Billy Graham: 1918–2018
Published: 24 February 2018 (GMT+10)
In January last year, I was honored to speak in Peniel Baptist Church in Palatka, Florida, USA. Adjacent to the current church building stands the historic, original and typical small white ‘Americana’ chapel. As I was given a tour of this old church building, the historic plaque standing outside was explained to me. During his seminary training, Billy Graham gave his first sermon here and was ordained in that building.


On the 21st of February, 2018, Billy Graham passed away at the age of 99. “The Evangelist to the World” spoke to over 215 million people that attended his more than 400 “Crusades” in more than 185 countries and territories, reaching millions more through TV, video, film, the internet and 34 books. He also gave personal counsel to numerous U.S. Presidents and leaders around the world. It would not be a far reach to say he was the most influential preacher of the 20th century.

In the 1940’s, Billy Graham was also a friend to Charles Templeton, a fellow evangelist considered at the time to be more prominent. Like Billy, Charles repeatedly preached to tens of thousands, but inside, a growing doubt about the historical account of the Bible was taking a toll. Charles pleaded to his friend:
“But, Billy, it’s simply not possible any longer to believe, for instance, the biblical account of creation. The world wasn’t created over a period of days a few thousand years ago; it has evolved over millions of years. It’s not a matter of speculation; it’s demonstrable fact.”1
Templeton cited the alleged millions of years in the geologic column and ‘survival of the fittest’ as specific reasons for his apostasy. Yet the Bible’s account of the global catastrophic flood better explains the massive sedimentary layers and the fossil evidence of the creatures that succumbed to this monumental deluge. Without hearing an effective defense for the historical account of the Bible, Charles Templeton eventually rejected the Christian faith he had once boldly preached. Before his death in 2001, he recorded the reasons he rejected the Bible, and God, in his book Farewell to God. You can read more about the profound story of Charles Templeton.
One undeniable legacy of Billy Graham’s ministry is the many millions of people who heard the message of forgiveness and salvation through Jesus Christ at his crusades. He had a passion for spreading the Gospel to as many people as possible. But today, many Christians do not regularly share their faith. We can learn from Billy Graham’s life in this regard. And as we have discovered in our ministry to churches around the world, when people understand the Bible is reliable from the very first verse, they feel more confident in sharing their faith.
Billy Graham’s historic influence in bringing Christianity into the spotlight is undeniable. With the passing of Reverend Graham, we encourage every believer to build on that legacy. Get equipped with the answers to the foundational questions that those, like Charles, are asking, and confidently ‘preach’ the Gospel to our family and friends.
To find those answers, go to CREATION.com.
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Further Reading
References and notes
- Templeton, C., Farewell to God, McClelland & Stewart, Inc., Toronto, Ontario, Canada, p. 7, 1996 Return to text.
Readers’ comments
To say that Billy Graham is responsible for the decay in American society over the past 70 years is ludicrous. I have a question for you Douglas R.
What is your legacy?
and I just knew the Bible was what he preached.
No one is perfect, we all make mistakes. Love is supreme. Thanks.
When he started preaching there was prayer and the Bible in public schools. There were few businesses open on Sunday. There was far more fear of God among the average American and respect for the Bible. There were no gay rights or marriage; marriage and the family unit was of great importance; militant feminism had not taken hold; soldiers were free to share their faith, there was no Planned Parenthood and American babies were protected by law; America had never lost a war. But during Graham's career there was a falling away from God that has grown progressively worse from the 50's through the modern day. Today, it is said, that leaders of Sodom and Gomorrah might blush at the wickedness displayed in our towns at gay pride parades and on television and movies and the internet.
But what of the millions who followed Graham. Is there's a vibrant Christianity? Let's look at the churches. Sectarianism has grown stronger and stronger. Division in the churches is rampant and strong. Pastors are fired every day and replaced with those who will "itch the ears" of the congregants. Morality and godliness is at an all time low. Adultery, fornication, abortion, gay pastors, and politics played within are commonplace. The born again experience has been replaced by the altar call and a rote prayer. Repentance is hardly mentioned and barely taught. Heresy is widespread. The love of money prevalent in pastors, even as in Graham. The praise of men is coveted, while Christ is rarely glorified. Lip service is key.
No, Graham does not have a good legacy.
Atheists have ruined the faith of many with that same bait of long ages but can’t explain the most rudimentary questions about origins. How did it all begin? Why is the universe so fine-tuned and rationally understandable? How did random chemical reactions form the incomprehensible DNA code along with its chirality structure? We do know DNA has a remarkable resemblance to computer code created by intelligent beings.
The jury may be out for some, but it was a mistrial!
"I don't think that there's any conflict at all between science today and the scriptures. I think that we have misinterpreted the Scriptures many times and we've tried to make the Scriptures say things they weren't meant to say, I think that we have made a mistake by thinking the Bible is a scientific book. The Bible is not a book of science. The Bible is a book of Redemption, and of course I accept the Creation story. I believe that God did create the universe. I believe that God created man, and whether it came by an evolutionary process and at a certain point He took this person or being and made him a living soul or not, does not change the fact that God did create man. ... whichever way God did it makes no difference as to what man is and man's relationship to God."
How different could it have been for Templeton if Graham had been able to defend a literal creation account to his friend? As CMI and affiliates have long pointed out, the gospel of Jesus Christ is compromised without the firm foundation of belief in the Genesis account of creation and the fall. Because of the prestigious position so many in the church place Graham (as your article also is a case in point), Graham’s inability and reluctance to defend Genesis has left the faith of many on shaky ground. Let us be careful then on the legacy we attribute to Graham.
We know Pastor Graham Spirit is in Heaven, and with deep sorrow we know Templeton not. How sad is to loose a soul that once knew the truth and lost it.
Mat 18:7 Woe unto the world because of offences! for it must needs be that offences come; but woe to that man by whom the offence cometh!
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