|
 As
a young boy, Billy Graham pursued baseball and Tarzan comic
books. Spirituality and preaching were probably the furthest
from his mind. In fact, when he was a senior in high school,
one of his teachers took the opportunity of his absence
in class to remark to the students that "Billy Frank
would never amount to anything." He had deep, bright
eyes and determined energy, but schoolwork did not interest
him.
One
night in 1934 changed that. At the age of 16, Billy and
his friend Grady Wilson went to a revival in Charlotte held
by the Kentucky fire-and-brimstone preacher, Mordecai Fowler
Ham. After the crowd sang "When the Roll is Called
Up Yonder," Ham began his next sermon by saying, "There's
a great sinner in this place tonight." Terrified, Billy
began to wonder if he might be speaking directly to him,
so when the invitation came to go to the altar, Billy accepted.
Billy
first enrolled at Bob Jones College, but he stayed for only
one semester and transferred to Florida Bible Institute.
During his time there, he fell deeply in love with one woman,
who rejected him for another man. Shortly after he graduated
from Florida Bible Institute and began to think about ministry,
his friend Johnny Streater introduced him to Ruth Bell in
November 1940. Billy said the attraction was instant, and
three years later they married. Billy's crusade ministry
began in 1947 and continued every year until 1995. In addition
to authoring several books, he has had a long television
and radio ministry, both with The Hour of Decision
and several television broadcasts. Billy's gift was in inviting
people to come to the altar; his audience flocked to the
front upon his invitations.
 As
a family man, Billy relied on his wife's strength and encouragement
far more than any of his public ever knew. She was instrumental
in helping him write his first book, Peace With God,
and the title of The Hour of Decision was her idea.
Her ability to make decisions about the household and family
enabled him to pursue his ministry and travel abroad to
the extent that he did--sometimes to over 10 different countries
in a year.
Although
Billy is retired from his crusade and television ministries,
he has not faded from the public eye. On September 14, 2001,
he delivered a message at the National Prayer Service in
Washington after the September 11 terrorist attack. At age
83, his voice and magnetic stare are still as powerful as
they were in his youth.
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William Graham, Jr. - Ruth Bell Graham - Gigi Graham - Anne Graham
Ruth Graham - Franklin Graham - Ned Graham
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