|
|
| (61 intermediate revisions by 14 users not shown) |
| Line 1: |
Line 1: |
| − | == Overview == | + | {{Infobox_Contents | |
| − | [[Image:BillyGraham.jpg|right]] | + | topic_name = Billy Graham |
| | + | [[Image:BillyGraham.jpg|thumb|center]] | |
| | + | subtopics = [[Billy Graham Crusades]] |
| | + | * [[Billy Graham's Biography]] | |
| | + | opinion_pieces = {{short_opinions}} | |
| | + | }} |
| | | | |
| − | William Franklin Graham (born November 7, 1918), commonly known as Billy Graham, is an American Christian evangelist who has preached the message of [[Christianity]] around the world, reaching live audiences of 210 million people in 185 countries. He has led hundreds of thousands of people to make personal decisions to accept [[Jesus Christ]] into their lives. Many of his sermons center on the topic "Jesus Christ is the only way of [[salvation]]." He has often advised U.S. presidents and continues to be listed as one of the "Ten Most Admired Men in the World" in Gallup Polls.
| + | <YouTube> |
| | + | title=Billy Graham - What's Going on? |
| | + | http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sow0gfXXHGY&rel=1 |
| | + | embed_source_url=http://www.youtube.com/v/Sow0gfXXHGY&rel=1 |
| | + | wrap=yes |
| | + | width=500 |
| | + | height=400 |
| | + | </YouTube> |
| | | | |
| | + | '''Billy Graham''' (or '''William Franklin Graham''') (born: 1918) is an American Christian [[evangelist]] who has preached the message of [[Christianity]] around the [[world]]. Many of his sermons center on the topic: Jesus Christ is the only way of [[salvation]]. |
| | | | |
| − | ----
| + | Billy Graham has preached the message of [[Christianity]] around the [[world]], reaching live audiences of 210 million people in 185 countries. He has led hundreds of thousands of people to make personal decisions to accept [[Jesus Christ]] into their lives. |
| | | | |
| − | William (Billy) F. Graham
| + | ==Ministry== |
| − | Evangelist and Chairman of the Board
| |
| − | Profile
| |
| | | | |
| − | "My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Christ." --Billy Graham | + | While still a seminarian at Wheaton College, Graham was ordained a Southern Baptist minister in 1939 and served briefly as pastor of the Village Church in [[Western Springs, Illinois]], not far from Wheaton, in 1943-44. While there, a friend of Graham's, Torrey Johnson, pastor of the Midwest Bible Church in [[Chicago]], told Graham that his radio program "Songs in the Night" was about to be cancelled for lack of funding. Consulting with the members of his church in Western Springs, Graham decided to take over Johnson's program with financial support from his parishioners. Launching the new and revitalized radio program on January 2. 1944, still called "Songs in the Night," Graham recruited the baritone [[George Beverly Shea]] as his director of radio ministry. While the radio ministry continued for many years, Graham decided to move on in early 1945. He served as president of [[Northwestern College (Minnesota)|Northwestern College]] in [[Minnesota]] in 1948, and at age 30 was (and still is) the youngest person to serve as a sitting college president. |
| | | | |
| − | Evangelist Billy Graham took Christ literally when He said in Mark 16:15, “Go ye into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.”
| + | Initially, Graham intended to become a [[chaplain]] in the armed forces, but shortly after applying for a commission he came down with a severe case of mumps that ended that plan. After a period of recuperation in [[Florida]], Graham went on to co-found [[Youth for Christ]] with evangelist [[Charles Templeton]]. He travelled throughout the [[United States]] and [[Europe]] as an evangelist. Unlike many evangelists then and now, Graham had little formal theological training; he turned down offers to attend [[Princeton Theological Seminary]]. |
| | | | |
| − | Mr. Graham has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history—over 210 million people in more than 185 countries and territories—through various meetings, including Mission World and Global Mission. Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film, and webcasts.
| + | ====[[Billy Graham Crusades]]==== |
| | | | |
| − | Since the 1949 Los Angeles crusade vaulted Mr. Graham into the public eye, he has led hundreds of thousands of individuals to make personal decisions to live for Christ, which is the main thrust of his ministry.
