148-489: Christianity Today is an evangelical Christian media magazine founded in 1956 by Billy Graham . It is published by Christianity Today International based in Carol Stream, Illinois . The Washington Post calls Christianity Today "evangelicalism's flagship magazine". The New York Times describes it as a "mainstream evangelical magazine". On August 4, 2022, Russell D. Moore —notable for denouncing and leaving
296-638: A purity ring . In some evangelical churches, young adults and unmarried couples are encouraged to marry early in order to live a sexuality according to the will of God. A 2009 American study of the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy reported that 80 percent of young, unmarried evangelicals have had sex and that 42 percent were in a relationship with sex, when surveyed. The majority of evangelical Christian churches are against abortion and support adoption agencies and social support agencies for young mothers. Masturbation
444-412: A "moratorium" on use of the term. Historian D. G. Hart has also argued that "evangelicalism needs to be relinquished as a religious identity because it does not exist". Christian fundamentalism has been called a subset or "subspecies" of Evangelicalism. Fundamentalism regards biblical inerrancy, the virgin birth of Jesus , penal substitutionary atonement, the literal resurrection of Christ , and
592-597: A 1973 rally, attended by 100,000 people, in Durban , South Africa—the first large mixed-race event in apartheid South Africa—Graham openly declared that "apartheid is a sin". In Moscow, Russia , in 1992, one-quarter of the 155,000 people in Graham's audience went-forward at his call. During his crusades, he frequently used the altar call song, " Just As I Am ". In 1995, during the Global Mission event, he preached
740-507: A Christian viewpoint to the global church, opinion, reviews, and investigative reporting. In Billy Graham 's 1997 autobiography, Just As I Am , he writes of his vision, idea, and history with Christianity Today , and his early meeting with oil company executive, John Howard Pew , to establish the publication. Most critics label Christianity Today as a mainstream, intellectual, centrist evangelical publication. On June 7, 1974, in an editorial entitled "Should Nixon Resign?", published during
888-765: A definite liberal approach to social problems". Other active publications currently active within Christianity Today include: Building Church Leaders which has vocational education materials for evangelists and clergy . Church Law & Tax which discusses tax compliance . ChristianBibleStudies helps with Bible studies . ChurchSalary helps churches with information on proper remuneration. Ekstasis Magazine about Christian arts and media , specifically to encourage creativity within Christian culture to enable better storytelling , worldbuilding , and cultural representation. PreachingToday
1036-690: A degree in anthropology . That same year, Robert Van Kampen , treasurer of the National Gideon Association, invited Graham to preach at Western Springs Baptist Church, and Graham accepted the opportunity on the spot. While there, his friend Torrey Johnson, pastor of the Midwest Bible Church in Chicago, told Graham that his radio program, Songs in the Night , was about to be canceled due to lack of funding. Consulting with
1184-507: A denominational member, strongly deemphasize its ties to such, such as a church name which excludes the denominational name) within the broader evangelical movement. In the words of Albert Mohler , president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary , confessional evangelicalism refers to "that movement of Christian believers who seek a constant convictional continuity with the theological formulas of
1332-410: A digest magazine in the vein of Reader's Digest , was founded in 1963 by the founder of Tyndale House Publishers , Ken Taylor . Christianity Today purchased the magazine in 1992. The name was changed to Today's Christian in 2004. In 2008, Christianity Today sold the magazine to the ministry Significant Living. Books & Culture was a bimonthly book review and intellectual journal modeled after
1480-492: A foreign leader to harass and discredit" presidential candidate Joe Biden . He argued: "That is not only a violation of the Constitution; more importantly, it is profoundly immoral." The editorial received extensive media coverage and caught the attention of Trump and his allies, who in response sought to discredit the publication, with the former describing it as "far-left", and almost 200 evangelical leaders rebuking it for
