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This Week in Christian History: Billy Graham's First Sermon, Saddleback Church Founding, Black Church Leader Dies

By Michael Gryboski, Editor Twitter

Billy Graham preaches his first sermon — March 28, 1937

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This week marks the anniversary of when famed evangelist the Rev. Billy Graham preached his first sermon, about two years before he was officially ordained.

Still a teenager, Graham preached at an evening service at Bostwick Baptist Church in Palatka, Florida, at the request of his college dean, the Rev. John Minder.

"He got up and preached, I guess, about ten or fifteen minutes. Gave a very nice message. Then he sat down. I took over and spoke a little while," recalled Minder in a 1977 interview.

"There was a good spirit in the meeting. I gave an invitation for those who needed help from the Lord to raise their hands and we had quite a response. They all came ... quite a number of them responded to the invitation to come forward ..."

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