Q: Who did Billy Graham personally call on when it came time to establish the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association?
A: George Wilson.
Billy Graham first met George Wilson at a 1945 Youth for Christ rally in Chicago. Two years later, Mr. Graham would become president of Northwestern Schools in Minneapolis, Minnesota, (now University of Northwestern, St. Paul), where Wilson served as business manager.
The two grew to be close friends over the years, so much so that when Mr. Graham needed to establish a legitimate business for his ministry, he turned to Wilson for help. >>Read the full story of how BGEA was founded.
“Dear George, I want you to do several things for me as soon as time permits in connection with our forthcoming radio and evangelistic program,” Graham wrote to Wilson in 1950.
The detailed letter was written shortly after the Portland Crusade where Mr. Graham miraculously raised an additional $25,000 to begin doing radio ministry. With an immediate need to allocate funds and put a team in place, the evangelist included a list of instructions:
- File the necessary corporation papers for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Team.
- Secure necessary office space to carry on this work efficiently at a cost not to exceed $150 per month.
- Secure the necessary secretarial and bookkeeping staff to efficiently handle the work of these organizations.
- Secure the necessary office equipment by rental as far as possible and purchase only if necessary.
- Process all names and addresses secured. Make up contribution and pledge cards and print plates.
- Send out official numbered receipts.
- Secure whatever professional advices necessary to set up the entire office procedure in keeping with good mailing and business procedure.
“It will be necessary to keep everything at an absolute minimum cost yet. We want to be ready to handle efficiently the flow of all mail and contributions that will be coming to us,” Mr. Graham concluded. “Whatever expenses that are involved in the above procedures will be borne by the evangelistic team.”
Wilson did as the letter outlined, submitting paperwork for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and acquiring a headquarters building across the street from Northwestern for $2.25 a square foot.
After resigning from his position at Northwestern, Wilson served as executive vice president of BGEA until he retired in 1987.
While Mr. Graham traveled around the world sharing the Gospel, Wilson put his business acumen, attention to detail and standard for excellence to work behind the scenes to ensure ministry ran smoothly.
“I owe him a debt I can never repay,” Graham said after Wilson’s death in 1999. “Human terms cannot measure the remarkable contribution George has made to my ministry.”
