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William Franklin Graham Jr. (1918-2018) was an American evangelist and an ordained Baptist minister (Southern Baptist Convention) who became internationally known in the late 1940s. Considered one of the most important and influential evangelical preachers of the 20th century and one of the most notable in history, Graham is ranked number seven on Gallup's list of people admired in the 20th century.

 

Graham was considered one of the most influential Christian leaders of the 20th century. He held large indoor and outdoor rallies. He achieved celebrity status as his sermons were broadcast on radio and television, some of which are still being rebroadcast in the 21st century.

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In his six decades in television, Graham organised annual crusades, evangelistic campaigns that lasted from 1947 until his retirement in 2005. He also hosted the Hour of Decision radio programme from 1950 to 1954.

 

He repudiated racial segregation and insisted on racial integration for his revivals and crusades, beginning in 1953. Later, in 1957, he invited Martin Luther King Jr. to preach jointly at a revival in New York.

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He also helped to shape the worldview of a large number of people from different backgrounds, leading them to find a relationship between the Bible and contemporary secular views. He personally preached the gospel, according to his website, to audiences of 210 million people in more than 185 countries and territories through various gatherings, such as the BMS World Mission event and Global Mission.

 

According to his team, more than 3.2 million people have responded to the invitation to accept Jesus Christ as their personal saviour in Billy Graham's campaigns, often with the hymn of call Just As I Am. In 2008 Graham's lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, exceeded 2.2 billion. (+info).

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