Billy Graham dead at 99

Evangelist Billy Graham dies at 99
ABC News, Feb 21 2018 9:34 AM ET

Billy Graham, one of the world's most famous Christian evangelists, died at his North Carolina home this morning. He was 99. Known as "America's pastor," Graham was a key figure in the revival of the U.S. evangelical Christian movement. The preacher began holding revival meetings in the 1940s and went on to become an adviser to several U.S. presidents. He had been in poor health in recent years and had turned his international ministry over to son Franklin Graham.

Despite numerous hospitalizations in recent years, Graham's work remained in the public eye late into his life. In 2011 he released what The Associated Press said was his 30th book, Nearing Home: Life, Faith and Finishing Well, on the subject of aging. Also in 2011, audio files documenting six decades of his ministry were put online in a searchable database.

Graham brought evangelical Christianity into the mainstream. As a spiritual adviser to U.S. presidents, he had great access to the White House. "Each one I've known long before they ever became president, been in their homes many times; always called them by their first names, until they became president," Graham said of several former presidents.

The evangelist brought his "Billy Graham Crusades" around the world, preaching to more than 210 million people in 185 countries and territories. His largest such gathering drew one million people in Seoul, South Korea, in the 1970s.

Graham was born November 7, 1918, in Charlotte, North Carolina, and raised on a dairy farm in nearby Montreat. His life began to change at age 16 when he heard the fiery sermon of a traveling evangelist named Mordecai Ham, who persuaded him to give his life to Christ during a spiritual revival. He attended Bob Jones University in Greenville and Florida Bible Institute, now called Trinity College, near Tampa and was ordained a Southern Baptist minister in 1939.

From 1947 to 1952, Graham served as president of Northwestern College in Minneapolis. It was during this period that he began holding revival meetings with singer George Beverly Shea and song leader Cliff Barrows. Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in 1950, running it for 50 years before retiring and handing it over to his son, the Rev. Franklin Graham, in November 2000.

http://abcnews.go.com/US/evangelist-...ry?id=53241650

In celebration of Graham's 99th birthday, a limited-run Billy Graham Channel aired November 6-17, 2017, on SiriusXM channel 145. It featured his sermons along with reminiscences from family, friends, ministry team members and former US Presidents. Today, to honor the legacy of Graham's seven decades of ministry, SiriusXM has brought back The Billy Graham Channel. It will air through March 4 on channel 145.

My mom and my aunt became Christians at a Billy Graham crusade in Los Angeles and we had several of his books. The one I remember the most was "Death and the Afterlife." RIP, Mr. Graham.

From the Los Angeles Times obituary:

"Some years ago, Graham told an L.A. Times reporter that he was 'looking forward to heaven' and wanted to be remembered 'as a man of integrity. Why, he was asked, did so many hundreds of thousands flock to hear him wherever he went? 'Well,' the evangelist replied, pausing for a moment, 'part of the answer, I suppose, is I've been preaching so long, and curiosity. But I prefer to think that it's God.' 'Why did God choose you? he was asked. 'That's the first question I'm going to ask him,' Graham replied."

Billy Graham began in L.A. — then took his message to 12 presidents, 185 countries and 215 million people

http://www.latimes.com/local/obituar...221-story.html

I saw Franklin Graham, Billy Graham's son, on the news and he said Billy Graham wanted only one word on his tombstone. It will say "Preacher."

Among the mourners were former President George W. Bush and his wife Laura.

Thousands pay their final respects to the Reverend Billy Graham

http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/tho...D=ansmsnnews11

The Billy Graham Channel has returned to SiriusXM Channel 145. It will air from May 25 through June 17 and will features Graham's sermons along with reminiscences from his friends and family.

WRAL-Channel 5 in Raleigh interviewed Graham's son. Here is the story, published May 24:

Franklin Graham reflects on father, future

http://www.wral.com/franklin-graham-...ture/17575151/

In the past year, The Billy Graham Channel has had three limited runs on SiriusXM, one in honor of his 99th birthday and two following his death in February. On August 20, The Billy Graham Channel will become permanent.

The Billy Graham Channel launching as a permanent SiriusXM station on channel 460

https://billygraham.org/story/billy-...iusxm-station/