Commentary; Posted: 6/15/05
Billy Graham: Back to New York City
By Rev. John Blackford
The Rev. Billy Graham is one of the foremost religious figures in the world. He and the late Pope John Paul II are probably the most well-known church leaders in this generation. Dr. Graham is said to have preached to more people, in person and over radio and TV, than anyone else in history.
Now, 86 years old and not in robust health, Graham is leading a crusade in New York City, June 24-26. He first held a campaign there 48 years ago in midsummer, 1957.
For 16 weeks, he and his team reached millions - famous, infamous and unknown - with the Gospel. Meetings were held in Madison Square Garden. It had been hoped that to schedule the Garden again; however, since 9/11 all events have been ticketed.
Dr. Graham has never wanted to charge admission because the ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has been to proclaim ìwhosoever will may come.î
Franklin Graham, his son, said, ìGod answered prayer and the Lord opened the door for us at Flushing Meadows Corona Park in Queens. More than 130 languages are spoken within walking distance of the park. Major transportation arteries, including trains, buses and highways, feed directly into Flushing Meadows, home of the U.S. Tennis Open and the 1964 Worldís Fair.î
The park will be transformed into a giant stadium filled with 70,000 chairs and an overflow area for more than 50,000 people. New York is the most ethnically diverse city in the world and logistics for such a meeting present special challenges requiring the efforts of thousands of participants.
More than a thousand area churches have been praying and working for months to prepare for the Crusade. Reaching youth will be a foremost goal. The Coalition of Urban Youth Workers, a consortium of New York City youth leaders, founded at the American Bible Society, will head up this outreach. The Coalition represents more than 60 Christian organizations working with youth, including Youth for Christ, World Vision and Teen Challenge.
There will be a prison committee to reach those in correctional facilities and it will begin a week before the start of the Crusade. Other programs will involve personalities in the sports and entertainment fields. Those who cannot speak English will have available an immediate translation.
While a youth, Billy Graham came to Christ through the ministry of the Rev. Mordecai Ham, a southern evangelist. After attending bible school, he felt a call to be an evangelist and he worked with Youth for Christ for several years.
In 1949, he and some of his friends went to Los Angeles and erected a tent in the heart of the city. They advertised they would hold evangelistic services nightly. Attendance was poor at the outset, but they continued their effort.
Newspaper tycoon William Randolph Hearst took an interest in the meetings. Believing they could be a positive influence, he told his editor, ìPuff Graham.î
Crowds began to attend and the crusade was a great success. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was born and soon was reaching great numbers across the nation.
From the outset, the organization emphasized a personal experience of faith in Christ as savior and spiritual awakenings in the churches. The cover of the June, 2005 issue of decision (their monthly magazine) says ìThe Road to Revival - New Yorkers pray for awakening.î
Over these 55 years, the emphasis has not changed.
Until recently, Association headquarters were in Minneapolis. On April 23 in Charlotte, NC, a new facility was dedicated. It is just four miles from the site of a dairy farm where his father grew up. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has many ministries in addition to the crusades, including films, books and telephone counseling. It is most effective in bringing together diverse groups to produce a great impact.
Billy Graham has this message for us: ìPray.î He asks for prayer for churches and pastors, for guidance and wisdom, for hearts to be open to the invitation and that God will be honored and glorified in every aspect of the Crusade.
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