of my beloved friend, Americasand the worldssinger of sacred song, George Beverly Shea.

Cliff Barrows, Charlotte, North Carolina

A 100th birthday is always a fantastic achievement, even more so when the centenarian is still commanding a public stage. The first time that I ever heard George Beverly Shea sing was in the sixties at a Billy Graham crusade. I was really amazed and, if Im really honest, slightly envious. He stood there and this voice came out that sounded so confident, rich and resonant. What also really amazed me was it didnt matter whether he sang something ancient or modern. With the passage of time, things havent changed. He still sounds confident, rich, and resonant today, a century since his birth.