Celebrating 75 Years Of The Billy Graham Association

Welcome to Truth Talk Live. All right, let's talk the truth is. I can't hide it. I can hold it. A daily program powered by the Truth Network.

This is kind of a great thing, and I'll tell you what. Where pop culture, current events, and theology all come together. Speak your mind. And now, here's today's Truth Talk Live host. And here's our question for you today as we celebrate.

Actually, yesterday, 75 years of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The question is: How has that ministry touched your life, your family, or even maybe your community? Maybe you came to Christ at a crusade. Maybe you packed a shoebox with your kids, or maybe your chaplain prayed with you in a time of crisis. We would love to hear.

That story. You know how we do. You know how we'd love to hear your stories. And we need you to call 866-3666-6666. 3487884863487884 because Actually, yesterday it marked 75 years, right?

A ministry that's been all about one thing. Sharing The good news of Jesus Christ. From the famous crusades that filled stadiums to radio programs like Hour of Decision that reached into living rooms, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has carried the gospel Across the globe.

So today, the legacy continues through Decision Magazine, the Cove Training Center in Asheville, and even online through Internet Evangelism through their chaplains that bring comfort and prayer on the front lines of disasters, while Franklin Graham and Will Graham carry on the mission through worldwide festivals. And to that, Samaritans purse efforts like Operation Christmas Child and global disaster relief. And you see a ministry that's touched the hearts in every corner of the world 75 years later. It's still about one message. God loves you.

How did that impact you? Personally, we'd love to hear it. 866. The number to call in: 866-348-7884. I got my.

Dear friend and often co-captain. Dr. Date the Word Carson is with us here and has got so many friends with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. And so you are on the phone today with Will. And now We got Tom Phillips with us, right, Tom?

I am here. Thank you. And so Dr. Carson, you want to give us an Tom and I were together a little while ago as we were thinking about how to pray for North Carolina. But uh Tom uh Thanks for coming on and we want to hear, you've got 40 some years.

Of being with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, but also, I mean, you knew Billy Graham up close and personal. And so we'd love to hear some stories from you about him and the ministry. Still unlooked. Yeah, it's Heat we may have lost. Tom.

But while we're waiting to get Tom back... 'Cause that those things come this is radio, it's live radio, doc.

So, you know I I love The story itself, right? Of 75 years ago, what happened? And it has to do with radio. And so we'ren't swearing radio. This is big news.

Yeah. Yeah, I did not know.

Now we lost Tom's mic, too. Um I'm back. There's that Tom's back, but Your mic's still off, Dr. Carson. If we got Dr.

Carson's mic back. Try talking, Dwayne. It can't.

Well, let's go. There you are. You're back, too. I was all alone for a little while.

Well we don't want that. We want it we Tom, back to you, sir. Tell us about Billy Graham.

Well, all of us of Of course. in the years that I've lived. Remember Billy Graham because four times a year whenever Crusades were televised. The Billy Gram Evangelistic Association actually. Fixed one night.

Yeah. four times a year. and is secured every station, ABC, CBS, in BC at the same time across the United States.

So basically, if you turned on television at that hour, You're going to watch Billy Graham. And he became a household name. Loved as you know, one of the top ten most admired men in America for over sixty three years. I think in all those years, he was number three because of his longevity, He was even higher than Ronald Reagan in the end or The Pope And that's because the gospel was selflessly proclaim Mr. Graham was called to love people.

to love God and to put those two loves together with a proclamation of the gospel. The good news of Jesus Christ. He came, he lived, he died. He was resurrected. He promised the gift of the Holy Spirit.

He's coming again. you must receive him and would give an invitation. And out of love, God's love. The Creator's love So many people came to know Jesus Christ. As Lord and Savior, lives were changed.

Families were changed. cities could be very much impacted. And it was just such an honor. to be able to end up Serving him. working with him and his team.

And um eventually His son Franklin Graham, and then eventually. Franklin's son Will Graham because the legacy continues. Um M Tell us about your involvement there in those early days, because you came along. What I understood you did you were 40 years with them. What were some of the things you did up front?

