Legacy

"I want to leave a legacy

How will they remember me?

Did I choose to love?

Did I point to you enough to make a mark on things?

I want to leave an offering

A child of mercy and grace who blessed Your name unapologetically

And leave that kind of legacy" 

Nicole Nordeman "Legacy"

Austin Ray Stanford
1917-2012

He became a force in my life before I knew him. He was an evangelist who started a youth ministry named Youth Ranch in Coconut Grove Florida. He went on to Co-found Florida Bible College. He led a lot of young people to the Lord, one of whom married his daughter and came to Atlanta to start a Youth Ranch ministry in this city. When I was 13 years old, I sat on a carpet square in a ridiculously decorated garage in Chamblee and heard his son-in-law use the same illustration shown above to explain the gospel of Christ. He raised his right hand and said "Let this hand represent you and me." Then he raised his left hand and said "Let this hand represent God." Pulling his wallet out of his pocket with his right hand he said "Let this wallet represent our sin" holding it in his right hand. "The bible tells us that everyone has sinned." He held up  the wallet and said "We all have sin" and placing the wallet between both hands he explained "This sin separates us from God, but God loves us and does not want  us to be separated from Him. So He sent his son Jesus Christ to come and die on the cross for our sins." then he quoted 2 Corinthians 5:21 " For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." and as he quoted it he moved the wallet from his right hand to his left hand to show that our sin had been removed by the death of Christ Jesus, and putting the wallet back into his pocket explained that we were made righteous by the death of Jesus. This was an illustration that he'd learned from Ray while he was a student at Florida Bible College. That night I trusted Christ as my savior. 

I met Ray and his wife Sue later that year when I went to the first ever junior high camp that the ministry had ever held. I spent every summer of my youth afterward at that camp listening to Ray expound on the gospel and on discipleship. He was extraordinarily charismatic and drew crowds where ever he went. And where ever he went he preached the gospel. He lived his life to draw people to Christ. By the time I met him, he'd reached tens of thousands of people with the gospel.

Even this great servant of God was a human, and in 1975 it was revealed that he'd had an affair with one of the students at FBC, and Ray left the ministry. He later married the student and they stayed married. It took years, but he did eventually return to the ministry preaching the gospel in India and Asia, but he did not attempt to create another ministry in the United States. In the early 1990's at a FBC Alumni retreat at the Simpsonwood Conference Center in Atlanta, Ga, Ray asked forgiveness from his family and was reunited with them. He remained married to his second wife. 

The last time I saw him was at his 90th birthday party thrown for him by the FBC Alumni Association. It was good to see him in the limelight with his old friends. But as always, he deflected the celebration of him to a celebration of the gift of salvation we had received from God. He apologized profusely for his indiscretions, and spoke lovingly of his departed first wife. Because I had married his daughter's foster son, I was counted as family and had many pictures taken with them that evening.

Today this great man of God went home. I'm sure that there are parties raging in heaven tonight. There are many who were influenced by this man to accept the gift of salvation and more than a few preceded him home. I am also very sure that he heard the words "Well done, my good and faithful servant." from our Father. 

I want to be sad, but my soul screams that this is a monumentally joyous event. We will see him again where no one will remember his indiscretions, and there will be no need to preach the gospel.

Welcome Home Ray. I'll catch you on the other side.

ADDENDUM:
Obituary from the Daytona Beach News-Journal

Austin Ray Stanford passed away May 21, 2012 with his wife of 37 years by his side. He had a wonderful life for 95 years. Ray was born in Winter Haven, FL to Evelyn Knox and Austin Stanford. He is survived by his wife Susan Morris Stanford; a son Austin Lee Stanford of Atlanta, GA; two daughters Jayne Morillo of Pharr, TX and Patti Shaffer of Celebration, FL; several grand and great grandchildren. Ray was an avid athlete. He raced motorcycles in Daytona Beach when they were still racing on the beach. He enjoyed swimming, sailing, and tennis where he won medals at the senior olympics. He could also barefoot waterski. During World War II, he enlisted in the Army Air Force where he became a 1st Lieutenant and piloted a B24 bomber that flew several missions in Europe. He was even shot down and was able to crash land in France, saving his entire crew earning him the Distinguished Flying Cross and several other air medals. After the war, Ray worked for the National Cash Register Company and was in charge of the entire downtown area of Miami, FL. He then became an ordained minister and received his doctorate. Ray was the founder and president of the Christian Youth Ranch, as well as Grace Community Church, Florida Bible Church and Florida Bible College. Dr. Stanford has traveled the globe preaching the gospel as well as helping to start Bible Colleges in India and Egypt. He even debated the famous athiest Madalyn Murray O'Hair. The family will be receiving friends Wednesday May 23 from 6pm-8pm at Shannon Maloney Funeral Home, 4084 Halifax Dr. Port Orange, FL. Funeral services will be held at Oaklawn Cemetery in Winter Haven, Florida on Thursday May 24 at 10am.