Billy Graham. Billy Graham. Billy Graham. Billy Graham. It's the 21st of February 2018 and the world's most powerful people are mourning the loss of 1 preacher. I am tired of hearing people speak out against Billy Graham and not really understanding why. Who is this guy? How did he rise to become the world's most famous Christian? Why do presidents trust him? And why have so many people been converted by his preaching?
So I've been on one big deep dive to uncover everything I can from his his roots to his relationships, and most importantly, to try and understand how one man who preached so much love can at the same time attract so much hate. I mean, what exactly did he do wrong? You see, I'm prepared to die. In fact, I'm looking forward to it. And when you're prepared to die, you're also prepared to live. Billy Graham Junior was born into a farming family with heritage that stretched deep
into North Carolina soil. He arrived around 4:00 PM on November the 7th, 1918, just four days before the end of the First World War. Billy's parents were called Frank and Mauro Graham and they would raise him along with three siblings in the rolling pastures on their family dairy farm. If you ever wondered what denomination were the Grahams, well, they were faithful members of the Associated Formed Presbyterian Church in Charlotte.
Despite having limited formal education, Morrow consistently read the Bible to the family in the evenings, and Frank Senior prayed. But here's the twist. Young Billy wasn't naturally drawn to church, he recalled. I don't even remember not going to church. If I told my parents I did not want to go, they would have wailed the tar out of me. You see, church attendance, like in most Christian households, was a given. Whether he liked it or not, he would have to go.
By outward appearance, he was just another boy, but those who knew him sent something completely different. We were very typical of country people. My brother, who is 5 1/2 years older than I, never took to farming. He worked only because my daddy required him to. He was interested primarily in baseball. Growing up in Charlotte, NC, Billy was surrounded by churchgoers.
You can almost see the crowds gathering as popular itinerant evangelists like Billy Sunday and Mordecai Ham arrived in his city. They drew huge audiences to the wooden 5000 seat structure on the edge of town. But there's more to this story than just excitement. Whilst the locals buzzed with anticipation to hear these big name preachers, Billy wasn't impressed. So reluctant was the young Billy Graham that he even refused to
attend one of these revivals. He remembered feeling like everything he had heard or read about them made him feel antagonistic towards the whole affair. It sounded like one big religious circus in his words. However, even after all this, his close friend Albert Mcmakin somehow managed to convince Graham to go along, even if it was just out of curiosity. You can probably guess what happened next. Billy Graham got saved. Ham's words about sin and rebellion seem like they were
aimed directly at him. He felt an undeniable conviction that he was a lost Sinner before a holy God, and the only way for him to be saved was by coming to the cross where Jesus died for his sins. Billy had no choice. At that very revival he went forward and accepted Christ as his Lord and Saviour. I remember this church. I've joined the church, yes. So was Billy Graham when he was converted. In my meeting in North Carolina. He was a member of the church and Marlon Queen.
I just read his experience as told in his latest book. And when he came down there and when I pointed my finger right out of him, he said I don't. Of course, the Lord told him I was pointing at him and he resented it, got mad when I referred to him being a Sinner. Well, I didn't refer to him. I didn't know he was there. Meanwhile, Billy Graham, fresh out of high school, faced his own crossroads. And this is where our story starts to shift.
He and his friend Grady Wilson sold fuller brushes, and despite skepticism from the family, Billy excelled at this. Now listen to me. Even success in sales didn't satisfy him. Why? Because he knew that his life was meant for more. So Billy enrolled at the Bob Jones College, only to leave after one semester when the head of the college called him a failure. Now this was the moment that was
going to change everything. Rejected, discouraged, but not defeated, he found a new path at the Florida Bible Institute in 1937. From there, Billy started preaching. At first he started small, preaching to stumps along the riverbank, imagining that they were people. He even preached to cows sometimes. But one year later, aged 18, Billy would move on from addressing the cattle to addressing crowds of 500 to 1000 people.
I know the first time I heard him preached his the recalled, he preached so loud you wouldn't believe it. He didn't need a microphone, literally you could hear him from 1/4 of a mile away. She even worried and said to the young Billy Son, you can't preach that loud, you'll scare people away. Now while Billy's voice was booming across riverbanks and chapels, something else was unfolding quietly in the background. At that same time, Billy had met a girl.
