Who is a hero of faith?

A Hero of faith is someone who has shown unyielding trust in God’s words and God’s will. Heroes of faith are characterized by their obedience to God’s commandments, their resilience in the face of adversity, and their unwavering belief in God’s promises. A hero of faith is someone who has led or leads a life of selflessness and compassion for their fellow human. Heroes of faith inspire others to commit their lives to God’s principles, and they influence their community most positively.

Billy Graham is one of the most influential evangelists of the last century. He was an advocate of the word of Christ and one of the true heroes of faith. In this episode of Heroes of Faith, we will discuss the life of Billy Graham and his immense contribution to the Christian faith.

Billy Graham’s Background 

Billy Graham was born on November 7, 1918. He was an American evangelist, an ordained Southern Baptist minister, and a civil rights advocate. He was a popular Christian figure during his lifetime. Graham was raised by his parents in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church. Graham had a great dislike for alcohol. His father had made him and his sister drink till they were sick; this fueled his disdain for alcohol, which lasted till his death. He tried to join a local religious youth group but was deemed too worldly and rejected.

He loved to read from a young age, resulting in his eagerness to read the Bible every morning, a habit he maintained until his death. After graduating from High School in May 1936, Graham attended Bob Jones College. He almost got expelled at some point, but Bob Jones Sr, warned him not to throw his life away. In his own words, “You have a voice that pulls. God can use that voice of yours. He can use it mightily.” Pastor Charley Young from the Eastport Bible Church was also a huge influence and inspiration to Bill Graham.

Billy Graham’s Conversion

According to his biography, he converted during a series of revival meetings in 1934. Graham was transferred from the Florida Bible Institute in Temple Terrace, Florida. While he was a student, he preached his first sermon in a Baptist church. In his biography, Graham wrote that he received his calling on the 18th green of the Temple Terrace Golf and Country Club, which was adjacent to his institute’s campus.

Graham was ordained by a group of Southern Baptist clergy at Peniel Baptist Church in Palatka, Florida. In 1940, he graduated with a Bachelor of Theology degree.

Graham went on to enrol at Wheaton College in Illinois. During his time there, he accepted the Bible as the unfailing word of God.

Billy Graham’s Ministry And Evangelistic Crusades

Billy Graham held his first crusade in 1947 at 28 years old, and the concert was attended by 6,000 people. As his sessions became larger, he would organize people up to 5,000 to sing in a choir. Graham would preach the gospel and invite people forward to have conversations with counsellors to answer their questions about faith.

While in college, Graham held evangelistic meetings on several college campuses at the University of Minnesota during the intervarsity’s “year of evangelism” in 1950–51. He held a four-day mission at Yale University in 1959 and a week-long series of meetings at the University of North Carolina’s Carmichael Auditorium in 1982. Bill Graham was invited by the Cambridge University students to lead the Cambridge University mission arranged by the Cambridge Inter-College Christian Union.

Later in his evangelical career, he was offered a million dollars from NBC to appear on television, but he declined to continue his touring revival.

Billy Graham’s Legacy And Impact

Billy Graham’s philosophy was that everyone who accepts Christ into their lives will be saved. This watchword of his became the foundation of his ministry, attracting millions to God through him. It is reported that he preached to 215 million people in person, a feat that will likely never be surpassed. ED Stetzer, talking about Bill Graham, said, “He reminded us that gospel proclamation mattered—in crusades, sure, but everywhere. He prioritized evangelism and called us to do the same.”.

Graham preached in Korea during the war. He also preached under threat in Japan and risked his life during an Africa/Middle East preaching tour to cities and villages in 1960. In 1973, in Seoul, South Korea, more than a million people gathered to hear him preach.

Billy Graham’s energetic way of preaching and his relentless mobilization of Christians resulted in evangelicalism being more unified, with more focus on evangelism and a greater sense of societal concern.

RELEVANCE TODAY

Billy Graham always emphasized the importance of reaching out to strangers and people who are outcasts, i.e., prisoners and people who are far from the gospel. He was always trying to reach out and unite people of different races and beliefs. He was a true crusader, an example of a proper Christian whose life should be emulated by all Christians.

Graham always preached about hope during the darkest times; he encouraged Christians to strengthen their beliefs in times of adversity. His teachings about steadfastness are still relevant today, considering the number of modern problems antagonizing the Christian faith these days.

Heroes of faith come in many colours, but there’s one thing they all have in common which is that?  let me answer that. It is their unwavering love for God and his words. Anyone can be a hero of faith as long as we stay true to God and trust in his will. 

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Content credit / Ajibola Emmanuel  Adebayo

Picture credit / https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Billy_Graham

https://billygrahamlibrary.org/billy-graham/