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Falwell: An Autobiography
Jerry Falwell, the outspoken and controversial preacher from Lynchburg, Virginia shares in his autobiography his life and his faith, drawing from his own experiences lessons about sin and forgiveness, the meaning of the Bible, prayer, and much more.
486 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1996
3 people are currently reading
41 people want to read
About the author
Jerry Falwell
119 books6 followersJerry Falwell, Sr. was the founding pastor of the Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia. He co-founded Liberty University with Dr. Elmer L. Towns in 1971. He was also a founding member of the Moral Majority.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 8, 2022
I confess I would have never read this book had my sister not shared it with me. I loved every single page of it. I had heard of Jerry Falwell, but I simply did not know the magnitude of his ministry and the work of his life. He tirelessly worked for Jesus. There are many quotes I want to save from this book, and they are as follows.
“Keep looking up in the midst of your personal storms” (11).
“What we know to do, we do not. And what we know not to do, we do anyway” (38).
“One sin invariably leads to another” (68).
We may find ourselves looking on our pasts with regrets. We may say, I wish I had… I know there are things I would like to have a second chance at. However, Falwell said, “Wishing is a waste of time” (125). That is applicable to me…
“People wear masks to hide their suffering” (136).
“We can trust what the Biblical authors have written to be the truth because we can trust the God who inspired each of them. They do not contradict each other. They do not make mistakes or tell lies. Although they wrote with their own words, the Bible is the Word of God. It is the only infallible revelation of God’s mind and purpose for the believer. Historically, the Bible is accurate. Geographically it is correct. Theologically it is without error. Scientifically it is believable. And as literature it is unfailingly beautiful, inspiring, and captivating to anyone who comes to it with an open heart and lively mind” (165).
“The purpose of the Bible is to reveal the mind of God to every man and woman upon the earth. The central message of the Bible is the Gospel: Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, fallen man is reconciled to a holy God” (165).
“The Bible is God’s love story to the human race…God…desires to communicate with us, and for that purpose He has given us a Book…And on each and every page of each and every book God is alive and revealing Himself to anyone who will listen” (165).
“God’s Holy Spirit has come. His Spirit lives within every believer. When we open God’s book, the Holy Spirit goes to work immediately to guide our reading, to inform our minds, and to love our hearts. With each verse, His voice speaks in our hearts God’s own words of comfort and direction” (165).
“By reading the Bible God informs and illuminates us with His truth. He is able to speak to us through the Bible and give us direction and guidance in our daily lives. Through the Bible God is able to direct us away from sin and into ministry and service” (165-166).
“There is nothing like a Psalm to perk me up and renew my courage and my determination. The Proverbs of Solomon are rich in practical wisdom and full of humor” (166).
“When you want something from God, don’t stop asking Him until you get it” (197).
“I believe in ignoring the walls that people build. Behind the facade that separates us, we are all alike” (217).
“The larger the task we have to accomplish, the more that prayer is essential” (261).
“No matter what dream consumes us, our relationship to God and to our family must come first” (288).
“With every triumph there is crucifixion. With every win there is defeat” (337).
“In God’s world, we submit to Him. In man’s world we submit to God and to the law of man…when there is a conflict between the worlds, the world of God takes precedence over the world of man” (367).
“We cannot forget God’s law as we live in man’s world. We must try to live by God’s law in both worlds” (367).
“I look on socialism as mutually shared poverty” (397).
“There are far more valleys than mountain tops in the Christian life. God sends us two bad days for every good day in order to keep us looking towards Him.” ~Jerry Falwell (471)
“Keep looking up in the midst of your personal storms” (11).
“What we know to do, we do not. And what we know not to do, we do anyway” (38).
“One sin invariably leads to another” (68).
We may find ourselves looking on our pasts with regrets. We may say, I wish I had… I know there are things I would like to have a second chance at. However, Falwell said, “Wishing is a waste of time” (125). That is applicable to me…
“People wear masks to hide their suffering” (136).