She was the daughter of missionaries and so had spent most of her childhood in China. Ruth carried a quiet but firm desire to serve God, not overseas, in fact, so much so that she decided that she never wanted to marry. And here Billy found himself instantly drawn to her. Alright, so as you can see, this is where things get a little complicated. Both remain committed to their separate futures. Ruth was going to be a missionary and Billy was going to be an itinerant preacher.
I was frightened to death to ever ask her on a date. Graham said. But he finally did, taking her to a local Chapel to hear Handel's Messiah. And that small moment would set the stage for everything that comes next. I didn't even know the man. I just been with him that for that one date, but I just prayed and I said, Lord, if you will let me share his life, I will consider it the greatest honor possible. And fortunately, I didn't know what lay ahead.
I wouldn't have had the nerve to pray a prayer like that. Billy's first pastorate came in Western Springs, IL, a village Baptist Church. They were just a small congregation of 35 members. Under normal circumstances, a church that tiny, meeting only in the church basement wouldn't seem like the starting point for anything remarkable. But you're about to see why this was the start of something truly incredible. Opportunity knocked on the door.
Tory Johnson, a preacher in Chicago, invited Graham to take take over songs in the night. And if you only remember one thing from this part of billye life, let it be this. That invitation became a pivotal turning point, suddenly placing him in front of bigger audiences, bigger than he could ever imagine. Now, unfortunately, the frequent absences from Western Springs Church caused a tension between Billy and the deacons. What would you do here?
I mean, how long could this situation realistically last? Graham had an unexplainable drive to preach the saving gospel anywhere and everywhere, and this kept pushing him to win lost souls over preaching to the converted. Then it happened. On December 1947, he finally resigned. Now, Graham was about to step into a completely different role. He was going to become the president of the Northwestern schools in Minneapolis. This was a liberal arts college
and a theological seminary. But over to you. Do you think this caused Billy to slow down on his evangelistic preaching? Of course not. Even while running a school, he spent more than half his time traveling, preaching for you, for Christ across the country. And as you know, most college presidents would never get away with this. And yet somehow, Graham managed to balance both. You don't need me to tell you
that the world was a mess. I after World War 2, cities were in ruins, food was scarce and people were hungry not just for bread, but for hope. It was into this broken world that Billy Graham was sent on a mission that would change everything. Remember that guy Tori Johnson? Well, he had a vision for you, for Christ, and it wasn't limited to the USA and to Canada. He dreamed of an international evangelistic movement among young people and he wanted Graham to spearhead it as the
first full time evangelist. Imagine this scenario just less than a year after the war ended, Graham and the team went to Europe. Thousands of people were struggling with shortages, rationing and displacement. This situation was not easy for the young Billy Graham and his team, but the need was overwhelming. So they pressed on, holding 3 or 4 meetings a day in churches, movie houses and public halls, anywhere that a crowd would
gather. Whilst Billy spent all of his energy traveling thousands of miles to reach souls, inside he was facing a more personal struggle. He missed his wife, Ruth. The fact is this, even though they had both accepted this as part of their calling, the extended distance weighed heavily on them. Ruth would later write in her book Footprints of a Pilgrim. To keep me company, I used to sleep with Bill's tweed jacket
when he was away. Very few people realized the cost that minister's wives have to pay to support their husbands. And since Billy would be gone for most of the time, Ruth moved in with her parents in Montreat, NC, which helped with the loneliness and gave some kind of stability whilst Billy travelled 200,000 miles in that first year. With you for Christ. And this was only going to be the beginning of his trips away
from home. It's worth noticing that years later in his diary, he reflected just before another crusade. This is the first spring that I've ever spent at home. What a wonderful and thrilling few weeks it has been to run and play with my children every day and to listen to their problems. Today Roof and I took our last stroll and little Franklin keeps pleading Daddy don't go. But here's the beautiful part.
