Billy Graham

Evangelist Billy Graham, born on November 7, 1918, in Charlotte, North Carolina, became one of the most influential Christian leaders in history, preaching the Gospel to nearly 215 million people in over 185 countries and territories. Raised on a dairy farm during the Great Depression, Graham learned the value of hard work while nurturing a love for reading. At age 15, he made a personal commitment to Christ through the ministry of evangelist Mordecai Ham, setting him on a lifelong path of faith.

Graham was ordained in 1939 and received his theological education at Florida Bible Institute (now Trinity College of Florida) and Wheaton College, where he met his wife, Ruth Bell, the daughter of missionaries. After pastoring a church in Illinois, he joined Youth for Christ, preaching to youth and servicemen during World War II. His ministry gained international prominence during the 1949 Los Angeles Crusade, where his meetings, scheduled for three weeks, were extended to eight due to overwhelming attendance.

Throughout his career, Graham held massive crusades across the globe, from remote African villages to the heart of New York City, where his 1957 Madison Square Garden Crusade ran nightly for 16 weeks. His preaching missions also reached the former Eastern bloc, including the Soviet Union. In 2013, at age 95, he spearheaded My Hope with Billy Graham, a nationwide evangelistic outreach in the U.S. and Canada that utilized media and personal relationships to share the Gospel.

In 1950, Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), which produced the Hour of Decision radio program, television broadcasts, the widely-read Decision magazine, and the syndicated newspaper column “My Answer.” Graham also authored 33 books, including his best-selling autobiography Just As I Am, which achieved critical acclaim. His works, such as Angels: God’s Secret Agents and How to Be Born Again, have sold millions of copies worldwide.

Graham was a trusted counselor to U.S. presidents and received numerous honors, including the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Freedom Award (2000), the Congressional Gold Medal (1996), and an honorary knighthood (KBE) from Queen Elizabeth II in 2001. He was recognized for his contributions to racial reconciliation, children’s welfare, and interfaith understanding. Gallup named him one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World” a record 61 times, making him the most dominant figure in the poll’s history.

Graham’s ministry reached hundreds of millions through innovative use of media, including television, radio, film, and webcasts. His dedication to sharing the Gospel remained unwavering, emphasizing the importance of personal salvation through Christ. Despite his global impact, Graham lived humbly in his North Carolina mountain home, where he passed away on February 21, 2018, at age 99. He is remembered as a spiritual leader whose message of hope and salvation touched countless lives.