Chief Operating Officer of Samaritan’s Purse, Edward Graham, encouraged the student body to be bold in their faith at Convocation Wednesday Sept. 24, and Tony Merida, pastor of Imago Dei Church in Raleigh, North Carolina, challenged the students to be rooted in Christ when he spoke on stage Friday Sept. 26.
On Wednesday, Graham, who is also the grandson of late evangelist Billy Graham, addressed Liberty students and urged them to ground their faith in Christ and boldly live out the gospel, even when it invites opposition.
Graham drew from Matthew 7:24, reminding students that the storms of life reveal whether their foundation is built on sand or on the rock of Christ. He challenged them to not shy away from hardships but instead to use those opportunities to boldly grow in their faith.
Graham repeatedly told the students to “grow where you’re scared” as he shared his message. He explained that the challenges of following Christ are not signs of failure, but of faithfulness.
“You should find encouragement that flaming arrows are flying at you,” Graham said. “If Satan’s not flying arrows at you, you need to know and wonder where your spiritual walk is.”
Graham shared his journey with the student body, recounting how he attended Liberty for a year before transferring to West Point. He went on to serve in the U.S. Army for 16 years as a ranger. While he valued his time in service, Graham admitted that his identity began to rest too heavily in his military career.
“I want to be a part of something that lasts forever, and there’s only one thing that lasts forever, and that is the Kingdom of Jesus Christ,” Graham said.
Turning to Matthew 14:27, Graham reflected on the story of Jesus walking on the water with Peter. He urged students to keep their eyes fixed on Jesus and to not be content with a safe or comfortable faith.
“If you want to be part of a miracle, you’ve got to get out of the boat,” Graham said.
Graham stressed that discomfort is often a sign of obedience to God’s will. He warned students against complacency, calling them to live in a way that testifies to the Gospel regardless of the cost.
He reminded students of Jesus’ words in John 17:17: “Sanctify them in the truth; your word is truth.” These words shaped his own outlook on life and ministry. Graham emphasized that the power to change the world does not come from human wisdom, but from proclaiming Christ.
Throughout his message, Graham proclaimed that opposition to the Gospel should not discourage believers. Instead, it should serve as a confirmation of their faithfulness.
“If you’re not hated for your faith, where is your faith?” Graham asked.
He then urged students to embrace that reality together.
“We’re in a world where you will get hated. Let’s get hated together,” Graham said.
Graham asked students to consider where their ultimate foundation lies as they prepare to leave the university and step into their future callings. His parting encouragement was direct: “Go where you’re scared.”
On Friday, Merida spoke from Colossians 1:15-23, urging students to marvel at the supremacy of Christ and to anchor their lives in his sufficiency.
“As he (Paul) starts talking about Christ, he just gushes with praise,” Merida said about Colossians 1. “Because Christ was his favorite subject.”
Merida noted how Paul describes Jesus as the one who rescues believers from the domain of darkness and transfers them into the kingdom of God’s beloved son. He reminded the audience of the heart of Paul’s message.
“Jesus is enough for your salvation, for daily life, for all eternity,” Merida said. “When you see his supremacy, you believe he’s actually sufficient. His sufficiency is what gives us hope.”
Merida organized his sermon around six “glorious truths” about Christ. First, he pointed to Christ’s clarity, emphasizing that Jesus is the image of the invisible God and that knowing him is crucial to walking faithfully.
Second, Merida spoke of Christ’s creation, highlighting Paul’s description of Jesus as the firstborn over all creation. He underscored Christ’s sovereignty over all things.
“We don’t worship a puny Christ, we worship a preeminent Christ,” Merida said.
Thirdly, he explained Christ’s control, drawing from verse 17. He explained that Jesus is the one who keeps the world in control.
“He keeps the cosmos from becoming chaos,” Merida said.
Fourth, he emphasized Christ’s church, reminding students that Christ is the head of his body and that Christians are called to live out their faith in community.
“It’s an amazing privilege to be a part of Jesus’ church, isn’t it?” Merida said.
Merida then turned to his fifth point, highlighting Christ’s conquest through his resurrection. Referencing verse 18, he shared how Jesus is the beginning and the first to come from death to resurrected life and will never die again.
“Jesus took the voyage into the darkness and death and came out in resurrection glory. And he can take your hand, and he can take my hand, and he can say ‘as I live, you also will live,’” he said.
Finally, Merida highlighted Christ’s cross as the means of reconciliation. He urged students to hold firm in their faith.
“Don’t waffle, don’t move, don’t lose your hope, stick with Jesus,” Merida said.
He concluded by reminding students that their hope rests not in their own strength but in Christ’s finished work.
“There is an empty tomb in the Middle East, and an occupied throne in heaven,” Merida said.
Across this week’s Convocations, both Graham and Merida pointed back to a central truth of the Christian faith: life built on Christ is secure, sufficient and worth any cost.
Whether through Graham’s call to “go where you’re scared” or Merida’s reminder that “Jesus is enough for your salvation,” each speaker urged students to live boldly and faithfully, rooted in the eternal hope of the Gospel.
Clardy is an intern for the Liberty Champion.