Well, I didn't intend to be here. God you spoke to me while I was studying, I thought, to be a surgeon and in prayer simply said to me, What's more important? helping a man or woman Have quality of life for 70 years Or helping a man or woman have life eternal. And um That's an easy answer. But a very, very penetrating question.

What's more important? And you got to make that decision. What's going to be the most important thing you'll do with your life? Um Tom, curious, as you look back on 75 years of this great ministry, what do you think are two or three things that made this ministry so Um I'm going to use the word fruitful.

Well, obviously, the power of the Holy Spirit through a submitted Evangelist.

someone who was called to he wanted to be a baseball player. We laughed because he never really thought he'd be good enough, but one never knows. He was called, he responded, he was faithful. He was humble, He loved people. He would listen.

He was an incredible listener. He was utterly committed to the Bible. To truth. relying on the Holy Spirit. And those hallmarks of a godly man.

And then, of course, Ruth became his wife, a missionary child, From China. whose father was a Presbyterian surgeon. in the middle of many rebellions and dangerous times, trained overseas. And those two together became a twofold cord that's not easily broken for Jesus. And young people constantly and I've worked with a lot of young people constantly asked me what was his secret.

Well, in addition to Salvation. being filled with God's Spirit The key was his humility. The Bible says we need to die to self. And mister Graham was a great example of every day giving his life, himself, to Jesus every morning And throughout the day, praying without ceasing, being in constant communication with Christ And it was obvious when you were around him This is a godly man. This is a man who's full of Jesus, not full of himself.

And it was his humility that allowed him to empty The spiritual vessels of Billy Graham and allow God to fill those spiritual vessels. He could have never become billogram without the power of the gospel through the Holy Spirit flowing unhinderedly Through him. And that was really the secret, and what a model for the rest of us. Yes, it is. Yes, it is.

And how about you if you're Looking at your own life. How are you impacted by this ministry? We'd love to hear from you. Call us 866-348-7884-866-348. Seven eight eight four, a whole lot more.

In about 75 years, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will be right back. Truth. Circle. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Welcome back to Truth Talk Live.

Today we are celebrating 75 years of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association with a big question because it's a live show because we want to hear from you something that happened. Maybe you were touched by... A trip to the cove, and you heard or saw something that just really you heard from God, and He will touch you, you'll never be the same. Or maybe it was our decision program. out of Minneapolis, Minnesota.

eight six six three four eight seven eight eight four is the number to call in and share, and we would dearly love to hear from you. We have Tom Phillips with us in Doctor date the word Carson and Doc, we got another question for Tom. Yeah, Tom, we were curious as you're now looking at the landscape of this Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. The baton is being passed, has been passed to Franklin, but also with Will. What are you sensing about the not the pass, but the future of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association?

That truly, truly is an excellent question. One of the things that mister Graham did in response to pastures. Pastures are the key and they invited us to come. to their city and they would let us help them organize. and the office of evangelist was Billy Graham.

And he then would proclaim the gospel simply and give an invitation And then the church would follow up. We spent a year. in that city.

sometimes training thirty thousand people in ministry functions, volunteers. Uh in some cities where we covered a whole state and had satellite opportunities because of eventually Um bringing down the gospel in other locations We could train 130,000 people and then leave that legacy of trained evangelists and trained disciplers. And then of course Along comes Frankl Graham. In nineteen seventy five, I had just come to be an intern on a doctoral program I never intended to stay and of course got to meet Franklin. We became friends.

I was a nobody. He was a name, Franklin Graham.

Now he's somebody and I'm still the nobody.

So we committed at that point. to pray for each other the rest of our lives. And I've had the privilege of watching Billy Graham past the baton selflessly and early enough to Franklin that he could love and mentor His son, And Franklin, of course, had already begun Samaritan's purse He had been given that ministry by Bob Pearson He had been trained by this great man of God who started the World Vision. started Samaritan's purse. turned, of course, Samaritan's purse over to Franklin.

which not only was a compassion ministry, But we're very evangelistic. And so Billy Graham. In those latter years, he didn't want to stop preaching, but he knew the time would come to transfer. And he said to Franklin, Son, I believe God would have you pick up the mantle. And so here some of us are watching this fairly closely because we're right there.