Ruth Graham once famously said I would rather spend 2 weeks out of the year with Bill than with any other man full time. Can you imagine saying goodbye to my father, knowing that he's going to be gone not just for a week, but for two months, four months, six months? I don't know how she did it. In November 1948, Billy, his singers Cliff Barrows, Beverly Shea and his childhood friend Grady Wilson were holding a revival in Modesto, CA. This was Cliff's hometown now.
Am I the only one who is disillusioned by the amount of famous preachers who didn't practice what they preach? Well, here in Modesto, Graham was reflecting upon a similar looming challenge. He saw in church history that many evangelists had stumbled, creating scandals that discredited the cause of Christ. So we told the team, let's go to our rooms and let's think about experiences we've all heard about, things we know that have taken place, and let's write
them down. Then we'll come back together, share them, and ask God to guard us from making those same mistakes. So this is the part where our story gets a little bit more serious. The team compiled a list with just four items, small in number but monumental in effect. Are you ready to hear them? All right, first money. They decided to never exploit crowds with emotional appeals. Every penny would be accountable, checked by an independent committee.
No shortcuts, no gimmicks #2 temptation. Integrity was important, and so many great preachers had wrecked their marriages and ministries when they fell in this area. Therefore, no evangelist would ever be alone with another woman. Except for their own wife, of course. This would later be called the Billy Graham Rule and was followed so stringently that there were even stories of Billy getting out of elevators to abide by it #3 respect for churches.
They vowed never to criticize local pastors or congregations. Every church, every leader, they felt deserved honour, even when opinions were different. Finally, truthfulness. Numbers couldn't be exaggerated. Success or attendance had to be verified by local authorities or by newspapers. In other words, the truth mattered more than the applause. Later, we're going to find out, did Billy manage to keep the Modesto Manifesto even when he became the most famous Christian
in the world? But first, watch this. Billy Graham was about to attempt his most ambitious campaign yet, a citywide tent revival in Los Angeles. This was going to be the most important event in his ministry. But there was a problem. Billy was beginning to doubt if the Bible was actually true. Days before the Los Angeles Crusade, Graham struggled with the crisis of faith.
You see, his friend and colleague Charles Templeton challenged his beliefs, questioning the inspiration and accuracy of Scripture. For the first time, Graham's faith was under serious intellectual scrutiny. One night, Graham went into the San Bernardino Mountains looking for answers. After much thinking, he knelt on a tree stump, laid his Bible on it, and prayed. Lord, I don't understand this book.
There are many things I don't understand, but I accept it as your word by faith, and I can promise you this. That moment was crucial for Billy Graham, because from then on, he resolved to accept the Bible as the inspired Word of God. With his faith renewed, Graham was ready for Los Angeles. However, things were still far from plain sailing at the opening of the Revival meetings. The crowds were embarrassingly small, and the committee sponsoring the campaign had debated whether to even
continue. But for Billy, the stakes were even higher. This event could define his entire ministry. Thankfully, A breakthrough came along with the conversion of a popular radio personality, Stuart Hamblin. His testimony on the airwaves drew attention and slowly the crowds began to groan. Mind you, what was about to happen to Billy would be even bigger. One evening he arrived at the tent at Washington and Hill streets to find it overflowing
with newspaper reporters. A reporter explained You've just been kissed by William Randolph Hearst. 2 words written and by Hurst, Puff Graham or in modern terms promote Graham. These instructions sent him into the national spotlight. The tent was packed, people stood outside, and the revival continued for another 4 weeks. Have you trusted Christ Jesus
Savior tonight? I'm glad to tell you as we close that the Lord Jesus Christ can be received, your sins forgiven, your burdens lifted, your problems solved by turning your life over to Him, repenting of your sin, and turning to Jesus Christ as St. The press attention was only the beginning. Graham's crusades expanded across the US from Georgia to New England at the South Carolina Crusade, Life magazine wrote.
Not since the great days of Billy Sunday have South Carolina seen anything like it. After this was written, unbelievably more than 40,000 people over flowed into the stadium on the final day. This was the largest crowd that Billy had ever preached to. He was technically famous now and he was starting to even look like a celebrity. His face was on Time Look magazine and his name could be found on the front pages across the world.