| + | Billy Graham has conducted over 41 evangelistic crusades since 1948. He began this form of ministry in 1947 and continued until recently. He would rent a large venue, such as a stadium, present the gospel to a large crowd and call for a response. |
| | + | |
| | + | ==Quotes== |
| | | | |
| − | Born November 7, 1918, four days before the Armistice ended World War I, Mr. Graham was reared on a dairy farm in Charlotte, North Carolina. Growing up during the Depression, he learned the value of hard work on the family farm, but he also found time to spend many hours in the hayloft reading books on a wide variety of subjects.
| |
| | | | |
| − | In the fall of 1934, at age 16, Mr. Graham made a personal commitment to Christ through the ministry of Mordecai Ham, a traveling evangelist, who visited Charlotte for a series of revival meetings.
| |
| | | | |
| − | Ordained in 1939 by a church in the Southern Baptist Convention, Mr. Graham received a solid foundation in the Scriptures at Florida Bible Institute (now Trinity College in Florida). In 1943 he was graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois and married fellow student Ruth McCue Bell, daughter of a missionary surgeon, who spent the first 17 years of her life in China.
| + | ==Links== |
| | + | * [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Graham Wikipedia - Billy Graham] |
| | + | * [http://youtube.com/watch?v=Sow0gfXXHGY&rel=1&feature=related YouTube Video] |
| | + | * [http://www.ted.com/talks/billy_graham_on_technology_faith_and_suffering.html Talk at TED on Technology and Faith] |
| | | | |
| − | After graduating from college, Mr. Graham pastored the First Baptist Church in Western Springs, Illinois, before joining Youth for Christ, an organization founded for ministry to youth and servicemen during World War II. He preached throughout the United States and in Europe in the immediate post war era, emerging as a rising young evangelist.
| + | {{returnto}} [[Christianity]] -> [[Famous Christians]] -> [[Theologians and Evangelists]] |
| | | | |
| − | The Los Angeles crusade in 1949 launched Mr. Graham into international prominence. Scheduled for three weeks, the meetings were extended to more than eight weeks, with overflow crowds filling a tent erected downtown each night.
| |
| | | | |
| − | Many of his subsequent early crusades were similarly extended, including one in London which lasted 12 weeks, and a New York City crusade in Madison Square Garden in 1957 which ran nightly for 16 weeks.
| + | [[Category:Person]] |
| − | | + | [[Category:Male]] |
| − | Today, at age 87, Billy Graham and his ministry are known around the globe. He has preached in remote African villages and in the heart of New York City, and those to whom he has ministered have ranged from heads of state to the simple living bushmen of Australia and the wandering tribes of Africa and the Middle East. Since 1977, Mr. Graham has been accorded the opportunity to conduct preaching missions in virtually every country of the former Eastern bloc, including the former Soviet Union.
| + | [[Category:American Christians]] |
| − | | + | [[Category:Famous Christians]] |
| − | Mr. Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) in 1950 which was headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, until relocating to Charlotte, North Carolina in 2003. He conducts his ministry through the BGEA, including:
| + | [[Category:Media Workers in the United States of America]] |
| − | | + | [[Category:Theologians and Evangelists]] |
| − | * the weekly “Hour of Decision” radio program broadcast around the world on Sundays for over 50 years.
| + | [[Category:Videos]] |
| − | * television specials featuring Billy Graham Crusades and Franklin Graham Festivals which are broadcast in prime time on an average of 150 stations across the United States and Canada five to seven times annually.
| + | [[Category:Pages with YouTube content]] |
| − | * a syndicated newspaper column, “My Answer,” which is carried by newspapers both nationally and internationally.
| |
| − | * "Decision" magazine, the official publication of the Association, which has a circulation of more than 600,000 and is available in English and German versions, with special editions available in Braille and on cassette tape for the visually impaired.
