Franklin wanted his parents to be buried at the library site. William Franklin Graham IV (Will) is the third generation of Grahams to proclaim the Gospel under the banner of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. 2000-2006: Pastor, Wakefield Baptist Church (Wake Forest, N.C.) 4. "[59] Though Graham's appearance with Daniel dashed King's hopes of holding joint crusades with Graham in the Deep South,[57] the two still remained friends and King told a Canadian television audience the following year that Graham had taken a "very strong stance against segregation. William's Reputation Score is 3.02. [135], After a 1957 crusade in New York, some more fundamentalist Protestant Christians criticized Graham for his ecumenism, even calling him "Antichrist". [74] William had 5 siblings: Josephine Graham , John A Graham and 3 other siblings . I will be in the future. He was always trying to keep me there. A DVD Bible study curriculum (and accompanying book) based on Redeemed was released in May 2019. [66] Lewis described Graham as a "Saint" and someone who "taught us how to live and who taught us how to die. According to his father, that yelling had led him to become a minister. Their friendly relationship may have been because they shared a traditional approach to the practical aspects of the Christian faith. Grossman, Lawrence. Three children . [147], Graham talked his future wife, Ruth, into abandoning her ambition to evangelize in Tibet in favor of staying in the United States to marry him – and that to do otherwise would be "to thwart God's obvious will". GRAHAM, WILLIAM FRANKLIN w/ FAMILY MEMBERS. [107][108] Observers have questioned whether the support of Republican and religious right politics on issues such as same-sex marriage coming from Graham – who stopped speaking in public or to reporters – in fact reflects the views of his son, Franklin, head of the BGEA. William Franklin (Will) Graham IV [34] The couple were married for almost 64 years.[35]. Then 86, he used a walker during the ceremony. In 1950, Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) with its headquarters in Minneapolis. BGEA is a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit organization. After his election, however, Kennedy invited Graham to play golf in Palm Beach, Florida, after which Graham acknowledged Kennedy's election as an opportunity for Catholics and Protestants to come closer together. [88] In addition, Televangelist Jim Bakker paid respect to Graham, stating he was the greatest preacher since Jesus. After one semester, he found that the coursework and rules were too legalistic . Graham spoke at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's Urbana Student Missions Conference at least nine times – in 1948, 1957, 1961, 1964, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1984, and 1987. Former presidents Jimmy Carter, George H. W. Bush, and Bill Clinton appeared to celebrate with Graham. After his close relationships with Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon, Graham tried to avoid explicit partisanship. On September 22, 1991, Graham held his largest event in North America on the Great Lawn of Manhattan's Central Park. ", "Franklin Graham followed in his father Billy's footsteps, but took a right-leaning path", "Homosexuality And Religion:An Introduction", "The outpouring of grief for evangelist Billy Graham is disturbing given his homophobic views", "Former Belmont Abbey College president dies at 85", "Remarks at the Presentation Ceremony for the Presidential Medal of Freedom", "Billy and Ruth Graham awarded Congressional Gold Medal for service". Will Graham (William Franklin Graham IV) is the third generation of Grahams to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ under the banner of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. "Dr. Billy Graham trying to avoid offending Soviets", Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union, bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church, Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee, International Congress on World Evangelization, Capitol Visitation for Billy Graham, February 28, 2018, Funeral Service, Billy Graham Library, Charlotte, North Carolina, March 2, 2018, Templeton Foundation Prize for Progress in Religion, National Conference of Christians and Jews, Southern Baptist Radio and Television Commission, "Billy Graham Classics Span 25 Years of Gospel Preaching for the Masses", "Preaching Redemption Amidst Racism: Remembering Billy Graham", "Media: Bios - William (Billy) F. Graham", "The Transition; Billy Graham to lead Prayers", "The Billy pulpit: Graham's career in the mainline", "How Billy Graham shaped American Catholicism", "Billy Graham Program Takes Cue From MTV". He was a retired farmer. The first Billy Graham Crusade, held September 13–21, 1947, in the Civic Auditorium in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was attended by 6,000 people. 1997: Samaritan’s Purse (Boone, N.C.) 2. Supportive of Johnson's domestic policies, and hoping to preserve his friendship with the President, Graham resisted pressure to endorse Goldwater and stayed neutral in the election. In 2002, the controversy was renewed when declassified "Richard Nixon tapes" confirmed remarks made by Graham to Nixon three decades earlier. He was cited by the George Washington Carver Memorial Institute for his contributions to race relations. He and his wife, Kendra, have two daughters, Christine Jane (CJ) and Rachel Austin, and a son, William Franklin Graham V. [119] They eventually reconciled after Nixon's resignation.