Billy Graham was one of the most influential evangelists of the 20th century. Born on November 7, 1918 in Charlotte, North Carolina, Graham committed his life to Christ at age 16 and was ordained a Southern Baptist minister in 1939. He rose to prominence in the late 1940s when he began hosting “crusades” – mass evangelistic rallies held in stadiums and arenas around the world. Over his decades-long ministry, Graham preached the Gospel message of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ to over 215 million people in live audiences in 185 countries. Through the use of radio, television, films, books, and other media, the scope of his ministry expanded even more.
According to the Bible, all people are sinners in need of salvation (Romans 3:23). Sin separates us from God, who is perfect and holy (Isaiah 59:2). But God loves us so much that He sent His only Son, Jesus Christ, to die on the cross for our sins (John 3:16). Jesus rose again, conquering sin and death, so that anyone who puts their faith in Him can have eternal life (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). This core message – that we are all sinners, separated from God by our sin, but able to be redeemed through faith in Christ – was at the heart of Graham’s preaching for over 60 years.
Some key highlights and facts about Graham’s life and ministry include:
- Converted to born-again Christianity at age 16 during a series of revival meetings in Charlotte led by evangelist Mordecai Ham.
- Educated at Bob Jones College and Florida Bible Institute (now Trinity College). Ordained a Southern Baptist minister in 1939.
- Pastored a small Baptist church in Illinois before joining Youth for Christ in 1945 and beginning his evangelistic campaigns.
- Rose to fame with his 1949 “canvas cathedral” crusade in Los Angeles which ran for 8 weeks and drew over 350,000.
- Founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in 1950 to organize and promote his ministry.
- Preached to over 2 million people in his New York City crusade in 1957. The 16-week event vaulted him to international fame.
- Became a regular guest on TV and radio shows during the 1950s and 60s such as The Ed Sullivan Show and The Hour of Decision.
- Held his first integrated crusade in 1953 in Chattanooga, TN. Made racial integration a feature of all his crusades.
- Developed a friendship with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr., supporting his work for civil rights.
- Met with U.S. presidents regularly starting with Harry Truman and continuing through George W. Bush.
- Hosted crusades on every continent except Antarctica. Conducted 417 campaigns in 185 countries over 60+ years.
- Possibly most famous crusade was in South Korea in 1973 with over 3 million attendees over 5 days.
- Reached over 2 billion people via radio and television in his career. The all-time top televangelist.
- Authored over 33 books, including his 1997 autobiography Just As I Am.
- Awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor, in 1983 by Ronald Reagan.
- Final crusade was in 2005 in New York City. It was attended by over 230,000 people.
- Died on February 21, 2018 at age 99 at his home in Montreat, North Carolina.
Throughout his six-decade career, Graham adhered to a strict moral code that included avoiding any hint of scandal in his work. He made an early decision to never be alone with any woman other than his wife Ruth. He avoided fundraising appeals during his crusades, not wanting any taint of greed. And he made sure his organization’s finances were handled with complete transparency and accountability. As a result, Graham maintained an impeccable reputation his entire ministry. His integrity and authenticity were evident, and people responded in droves to his simple, earnest presentation of the Gospel.
Graham’s impact on 20th century American Christianity is hard to overstate. Through his crusades and media presence, he almost single-handedly brought evangelical Christianity into the mainstream. His rallies demonstrated that faith in Christ could draw huge crowds, not just among rural conservatives but also urban dwellers, middle-class suburbs, and more. Graham convinced a generation of believers that the evangelical Christian message was appealing and powerful enough to stand alongside political, economic, and social forces shaping the modern world.
His success spawned countless imitators and set the stage for the rise of the Religious Right as a cultural and political force. His pioneering use of media to expand his reach inspired nearly all who came after him – from Pat Robertson and Jim Bakker to Joel Osteen and other televangelists who dominate Christian broadcasting today. Graham almost certainly did more than any other single religious figure in modern times to share the message of the saving power of Christ’s love with a lost and hurting world.
Theologically, Graham preached a simple Gospel message derived from his Southern Baptist roots and honed over decades of ministry. Some of the key tenets of his preaching included:
- Biblical Inerrancy – Graham believed wholeheartedly in the complete truth and authority of the Bible as God’s inspired Word (2 Timothy 3:16).
- Virgin Birth – He affirmed the biblical teaching that Jesus was supernaturally conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary (Luke 1:26-35).
- Substitutionary Atonement – Christ died on the cross as a substitute sacrifice to pay the penalty for our sins (Romans 3:25-26).