| |
| − | * World Wide Pictures which has produced and distributed over 125 productions, making it one of the foremost producers of evangelistic films in the world. Films have been translated into 38 languages and viewed by more than 250 million people worldwide and are available for showing in prisons and correctional facilities nationwide.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Mr. Graham has written 25 books, many of which have become top sellers. His memoirs, “Just As I Am,” published in 1997, achieved a “triple crown,” appearing simultaneously on the three top best-seller lists in one week. In it Mr. Graham reflects on his life, including more than 60 years of ministry around the world. From humble beginnings as the son of a dairy farmer in North Carolina, he shares how his unwavering faith in Christ formed and shaped his career.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Of his other books, “Approaching Hoofbeats: The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse” (1983) was listed for several weeks on The New York Times best seller list; “How to Be Born Again” (1977) had the largest first printing in publishing history with 800,000 copies; “Angels: God’s Secret Agents” (1975) sold one million copies within 90 days; and “The Jesus Generation” (1971) sold 200,000 copies in the first two weeks.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Mr. Graham’s counsel has been sought by presidents, and his appeal in both the secular and religious arenas is evidenced by the wide range of groups that have honored him, including numerous honorary doctorates from many institutions in the U. S. and abroad.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Recognitions include the Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation Freedom Award (2000) for contributions to the cause of freedom; the Congressional Gold Medal (1996); the Templeton Foundation Prize for Progress in Religion (1982); and the Big Brother Award for his work on behalf of the welfare of children (1966). In 1964 he received the Speaker of the Year Award and was cited by the George Washington Carver Memorial Institute for his contributions to race relations. He was recognized by the Anti-Defamation League of the B’nai B’rith in 1969 and the National Conference of Christians and Jews in 1971 for his efforts to foster a better understanding among all faiths. In December 2001 he was presented with an honorary knighthood, Honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire (KBE), for his international contribution to civic and religious life over 60 years.
| |
| − | | |
| − | Mr. Graham is regularly listed by the Gallup organization as one of the “Ten Most Admired Men in the World,” whom it described as the dominant figure in that poll since 1948—making an unparalleled 48th appearance and 41st consecutive appearance. He has also appeared on the covers of Time, Newsweek, Life, U.S. News and World Report, Parade, and numerous other magazines and has been the subject of many newspaper and magazine feature articles and books.
| |
| − | | |
| − | He and his wife, Ruth, have three daughters, two sons, 19 grandchildren and numerous great grandchildren. The Grahams make their home in the mountains of western North Carolina.
| |
| − |
| |
| − | ----
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''External Links'''
| |
| − | * [http://www.billygraham.com Billy Graham]
| |
| − | | |
| − | '''Articles / opinions'''
| |
| − | * [[Comments about Billy Graham]]
| |
| − | | |
| − | | |
| − | '''Quotes'''
| |
| − | * [[Quotes of Billy Graham]]
| |
| − | * [[Quotes about Billy Graham]]
| |
| Billy Graham
|
| RELATED TOPICS |
|
| SERMONS, ESSAYS AND OPINIONS |
|
| CONTENTS |
|
Billy Graham (or William Franklin Graham) (born: 1918) is an American Christian evangelist who has preached the message of Christianity around the world. Many of his sermons center on the topic: Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation.
Billy Graham has preached the message of Christianity around the world, reaching live audiences of 210 million people in 185 countries. He has led hundreds of thousands of people to make personal decisions to accept Jesus Christ into their lives.
Ministry
While still a seminarian at Wheaton College, Graham was ordained a Southern Baptist minister in 1939 and served briefly as pastor of the Village Church in Western Springs, Illinois, not far from Wheaton, in 1943-44. While there, a friend of Graham's, Torrey Johnson, pastor of the Midwest Bible Church in Chicago, told Graham that his radio program "Songs in the Night" was about to be cancelled for lack of funding. Consulting with the members of his church in Western Springs, Graham decided to take over Johnson's program with financial support from his parishioners. Launching the new and revitalized radio program on January 2. 1944, still called "Songs in the Night," Graham recruited the baritone George Beverly Shea as his director of radio ministry. While the radio ministry continued for many years, Graham decided to move on in early 1945. He served as president of Northwestern College in Minnesota in 1948, and at age 30 was (and still is) the youngest person to serve as a sitting college president.
Initially, Graham intended to become a chaplain in the armed forces, but shortly after applying for a commission he came down with a severe case of mumps that ended that plan. After a period of recuperation in Florida, Graham went on to co-found Youth for Christ with evangelist Charles Templeton. He travelled throughout the United States and Europe as an evangelist. Unlike many evangelists then and now, Graham had little formal theological training; he turned down offers to attend Princeton Theological Seminary.
Billy Graham has conducted over 41 evangelistic crusades since 1948. He began this form of ministry in 1947 and continued until recently. He would rent a large venue, such as a stadium, present the gospel to a large crowd and call for a response.
Quotes
Links
Return to Christianity -> Famous Christians -> Theologians and Evangelists