And um Franklin not only kept Samaritans Purse, the Compassion Ministry, which is a separate ministry. But he took the Billigram Evangelistic Association And it was really all about the team. We had this great. Group of men and women. Not only in the Bill Graham Evangelistic Association, but in Samaritan's Purse.

who really, really were a family spiritually. and an organism for Jesus. And the goal was to help Everyone know Jesus as Lord and Savior, the abundant life on this planet. eternal life to come, but also To find out what their needs were. and to serve them in those needs as best one organization can.

And that was amazing that Billy and Franklin could connect so closely And Franklin is one of the most dutiful sons I've ever known. He would go to his father every Sunday afternoon that he could and when he was home, spend the afternoon with his father learning what God had taught Billogram so that he is the son carrying on the ministry in a new day, a new culture. with a far more small Compassionate injustice and caring portion of the ministry. And it was another context, another day, And God literally had made Billigram for one season and Franklin for another. And personally, now it's interesting to see God move with Franklin to encourage his son, Edward Graham, who was a West Point graduate an officer in the U.

S. Army is is now and has been trained and is now running. Samaritans curse and his son Will Graham. who went to Liberty University and Southeastern Seminary Pastored for eight years. Vent it was running the cove.

as executive director now associate evangelist preaching all over the world and growing in the ministry of the Bill of Graham Association. And so it's not inherited. Yeah. is not always a family calling. But it's amazing to see the lineage of faithfulness in this family and Graham Lots.

Franklin's sister has her own ministry. And it's amazing what God has done through angel ministries Sissy Graham, one of the daughters, is now podcasting and working with us. This is an outstanding communicator.

So it's Selflessness. Will you give up yourself? to become what God's called you to do. And another son, Roy Graham, whom I've worked with very, very closely in the Bill of Gramm Evangelistic Association. is running a major portion of our ministry here at headquarters around the country.

And we all are part of a family. We're not employees per se. Yes, we are. In reality, But we're part of the team. We're part of the family.

We have one goal And it's Jesus. being glorified and others being honored. to know him and to have a relationship with him And then the world can be changed societally. We've seen that. I love hearing this.

Uh that the baton is not just being handed because it's family. But it's being passed because Billy Graham believed It was God's will. For Franklin. And Franklin had to realize this is God's will for my life. What do I have to give up so I can do what God wants me to do?

Elisha had to do that. He had to give things up so he could take the mantle from Elijah. And I had the privilege of being the campus pastor there at Liberty with Roy and with Will. And I did know Edward, but he didn't stay there, I think, one semester. But to watch how God is now using them and understanding, again, it's not about my last name, it's about who I belong to, and I'm a vessel in His hand.

Uh Tom, I I Tom, I've got a maybe a little weird question here, but As we were talking, as you were talking about Billy Graham and Franklin and Samaritan Perse, I just wanted to know, and maybe a listener, Robbie, would want to know this too. I do. I definitely want to know, because I know the question. Did Billy Graham ever pack a shoebox? Oh, that's a good question.

That is a very I'm sure he did. I'm sure he did. I don't think there's anyone in the Bill of Graham Association that hasn't packed a shoebox.

Okay, so Franklin got his dad. Dad, we got to get a shoebox pack and we're going to put the gospel in it. And you just don't know how many people come to Jesus when this shoebox gets to some remote village. And you know what? I just heard talk about the future.

Doctor Carson and Tom is They now have plastic shoe boxes that double as like they can use these shoe boxes to wash clothes, to do all these things. And I, you know, this Sunday, I was in Atlanta, Georgia. at Sweetwater Baptist Church, you know, helping out with the service, giving a message, that kind of thing, after I did their car show. And they were talking about these new plastic boxes that I didn't know anything about.

So hey, it it keeps growing, right? All these children are Need. everything we give them and they They trade the box contents to each other, depending on the need. But it's also been amazing to hear the stories of the cow. who didn't have shoes.

Getting the very size shoe and when somebody packed shoes. getting the very size shoes they needed. or a child who didn't have a coat. Nobody packs our coat. And yet that child got the coat and the size they needed.

