Man of God: Evangelist Billy Graham Passes Away at 99 Leaving An Eternal Legacy

Elevate Christian Network :: News and Events

Rev. Billy Graham’s impact transformed America’s religious life and reached millions of people around the world. He eventually became a counselor to presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history.

Spokesman Mark DeMoss says Graham, who had long suffered from cancer, pneumonia and other ailments, died at his home in North Carolina on Wednesday morning. But Graham wanted the world to know, he’s not really dead, he’s just moved to heaven.

The Life of Billy Graham

Raised on a dairy farm during the Great Depression, he developed a strong work ethic, a work ethic that was clearly evident through six decades of ministry. Rev. Graham shared the gospel of Jesus Christ to nearly 215 million people in live audiences in more than 185 countries and territories.

Hundreds of millions more have been reached through radio, television, film, books and the internet. Billy Graham gave his heart to Jesus Christ at 16. His profound conversion happened under the ministry of traveling evangelist Mordecai Ham.

The Call to Ministry

Answering God’s call to the ministry, he was ordained in 1939 by a church in the Southern Baptist Convention.  He graduated from Wheaton College in Illinois, where he met and married his wife, Ruth.

Billy Graham gained his primary evangelistic experience on radio, and then through Youth for Christ, an organization founded to minister to young people and servicemen during World War II. Following the war, Graham preached throughout the United States and Europe.

Confronting Racism

Billy Graham was not afraid to confront the evils of society. He joined with Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. to battle racism.  “Don’t ever say it’s a white man’s religion or a black man’s religion,” he said. “Christ belongs to all people. He belongs to the whole world.”

Graham also took on apartheid, refusing to hold a crusade in South Africa until the meetings were integrated. Despite sharp criticism from many in the religious community, Billy Graham also took the message of salvation behind the “Iron Curtain” to communist eastern Europe.

Opening Up Nations to the Gospel

Evangelist Luis Palau said, “Billy Graham really opened up more countries to the Gospel, inspired more young preachers to have faith to believe that nations could be opened up, has given credibility to Biblical Christianity like no one except maybe the Apostle Paul in history.”

This famous quote from Billy Graham sums up his perspective on eternity: “Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.”

Read the full story…. cbn.com

 

 

Evangelist Billy Graham Passes Away at Age 99 (Video)

• Rev. Billy Graham carried the Gospel message around the world through his crusades, bringing generations of people to faith in Jesus Christ.

 

 

Social Media Comments:

Today we remember the life of Rev. Billy Graham. 🙏❤️

“Someday you will read or hear that Billy Graham is dead. Don’t you believe a word of it. I shall be more alive than I am now. I will just have changed my address. I will have gone into the presence of God.” pic.twitter.com/fs7MAZhegM

— Project Inspired (@projectinspired) February 21, 2018

Billy Graham’s life was about following Jesus & he knew that meant an ongoing commitment to be changed by love. “It’s the Holy Spirit’s job to convict, God’s job to judge, and my job to love,” Graham often said. https://t.co/g6iJsVM326

— Rev. Dr. Barber (@RevDrBarber) February 21, 2018

A look back at the life and legacy of Rev. Billy Graham, who passed away this morning in North Carolina at 99 pic.twitter.com/xu2y2MecA3

— TODAY (@TODAYshow) February 21, 2018

 

Across the web:

Influential evangelist and presidential adviser the Rev. Billy Graham dies at 99 MONTREAT, N.C. (AP) — The Rev. Billy Graham, who transformed American religious life through his preaching and activism, becoming a counselor to presidents and the most widely heard Christian evangelist in history, died Wednesday. He was 99. Graham …

 

‘A very special man’: Pres. Trump, others react to Rev. Billy Graham’s death The Rev. Billy Graham passed away in his home in North Carolina on Wednesday, a family spokesman said. He was 99. Franklin Graham, Billy Graham’s son and the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, shared a memory of his father on social media.

 

Billy Graham, powerful evangelist whose simple message reached millions, dies at 99 The Rev. Billy Graham was anxious about his 1954 appearance at the London School of Economics. The school was left-leaning and openly dismissive of religion, and Graham was insecure — he had no advanced theology degree. After he was introduced, something …

 

Remembering Rev. Billy Graham’s eight-day crusade at Memorial Stadium in Baltimore The Rev. Billy Graham, who died today at age 99, brought his powerful message of Christian faith to Baltimore three times — first at the Lyric in 1949, when the then-30-year-old was seen as a rising star on the evangelical circuit, and for the final time …

 

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