The Day I met Franklin Graham
By Dr. Mark Denison
Over a nine-day stretch, October 11-19, Franklin Graham preached in seven cities throughout Texas. The Decision America Texas Tour saw tens of thousands in attendance with thousands coming to faith in Jesus Christ. For the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, that’s what it’s all about.
At Revival in Our Time, we were blessed to have a front row seat for the final event, October 19. Held at the Maude Cobb Convention and Activity Center in Longview, about 300 supporters of the BGEA gathered before the huge, outdoor evangelistic event. It was at that event that 9,300 gathered, with 500 registering decisions for Christ. Graham preached a short, but powerful message, following the music of the Crowder Band.
But let’s go back to the event before the event. Not only were we blessed to sit on the front row to hear Franklin’s 30-minute message; we were invited to a private meeting with Franklin before he spoke. And I could not have been more impressed.
First, the entire team is amazing. It is one thing to see what they do from a distance. Clearly, the organization and planning are carried out flawlessly. They cross every “t” and dot every “i.” Nothing is left to chance. The attention given to the last detail is impeccable. The team is professional and efficient – very impressive.
Second, we found Franklin to be warm, sincere, and engaging. The leader of both The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan’s Purse, Graham has a lot on his plate. He didn’t need to make time for us – but he did. He spent several minutes with our group, took pictures, and was approachable, funny, and interested in us and our ministry.
At Revival in Our Time, we are proud to support The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. We are excited by all they do to build the Kingdom and promote the Gospel. But today, I am more impressed with Franklin Graham than I’ve ever been – not because of the way he preached to 9,300 – but because of the way he made time for the three of us.