For 60 years, he has traveled the world proclaiming the Word and acting as God’s instrument in winning perhaps millions of souls for Christ. Now, in the twilight of Billy Graham’s humble yet monumental career, LifeWay has unveiled a website dedicated to celebrating his life and ministry.
“We simply want to join people every-where to say ‘thank you’ to Billy Graham for diligently proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ around the world,” said LifeWay president-elect Thom Rainer, former dean of the Billy Graham School of Missions, Evangelism and Church Growth at Southern Baptist Seminary.
LifeWay’s website – www.lifeway.com/billygraham – will honor “America’s pastor” as well as highlight the ever-changing face of a ministry that continues despite its founder’s official retirement.
“The technology revolution has shrunk the world to a global village,” Graham said in a 1995 Global Mission media update. “It is time for the church to utilize this technology to make a worldwide statement that in the midst of chaos, emptiness and despair, there is hope in the person of Jesus Christ.”
The website offers a worldwide avenue for the stories of Graham and his years of ministry to continue affecting people for Christ, Rainer said. Visitors can browse extensive resources, including a timeline of Graham’s life and ministry, photos, media coverage and a map showing the location of more than 400 crusades.
Gary McClure, manager of marketing in LifeWay’s e-business group, said one special element of the site is a behind-the-scenes look at the commissioned statue. “The site is a precursor to the unveiling of the Billy Graham statue in June,” McClure said. “The 17-foot-tall tribute will be introduced at the Southern Baptist Convention annual meeting in Greensboro, N.C., and then transported to its final presentation site in Nashville.”
While the site offers plenty of content detailing Graham through the eyes of others, there are also multiple resources that allow Graham to speak for himself. “One Message, Many Decades” is a three-minute video that depicts Graham through the years as he proclaims his central message of Jesus Christ, and “Quotable Graham” records some of his most memorable statements.
“As his personal involvement in the work of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is tapering off due to age and health,” Larry Ross, director of media and public relations for Graham, added, “it is exciting to see how Dr. Graham’s writings and emerging technologies – such as podcasting, Internet resources and media archives – will continue to extend his unique ministry influence to future generations, further establishing his legacy as the greatest evangelist of the modern era.”