We gotta go to a break. We'll be right back. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com. Welcome back to Truth Talk Live. Today we are celebrating 75 years of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, you know, obviously, maybe not obviously, those who do the math.

It's 1950, right? 1950, a lot changed. We're going to get to that story in a minute. But before we do that, we need your call at 866-348-7884. How did the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Billy Graham, and the Associated Ministries impact your life?

We'd love to hear your story. The number to call again is 866-348-7884. And, Doc, you got one more question for Tom. Yeah, Tom, thank you for your time. And we know, again, you've had a very busy day.

In wrapping up with you, I would just I would love to hear you say to a young evangelist out there, Um Give them a couple pieces of great advice that you got from Billy Graham.

Well, obviously, number one is to know Christ. And number two is to die to self that God, the Holy Spirit, could be preeminent. Number three would be to seek Christ daily in a daily quiet time. Number four would be open. to whatever God's calling on your life is.

If it's to be an evangelizer, someone who shares Christ at work, At play properly, respectfully. Gently. or if it's someone from the pulpit. If you're a workplace minister, if you're a family minister at home, Just be faithful to God's calling on you. And the Holy Spirit will honor that.

And the gospel saves. It's good news. It's always lifting someone up. It's not criticizing them. It's giving the best answer to life they could possibly have.

So it's the most positive thing. you can do. Our motto is always good news. That's our heart. And um You may remember when we had the COVID Lockdown.

We had a businessman from Atlanta who contacted Franklin and said Have you ever been able to give the gospel in one minute and give an invitation? And Franklin says, No, but I think I can do it. And that day, Franklin had our video team. Try that with him. We send it down to the person.

And this individual says, I want to fund this first opportunity And we started that one minute snippet that you see on television now Just quickly, Franklin gives the truth of the gospel. This is how quickly the power of God can work because it's Jesus's Change in your heart when you receive him. And cumulatively We've had 124 people connect with us on the internet And then another calling us three million Six hundred and sixty-nine. thousand people talk to.

Now, this is amazing, and one of the things that Mr. Graham did, always using the latest technology, radio, television, Print. probably estimated three million people heard the three billion rather people heard the gospel from Mr. Graham V of technology, 212 million. actually hurt him personally.

3.4 million actually came to Christ Because of his personal preparation of the gospel and presentation. them But then Franklin said To us early on, I want to see a million people come to Christ a year. We we had we laughed. We had no idea. How God was going to do that, but we believed Him.

And through the telephone, through the television. Through the internet, we've seen the kinds of numbers I just mentioned. The internet since we started it 124,200. Cumulative connections with us That's just absolutely amazing. And then on these calls One minute.

presentation People responding for prayer. It's not for fundraising at all. It's for prayer. And then having the the gospel presented to them as their needs are met. We've had Salvation's 22,000.

Rededication, 17,000. Assurance of salvation 9,000. Let's 48,000. And three million people have called in to be encouraged By a contact with someone twenty four seven So it's always open. This is amazing what God has done with one little ministry.

It is. And I so appreciate you sharing. About that one minute, because to our listeners, I would want to say this. When you see Franklin Graham come on, he's got one minute. to share the gospel.

Give that invitation to call that number. And what you just heard from Tom Phillips is people are getting saved. And that should be your cue at that very moment. Start praying. Lord, open a lost person.

Person's eyes, when they hear that glorious gospel, they'll respond and become a prayer partner for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Tom, thank you for sharing all that you've shared, but especially that, because I've watched those minutes, I didn't know the story behind it, but that's incredible that a man challenged him. Can you give the gospel in one minute? And that's why you see that. I see it on Fox News at least once a day.

Yeah, that's awesome. And even when the idea came up to mister Graham about building the Billy Graham Library, In his humility, he said no. You're not building a building with my name on it. And Franklin said, Daddy, If we can build a building that so presents Jesus that it is an ongoing daily crusade Even after you're gone, Would you allow us? And he said, Son, if you can do that, I'd say yes.

