Billy Graham is considered one of the most influential religious figures in US history and one of the most famous evangelicals in the world. During his lifetime, Graham preached the Gospel to hundreds of millions of people around the world and earned his love, respect, and appreciation from thousands through his charisma, sincerity, and righteousness. However, the main lesson that one can take from the life of Billy Graham is the need to adapt to the demands of modernity while maintaining the fundamental principles of his faith.
Billy Graham has become one of the most famous and beloved preachers of the Gospel for his charisma, simplicity, sincerity, and education. A farmer’s son, Graham, discovered the path of evangelism after hearing Mordechai Ham’s preach as a child, which prompted him to go to college. Graham graduated from Wheaton College, Illinois, which helped him gain a wide range of knowledge and develop his unique style of preaching. The peculiarity of his speeches was that he always sincerely and simply conveyed messages to the audience. Graham believed that sincerity helps pave the way for the souls and hearts of people, converting them to God. The central idea of all his speeches was that Jesus loves all people, so all who choose the path of serving the Lord will be saved. This message helped Gramm attract more and more people by preaching the Gospel to them, listening to their problems, and treating all people as equals.
A feature of Graham was the approach that he made central to his life and career, namely the acceptance of any opportunity to transmit the Word of God, as well as the expression of love and respect for all people, regardless of their background and past. For this reason, Graham was one of the first to appear on radio and television, which gained popularity in the United States. However, he did not join the so-called “televangelists” who sharply criticized homosexuals and other unconventional trends at the time.
Moreover, Graham’s position allowed him to carry out “crusades” both in the United States and around the world. For example, in 1992, Graham became the first religious leader to visit North Korea, and he was a regular guest of Africa and Asia and met with Soviet officials. Graham has preached to an audience of 210 million people in over 185 countries and has also been a member of global missions and meetings such as the BMS World Mission and Global Mission. In his speeches, Graham often made references to pop culture and met with Hollywood stars, politicians, and even gangsters, as he believed that anyone could take the right path and accept faith in Christ. This openness, sincerity, and modernity allowed Graham to win people’s trust, which helped him preach the Gospel and turn others into the faith.
Moreover, Graham’s modernity was manifested not only in the methods and approaches to preaching but also in the positions that he defended. For example, Graham was one of the first to protest against racial discrimination and refused to speak for a segregated audience. He was also a friend of Martin Luther King and supported the Civil Rights Movement. In addition, Graham was familiar and close with many American presidents and was partly involved in politics. In fact, for many years, Graham acted as an unofficial adviser to the president, although he later expressed his regrets about getting too deep in political affairs. Nevertheless, this position and understanding of the social and political life of society were also crucial in their life and ministry of Graham. In this way, he could convey the Gospel to people by interpreting important issues for them through the Word of God.
At the same time, despite his participation in the political, cultural, and social life of society. Billy Graham never changed his rules and always had as his primary goal the preaching of the Gospel and the conversion of people to faith. Graham did not express ideas that contradicted the fundamental ideas of Christianity, always treated other people with respect, and showed himself as a faithful husband. Consequently, Graham maintained a balance between traditional principles of faith and current trends, making him an example of a religious figure for many people.
Therefore, the life and ministry of Billy Graham demonstrate an essential lesson for all religious figures of our time. A preacher should be direct and honest with people and show them respect and attention. A preacher must understand and participate in important events in the life of society to find a place for religion in the hearts of people. A preacher must use all available means to spread the word of God to all who are ready to hear it. In this way, more and more people will find hope, meaning, and salvation in faith.
Bibliography
“Billy Graham: Six Things He Believed”. BBC, 2018. Web.
“Profile: Billy Graham William (Billy) F. Graham.” Billy Graham Evangelist Association. Web.
Long, Michael. The Legacy of Billy Graham: Critical Reflections on America’s Greatest Evangelist. Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2008.