Thursday, February 22, 2018
On the next Charlotte Talks, native son of Charlotte, evangelist to millions and religious counselor to Presidents all the way back to Harry Truman, the Reverend Billy Graham has died. Rev. Graham died at his Western North Carolina home Wednesday morning shortly before 8:00 am at the age of 99. Host Mike Collins is joined by religion writers and experts to talk about the life and legacy of Reverend Billy Graham.
Reverend Billy Graham died Wednesday at the age of 99.
He started life humbly on a farm in Charlotte but through his ministry, spread his influence around the world.
Although he would ultimately fill stadiums with throngs of believers attracted to the message of his crusades, he would say that his was not “mass evangelism, but personal evangelism on a mass scale.” That scale made skillful use of radio and television, influenced countless millions of ordinary people and had profound influence on world leaders including many presidents.
Host Mike Collins and a panel of experts look back on the life of Billy Graham.
Guests:
Ken Garfield is the communications director for Myers Park United Methodist Church in Charlotte and the former religion editor for the Charlotte Observer. He is the author of the book Billy Graham: A Life in Pictures from 2013.
Dr. Grant Wacker is Professor Emeritus of Christian History at Duke Divinity Schooland the author of America’s Pastor: Billy Graham and the Shaping of a Nation from 2014.
Anne Blue Wills, religion professor at Davidson College and co-editor of Billy Graham: American Pilgrim (along with Dr. Wacker). She’s also working on a biography of Billy Graham's wife Ruth Bell Graham (who died in 2007).
Tim Funk, faith and values reporter for the Charlotte Observer.
See WFAE's full coverage on Billy Graham.