And we've had forty one thousand decisions for Christ as people go through the gospel presentations Two million people now, two million people have gone through the library. And that's extraordinary. I mean, in twenty years ish, That's absolutely extraordinary what God has done. Oh, it really is. It's such a blessing, Tom.

God bless you. We appreciate your. Involvement with us today, and certainly your involvement with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. God bless you. It's been a blessing.

It has. Thank you. Thank you. Bye-bye.

So as we started to allude to when we Got all alone there for a minute. The actual story of the beginning of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is absolutely mind-blowing. It has everything to do with radio. But while we're warming up and Doc is getting warmed up to tell this story, we need your calls. Like you've heard something you know, maybe you packed a shoebox or maybe you were familiar with something that you went with Samaritan's purse.

I can remember taking my kids, you know, up to. Boone. And going right in there and seeing all those shoeboxes, it's amazing. 866-348-7884. 866-348-7884.

We need your calls. And so Tom um Tom. Doc. It it it It all started in 1950. Yes, you know, Billy Graham had been preaching.

He was with InterVarsity. He had. become president of a Christian college up in Minneapolis, Minnesota. And uh but he was out preaching and uh he's out in Portland, Oregon, and some men have been um Um Hounding him about becoming of getting on the radio. We hear about his humility, and he was like, I'm just not sure about doing radio, and I don't really think I should be doing that.

I don't know. And so the story is told, and you can find this on the Billy Graham Evangelism Association's website, how it all started. He's out there preaching, and these guys just keep coming up after him. And finally, he started avoiding them. He'd see them, he'd go the opposite way.

Finally, they're having a conversation, and Billy Graham said, Well, guys, I'll just tell you what. If tonight by midnight we raise $25,000, which would be like $250,000 today, if we could raise $25,000 tonight, I'll pray about becoming part start the radio ministry. He didn't say he was going to do it. He just said he was going to pray about it. He was going to be open to what God wanted him to do.

Well, that night they made the announcement, hey, we're trying to convince Billy Graham to do a national radio program. We need $25,000. And sure enough, when the service was over, this is the plates are at the back. This is, you got to bring the money up here. It wasn't the plates being passed.

They had people giving money left and right.

Well, he counted up and it was $24,000.

So Graham goes back to his hotel and he's like, okay, it was $24,000. And a hotel clerk says, Mr. Graham, Mr. Graham, I've got a couple letters here for you that I hadn't given to you.

Well, he takes the couple letters, goes to his room, and he opens them up. And both of them were five hundred dollars. And for your new radio ministry. How did they know this? They've been praying for him to get on radio also.

And so now he's got $25,000. He calls back to his school in Minneapolis, tells his business manager, hey, What do I do? And that's how It got started. Oh, there's a little more because you told me. And so.

I think it's an amazing story. Number one, that this is how our decision happened. But also These guys that were trying to talk him into it were going to get on the plane. I mean, they saw him load up and leave, and he didn't say anything. You know, everything looked gloomy, I imagine, from their perspective, but something told them, I wonder what it was.

Something told them they don't need to fly, but they need to come back to the hotel. And they come back to the hotel, and there's Billy with his $25,000, right? Yes. And that is part of the story. They were leaving because, well, they didn't get the $25,000, but then it's like, let's just go back.

And then Graham had to admit, I've got the $25,000. And he has to take the step of faith. And you know, Unless there's We come to these moments with God of am I going to go to the next level with him? And it's not going to be a sure level. It's a step of faith.

Faith. And we talk about Billy Graham having great humility, the tremendous love. He just loved people. But this man had to take huge steps of faith. And I encourage you, you get a chance to go down to that Billy Graham library, walk through it.

It's called a journey of faith. Oh, it is worth every step. But not to end the story too soon because you need a few more details. I love it. Right.

In that day and time, $25,000, you just didn't go put that in the bank. You didn't just go, oh, I got $25,000, because that was like $250,000 today, and it's in various checks and cash and all sorts of stuff. And so he had called that business manager with like, What do we do with 25,000?

Well, that business manager, he was the president at the time. Of, what was the name of the college? Northwestern. Northwestern in Minneapolis. And Northwestern schools and schools.

And so we come back, we'll share that story. But we need yours. 866-348-7884. We'll be right back. You're listening to the Truth Network and TruthNetwork.com.