1628-613: A function of supervision over churches on a regional or national scale is present in all the Evangelical Christian denominations , even if the titles president of the council or general overseer are mainly used for this function. The term bishop is explicitly used in certain denominations. Some evangelical denominations are members of the World Evangelical Alliance and its 129 national alliances. Some evangelical denominations officially authorize
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#17327869211581776-815: A guest on a 1969 Woody Allen television special, in which he joined the comedian in a witty exchange on theological matters. During the Cold War , Graham became the first evangelist of note to speak behind the Iron Curtain , addressing large crowds in countries throughout Eastern Europe and in the Soviet Union, calling for peace. During the apartheid era, Graham consistently refused to visit South Africa until its government allowed integrated seating for audiences. During his first crusade there in 1973, he openly denounced apartheid . Graham also corresponded with imprisoned South African leader Nelson Mandela during
1924-530: A letter to Graham and informed him that allowing Daniel to speak at a crusade which occurred the night before the state's Democratic Primary "can well be interpreted as your endorsement of racial segregation and discrimination." Graham's advisor, Grady Wilson, replied to King that "even though we do not see eye to eye with him on every issue, we still love him in Christ." Though Graham's appearance with Daniel dashed King's hopes of holding joint crusades with Graham in
2072-496: A library would be appropriate. Ruth Graham had said that she wanted to be buried in the mountains at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove near Asheville, North Carolina , where she had lived for many years; Ned supported his mother's choice. Novelist Patricia Cornwell , a family friend, also opposed burial at the library, calling it a tourist attraction. Franklin wanted his parents to be buried at
2220-498: A magazine for Christian women, was founded in 1978. Christianity Today purchased the publication from Cook Communications Ministries in 1998 after that publisher abruptly closed the magazine. Christianity Today revived the magazine and continued publishing it for two more years before discontinuing publication following the December/January 2000 issue. Christian Parenting Today (originally entitled Christian Parenting )
2368-472: A magazine for wives of clergy. In 1987 it was renamed Marriage Partnership and expanded its focus to marriage in general, not just clergy marriages. The magazine ceased publication in 2009. Today's Christian Woman was founded in 1978 and acquired by Christianity Today from the Fleming H. Revell Co. in 1985. It discontinued print publication in 2009 and was replaced with a "digizine" entitled Kyria , which
2516-531: A majority of evangelical Christians, a belief in biblical inerrancy ensures that the miracles described in the Bible are still relevant and may be present in the life of the believer. Healings, academic or professional successes, the birth of a child after several attempts, the end of an addiction , etc., would be tangible examples of God's intervention with the faith and prayer , by the Holy Spirit . In
2664-552: A member of the Ku Klux Klan that integration was necessary, primarily for religious reasons. "There is no scriptural basis for segregation," Graham argued. "The ground at the foot of the cross is level, and it touches my heart when I see whites standing shoulder to shoulder with blacks at the cross." The friendship between Graham and John Stott led to a further partnership in the Lausanne Movement , of which Graham
2812-402: A middle position between conservative and charismatic evangelicals, while others would combine conservative theological emphases with more liberal social positions. British author Dave Tomlinson coined the phrase postevangelical to describe a movement comprising various trends of dissatisfaction among evangelicals. Others use the term with comparable intent, often to distinguish evangelicals in
2960-549: A minister. Graham was 15 when Prohibition ended in December 1933, and his father forced him and his sister Catherine to drink beer until they became sick. This created such an aversion that the two siblings avoided alcohol and drugs for the rest of their lives. Graham was turned down for membership in a local youth group for being "too worldly". Albert McMakin, who worked on the Graham farm, persuaded him to go see evangelist Mordecai Ham . According to his autobiography, Graham
3108-872: A movement or a single movement. The theological nature of evangelicalism was first explored during the Protestant Reformation in 16th century Europe . Martin Luther 's Ninety-Five Theses in 1517 emphasized that scripture and the preaching of the gospel had ultimate authority over the practices of the Church . The origins of modern evangelicalism are usually traced to 1738, with various theological streams contributing to its foundation, including Pietism and Radical Pietism , Puritanism , Quakerism and Moravianism (in particular its bishop Nicolaus Zinzendorf and his community at Herrnhut ). Preeminently, John Wesley and other early Methodists were at
