1950's Billy Graham Perspectives on His Life and Theology (part One)

Billy Graham is my grandfather's pastor. To understand my grandfather better it is important to understand the man my grandfather listened to in order to come develop a relationship with Jesus Christ. 


 When I saw that the book Billy Graham His Life and Influence was available for review, I grabbed the book. I am glad that I decided to read this one.  The book unlike a number of others (roughly 128) focuses on a panoramic-historical context of Billy Graham's effect on Christianity from 1949 to the early part of the 21^st century.

There are a number of themes covered in this book, they include:

1. Modern Methods: "We take for granted publicity, bigness, modern techniques. Why should not the church employ some of these methods, that are used by big business or labor unions to promote their products or causes, in order to win men for Christ?"
   
   
2. Mainstream Evangelicalism and its Gospel Representation since 1949 to the early part of the 21^st Century. The terms liberalism and fundamentalism have arisen in modern days. Neither is found in sacred Scripture.
   
   
3. Media's Coverage of American Evangelicals. The media by and large has been friendly and sympathetic in every city that we have visited.
   
   
4. International Relationships through the gospel with diverse groups such as India, North Korea, Germany, England, and New York.

"John Wesley once said, "The World is my parish." Would it be right for us to limit our ministry to only the United States when other countries of the world that are even more spiritually in need. The American government realizes that we no longer live unto ourselves and that what happens in other countries vitally affects us. A spiritual awakening in some of the world's strategic countries will have tremendous impact on the U.S."

  5. Role of Emotions in Evangelicalism:

And I do not think that Christianity holds the emotions in stoic contempt or that it leaves the emotional emptiness of modern life to be filled by secular things…. The content of the message is mainly distinctive bible doctrine.    

 (Items from a look Magazine Article) found at http://www.wheaton.edu/bgc/archives/exhibits/NYC57/05sample23-1.htm

Last visited 06.05.2010