A birthday like no other

There’s never been a 95th birthday like the one planned for Billy Graham. The Nov. 7th event next fall will be the culmination of years of planning, sustained prayer and the investment of time and money to get the gospel message in homes across America through the most effective evangelist of all time.

With the singular purpose of helping people find a personal relationship with God through knowing Christ, Graham has preached the gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history—nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories—through various meetings, including Mission World and Global Mission. Hundreds of millions more have been reached through television, video, film, and webcasts.

Now he’s counting on “Matthews” from across the country, including scores who are being trained at events like the one at Prestonwood Baptist the afternoon of April 18 and Denton Bible Church on May 23 to join the My Hope in Christ with Billy Graham effort. Like the New Testament era apostle, “Matthews” will invite their friends over for dinner or refreshments and show them a video that utilizes effective testimonies from believers to whom neighbors will relate.

The Matthew then gives a brief testimony of his or her own before inviting guests to make a commitment to follow Jesus.

If the turnout April 16 at The Church on Rush Creek was any indication, Southern Baptists are embracing Graham’s strategy with enthusiasm. Well over 100 people packed the Arlington church and gave their attention to Jerry Pipes of Georgia, a former staffer at North American Mission Board, as he described “the marriage of a national media event with New Testament style relationships.”

With the kind of integrity for which Graham is known, Pipes said, “This is not a bait and switch,” explaining the process of Christians cultivating relationships with their neighbors over the summer and fall to earn the right to present the gospel message utilizing the simple, straight-forward My Hope in Christ method.

Many of the remaining 27 training events in Texas are hosted at Southern Baptist churches, while local organizer Adam Morgan is a Criswell College alum and Pipes earned a master’s degree at Southwestern Seminary. Over 11,000 people made decisions for Christ when Graham preached at Texas Stadium a decade ago and thousands more have heard grandson Will in towns and cities across the Lone Star state.

The training I received along with over a hundred other Texans is the key to unleashing God’s power through personal witnesses all over America. With Graham’s emphasis on quick follow-up and discipleship through local churches, pastors will find the strategy to be an exciting opportunity.