Evangelist Billy Graham Was One of a Kind
If you ask anyone in the U.S. who Babe Ruth was, just about everyone will respond that he was a baseball player. Even people who don’t care about sports.
And if you ask anyone who Elvis Presley was, they will reply that he was a singer. Even those who couldn’t name one of his songs.
The same is true about Billy Graham. Even those who have no interest in religion realize he was an evangelist who preached for many decades.
As I’m sure you know by now, Mr. Graham passed away on Wednesday at his North Carolina home. He was 99 years old. He would have reached the century mark in November.
Popular Rallies Extended
Graham began his career in 1939 at age 21. He was ordained a Southern Baptist clergyman at that time.
Four years later, he graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois. That’s where he met his wife, Ruth McCue Bell. She had spent the first 17 years of her life in China as a missionary kid.
Mr. Graham’s first-ever rally – where he preached to stadiums full of people – was held in Los Angeles in 1948. It was supposed to be a three-week campaign, but was so popular they extended it to eight weeks.
His 1957 rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City ended up running for four months. Due to the crowds that kept showing up.
Nobody Preached to More People
According to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, he preached to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history.
The association estimates that he spoke to approximately 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories.
Of course, hundreds of millions more watched him preach on television, in videos, on film and in webcasts.
And an untold number of people read his books and watched his videos and webcasts.
Consistently Among the ‘Most Admired’
Here’s what I think is interesting about Billy Graham. And it goes way beyond those statistics I just mentioned.
He would repeatedly show up in polls regarding the world’s “10 Most Admired People.”
Now, you’d expect famous athletes to be on that list. And popular musicians. And well-liked politicians. And philanthropists who make huge donations to worthy causes.
But for a religious leader to be included in that type of list, well, that just doesn’t happen too often.
Held to a Higher Standard
Once someone puts himself or herself out there as a spokesperson for a religion, the media starts sniffing around for skeletons in the closet.
They usually find them. And many people enjoy those kinds of revelations more than they do the biblical book of Revelation.
In fact, we’re all probably guilty of that. We like to see people knocked off their pedestals.
Everyone is human, including religious leaders. But when we fail, few notice. When they fail, everybody notices. And we call them hypocrites.
Graham Was the Genuine Article
Now, Billy Graham would have been the first to admit he was far from perfect. He never tried to convince anyone he was above what he preached about.
But throughout decades of preaching around the world and drawing millions of people to his rallies, we rarely heard anything negative about him.
And believe me. There would have been plenty of media who would have loved the chance to expose him as a fraud, had he been one.
The only “negative” things I recall being said about Billy Graham came from his preaching about controversial issues. He never shied away from preaching what he believed to be biblical truth about those issues. Even if it was unpopular to many.
He Stayed the Course
The issues have changed since Billy Graham started preaching. And the way Americans look at those issues has changed over time. But Billy Graham didn’t change.
Some would say that’s because he refused to adapt to the times. They’d say he was stuck back in the early 1900s when he was born.
Others would say it’s because he believed the Bible doesn’t change, so why should he?
Regardless, he stuck to his guns. And he let people respond to his message or ignore it, as they saw fit.
Adviser to the Nation’s Leaders
Of course, Billy Graham did more than just preach to huge crowds. Many U.S. presidents invited him to the White House for consultation and prayer. From Harry S. Truman all the way to Barack Obama.
They recognized him as a consistent, level-headed man who knew his Bible inside and out.
They knew he would advise, not insist. They knew he’d console, not criticize. They knew he’d pray, not rave.
And they knew he would keep confidential information to himself. They didn’t have to worry about the next day’s newspaper headlines after meeting with him.
Never Another Like Him
Mr. Graham also had a popular radio show called “Hour of Decision.” And he published a magazine called Decision.
He also wrote 33 books, including his autobiography titled Just As I Am.
His most recent book, titled Where I Am: Heaven, Eternity, And Our Life Beyond the Now, was published in 2015.
There will never be another Billy Graham. He was one of a kind.
I took my mother and two year old son to see Billy Graham in 1978 at the Liberty Bowl in Memphis, Tn. He was before then and will always be an inspirational figure to me and the greatest Christian evangelist in American history. He always leads you to Christ and his sacrifice for us on the cross and never wanted the attention on him but always on Jesus. He will always be an important part of my faith journey.
