Graham Ministry Reaches Millions Worldwide through Television Campaign
Even as world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham retires, a massive evangelistic campaign is sweeping Central America, South America, and South Asia this fall and winter.
Even as world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham retires, a massive evangelistic campaign is sweeping Central America, South America, and South Asia this fall and winter, according to Franklin Graham in a November letter to ministry supporters.
“The gospel is being presented to more people than ever before,” stated Billy Graham’s eldest son, who is now president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA).
“We have the potential to see more souls won to Christ this winter in South Asia than during any other outreach in all the history of BGEA,” he added.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
The specific nations cannot be disclosed, explained Graham, due to security issues.
Called My Hope World Television Project, the initiative allows thousands of local churches and individuals to show TV programs to their families, friends, and neighbors, and evangelize across their entire nation in a matter of days.
“We've trained counselors in the home so that people with a television can invite their neighbors and invite others to make a decision for Christ right in the home. Thousands upon thousands are doing this and getting involved in the church,” said Cliff Barrows, Billy Graham's master of ceremonies and music director earlier this year.
Barrows indicated in June his excitement over how the preaching of the gospel to the whole world has taken on a whole new context with the advent of the Internet and multimedia.
“That's a whole new dimension that we haven't been able to carry out in our generation, but the young generation can because of the availability, and their vision, and their faith," he added. "And I just pray that the Lord will continue to richly bless them."
The BGEA launched the project in 2002, and it has now reached over 12 countries. Tens of thousands of churches, and hundreds of thousands of Christians have been trained in evangelism, and over 1.5 million people made decisions.
The BGEA has trained over 600,000 Christians to evangelize their closest people. Each Christian will open their home and invite an average of 10 people per night for four nights to watch the telecasts in their local language.
Around 24 million people in living rooms across South Asia could hear Billy Graham and Franklin Graham proclaim the gospel on TV.
At the end of the broadcast, the trained congregants will invite their guests to receive Jesus and then help lead them to faith in Christ.
Prayer is the key to the ministry, stated Graham. During the months of preparation, the hosts pray constantly for each person they invite into their homes. And during broadcasts, all-night prayer vigils are held in many cities.
The Case of Peru in September
On Sept. 8-10 and Sept. 15, My Hope aired TV programs aired in Peru. Each telecast featured preaching by Billy Graham and Franklin Graham and an evangelistic movie in Spanish titled Road to Redemption. The program was also televised in two local Peruvian languages, Quechua and Aymara.
Over 103,000 people made first-time commitments to Jesus, according to the 30 percent of the participating homes that reported. Another 29,000 rededicated their lives.
The Sunday following the broadcasts was dubbed “Harvest Sunday” because so many new believers packed churches across the nation.
The pastor of Iglesia Bîblica Emmanuel said they had so many new believers, they would have to start a seventh Sunday service. Testimonies showed an enormous spiritual impact on Peru, according to the BGEA.
The pastor told the newcomers, “You are a gift from God, and we want to welcome you to this church.”
In the months leading up to the Peru effort, BGEA trained churches and individuals in evangelism and follow-up. More than 7,500 churches and 140,000 homes participated in the training.
Teenager Karen Boyer Bravo, who attends Comunidad Cristiana Shalom, a small church in a poor section of Lima, invited her 16- and 17-year-old classmates and several neighbors to watch the programs in her home.
“These people were really important to me,” she said. “I was nervous, but they said, ‘Yes.’”
Ten of her classmates and four neighbors came to Karen’s house, including her history and biology teacher, a staunch atheist. He refused her invitation, but she persisted, asking him, “If you died, where would you go?”
Before the teacher left her house, he said that he was convinced that God exists, and he surrendered his life to Jesus Christ, along with several others.
Karen’s church welcomed more than 70 new believers the following Sunday.
