The voice of Evangelist Billy Graham has very likely been heard by more people than that of any other person in history. This is a rather phenomenal development which can only be understood as the power of God works through a human life committed to His purposes.
Wherever this voice has been heard there has also been a quiet sense, but a very real one, of the presence of God. This presence has been felt in countless thousands of hearts who have been moved to commit their lives to Christian faith at the time of invitation. These are invitations without the use of the dramatic or the emotional. They are very clear-cut challenges to men and womem to make a commitment of their lives to Christ.
Billy Graham and his remarkably gifted team, have therefore elevated evangelistic ministry to a very high level which has gained respect of boththe secular and the religious world. This has provided an opportunity for Dr. Graham to be widely heard as a modern day Christian prophet calling a confused world to God. The impact of the Graham personality and message is felt in this recording of sermons as he preached them in one of his recent crusades.
In this day of frantis hurry, mass confusion, and self-indulgence, We can all be thankful that God raised up a man deeply committed to Him who has a message to speak to all of us and who speaks it daringly, and in the power of the Holy Spirit. He speaks God's message with kind if conviction and insight that causes people to recognize almost spontaneously that is indeed God's message.
William F. (Billy) Graham . . .
Evangelist, Author, Educator . . .
was born and reared in Charlotte, North Carolina.
He graduated from Wheaton College with an A. B. degree and from Houghton College with an LL.D.
He has received an Honorary LL.D. from Baylor University and Honorary D.D. degree from Wheaton and William Jewell Colleges.
In 1940 Dr. Graham was ordained to the Baptist ministry and was pastor of Western Springs (Illinois) First Baptist Church from 1943 through 1945. In 1946 he became First Vice President of Youth for Christ International and during this time began the now famous Crusades for Christ. In 1947 Graham became President of Northwestern College in Minneapolis and remained there until 1951. It was during this time (1950) that he started the weekly "Hour of Decision" broadcasts and founded The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
During the past decade Billy Grahma and his team have held major crusades in fifteen foreign countries, twenty States and the District of Columbia. In addition to his Evangelistic Association, Dr. Graham heads the Billy Graham Evangelistic Films, Inc. which prpduces religious films; is author of a syndicated newspaper column, "My Answer"; and President of Blue Ridge Broadcasting Corp., (WFGW), a non-commercial radio station at Black Mountian, North Carolina.
Dr. Graham´s published works include: "Peace with God" (1953); "My Answer" (1960); "The Secret of Happiness" (1955); and "Hour of Decision" Radio Sermons (1950).
Billy Graham is a member of the Royal Geographic and Royal Literary Societies. He has been the recipient of the Freedom Foundation and Bernard Baruch Awards and was chosen the Ninth "International Youth's Distinguished Service Citizen.
Dr. and Mrs. Graham make their home in Montreat, North Carolina, and are the parents of three sons and two daughter.