The Preacher to our Presidents

He was the Preacher to our Presidents and now he is gone. Billy Graham was 99 years old. He was one of the world’s most famous spiritual   leaders. Billy met with every American President from Harry Truman to President Obama. His last crusade was in 2005 in New York City with the purpose of bringing evangelical spirituality into the mainstream. Beginning his message in 1938 he shouted that Jesus Christ was your Lord and Savior. His life was spent preaching the Gospel to more than 100 million people.  He visited every country on the planet speaking to the poor as well as the elite. Ronald Regan presented him with the Presidential Medal of Freedom. Three former Presidents, Bush, Carter and Clinton helped dedicate The Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, North Carolina.  

Billy was born from dairy farmers and by the age of 16 he decided he didn’t want to be a farmer. He met his wife 50 years ago and they went to religious gatherings together and never left each other. Together they raised 5 children all who followed their father into Ministry. After decades of preaching he ended his career right where it started with his first Crusade in 1938 in Queens, New York. Throughout the years his message never changed. He told world leaders that “the greatest need in the world is the transformation of human nature. Spread love instead of hate.”

He is gone now but we still need his comforting message to be noticed by world leaders who do the opposite. Syria needs to stop killing its own people just because they care to disagree with their leadership. North Korea needs to be more proud of the things they can add to society than being proud of their weapons stockpile. Trump needs to care about Americans more than his personal profits.

Bill Clinton turned to Billy Graham after his sex scandal and George W. Bush credited Graham with helping him quit drinking. Our President’s needed Billy Graham in their lives to help create a calming spiritual influence in their lives. Trump could use a bit more spirituality before he makes decisions. Billy shared his message of faith to an incredible 215 million people in 185 countries more than any Preacher in history. At an early age Billy got the attention of William  Hearst who turned him into a media star. His newspapers printed headlines like “Revival Attracts Throng as Eighth Week Starts, Old Style Evangelism Stirring Los Angeles and Revival Tent in Los Angeles Drawing 10,000 each night.” Billy was on the cover of Time Magazine.

Witnessing countless wars happening throughout the ages Billy never gave up in the comforting department. He said, “When you go home tonight you don’t go home alone. Christ goes with you. He loves you.” Now that terrorism has spread all over America with senseless mass shootings, we still need his comforting words as we count our children each night and hope they live to return home at the end of any day. America has just lost its comforting voice. Who will remind us to make love and not war anymore?