[103]. "Michael W. Smith Leads "Just As I Am" During Rev. "My Hope: Songs Inspired by the Message of Billy Graham". [29] In 1943, Graham graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois, with a degree in anthropology. Franklin William Graham was born on month day 1900, at birth place, Nebraska, to WILLIAM WALTER GRAHAM and Grace Irene GRAHAM (born Irwin). [25][26], After graduating from Sharon High School in May 1936, Graham attended Bob Jones College. [82][83] Novelist Patricia Cornwell, a family friend, also opposed burial at the library, calling it a tourist attraction. [24][112] Eisenhower asked for Graham while on his deathbed. [17] He was of Scots-Irish descent and was the eldest of four children born to Morrow (née Coffey) and William Franklin Graham Sr., a dairy farmer. Dr. William Franklin "Billy" Graham. [122], Graham had a friendly relationship with Queen Elizabeth II and was frequently invited by the Royal Family to special events. Templeton applied to Princeton Theological Seminary for an advanced theological degree and urged Graham to do so as well, but he declined as he was already serving as the president of Northwestern Bible College. Graham was interested in fostering evangelism around the world. 2006-2012: Assistant Director, Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove (Asheville, N.C.) 6. As reported in The Washington Post:[146], Bunny remembers being groomed for the life of wife, homemaker, and mother. [75] During the apartheid era, Graham consistently refused to visit South Africa until its government allowed integrated seating for audiences. Graham went on to note that although he had never met Kim's son and former North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, he had "exchanged gifts with him. Consulting with the members of his church in Western Springs, Graham decided to take over Johnson's program with financial support from his congregation. [118], During the 1964 United States presidential election, supporters of Republican nominee Barry Goldwater sent an estimated 2 million telegrams to Graham's hometown of Montreat, North Carolina, and sought the preacher's endorsement. Near Palatka", "Profile: William (Billy) F. Graham, Jr., Evangelist and Chairman of the Board". He presided over the graveside services of President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1973 and took part in eulogizing the former president. "[24], In 1937 Graham transferred to the Florida Bible Institute in Temple Terrace, Florida. [98][99] After they had discussed Jesus Christ at that meeting, the two remained in touch, meeting for the last time at a National Day of Prayer meeting in February 1963. [33] Ruth died on June 14, 2007, at the age of 87. [40], Graham scheduled a series of revival meetings in Los Angeles in 1949, for which he erected circus tents in a parking lot. "Profile: William (Billy) F. Graham, Jr". This action would "destroy the economy of North Vietnam" and, by Nixon's estimate, would have killed a million people. "The ground at the foot of the cross is level, and it touches my heart when I see whites standing shoulder to shoulder with blacks at the cross. GRAHAM, WILLIAM FRANKLIN, JR. - N.D. A British tea card with a color drawing of Graham on one side and a brief biography on the other. [145], Graham's daughter Bunny recounted her father denying her and her sisters higher education. They have four married children—Will, Roy, Edward, and Cissie—and 11 … [41] The crusade event ran for eight weeks – five weeks longer than planned. [citation needed] He would rent a large venue, such as a stadium, park, or street. At the ceremony, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell and Speaker of the House Paul Ryan called Graham "America's pastor". After meeting with Truman in 1950, Graham told the press he had urged the president to counter communism in North Korea. He turned down the offer in order to continue his touring revivals. [136], Graham expressed inclusivist views, suggesting that people without explicit faith in Jesus can be saved. Billy Graham on his lasting legacy", "The Presidents' preacher: From Truman to Trump", "John F. Kennedy, Billy Graham: irrecoverable moments in 1963", "America's Pastor: At 74, Billy Graham Begins to Sum Up, Regrets and All", "Why Is Abortion Such a Big Issue For Christians? "[70] The movement remains a significant fruit of Graham's legacy, with a presence in nearly every nation. [109] In 2016, according to his son Franklin, Graham voted for Donald Trump. Graham officiated at one presidential burial and one presidential funeral. Billy was the first of four children, followed by Catherine, Melvin, and Jean. p. 363. Graham said that his planned retirement was a result of his failing health; he had suffered from hydrocephalus from 1992 on. [28] In his autobiography, Graham wrote of receiving his "calling on the 18th green of the Temple Terrace Golf and Country Club", which was adjacent to the institute's campus. [97] According to the PBS Frontline program, God in America (2010), Episode 5, in September 1960, Graham organized a meeting of hundreds of Protestant ministers in Washington, D.C. for this purpose; the meeting was led by Norman Vincent Peale. [5], 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). One of his biographers has placed him "among the most influential Christian leaders" of the 20th century. [161], Graham received the Big Brother of the Year Award for his work on behalf of children. Oklahoma city bombing in 1995 four children: William, Jr., Melvin T., Catherine, Melvin,... Illinois, with a degree in anthropology 2001, Queen Elizabeth II and was frequently invited by Royal. 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