“We can trust what the Biblical authors have written to be the truth because we can trust the God who inspired each of them. They do not contradict each other. They do not make mistakes or tell lies. Although they wrote with their own words, the Bible is the Word of God. It is the only infallible revelation of God’s mind and purpose for the believer. Historically, the Bible is accurate. Geographically it is correct. Theologically it is without error. Scientifically it is believable. And as literature it is unfailingly beautiful, inspiring, and captivating to anyone who comes to it with an open heart and lively mind” (165).
“The purpose of the Bible is to reveal the mind of God to every man and woman upon the earth. The central message of the Bible is the Gospel: Through the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus, fallen man is reconciled to a holy God” (165).
“The Bible is God’s love story to the human race…God…desires to communicate with us, and for that purpose He has given us a Book…And on each and every page of each and every book God is alive and revealing Himself to anyone who will listen” (165).
“God’s Holy Spirit has come. His Spirit lives within every believer. When we open God’s book, the Holy Spirit goes to work immediately to guide our reading, to inform our minds, and to love our hearts. With each verse, His voice speaks in our hearts God’s own words of comfort and direction” (165).
“By reading the Bible God informs and illuminates us with His truth. He is able to speak to us through the Bible and give us direction and guidance in our daily lives. Through the Bible God is able to direct us away from sin and into ministry and service” (165-166).
“There is nothing like a Psalm to perk me up and renew my courage and my determination. The Proverbs of Solomon are rich in practical wisdom and full of humor” (166).
“When you want something from God, don’t stop asking Him until you get it” (197).
“I believe in ignoring the walls that people build. Behind the facade that separates us, we are all alike” (217).
“The larger the task we have to accomplish, the more that prayer is essential” (261).
“No matter what dream consumes us, our relationship to God and to our family must come first” (288).
“With every triumph there is crucifixion. With every win there is defeat” (337).
“In God’s world, we submit to Him. In man’s world we submit to God and to the law of man…when there is a conflict between the worlds, the world of God takes precedence over the world of man” (367).
“We cannot forget God’s law as we live in man’s world. We must try to live by God’s law in both worlds” (367).
“I look on socialism as mutually shared poverty” (397).
“There are far more valleys than mountain tops in the Christian life. God sends us two bad days for every good day in order to keep us looking towards Him.” ~Jerry Falwell (471)
May 10, 2023
Jerry Falwell lived a consequential life. Nothing about his remarkable life, however, from a human point of view, was inevitable. In "Falwell: A Biography" this consequential life is on full display.
Fallwell grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia. His dad was a hardworking, hard drinking entrepreneur, who started and ran a variety of enterprises. But his father's weakness for alcohol ultimately led to his death from cirrhosis of the liver. Falwell's father had no time for religion or the Church, and so Falwell's exposure to faith came through the bright light of his mother, who made sure that Falwell heard a Church service on the radio almost every Sunday morning. But Falwell himself did not come to faith until his college years, and when Falwell became a follower of Christ, he was set on a rocket trajectory of Kingdom accomplishment.
Fallwell was a man of faith, committed to his family, and a visionary who seemingly did not know that there were things too far out of his grasp. He was a radio and television pioneer in religious broadcast, he began a Church with 35 people, and that church grew to over 20,000. He was the initiating and sustaining force behind the Moral Majority movement, and he began Liberty University. Any one of these accomplishments would have been remarkable, but God used Fallwell in each of these areas to make a difference.
Hard work, prayer, and great faith were Falwell's central concerns throughout his adult life, and Fallwell writes a compelling narrative of all these events. This book is interesting, motivating and convicting from beginning to end. You should really read this book. Happy reading!