By 1950, ABC Radio offered Graham a massive opportunity, but Billy wasn't sure why because he was already up to his ears in work and speaking engagements. But on the other hand, though he he'd seen the power of local radio with songs in the night back in Chicago, so eventually 2 persistent producers who even showed up outside Billy's hotel managed to persuade him to sign the deal with ABC to broadcast
it nationally. The first broadcast aired from Atlanta on Sunday, November the 5th, 1950. Billy's music director Cliff Barrows introduced the program as This is the Hour of Decision. Oh, and by the way, it was Ruth Graham who suggested the name, a title that captured Billy's message of calling people to respond in faith to the Saviour who loved them and laid down his life for them. The hour of Decision was broadcast on over 150 stations to 9 million listeners. And to put it in modern terms,
he went crazy viral. Overnight, letters and donations poured in and within 5 weeks it held the highest audience rating in religious broadcasting history. And within five years, NBC joined ABC, expanding the programmed to more than 800 stations. But I know exactly what some of you are thinking. Did all of this fame and success go to Billy Graham's head?
No, once he was away from the public spotlight, Billy lived a quiet lifestyle with his family in a simple home nestled in the mountains of North Carolina. Check this out though the world's greatest boxer, whoever lived Muhammad Ali, also at my Billy Graham and once went to visit him in his home. He said when he approached the house he thought he would live on 1000 acre farm but we drove up to his house made of logs, no mansion with crystal chandeliers and gold carpet.
It was the kind of house a man of God would live in. I look up to him. Whilst Ali was very positive about Graham, not everyone was. His next challenge was already forming a three month campaign in England. This would become a massive test of endurance. And to make matters worse, advertising posters were criticised, the English press were sharply negative, and many clergy and pastors across the UK were very skeptical. I distrust the use of crowd techniques to influence
individual decisions. My difficulty is the type of member they are are producing, which not in my view the best. I'm not convinced that Billy Graham is the answer to England. 'S problem On the opening night, sleet and freezing rain fell. Hundreds of photographers photographed empty seats. Yet when Billy and Roof arrived, they discovered thousands waiting outside braving the storm.
But listen to this At the close of Billy's sermon, people paddled across the wet earth in their socks to make their commitment to the Lord Jesus Christ. As you can imagine, the criticism began to fade as the crowds grew nightly, so much so that these numbers would
eventually break records. For 88 nights, every seat at Harringway Arena was full, overflow crowds led to 2nd services and more than 2 million people attended over the three months, with nearly 40,000 decisions for Christ being made later. I do want to talk about someone very precious to me who also became a Christian when Billy Graham visited England. But right now I want you to remember that this campaign and the many others, the impact was felt from generation to generation.
Why? Because young man who got saved under Billy's preaching would later fill evangelical seminaries and these men would shape the future of British Evangelicalism. Not many people know this, but whilst in England Graham tried to meet Winston Churchill but was initially rejected. However, by the end of the crusade, the Prime Minister simply could not ignore this tornado of a preacher and so invited him to 10 Downing St.
for a brief meeting. I walked in and he shook hands with me. It was a shorter man than I had thought. He said, young man, he said, I want to ask you a question. He said, what do you say that fills all these big stadiums? And I told him, I said, it's the gospel of Christ. I said, Sir, people are hungry to hear about the gospel of Jesus Christ. He said that must be it. He said, you know, I'm an old man, I don't have any hope for the world. And he said, do you have hope? I said, yes, Sir.
And I took my New Testament out and I turned from Scripture to Scripture and read to him. As we were going out the door, he shook hands with me and he said this conversation, as long as I live, will be between us. Is that agreed? I said yes, so I never told it as long as he was alive. Graham's reach would expand even further through television. Broadcasts from Madison Square Garden allowed millions to experience his message from their living rooms.
ABC estimated around 7 million viewers per telecast. This exponentially would increase his reach, which if you did the maps, that was 70 times more than the amount of people who would attend his physical meetings. Hey, if you think Billy had already stirred the pot, it's nothing compared to what you're going to see next. For many in the 1950s, crusade audiences were divided by an
evil custom. You see, black and white people were separated by visible lines before they even stepped inside. In one Southern Cities Revival meeting, the organizers had arrived with ropes that would split the seating up. But get this. When Billy Graham saw that something inside him rebelled, he didn't just murmur quiet disagreement. He walked from the pulpit, tore down those ropes himself, and insisted I will never preach to
a divided audience. From that night onward, every rally he held was open to all guys. I don't think you realize how countercultural this was, especially in some of the southern cities that Billy would preach in. Billy could have easily lost his entire platform and yet he didn't care because he knew it was wrong and he knew that the Lord was number respecter of persons. All men and women are equal and they are made in the beautiful image of God.
Now, apart from inviting black pastors to share the stage with him and speaking out against the injustices in America, Billy also refused to stay silent on other worldwide issues of the day. For instance, for decades it looked like the nations behind the Iron Curtain might be forever closed off to the gospel. Locked borders, government control, churches silenced or marginalized. I can't believe how tough it was for believers there. Did you know if they could even
pray? It had to be done in secret. So when Billy Graham made the journey, he decided that it was time to step over these lines. Though his first visit to the Soviet Union in 1959 was only as a tourist, he left with a prayer. Someday he and others would proclaim the gospel to this vast land years past. Finally, in 1982, he was invited back in Moscow.
He preached openly to a packed congregation at a Baptist Church, greeting them in Russian, declaring Jesus is risen, and urging his listeners that the greatest contribution you can make to World Peace is to live every day for Jesus Christ. During that same visit, he accepted a speaking role at the International Religious Conference on Peace and Disarmament. And you don't need me to tell you that Billy took this opportunity with both hands, refusing to leave faith out of
the conversation. Then, after years of quiet groundwork by local Christians and the prayers, visits, friendships of believers all around the world, something huge happened. The iron walls began to crack. I think we can both agree that it's impossible to claim that one man brought down the Iron Curtain.
But his example of refusing to be deterred by political walls, his example of insisting that the Gospel was for every person everywhere, I think this certainly helped crack open some doors, at least in a world divided by ideology, He preached unity in Christ and offered the people the only message that could give them hope. Jesus is the King of kings and the Lord of Lords, and he is the only one you can put your trust in, because he alone is the one who will never fail.
I wonder whether I should tell you this, but when I first started my study into the life of Billy Graham, I knew he was friends with presidents, but I severely underestimated just how many presidents confided in him. First there was Harry S Truman. Now surprisingly, their initial meeting in 1950 didn't go all that well. After their White House press session, it caused quite a stir in the media, with Truman later saying that he thought Graham was just after publicity.
He treated that rejection not as a closure, but as part of a long game. He kept showing up quietly, offering faith, counsel, and gradually, over time, he gained access and respect by the White House. Then, under Lyndon B Johnson, the relationship really deepened. Johnson, who was weighed down by crisis, conflict and moral pressure, turned again and again to Graham for counsel. They had late night calls, ranch house, prayer meetings and even played golf together.
That's why it's no secret that many folk believe that Billy Graham was closest to Lyndon Johnson after perhaps a more shocking friendship with another president. But we'll get to that in a second. Ronald Reagan, on the other hand, also saw Billy as a helpful counsellor during some dark days he went through as a president and thus gave him the highest honor that could ever be given to a civilian, the Medal of Honor.
OK, take a look at this. And so we're gathered here today because Billy Graham, the man, the preacher, humble farmer's son who helped change the world, is a spiritual gift to all of us. That's the former President George HW Bush showing his love and respect for the evangelist when the Billy Graham Library was opened in 2007.
And an even more memorable moment was when his son George W Bush, who by the way, was also the president of the United States of America. Well, he later said that after a one-on-one chat with Graham, it was the spark that helped him in his own recommitment to faith in Christ. Billy's friendship with Nixon raised a lot of eyebrows, especially with what you're going to see got leaked from a
private conversation. But some would argue that what happened at Bill Clinton's 1993 inauguration wasn't a good look. I the Evangelist made a choice that drew sharp criticism from some Christians who disliked Clinton's political views.
