Are you of a particular faith?
I am a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The thing that I love the most is that the Creator of the universe loves me (and all of you) so much that He knows us by name, knows the number of hairs on our heads, knows the concerns of our hearts and wants a personal, eternal relationship with us.
Who most inspired your faith as a young person?
My father, Franklin Graham, has always had the biggest impact on me. He was the one who led me to Christ as a young boy and who raised me to be the man I am today. Of course, my grandfather Billy Graham, whom we grandchildren call Daddy Bill, has always been a huge influence as well. He’s given me two pieces of advice as I have begun my evangelistic ministry: Pray, Pray, Pray and Study, Study, Study.
What are the most challenging aspects of the landscape faced by today’s evangelist, as compared to the landscapes faced by your father and grandfather?
There is so much more “stuff” competing for people’s attention today. Not very long ago, things like iPods, the Internet, BlackBerries, plasma televisions, PS3s and Xbox 360s didn’t exist. When I was growing up in the mountains of western North Carolina, we had three TV channels. Now, no matter where you live, you can get hundreds. People’s attention spans are stretched thin, and that makes it harder for one voice to be heard.
What event or idea in your own life has posed the most influential challenge to your faith?
I had never wanted to be a pastor, but God had different plans for me, so coming out of seminary I was the pastor of a local church in Wake Forest, N.C. Once I was there, I loved it more than I ever could have expected. Several years later, however, God called me to go and work for my dad at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. This was a struggle for me because I didn’t want to leave my church, but God put people and specific Scriptures in front of me to show me that this was His timing for the move. It was a challenging time, but I would say that in the end it reaffirmed my faith more than challenged it.
At your core, what is one of your most deeply held beliefs?
I believe in Jesus Christ, who was fully man and fully God, and who came to this Earth on a rescue mission to save those who have broken God’s laws — everyone, including myself. I believe He paid the debt for our sins on the cross, and that through faith in Jesus, we can truly experience joy, peace and purpose in our lives. And because of that relationship with Christ, we can experience eternity in heaven. This gift of everlasting life is given freely by God — we can do nothing to earn it.
