Remembering Graham

I will always be grateful to Graham for the direction he gave me in how to read the Bible... learning the truth about God has given me peace and happiness in my life. The first 27 years of my life I was the best legalist in the SDA church but was never content.  I am convinced that I would have left the church if I did not discover what God is really  like and what He desires most.  The greatest gift anyone can have in this life is to know how free we are and a greater freedom is to discover "that by beholding we become changed," "It is a law that we become like the person we worship and admire." At 67 y/o I am still learning and growing and I thank the good Lord for having such a good foundation to study the Bible.  We love you!

Wally Hasselbrack, PT'72
California

When I first heard Graham's teaching about our God, it caused a paradigm shift in my thinking, how he based it on the premise of "friendship" and connecting that to "Good News". It caused me to fall in love with my God all over again.

I will always treasure the experience that I had with a group of fellow members of the Northridge, SDA Church when we spent a Sabbath afternoon with Graham at Pineknoll discussing our trip through all 66. He quoted a saying that afternoon that "No one could dive down so deep and come up so dry as a theologian." That certainly didn't describe Graham! I have never encountered anyone else in my lifetime that could dive down so deep and come up with such simple, concise, easily understood illustrations of some of the most difficult passages of scripture.

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I am so sorry to hear of the passing of Dr. Maxwell.  He was a very strong pillar of our faith and dedicated to share with us who God is.

Thank you very much and my prayers are with Dr. Maxwell's family and many friends.

Janet Sharp
Omaha, Nebraska

When we heard of his death it took us a while to get ourselves together.  We feel adrift.  He taught us so much about the Great Controversey and how to see it all in the plan.  Saved our lives--so many of us.  We loved him.  Nadine and the rest of us in Idaho.

Dr. Maxwell's "view" has rounded off a picture of God for me for which I had searched all my life. Also, thanks to my mother-in-law, Sigrid Whitsett, for passing on to me her Pine Knoll sabbath school tapes a couple of decades ago.

Chuck Holman

Summary of a phone tribute to Graham:

t.c. 12-10 Barbara Jones, Glendale, California

Barbara says when she was 19 at La Sierra College, Graham was about 30 and came to give a week of prayer.  She always remembered and admired him, and used to say she hoped he always stayed with the truths he taught, because she would follow him anywhere.  Later when she started a job with a big commute, in 1975, she began listening to his tapes and appreciating the picture of God she learned all over again.  She has continued listening and growing ever since.

When I think of Graham, the first thing I think of is the gracious way he spoke of others.  There were times when Graham would mention someone that I know from personal experience to be an absolute stinker, but Graham would select words to describe those same traits that made them sound almost like virtues.  I marveled at him.  Even his detractors were spoken of with respect.  I never heard him bad-mouth anyone.

He was superb also as a teacher of Greek.  It is possible nowadays to study Greek, or anything else, on the internet, by correspondence, or DIY with a book and recordings.  Graham's Greek classes were so much more.  Interwoven with the Greek itself was a constant flow of academic tidbits, Christian church history, denominational history, personal experiences and general good humor, combined with a fervor for the Greek itself.  His classes were an enrichment experience far beyond simply learning Greek.

As Jesus said of John the Baptist, he was a burning and a shining light.  He will be missed.

Jo Mae Robinson
California

I was raised as a 3rd generation Seventh-day Adventist. My Dad was a SDA minister - all of my education was within the SDA organization.

I started my search for a God I could like, at an early age and in earnest in my mid 30's.

I had a dear Aunt and Uncle that attended Dr. Maxwells Sabbath School class in Loma Linda for years.  They shared with me lots of things they were learning and also sent me some tapes.

My search for a God that made sense took many twists and turns, but Dr. Maxwell remained a constant source of information.  Dr. Maxwell was the most God like human I've ever met or known. Just being in his presence made me feel like I was in the presence of God. His picture of God is the only one that made any sense to me.  Dr. Maxwell taught me to think on my own and to ask questions.  Over time I had enough information to come to  Love and Trust and Hope in a Wonderful God.

Dr. Maxwell's death will be a hugh loss to this world, but his life's influence and his picture of God will live on forever.

Thank you Dr. Maxwell and Thank You God.

SJS Arnold
Colorado

Dale Wells told my late husband & me about Graham's class in Jan 1986, I believe.  We attended for a month or more while Weldon was having appointments at the medical center.  The class was in a campus classroom.

Barbara Waldal
Alaska

A few minutes ago, my wife, Lenoa, rushed into to my room and interrupted my reflection to inform me that Graham Maxwell had passed away last Sunday. Although I knew this would happen some day, I was deeply moved, and quietly sobbed for a moment as I recalled in one flash the kind of person he had been and the profound impact he has had on me over the last forty-three years. Along with Jack Provonsha, he was my mentor extraordinary. How little did I know that the impression his presentations and persona made on me during a week of prayer he conducted at AUC in 1976, (while I was a senior theology student there), would have been so profound, so lasting, and so transformative of my theology and my faith experience!

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It is with a heavy heart that I ask you to pass on  condolences to the Maxwell family.  God lost a couple of good friends on that day - Graham and my Barbara.  We know that the time is short and it appears that God is allowing his friends go to sleep in advance of the time of trouble.

You and the work that Graham started are in our prayers.

Neil & Lily Nieminsky
New Jersey

I have not written at all about Graham's passing - it has been too overwhelming.  Last week the song from the movie "To Sir, with Love" kept going around in my head.  How do you say good-by to someone who has been a part of your life for so long.  I am still processing it.

Donna Haerich
Florida