Welcome back to True Talk Live today. Have fun celebrating 75 years. I'll do billigram. Evangelistic Association and asking this question, and really looking forward to your answer to it. That you can call in at 866-348-7884.

How has the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association affected your life? When you think about it, if. It I can't imagine that in some way, everybody listening, you were affected, okay? Maybe you heard that. Billy's wife Ruth has on her tombstone.

Under construction. Doesn't that affect you? I mean, it's not construction finished. Yeah, or whatever. You know, that whole thing that's.

Yeah, because that's what she always knew she was under construction. Oh, thank you for your patience, right? Yeah. And and and she she always thought that'd be a great way to Have on cuts. Exactly.

Thank you for your patience. I love that. And then how about Billy Graham, you know, time and again, that everybody quoted him as saying, I've, I'm not gone, I just changed my address. Yeah. Right?

Or the coffin that that Was made for him from the prisoners in, wasn't Louisiana, as I recall? That, you know, again, supporting ministry right through to the end. And here's this. The coffin that is at one of the most famous funerals in our time. Right?

It's being paraded from Washington, D.C. to here, there, and everywhere. Right? I know you were affected somehow, some way that Amazing places, especially if you're in North Carolina, you've been to the Cove or you've been to the library. Oh my goodness, you've seen the cow.

That's right. And if you don't know what we're talking about, you need to go to the library where that cow will greet you. Yes, it will. And you won't be the same. If you go to the Billy Graham Library, When you come out the other side, I I don't know how you could be the same.

I I've taken several people there, groups there. Um Discouragement is part of ministry. You're going to have Bad days, hard days, and you got to learn how to deal with that discouragement when Satan hits you with it. And I find going to the Billy Graham Library a place where discouragement is lifted. Encouragement, you realize, hey, right, it's not always going to go the way you want it to go.

It's going to be difficult. But we have a God that gives us strength. Dr. Falwell called it strength for the journey. And I I don't know what How many things we could talk about here of how that library impacts you, but seeing the one picture of him sitting in the stadium in Moscow.

saying, Lord, one day please let me preach here And then 10 years later, Not 10 days later, not 10 months later. 10 years later, he got to preach there. But he had a vision, a dream. Lord, how could I be used to impact people who are not hearing your gospel right now? And sometimes it takes a decade for a prayer to be answered, but God always comes through.

Yeah. And how about you? How has all that touched you? And something else, maybe. 866-348.

7884-866348-7884. I love, love, love. that this show is live. Because so often, you know, it's the callers that just literally lift me. I think about your calls.

all the time. And it means so much, not just to obviously me and Doc, but it means something to every single person listening because they're thinking the same thing. They've experienced the same thing. And your courage, right? The Holy Spirit's prompting you, pushing on you.

You got to answer the call just like Billy did to get on the radio. Wouldn't we be a lot different? If he hadn't, because honestly, when I think about that, I could totally relate. People like. I do not like to be promoted.

I you know, I could I could see going around the back of a radio station easily. I could see, you know, when people want to put me on whatever, I'm like, please, no. I, you know, it. And so I can totally relate. to that It's it's hard.

And so that he he overcame that think about the humility what it was described. Of this man that didn't, he didn't want all that. But he allowed it because he knew God would use it. And oh my goodness, has God used it? And how about in your life, right?

that it's not so easy to call. Right? It's easier t t to stay anonymous. 866 348788486634 Truth. And one of the beautiful things about calling the radio Uh no one's gonna see you.

And that helps because Robbie keeps telling me I have a great face for radio, and I appreciate that, Robbie. I don't know exactly what that means, but Robbie, a question for you. When I said to you Billy Graham's Evangelistic Association is seventy-five, was that somewhat of a surprise to think it's seventy-five years of o of age now? It wasn't to me actually because I guess You know, I've been around 70 those years, and I have never remembered a time when they didn't exist and where they weren't a big deal. And my parents had a tremendous reverence for Billy Graham and his ministry from all my days.

But we do have Mike. is in Dayton, Ohio.