Fallwell grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia. His dad was a hardworking, hard drinking entrepreneur, who started and ran a variety of enterprises. But his father's weakness for alcohol ultimately led to his death from cirrhosis of the liver. Falwell's father had no time for religion or the Church, and so Falwell's exposure to faith came through the bright light of his mother, who made sure that Falwell heard a Church service on the radio almost every Sunday morning. But Falwell himself did not come to faith until his college years, and when Falwell became a follower of Christ, he was set on a rocket trajectory of Kingdom accomplishment.
Fallwell was a man of faith, committed to his family, and a visionary who seemingly did not know that there were things too far out of his grasp. He was a radio and television pioneer in religious broadcast, he began a Church with 35 people, and that church grew to over 20,000. He was the initiating and sustaining force behind the Moral Majority movement, and he began Liberty University. Any one of these accomplishments would have been remarkable, but God used Fallwell in each of these areas to make a difference.
Hard work, prayer, and great faith were Falwell's central concerns throughout his adult life, and Fallwell writes a compelling narrative of all these events. This book is interesting, motivating and convicting from beginning to end. You should really read this book. Happy reading!
July 24, 2017
Truly, an amazing man. His faith has challenged my own. Really, this book is almost like a devotional with how much you can learn from it. It does take a while to read, since he kind of talks a lot haha, but it's well worth it. I'm grateful to be someone who has been largely ministered to by the works this man did for God.
March 1, 2019
Such an interesting life. So honored to have benefited from this man's legacy.
November 19, 2024
Great book! Inspiring to work hard outwardly while keeping up the inward man. Incredible story of his family.
June 9, 2015
After reading about Jerry in his own words, I find him likable and funny and not at all stuffy. His Christianity is heartfelt and real, and he lives it out without fear or hypocrisy.
As a Christian who agrees with Falwell theologically, I always kind of steered away from him, his church, and his college because of the media response toward him, his theology, and his Moral Majority foray in the 1980s, under the theory that smoke followed fire and Falwell might be the self-righteous ogre he was portrayed in print.
But after reading his autobiography, and learning his turbulent family history, I found him honest, open, and humble. Most of all, I respect his desire to stay in his hometown of Lynchburg, VA, amongst the people who know him best. Earning the respect and love of family and close friends who know you best is harder than escaping to a larger world where you can remake yourself in your own image.
Truth in reviewing: I have three children at Liberty University, which Falwell started nearly 30 years ago with a handful of students, and is now a thriving and respected university with over 10,000 students. In fact, I received this book as a "gift" from the University when my first daughter started. So my respect for Falwell is based not just on his words but his actions.
Update: I have a Liberty graduate who know works as a professor at the university, and senior and Junior. I still respect the now late Dr. Falwell and am greatly pleased by the education my children have gotten there.
As a Christian who agrees with Falwell theologically, I always kind of steered away from him, his church, and his college because of the media response toward him, his theology, and his Moral Majority foray in the 1980s, under the theory that smoke followed fire and Falwell might be the self-righteous ogre he was portrayed in print.
But after reading his autobiography, and learning his turbulent family history, I found him honest, open, and humble. Most of all, I respect his desire to stay in his hometown of Lynchburg, VA, amongst the people who know him best. Earning the respect and love of family and close friends who know you best is harder than escaping to a larger world where you can remake yourself in your own image.
Truth in reviewing: I have three children at Liberty University, which Falwell started nearly 30 years ago with a handful of students, and is now a thriving and respected university with over 10,000 students. In fact, I received this book as a "gift" from the University when my first daughter started. So my respect for Falwell is based not just on his words but his actions.
Update: I have a Liberty graduate who know works as a professor at the university, and senior and Junior. I still respect the now late Dr. Falwell and am greatly pleased by the education my children have gotten there.
January 19, 2010
Why am I reading this? Since I live in the shadow of Liberty University, I thought it would be good to know about the man who started it.
April 22, 2016
Excellent learning from the horses mouth. I've gained a new respect for Doc. Falwell. the Lord did more in his 77 yrs than 10 people put together. To God be the glory.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews