On a dairy farm close to Charlotte, North Carolina, William Franklin Graham Jr. was born in 1918. Billy, who was raised in a pious Presbyterian home, was converted to Christianity at the age of sixteen while attending a revival gathering. This crucial event paved the way for his life’s work, which is to share the gospel.
Early Life
Graham developed his preaching abilities and discovered his calling as an evangelist while attending the Florida Bible Institute and Bob Jones College. Before joining the Youth for Christ organization, he was a pastor at a church in Western Springs, Illinois. He preached to young people all around the United States and Europe.
Ministry
Billy Graham began his first campaign in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in 1947. These massive evangelical gatherings, renowned for their stirring lectures and appeals for conversion, came to define Graham’s work. In the 1950s, he expanded his audience even more by using cutting-edge media, including as radio and television broadcasts, which attracted millions of listeners and spectators globally.
Graham’s opinions on racial relations changed throughout time, despite the fact that his early crusades were segregated. He integrated his ministry staff, questioned segregation during his revivals, and even allowed well-known civil rights figures like Martin Luther King Jr. to speak.
Graham’s desire to share the gospel transcended national boundaries. During the Cold War, he led crusades in several nations, including those encircled by the Iron Curtain. He was a co-founder of the Lausanne Movement, an international evangelical network dedicated to evangelizing.
Published Books
Below are some of the books published by him:
- Calling Youth to Christ (1947)
- America’s Hour of Decision (1951)
- I Saw Your Sons at War (1953)
- Peace with God (1953, 1984)
- Freedom from the Seven Deadly Sins (1955)
- The Secret of Happiness (1955, 1985)
- Billy Graham Talks to Teenagers (1958)
- My Answer (1960)
- Billy Graham Answers Your Questions (1960)
- World Aflame (1965)
- The Challenge (1969)
- The Jesus Generation (1971)
- Angels: God’s Secret Agents (1975, 1985)
- How to Be Born Again (1977)
- The Holy Spirit (1978)
- Evangelist to the World (1979)
- Till Armageddon (1981)
- Approaching Hoofbeats (1983)
- A Biblical Standard for Evangelists (1984)
- Unto the Hills (1986)
- Facing Death and the Life After (1987)
- Answers to Life’s Problems (1988)
- Hope for the Troubled Heart (1991)
- Storm Warning (1992)
- Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham (1997, 2007)
- Hope for Each Day (2002)
- The Key to Personal Peace (2003)
- Living in God’s Love: The New York Crusade (2005)
- The Journey: How to Live by Faith in an Uncertain World (2006)
- Wisdom for Each Day (2008)
- Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well (2011)
- The Heaven Answer Book (2012)
- The Reason for My Hope: Salvation (2013)
- Where I Am: Heaven, Eternity, and Our Life Beyond the Now (2015)
Legacy
Billy Graham’s impact extended beyond his crusades. In order to further his message, he founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, a multimedia ministry. He wrote many books, advised US presidents on spiritual issues, and established himself as a reliable source on moral and religious issues.
Despite his deteriorating health in his latter years, Graham found means to spread his message through programs like “My Hope America” and recorded sermons. He died in 2018 at the age of 99, leaving a great legacy of global influence, social effect, and evangelism.
