Since the late-April reopening of the Billy Graham Library, visitors, young and old, have been flooding its grounds. The renovations have proved to be more than just impressive; they are proving to be life-impacting.
“It made me think about all the stuff I should be doing, and made me motivated to be like him (Billy Graham),” said Joyner Schull, a student from Charleston, SC, a recent visitor, describing some of the impact the facility had on him.
Franklin Graham says it’s designed to have that kind of influence.
“Our prayer was that this Library would be like an ongoing Crusade. And the last couple of years–we’ve looked at the statistics–of the people who are attending this Library, about 10 percent of people attending are making some kind of spiritual commitment,” explained Graham. “Either they’re rededicating their life to Christ, or they’re accepting Christ for the first time.”
Wayne Huizenga, Jr., National Day of Prayer speaker at an annual YMCA Breakfast, toured the Library during his Charlotte visit. Huizenga is president of Huizenga Holdings, Inc., a diversified company that is part owner of the Miami Dolphins, manages Dolphin Stadium and has investments in real estate, marinas and boat-related businesses in south Florida.
He is the son of an entrepreneur who built three Fortune 500 businesses: Waste Management, Blockbuster and AutoNation. He once owned the Dolphins, Florida Marlins and Florida Panthers (NHL).
Huizenga became a Christian in 2001 and was touched so deeply on his Library tour that he wiped tears repeatedly, especially during the preaching of Billy Graham.
“Every Christian should take the initiative to visit the Library and experience the awe and wonder of God’s work in the life of Billy Graham and his team of faithful men and women that surrounded him – especially his wife Ruth,” said Mark Rader of Colorado Springs.
“The use of technology to communicate the simplicity of the Gospel message was amazing. I was challenged in my own life to remain faithful to God’s calling and to leave the results to Him.”
Help Impact the Life of a Library Visitor
It is BGEA’s calling to spread the Gospel through every available means and to every nation. One of the ways we do this is through the Billy Graham Library. Donate online today to support the Library or other ministries.
Impacting the Next Generation
In early May, a local third grade class toured the Library. Read a few of their impressions:
- “Walking through the crosses was my favorite part. It made me feel special.” – Rebecca
- “I wonder what it would be like to change millions of people’s lives. I really liked Ruth Graham’s grave and the words she chose for her gravestone. I’m glad they had a prayer room. That showed it was a very strong Christian place. Even the prizes were scripture verses.” – Emerson
- “The garden was beautiful and a great place to pray. The Billy Graham Library was very interesting and made me want to be a missionary like Billy Graham.” – Emma
- “I liked Billy Graham’s desk and how interesting it was. On the desk, there were old pictures of Billy Graham, his typewriter, and all sorts of other interesting things.” – Matthew