So we're going to take Mike, you're on Truth Talk Live. Yeah, I can um I can remember very vividly that Billy Graham saying on the T V. John 3.16. You know, he, you know, when he said, for God to love the world, and the way he said it, it just impacted me so, so much. My kid doesn't have a Billy Graham.

You don't have a Billy Graham impersonation. No, I'll tell you who's hilarious is Erwin Lutzer, does it is about as good as anybody I've ever heard. And every time I go hear him speak anywhere, and he always speaks at the NRB, he always does his Billy Graham. And of course, he always puts that right into Minneapolis, Minnesota. It's so funny how he does it.

But. You can you can recall all that, right? Oh yeah. Yeah, you can definitely recall that and you can almost picture him on the on the T V saying it, you know what I mean? And uh it just impacts you.

You know what I mean? Um today. Today I just mailed something in the mail and and Robbie, you know what that was. And I put some little trinkets in there, and the cashier lady said, What is that? I said, Oh, it's a it's little crosses I made for wood.

And I got to witness to that lady at the at the at the UPS store because I'm mailing something to her and I gave her one of those crosses and it says on it, John three sixteen. Uh You know, and you know, she says, I don't even know what that verse is, and I told her what it was. Really? Really? What was the look on her face?

Uh it was like Really? And I says, you know, today's the day that you need to make that decision if you're going to go to heaven or not go to heaven. you know and uh That's what that cross net represents. And uh She goes. Mike, and she goes, and I did my transaction.

She says, I'm going to put this in my pocket. I says, Pray that prayer tonight. and you'll be saved. And then she goes. Thank you for the cross.

And she had a big line behind me, and everybody behind me was hearing it too, but it was kind of. You know, it was really cool. Isn't that neat? Yeah, it was you know it was one of those ordained moments, right? That there's the Holy Spirit and And you were doing something, you know, just Actually, being very obedient to what God had asked you to do and all that was going on.

And again, that's what That's what Billy did apparently is just Being obedient all along the way to how the Holy Spirit prompted him, and as a result, blessed so many people. Done. Right. I mean, he's blessed me. I mean, uh Just hearing him the preach the gospel was it was awesome.

Um Uh my family would my They would all complain that that was the only thing on, but we would all sit and watch it. Yeah, I think we learned some things today that maybe some listeners. Uh uh and did not realize But there used to only be three stations, ABC, NBC, CBS, and that was it, black and white. And He bought all three.

So there was no competition where you could change the channel and not see Billy Graham. I remember that. I can remember seeing Billy Graham as a kid preaching on all three of those stations in black and white. And when you go down to the library, you can see there's a time when he goes from the black and white sets to what was called the colored sets. And I remember the day we got a colored TV.

And now, wait a minute. It's it's this is different. Um yeah, but but it's he brought us back to that. He they bought all three time.

So, what year was that? What just doc going in this time capsule? What year did you get your color TV? Uh, 67 or 68. My dad waited.

Tell the moon landing. Right, which is the 1960s everybody in the neighborhood had color TVs, but nah, Robbie, we're still watching everything in black and white, which is really fine. I mean, you know. But. Yeah.

The moon landing, my dad had to have a color T V and it was that's what it took. And I don't know if you remember those T V's, but. You know, he got this Magnavox thing. You know, that thing was in a big, huge box with speakers on both sides. You know, it was a piece of furniture.

It wasn't just. It was uh you remember that Mike? Are we yes, I do. We had a colored we were poor as a kid and we had a colored T D probably until the seventies.

So I understand, man. It was it's tough when all the neighbors Got color T V s and you're you know Looking like a slacker. I know. We didn't get the Atari game until later, too. But it's interesting to hear Tom Phillips today talk about how Billy Graham went from radio, T V, now the Internet, the one-minute gospel presentation.

What? Use every available means to get the precious gospel to every person. Even a playground. Even a playground. Even a playground.

Thank you all so much for listening today. We had so much fun, as always. A big show coming up tomorrow. It's going to be Nikita Koloff. It'll be time to.

Oh, tomorrow's Wednesday. It's Dr. Carson again. That's right. I went ahead.

Constitution Day. Mm-hmm.