Renowned and influential American Christian evangelist, Billy Graham, has passed on, in Montreat, North Carolina, United States (US) at the age of 99. He was one of the earliest American evangelists to preach the gospel to many countries in the world. Most of his sermons were broadcast on radio and television.
In fact, Graham has been regarded as one of the most influential preachers of the 20th Century.
Born on November 7, 1918 in Charlotte, North Carolina US, Graham attended the Sharon Grammar School. He started to read books from an early age and loved to read novels for boys, especially Tarzan. After graduating from Sharon High School in May 1963, he attended Bob Jones College, then located Cleveland, Tennessee. Graham went to Florida Bible Institute in Temple Terrace, Florida in 1937. He was ordained Southern Baptist minister at Peniel Baptist Church in Palatka, Florida.
He graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, with a degree in Anthropology in 1943. He became well known internationally in the late 1940s. He served as a pastor of the First Baptist Church in Western Springs, Illinois from 1943-1944.
Since 1947 when he began his ministry, Graham conducted more than 400 crusades in 185 countries and territories in six continents. He hosted annual Billy Graham Crusades from 1947-2005 in his over six decades of television evangelism.
In his 70 years in the pulpit, Graham preached to live audiences of nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries. He also hosted the popular radio show Hour of Decision from 1950 to 1954. He believed in equality of all human beings and repudiated racial segregation. Graham insisted on racial integration for his revivals and crusades. He invited Martin Luther King Jr. to preach together at a revival in New York City in 1953.
He was in long friendship with the founding pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, Robert H. Schuller, whom he persuaded to start his own television ministry. He served as a spiritual adviser to many American Presidents from Harry Truman to Barack Obama. He was said to be particularly close to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon.
Since his death, Graham has been praised for his exploits in preaching the gospel and building walls of friendship among diverse people of the world. In his tribute to Graham at the lying in honour ceremony at the US Capitol, President Donald Trump lauded the achievements of the deceased and his rise to prominence as a religious leader. He also reminisced about Graham’s impact on him while growing up.
The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said that he was an example to generations of modern Christians. Also some former US presidents also praised the preacher in their tributes. George H.W. Bush referred to Graham as “America’s pastor” while Jimmy Carter said that Graham “had an enormous influence on my spiritual life.” Bill Clinton described Graham as “one of the most important religious leaders in American history” and Barack Obama describes him as “a humble servant who prayed for so many and who, with wisdom and grace, gave hope and guidance to generations of Americans.”
Similarly, political and religious leaders the world over have praised Graham for his exemplary Christian life and evangelism. The late Graham wrote so many books in the course of propagating the gospel. Some of his books are Calling Youth to Christ, America’s Hour of Decision, I Saw Your Sons at War, Peace with God, Freedom from the Seven Deadly Sins, The Secrete Happiness, Billy Graham Talks to Teenagers, My Answer, Billy Graham Answers Your Questions, World Aflame, The Challenge and The Jesus Generation.
Billy Graham preached and lived the gospel. He preached the good news in his lively style to people in many countries including Nigeria. Some religious leaders in Nigeria have attested to his greatness as an evangelist.
We commiserate with his family, the government and people of America for this great loss. May his soul rest in peace.