When invited to pray at the inauguration, Billy agreed, whilst many Christians urged Graham to withdraw as it might give the impression to the world that the preacher was somehow endorsing Clinton's stance on key issues that went against the teachings of the Bible. However, Graham insisted his calling wasn't to endorse a party, it was to be a minister to the people, and he quietly reminded supporters that he had long been registered Democrats, something that shocked and even
bothered many who assumed he leaned the other way. Whatever Billy Graham's political stance was, no one could argue with this statement. Billy would eventually be known as America's pastor, and he was the only preacher in history who, president after president, trusted and went to for spiritual counsel. This in and of itself was an important ministry which would span for a period of 55 five years. Okay, so here's the answer we
all want to know. If Billy Graham did so much for the Lord and reached so many souls with the saving gospel of Jesus Christ, why does so many people dislike him? Billy Graham, I think 1. Can see all the symptoms of a self-conscious fraud. I mean someone who doesn't believe. Any of this at all, but it is a reasonably. Good businessman.
One other thing with Billy Graham is that he was people look at all these people that streamed down after he would make his messages and the reality is he was superb and manipulating audiences. That's why I believe that Billy Graham. Has never won anybody to Christ in his life. Because Billy Graham is not saved. All right?
For starters, being friends with presidents wasn't always glamorous for Billy Graham. If anything, his closeness to the White House sometimes created the appearance of compromise, especially when the Watergate scandal hit the front page of every newspaper in the world. The problem wasn't that Graham was implicated. It's important to remember that he wasn't involved whatsoever.
But the way it looked was awkward, as now public trust in the government was collapsing and anyone tied to Nixon even loosely felt the heat, too. But let me ask you a question. What do you think about all of this? Because Billy's critics questioned whether a preacher should ever be near to the machinery of Washington at all.
This tension only sharpened when previously recorded conversations with Nixon became public years later, revealing the way the president spoke in private was very unbecoming and almost indicated he was living a double life. Graham later admitted he felt used by Nixon and was in embarrassed that he hadn't recognized the deception that was happening behind closed doors.
After Watergate, he took a step back and deliberately distanced himself and his ministry from any political endorsements, a move that would later strengthen his credibility rather than weaken it. Sadly though, that wasn't the end of the Nixon drama though, because hands down, this is the most embarrassing moment of Billy Graham's career.
And it was due to this one mistake in the early 1970s, a gain in in conversation with Nixon, Billy made some remarks privately about Jews, which resurfaced decades later when the tapes were leaked. It stirred anger and deep pain among many. In 2002, he publicly acknowledged and owned his mistake. He also clarified that his views had changed and he was asking for everyone to forgive him. But hey now, that wasn't the only moment that would cause an uproar and give his critics fuel
to discredit his ministry. Many evangelicals claimed that Billy was and that he was too close to Roman Catholicism and to the Pope and others would say when asked in interviews, he didn't always take a strong stand on certain moral issues of the day, a stance his son Franklin would later take. Even paying the price for it, including being unable to speak at Liverpool and England over one particular issue that Franklin Graham said was wrong and unbiblical.
I do believe though there was one particular occasion, one thing that was most talked about with Billy Graham, and it happened in 1997 whilst he was being interviewed on live television. Billy Graham gave the indication that there was more than one way to heaven, even for people who didn't even know about Jesus. This was obviously unbiblical, as Jesus said there was only one way to heaven, but Billy's supporters would argue that these clips were heavily edited
and taken out of context. And also remember this Billy was nearly 80 years old in this interview and was likely having a bad day as he consistently time after time taught through his many years of preaching that the only way to heaven was by being washed by the blood of the Lord Jesus Christ.
The only way to get into heaven was by trusting in the finished work of the cross of Christ. And let us never forget, even in his last message to the world called the cross, he proved that he didn't agree with what he said in that interview. Because here we see the 95 year old evangelist telling millions who would watch the video and receive the DVD that without the shedding of Jesus blood there can be no forgiveness of sins. An eternal life is only for those who come to the Saviour in
repentance and faith. There is no other way of salvation except through the cross of Christ. Jesus said I'm the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the Father, but by me. The only way to the Father, Father God is through his Son Jesus Christ. So what would I say about all of this drama attached to Billy Grahams name? Well, I would say this very simply. All men have clay feet. There's only one who was
perfect. There was only one who was righteous, and that's Jesus. In a time where many teleevangelists were being exposed for affairs and scandals, Billy Graham's record in that area remains remarkably clean. He wasn't perfect, but no one can deny that the Lord used that man greatly. And the truth is this. If a camera followed you or I around for 70 years, what would the evidence say about us? I, for one, would be very embarrassed. Guys, can I be totally transparent with you?
