September 1947: Billy Graham’s first city-wide Crusade in Grand Rapids, Mich., followed through the years by more than 400 Crusades across six continents.
1947: “Calling Youth to Christ,” Billy Graham’s first book is published.
September 1949: “Christ for Greater Los Angeles” Crusade catches the attention of newspaper magnate William Randolph Hearst. The resulting national and international news coverage launches Billy Graham into prominence.
September 1950: The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) becomes incorporated in Minnesota.
November 1950: First “Hour of Decision” radio program airs.
September 1951: “Hour of Decision” television broadcasts begin airing over the ABC network.
October 1951: BGEA releases its first film, “Mr. Texas,” which is followed by more than 130 other films through the years.
December 1952: First “My Answer” column runs.
October 1956: The first issue of Christianity Today is published.
June 1957: ABC broadcasts live meetings of the New York City Crusade in Madison Square Garden.
November 1960: First issue of Decision magazine
May 1962: Billy and Ruth Graham start a radio station with the goal of leading as many people as possible into a personal and dynamic relationship with Jesus Christ.
1980: TV Telephone Ministry begins, which has aided hundreds of thousands in beginning a relationship with Jesus Christ.
June 1985: BGEA uses satellite technology to broadcast meetings in Sheffield, England, to 51 locations in Great Britain.
September 1988: Billy Graham Training Center in Asheville, N.C., launches first programs, held in what is now Chatlos Memorial Chapel.
March 1989: Franklin Graham holds his first Festival in Juneau, Alaska, followed through the years by more than 180 Festivals worldwide.
June 1989: BGEA uses satellite technology to broadcast meetings from London, England, to 250 locations in the United Kingdom.
November 1991: BGEA uses satellite technology and video to transmit meetings from Buenos Aires, Argentina, to 20 Spanish-speaking countries.
May 1993: BGEA officially dedicates the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, N.C., for the purpose of Bible training of Christians.
March 1995: BGEA simultaneously broadcasts the Crusade in San Juan, Puerto Rico, via satellite in 48 languages to thousands of locations worldwide.
1996: BGEA launches the ministry’s flagship website: BillyGraham.org.
2000: Franklin Graham named CEO of BGEA.
2001: Franklin Graham named president of BGEA.
2001: BGEA develops a biblically-based grief and trauma training seminar to minister to victims of the terror attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. The program ultimately develops into what is today the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team.
2001: BGEA announces the move of headquarters from Minneapolis, Minn., to Charlotte, N.C., the city where Billy Graham was born.
2002: BGEA launches the “My Hope” ministry of home-based crusades, resulting in more than 10,000,000 people worldwide making decisions for Christ.
2002: BGEA deploys the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team to minister to hurricane survivors in Lafayette, La. They have since deployed to more than 335 disaster zones, including hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, fires and shootings.
2004: BGEA opens newly-constructed headquarters building on Billy Graham Parkway in Charlotte, N.C.
2004: Will Graham begins holding youth events in Canada.
2005: Billy Graham holds his final Crusade, in New York City.
2005: 106.9 the Light (WMIT) begins broadcasting its HD Radio signal, making it the first Christian radio station in the Carolinas to adopt this technology.
2006: BGEA launches Dare to Be a Daniel, a ministry focused on equipping a new generation of evangelists for the next generation of believers.
2006: Will Graham conducts his first three-day Celebration in the U.S.
2007: BGEA opens the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C.
June 14, 2007: Ruth Bell Graham, the wife of Billy Graham, passes away.
2011: BGEA launches PeaceWithGod.net to clearly present the Gospel through the Internet. Millions have made commitments to Jesus Christ through this outreach.
2012: The radio station founded by Billy Graham extends its reach by purchasing 106.7 WRJK-FM, which serves an audience of more than 550,000 in the Knoxville, Tenn., metro area.
November 2013: More than 110,000 people make commitments to Jesus Christ through My Hope with Billy Graham, an evangelism effort in the United States and Canada that culminated with the broadcast of Billy Graham’s video message, “The Cross,” in homes, churches and online across the two nations.
2016: Franklin Graham travels to all 50 states for the Decision America Tour, sharing the Gospel in every capital city.
February 21, 2018: Billy Graham passes away at the age of 99 at his home in Montreat, N.C.
Sept. 14, 2018: The film Unbroken: Path to Redemption debuts in theaters, featuring Will Graham portraying his grandfather, Billy Graham, in the Louis Zamperini biopic.