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#17327869211583256-406: A new website, CTPastors.com. In 1982, Christianity Today purchased the magazine Campus Life, aimed at a high school audience, from, Campus Life Publications, Inc., a nonprofit organization, which had purchased Campus Life magazine from Youth For Christ in 1980. The name of the magazine was changed to Ignite Your Faith in 2006. It ceased publication in 2009. Partnership was launched in 1984 as
3404-780: A nickname which King asked only his closest friends to call him. Following King's assassination in 1968, Graham mourned that the US had lost "a social leader and a prophet". In private, Graham advised King and other members of the Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC). Despite their friendship, tensions between Graham and King emerged in 1958, when the sponsoring committee of a crusade that took place in San Antonio , Texas, on July 25 arranged for Graham to be introduced by that state's segregationist governor, Price Daniel . On July 23, King sent
3552-474: A parking lot. He attracted national media coverage, especially in the conservative Hearst chain of newspapers, although Hearst and Graham never met. The crusade event ran for eight weeks–five weeks longer than originally planned. Graham became a national figure, with heavy coverage from the wire services and national magazines. Pianist Rudy Atwood , who played for the tent meetings, wrote that they "rocketed Billy Graham into national prominence, and resulted in
3700-581: A particular Christian school of thought or churchmanship , primarily in Great Britain (especially in the Church of England ). Open evangelicals describe their position as combining a traditional evangelical emphasis on the nature of scriptural authority, the teaching of the ecumenical creeds and other traditional doctrinal teachings, with an approach towards culture and other theological points-of-view which tends to be more inclusive than that taken by other evangelicals. Some open evangelicals aim to take
3848-601: A political party. He gave his support to various political candidates over the years. In 2007, Graham explained his refusal to join Jerry Falwell 's Moral Majority in 1979, saying: "I'm for morality, but morality goes beyond sex to human freedom and social justice. We as clergy know so very little to speak with authority on the Panama Canal or superiority of armaments. Evangelists cannot be closely identified with any particular party or person. We have to stand in
3996-554: A poor country Baptist preacher somewhere out in the sticks... You have a voice that pulls. God can use that voice of yours. He can use it mightily." In 1937, Graham transferred to the Florida Bible Institute in Temple Terrace, Florida . While still a student, Graham preached his first sermon at Bostwick Baptist Church near Palatka, Florida . In his autobiography, Graham wrote of receiving his calling on
4144-700: A presence in the Anglosphere before spreading further afield in the 19th, 20th, and early 21st centuries. The movement gained significant momentum during the 18th and 19th centuries with the Great Awakening in the United States , and also in Great Britain 's reformations. As of 2016, there were an estimated 619 million evangelicals in the world, meaning that one in four Christians would be classified as evangelical. The United States has
4292-465: A quadrilateral of priorities that is the basis of Evangelicalism." Conversionism, or belief in the necessity of being " born again ," has been a constant theme of evangelicalism since its beginnings. To evangelicals, the central message of the gospel is justification by faith in Christ and repentance , or turning away, from sin . Conversion differentiates the Christian from the non-Christian, and
4440-432: A relationship between the Bible and contemporary secular viewpoints. According to his website, Graham spoke to live audiences consisting of at least 210 million people, in more than 185 countries and territories, through various meetings, including BMS World Mission and Global Mission event. Graham was close to US presidents Dwight D. Eisenhower , Lyndon B. Johnson (one of his closest friends), and Richard Nixon . He
4588-663: A revival. Graham said that his planned retirement was a result of his failing health; he had suffered from hydrocephalus from 1992 on. In August 2005, Graham appeared at the groundbreaking for his library in Charlotte, North Carolina . Then 86, he used a walker during the ceremony. On July 9, 2006, he spoke at the Metro Maryland Franklin Graham Festival , held in Baltimore , Maryland, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards . In April 2010, Graham