I have a lot to thank Billy Graham 4 and I'm going to get to that in just a moment. But you see, when I think of Billy Graham, what stays with me the most is how life changing his ministry was not just for a few, but for millions. In 1973, during his crusade in Seoul, North Korea, it's often said about 3 million people heard his message, one of the largest gatherings ever to hear the gospel.
Did you know? From his earliest days of ministry, beginning in 1947, he is credited with preaching to over 200 million people in life events, reportedly receiving over 3.2 million responses of souls trusting in Christ personally. But if you thought that was impressive, listen to this. It is estimated through social media now and TV combined that in total Billy Graham preached
to over 2.2 billion people. OK, between you and me, as impressive as those things are, there is nothing that means more to me than what Billy Graham did in September 1982. He had gone to preach in Blackpool in the UK and a 17 year old girl had gone to listen. She had grown up in a Christian family with both her parents taking her to church even when she was little. She'd heard the gospel many times, but she knew she wasn't a Christian just because of her Christian upbringing.
In fact, she wanted to become a Christian, but she kept saying, I I'll come to Christ when I'm older. I'll come to Christ once I finished all of my exams. However, that night she heard how there was one who loved her enough to substitute himself for her, paying all of her debt of sins in full when he was nailed to the cross. She heard about One who rose from the dead to offer her eternal life. And though she was young, she
knew that one day she would die. But she knew that if she trusted in Christ in this very moment, she didn't need to fear death because she would live forever in paradise with Him. She heard about one man, Jesus Christ, who came into the world to save sinners. And there that night, Billy Graham, as he did in all of his messages, said, I'm going to invite anyone to come down to the front publicly.
If you want to commit your life to Jesus Christ, you need to come forward publicly because whenever Jesus called people, it was public. And so this 17 year old girl, you need to remember something about her. She was very shy. And so she didn't go down to the
front. But that very night on the minibus, as she was being driven back to her home church, there she called on the name of the Lord Jesus and asked him to forgive her of all of her sins and to save her and to make her into a Christian. So here's the big question. Have you guessed who that girl was yet? Of course it was my mother. And my mother would then raise me to love the Lord Jesus Christ. And so I have a lot to thank Billy Graham for.
And not only that, he is a tremendous inspiration for me as an evangelist. Because I do believe to this day there is still no one who preached the gospel better. No one preached it more passionately, more powerfully, in a way that connected with so many people and yet spoke to their hearts in such a tender and loving way.
So yes, as we've already mentioned, he did make mistakes, but you've made mistakes and so have I. So let us all be careful how much we point the finger at this man who literally in the UK, in the USA, even in this very comment section right now, I want to hear from you. All around the world, there are Christians who are still going on with the Lord because they heard the faithful preaching of this evangelist who took the Great Commission and spread it
across the entire world. Was that you? Did you become a Christian through hearing Billy Graham? I've been asked so many times lately, do I fear death? No, I look forward to death with great anticipation. I'm looking forward to seeing God face to face and that can happen any day. So for those of you who don't know, Billy Graham, that great evangelist has just stepped into eternity this very day, age 99. The world is mourning the loss of one of the most influential people in history.
This is just a a. Tremendous loss. Billy Graham was a was a Titan of this country. It is hard to overstate his significance in American culture over the past fifty 60-70 years. If you ask me what was one of the most powerful quotes by Billy Graham, this would be at the top of the list, Billy once said. Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don't you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will have just changed my
address. I will have gone into the presence of God. What? Do you hope they'll say? I don't want them to say big things about me because I don't deserve them. I want to hear one person say something nice about me, and that's the Lord. When I face him, I want him to say to me, Well done, thy good and faithful servant, but I'm not sure I'm going to hear it. But that's what I would like to hear.