- Resurrection – Jesus rose physically from the grave, conquering sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:3-7).
- Salvation by Grace – We are saved by God’s grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8-9). Not by good works.
- New Birth – To become a Christian, we must be spiritually reborn by repenting of sin and trusting in Christ (John 3:3).
- Assurance – Believers can be assured of eternal life because of Christ’s death on the cross (1 John 5:13).
- Second Coming – Jesus will someday return visibly and bodily to judge the world and rule over all creation (Acts 1:11).
- Evangelism – All Christians have a duty to share their faith and lead others to salvation through Christ (Matthew 28:19-20).
This core set of evangelical doctrines structured Graham’s basic Gospel message throughout his ministry. While critics occasionally accused him of watering down the Gospel or compromising biblical truth, Graham steadfastly preached the same set of convictions his entire career. He intentionally avoided dividing Christians over secondary issues like politics, charismatic gifts, or end-times disputes. His laser-like focus on the death and resurrection of Christ as the only sure hope for salvation endeared him to a wide spectrum of Protestant believers.
In assessing Graham’s remarkable legacy, it’s clear that his ministry redefined mass evangelism for the modern age. Some key aspects of his approach included:
- Simplicity – Graham resisted pressure to diversify his message. He focused on the basics of sin, redemption through Christ, and invitation to new life.
- Passion – He preached with transparent conviction and emotional urgency, modeling what he asked listeners to do.
- Relevance – Graham used current events and culture to illustrate how the Gospel answered society’s needs.
- Flexibility – He adapted his style and topics to connect with each audience, whether businessmen, youth, or counter-culture crowds.
- Cooperation – Graham organized local churches to follow up with new believers after crusades. He also welcomed Catholics and liberal Protestants to events.
- Inclusiveness – He invited all races, classes, and nationalities to hear him preach about God’s universal love.
- Integrity – By avoiding even hints of scandal, Graham gave his message credibility in an increasingly cynical age.
- Curiosity – Graham met with celebrities, politicians, athletes, and others to understand their perspectives and point them to Christ.
- Perseverance – He kept preaching his uncomplicated Gospel message from the 1940s into the 2000s, adapting methods but not core themes.
As impressive as Graham’s career was, he faced his share of controversies over the decades:
- Some fundamentalists broke ties with him in the late 1950s over his cooperation with liberal clergy during New York crusades.
- His friendship with President Nixon hurt his credibility after the Watergate scandal.
- Liberals and progressives viewed his calls for conversion as intolerant and criticized his traditional views on issues like women’s rights and homosexuality.
- He was caught criticizing Jews with Nixon on White House tapes in 2002, which shocked many.
- Questions arose in later decades over his lavish compensation and extravagant lifestyle.
- Younger evangelicals and scholars accused his message of being overly simplistic, focused too much on conversion over discipleship.
While Graham was not perfect, his response to each controversy revealed a humility and integrity that explains his enduring positive reputation. He admitted mistakes, asked forgiveness, and refocused attention on the eternal Gospel message he preached.
As the end of his life neared, failing health gradually forced Graham to give up public preaching. He held his final crusade in 2005 in New York City. Over the next decade, he continued to minister through prayer and occasional video messages, even as Parkinson’s disease and other ailments took their toll. Graham died at his home in North Carolina on February 21, 2018 at age 99.
Graham’s passing prompted an immense outpouring of praise and remembrance from Christian leaders, politicians of both parties, celebrities, and ordinary Americans whose lives he touched. He became only the fourth private citizen in U.S. history to lie in honor in the United States Capitol rotunda after his death. Estimates suggested Graham preached live to over 215 million people in his lifetime, not even counting electronic media, books, and other formats. Few individuals can honestly claim to have shared the Gospel with so many.
While his legacy has faults as well as virtues, Graham embodied the boldness, passion, and devotion to bringing lost souls to Christ that has long characterized American evangelicalism at its best. Flawed vessel though he was, God used Graham’s gifts and relentless focus on the grace and power of Christ’s death and resurrection to influence a nation and world forever. Billy Graham fulfilled the charge Paul gave Timothy to “preach the word; be ready in season and out of season” (2 Timothy 4:2). As the end of his life neared, Graham movingly reflected, “I just want to hear one person say something nice about me and hear God say to me, ‘Well done, thou good and faithful servant,’ but I don’t even deserve that.” By God’s grace, the good and enduring fruit of Graham’s faithful service ensures he did indeed hear his Master welcome him with those longed-for words.
