Billy Graham
Born
7 November 1918 (107)
Place of Birth
Charlotte, North Carolina, USA
Also known as
Rev. Billy Graham, Reverend Billy Graham
Biography
William Franklin Graham Jr. (November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist, a prominent evangelical Christian figure, and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well-known internationally in the late 1940s. One of his biographers has placed him "among the most influential Christian leaders" of the 20th century. As a preacher, he held large indoor and outdoor rallies with sermons that were broadcast on radio and television; some were still being re-broadcast into the...
William Franklin Graham Jr. (November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist, a prominent evangelical Christian figure, and an ordained Southern Baptist minister who became well-known internationally in the late 1940s. One of his biographers has placed him "among the most influential Christian leaders" of the 20th century. As a preacher, he held large indoor and outdoor rallies with sermons that were broadcast on radio and television; some were still being re-broadcast into the 21st century. In his six decades on television, Graham hosted annual "Crusades", evangelistic campaigns that ran from 1947 until his retirement in 2005. He also hosted the radio show Hour of Decision from 1950 to 1954. He repudiated racial segregation and insisted on racial integration for his revivals and crusades, starting in 1953; he also invited Martin Luther King Jr. to preach jointly at a revival in New York City in 1957. In addition to his religious aims, he helped shape the worldview of a huge number of people who came from different backgrounds, leading them to find a relationship between the Bible and contemporary secular viewpoints. According to his website, Graham preached to live audiences of 210 million people in more than 185 countries and territories through various meetings, including BMS World Mission and Global Mission. Graham was a spiritual adviser to U.S. presidents, and he provided spiritual counsel for every president from Harry S. Truman (33rd) to Barack Obama (44th). He was particularly close to Dwight D. Eisenhower, Lyndon B. Johnson (one of Graham's closest friends), and Richard Nixon. He was also lifelong friends with another televangelist, the founding pastor of the Crystal Cathedral, Robert Schuller, whom Graham talked into starting his own television ministry. Graham operated a variety of media and publishing outlets. According to his staff, more than 3.2 million people have responded to the invitation at Billy Graham Crusades to "accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior". Graham's evangelism was appreciated by mainline Protestant and Roman Catholic denominations because he encouraged new converts to become members of these churches. As of 2008, Graham's estimated lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, topped 2.2 billion. One special televised broadcast in 1996 alone may have reached a television audience of as many as 2.5 billion people worldwide. Because of his crusades, Graham preached the gospel to more people in person than anyone in the history of Christianity. Graham was on Gallup's list of most admired men and women a record 61 times. Grant Wacker writes that by the mid-1960s, he had become the "Great Legitimator": "By then his presence conferred status on presidents, acceptability on wars, shame on racial prejudice, desirability on decency, dishonor on indecency, and prestige on civic events". From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Filmography (40)
scenes of a darty
2024
Billy Graham
2021
When the World is Shaken
2021
Hail Satan?
2019
Billy Graham: An Extraordinary Journey
2018
Billy Graham: A Life Remembered
2018
Steve McQueen: American Icon
2017
Rules Don't Apply
2016
Second Chance
2015
Heaven
2014
Nixon by Nixon: In His Own Words
2014
A Gathering of Souls: The Billy Graham Crusades
2014
The Case For Faith
2008
Billy Graham: God's Ambassador
2006
A Billy Graham Music Homecoming Volume 1
2001
A Billy Graham Music Homecoming Volume 2
2001
Something to Sing About
2000
The Home Coming
1996
Repeat Performance
1996
Power Play
1994
Crusade: The Life of Billy Graham
1993
Caught
1987
Cry from the Mountain
1985
George Burns Celebrates 80 Years in Show Business
1983
Mickey's 50
1978
No Longer Alone
1978
Born Again
1978
The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1976
1976
Time to Run
1973
The Woody Allen Special
1969
Two a Penny
1967
For Pete's Sake
1966
Lucía
1966
The Restless Ones
1965
Man in the 5th Dimension
1964
Shadow of the Boomerang
1961
The Heart is a Rebel
1958
Fire on the Heather
1956
Wiretapper
1955
Souls in Conflict
1954