Q: What world leader did Billy Graham have a secret meeting with?
A: Sir Winston Churchill
The 1954 London Crusade marked one of the most controversial, yet celebratory moments in the history of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
After a mistake in the wording of a U.S. brochure that promoted prayer and fundraising for the Crusade, Billy Graham was accused of interfering with British politics. Despite admitting the inadvertent mistake and apologizing to Parliament, Mr. Graham’s arrival in England was met with hostility from some.
But instead of ruining the Crusade, the negative publicity appeared to draw larger crowds. Over a period of three months, more than two million heard the Gospel, and more than 38,000 indicated making decisions for Christ.
The reports of the London Crusade so impressed Prime Minister Winston Churchill, that he requested to personally see Mr. Graham on short notice.
For years, the conversation between the two men was kept a secret. Only after Mr. Churchill’s passing did Mr. Graham share details about their time together, recalling that Mr. Churchill began by congratulating him for drawing crowds of such staggering numbers in London.
Churchill joked that he and Marilyn Monroe combined couldn’t attract an audience of such a size. Mr. Graham assured Mr. Churchill that it was all God’s doing.
“I’ll tell you, I have no hope. I see no hope for the world,” Churchill shared. “I am a man without hope. Do you have any real hope?”
“Are you without hope for your own soul’s salvation?” Mr. Graham asked.
“Frankly, I think about that a great deal,” Churchill replied.
In his autobiography, Just As I Am, Billy Graham described the rest of the meeting:
I had my New Testament with me. Knowing that we had but a few minutes left, I immediately explained the way of salvation. I watched carefully for signs of irritation or offense, but he seemed receptive, if not enthusiastic. I also talked about God’s plan for the future, including the return of Christ. His eyes seemed to light up at the prospect.
At precisely 12:30, Mr. Colville [Churchill’s secretary] knocked. “Sir Winston, the Duke of Windsor is here for your luncheon,” he said.
“Let him wait!” Mr. Churchill growled, waving Mr. Colville off and turning back to me. “Go ahead.”
I went on for about another 15 minutes, then asked if I could pray. “Most certainly,” he said, standing up. “I’d appreciate it.”
I prayed for the difficult situations the Prime Minister faced every day and acknowledged that God was the only hope for the world and for us individually.