Aside from such a Convoluted World, Filled With the Violence, Bloodshed, and Natural Disasters Our Country (as a whole) has endured, I truly believe that the Reverend Billy Graham’s ‘Spiritual Message’ conveyed to all of Us was the Most Tantamount to Me. In my own Humble Opinion, and also Now Approaching the ‘Status’ ‘Seniorship’ in 2018, I can Truly Express my Ultimate Love, Dignity, Respect, Appreciation, Sincerity, Gratitude, Forgiveness, Acceptance, Faith, Hope, Love, and Supreme Spirit that ‘God is Always Watching Over Us,’ No Matter How Minimal or Great the Challenges We Face Ever Become!’ And to me, that is the ‘Universally Sought’ Message’ Rev. Graham Continually Preached Not Through Materialistic Means…But Through His Own Heart & Soul, As Guided by The Dear Lord Himself/Herself! As With Many Writers, Humanitarians, and Poets That Are Now in God’s Eternally Graced and Blessed Kingdom, (Maya Angelou, Mother Theresa, and Pope Paul II, to Name Just A Few), Rev. Graham’s Infinitely Destined and Accepted Soul and Spirit Are Now Melded With God’s Own Eyes, Arms, and Inifinitesmal Heart! And All of Us Will Always Carry Even a ‘Small Semblance’ of That Biblical Massive Knowledge, Wisdom, and Spirit in One Way, Shape, or Form, in Their Own Hearts, Minds, and Souls!
Thank you, Rev. Graham For Granting These 99 Years of Evangelical Service to Anyone Willing to Listen…and Will Help ‘Form’ and ‘Guide’ Our Ways, on the Paths of Each of Their Respective ‘Life Journeys’ As Well!
Billy Graham was a revered man of God that anyone who met him, whether they believe or not on his message have the highest respect for him. I was in elementary grades when for the first time and only time I heard him deliver his message in a park in the Philippines. His name stuck in my mind ever since. I occasionally read his “Decisions magazine given to me by our mom who is a solid believer on him. I thank God for his life here on earth and the thousands of people he brought to Christ. Rest in peace Mr. Graham
His bible teachings are what got me interested in studying the bible. I am 83 years young and still go once a week to study. God bless you Billy Graham on your next Journey thru heaven. We miss you.
Although I was raised Catholic , and was born on August 7th 1942 , I was born in in Geneva Illinois , but lived in Wheaton Illinois ( County Farm Rd ) , I attended St. Michaels Catholic school grade 1st & 2nd grade ( born from Italian / Irish parents we went by Wheaton all the time why ? The Italian side of the family lived in Wheaton ,Us and my Grandparents , and the Irish , side “McCrae’s” lived in Glen Ellen , even at 5-6-7 years old my parents would say ” THAT’S WHERE BILLY GRAHAM , WENT TO COLLEGE AS WE DROVE BY THE WHEATON COLLEGE TO GLEN ELLEN ! ” Even then everyone ( kids ) knew and admired Billy Graham , he was a hero of sorts , and still is to me , ( 75 year old JOHN Michael Gilardi XO <3 Billy GRAHAM
Thank You Robert .I live in Canada Edmonton AB But i alien myself with the fine folks at Patriots ,now with your honoring of Billy Graham well we are brothers .The magazine decision has changed my dads life over the years until he went home to be with Jesus and of course my life too .GOD bless the fine folks at patriots ,GOD bless America,GOD bless President TRUMP GOD bless ISRAEL .
Your friend with kindest regards.
Gary
I appreciate your recognizing Billy Graham on Patriot. Thank you.
Love your emails! Please don’t take this the wrong way. But on your article about Billy Graham the line “They’d say he was stuck back in the early 19th century when he was born.” is a mistake that many people make (including me at times). The 1800s were the 19th century. He was born in the early 20th century, the 1900s. No worries. Keep ‘em coming.
I am 62 soon, if i live that long to be 63, Rev. Graham was a childhood hero. I was blessed to hear him in KC at the old Royals stadium. There are very few “hero’s ” that don’t become tarnished. Mr. Graham was a blessing in my life, his clarity of purpose was inspiring. As a human we all fail somewhere. I believe the secret is when we fall GET BACK UP. Today my goal is perfection, thou I may never attain it, my hope is it achieve excellence along the way. Be patient with me brothers, God is not finish with me yet !!!
Have a blessed and beautiful day
David Brown
I am 80 yrs. old, LOVED B. Graham and attended his rallies in Mad. Sq. Garden–my entire life has been blessed and “successful”, because of the message he preached and the challenge he gave to teens “if you want purpose in life and a real challenge!”–read your Bible and come—!
I worked in Billy Graham’s Atlanta office, across from the Atlanta airport when I was 19 years old. It was a wonderful atmosphere. We were all Christians there, which made for a very pleasant atmosphere.
Mr. Graham came to our office a couple of times while I worked there. I was thrilled to meet him, George Beverly Shea, Cliff Barrows, and many of his Team members. I will never forget that experience!
Amen Amen and Amen
As a ‘born-again’ Chriistian, I used to think the same about him. Then i read he had kissed the Pope’s ring….bad move. I came from the Catholic faith, and spent 8 years in a catholic school. After a divorce and several years of booze, drugs and ‘wild’ women, God knocked me off my ‘high horse’ as He did the Apostle Paul. What I have found out about the Vatican is NOT good. And the Bible tells us to beware when the world speaks good of you. They did not speak good of Jesus, and He is the Son of God. If Graham gave God’s counsel to Obama, he would have been arrested. I just hope Billy got right with God before he died. By the way, God delivered me from the booze, drugs and women…not AA or any other secular group. That was 35 years go…and still free indeed. thanks Jesus.