Billy Graham’s Message: The Same in 1957 and 2005

NEW YORK -- Many changes have come to New York City and the world since nearly fifty years ago when Billy Graham held his first crusade in 1957 in New York City. My parents and our family were regular attendees for the unprecedented sixteen week sojourn in Madison Square Garden. It was the beginning of the evangelical renaissance in New York and, to a certain extent, in the USA and the world!

God has used Billy Graham because as an evangelist he has remained faithful to the simple message of Christ: “God loves you and you can become anew person in Christ!” Billy Graham has changed; of course at 86 is older and not the fiery preacher of 1957. But the Gospel Graham preaches never changes. Human methods of proclaiming the Gospel change. Music changes. Church structures change. But, the Gospel never changes. This message was the same as in 1957.

With love and compassion, the 86 year old evangelist pointed his finger several times across the vast audience of almost 100,000 on Sunday afternoon and said again and again, “God loves you! God loves you! God loves you!” As though yearning for that love the audience at once began to applaud. In a world of religious conflict, in a world of terrorism and war, in a world of hate and division, the people needed to hear the Word of God that indeed God does love all humanity. And with simplicity and force Dr. Graham told the crowd they could have new life. They could be born again. They could come forward and accept Christ as their personal savior. By coming forward and repenting of their sin and accepting Christ as their savior life could begin anew.

It was a very special moment to see the thousands stream forward to accept God’s love and respond to the Gospel message. Old and young, black and white, people of many nations came and responded by giving their hearts to Christ. What a joy to see New Yorkers respond to the Gospel. It is estimated that on the three occasions of the crusade nearly 250,000 attended and 10,000 prayed to receive Christ. Indeed men and women, boys and girls responded to the old, old story of Jesus and His love preached by an old man! That was a sign of the Holy Spirit in New York City.

Indeed the Gospel does not change but many other things have changed since 1957! In 1957 there were mass choirs and soloists renowned for singing old Gospel songs. Ethel Waters sang, “His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.” Stuart Hamlin sang, “It is no secret what God can do.” George Beverly Shea, who at age 96 sang in New York City last weekend, in 1957 was still a young man and introduced the Christian world to the now familiar hymn, “How Great Thou Art!” In 2005, there were new singers, new music and a new style. Singing groups with a flair for Christian rock such as “Jars of Clay,” “Mercy Me,” and singers such as Stephen Curtis Chapman and Michael W. Smith were the new music for 2005.

In 1957 the ecumenical aspect of the Billy Graham Crusade was shown by the support of the Protestant Council of Churches; well-known preachers and church leaders such as David H.C. Reid, Norman Vincent Peale, and Daniel Poling were on the platform making pronouncements. The year 2005 saw a different array of church leaders, not from mainline Protestantism, but from the evangelical/charismatic wing of Protestantism. These were the new mainline, so to speak. Mainline Protestantism no longer could count on reaching New Yorkers in this post modern period. Most of their churches were empty or in decay. On the other hand, the charismatic leadership of store front churches had become mega churches with 20,000 members. The Brooklyn Tabernacle choir sang. Perhaps this church, which started only several years ago with a handful of people but now represented thousands, was a symbol of the new strength of evangelicalism. Their message resonated with Dr. Graham’s message of a radical call to a transformed life.

This new Evangelicalism in 2005 did not need the mainline churches for credibility. Indeed the growth of their churches since 1957 was testimony to the fact that the church that does not evangelize will die and the church that evangelizes will grow. Racism, which had been a problem in 1957, was not even a whisper in 2005. Black Pentecostal and evangelical pastors were the leaders of the crusade. Indeed one could really sing with the children, “Red and yellow, black and white, Jesus loves the children of the world!”

The world might ask the unspiritual question of “What is the reason for Billy Graham’s success?” Sociologists could debate it and make various academic attempts to give an answer. But those who have been born again, who have experienced Christ, know that the reason for the success of the crusade in New York in 2005 was the same as in 1957: the call of Christ is a call to take up his cross and follow him. That is the eternal call of the Gospels from the first century until today. That’s why the hymn “Just as I Am” so powerfully summarizes the message: “Just as I am without one plea, But that thy blood was shed for me, and that Thou bidd’st me come to Thee, O Lamb of God, I come! I come!” That’s why thousands of New Yorkers responded and came forward. It was a response to that Gospel of Christ’s love! It was the same in 1957 as it was in 2005. And as the church worldwide continues to grow it will be because of the response to that Gospel of Christ!

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Denton Lotz is the General Secretary of the Baptist World Alliance - a fellowship of 211 Baptist unions and conventions comprising a membership of more than 32 million baptized believers.