The Rev. John Pistorius, pastor at St. John Reformed Church in Chicora, talks about the lessons learned from the Rev. Billy Graham, who died Wednesday, during a meeting of the Butler Christian Ministries group Wednesday.

BUTLER TWP — The Rev. Billy Graham's death has Christians in Butler County pondering the impact he had on their lives and faith.

Members of the Butler Christian Ministries group did just that as they met Wednesday at King's Restaurant.

“Everyone leaves an imprint on this world,” said Cheri Readie of Broken Places on Hansen Avenue. “The ripple effect from him is so impactful to everyone.”

Graham, a Christian minister and evangelist since the mid-1940s, died Wednesday at age 99.

Readie wondered how many people have been saved, healed and set free thanks to Graham's long life.

“Everything God commands us to do, he did,” she said.

Graham was also unwavering in his interpretation of the Gospel and took on some difficult and controversial subjects without giving in to public pressure, Readie said.

“He didn't sway,” she said. “I think Christians need to look at him and say, 'Here's a man who truly followed God's word, and are we doing that?'”

Donna Stover, a lay member of the group from Zion United Methodist Church in Sarver, said her family watched Graham's television show when she was growing up.

She also attended his famous crusades when they came to Pittsburgh.

“What always impressed me was his integrity,” Stover said.

The Rev. Brady Randall, pastor at Orchard Hill Church in Penn Township, wondered about Graham's reception at the Pearly Gates.

“It must be awesome to stand before your maker and hear him say, 'Well done, faithful servant,” Randall said. “His was a life well lived.”

Randall said he was always impressed with Graham's focus on the Bible and its teachings, no matter who he encountered or what events occurred.

“He lit a light based on the Gospel,” he said.

The Rev. Larry Thompson, pastor at First Baptist Church in Butler, was impressed by Graham's obedience to the Bible's directive to pray for everyone, including those in authority.

“He met with every president since Harry Truman,” Thompson said, “and he shared the Gospel with each one of them.”Still, Thompson said, Graham never leaned on his celebrity.“When I think of Dr. Graham, I think (of his) humility,” he said. “He often referred to himself as a farm boy from North Carolina.”The Rev. John Pistorius, pastor at St. John Reformed Church in Chicora, said everyone could learn a lot from Graham.“He will go down in history as one of the greatest evangelists of the modern era,” Pistorius said.The Rev. Bob Hurd, pastor of the Whitestown Road Baptist Church, said Graham was a simple man with uncomplicated messages that have stood and will stand the test of time.“The life of Billy Graham is a clear demonstration of how God used ordinary people to do extraordinary things,” Hurd said.In addition to his evangelical crusades and meetings with presidents, Graham also authored 36 books, four of them best-sellers.Graham died at his Montreat, N.C., home.According to cnn.com, he evangelized to 215 million people over 60 years.

Donna Stover, a lay member of the group from Zion United Methodist Church in Sarver, said she watched the Rev. Billy Graham preach on TV while growing up. She said she was always impressed by his integrity.