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4736-627: A sermon at Estadio Hiram Bithorn in San Juan , Puerto Rico , that was transmitted by satellite to 185 countries and translated into 116 languages. By the time of his last crusade in 2005 in New York City, he had preached 417 live crusades, including 226 in the US and 195 abroad. Graham spoke at InterVarsity Christian Fellowship's Urbana Student Missions Conference at least nine times – in 1948, 1957, 1961, 1964, 1976, 1979, 1981, 1984, and 1987. At each Urbana conference, he challenged
4884-521: A single theme. Initially published annually, it became a quarterly publication. Christianity Today took over ownership of the magazine beginning with issue 22 in 1989. It was discontinued after the publication of issue 99 in 2008. In 2011 the Christian History Institute resumed quarterly publication of the magazine. Christian History archives still may be found on ChristianityToday.com under its special section. Christian Reader ,
5032-528: A time of intense racial strife in the United States , insisting on racial integration for all of his revivals and crusades, as early as 1953. He also later invited Martin Luther King Jr. to preach jointly at a revival in New York City in 1957. In addition to his religious aims, he helped shape the worldview of a huge number of people who came from different backgrounds, leading them to find
5180-430: A variety of media and publishing outlets; according to his staff, more than 3.2 million people have responded to the invitation at Billy Graham Crusades to "accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior ". Graham's lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, likely surpassed billions of people. As a result of his crusades, Graham preached the gospel to more people, live and in-person, than anyone in
5328-498: Is congregational polity . This is especially common among nondenominational evangelical churches. Many churches are members of a national and international denomination for a cooperative relationship in common organizations, for the mission and social areas, such as humanitarian aid , schools, theological institutes and hospitals. Common ministries within evangelical congregations are pastor , elder , deacon , evangelist and worship leader . The ministry of bishop with
5476-420: Is a broader "evangelical streak" in mainline Protestantism. Mainline Protestant churches predominantly have a liberal theology while evangelical churches predominantly have a fundamentalist or moderate conservative theology. Some commentators have complained that Evangelicalism as a movement is too broad and its definition too vague to be of any practical value. Theologian Donald Dayton has called for
5624-475: Is a publication specifically for those delivering sermons . SmallGroups is a leadership magazine for smaller church planting groups such as missional living , cafe churches , pub churches , or house churches . Graham began the magazine as counterpoint to The Christian Century , the predominant independent periodical of mainline Protestantism , and as a way to bring the evangelical Christian community together. The second issue of Christianity Today
5772-400: Is a wide variety of thought among evangelicals and evangelical churches, but they tend to be conservative and prescriptive in general. Many evangelical churches promote the virginity pledge (abstinence pledge) among young evangelical Christians, who are invited to commit themselves, during a public ceremony, to sexual abstinence until Christian marriage . This pledge is often symbolized by
5920-504: Is commonly applied to describe the interdenominational Born-Again believing movement. Christian historian David W. Bebbington writes that, "Although 'evangelical,' with a lower-case initial, is occasionally used to mean 'of the gospel,' the term 'Evangelical' with a capital letter, is applied to any aspect of the movement beginning in the 1730s." According to the Oxford English Dictionary , evangelicalism
6068-507: Is presented by some churches as a protection against sexual misconduct and a compulsory step to obtain a position of responsibility in the church. This concept, however, has been challenged by numerous sex scandals involving married evangelical leaders. Finally, evangelical theologians recalled that celibacy should be more valued in the Church today, since the gift of celibacy was taught and lived by Jesus Christ and Paul of Tarsus . For
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6216-509: Is reverence for the Bible and high regard for biblical authority . All evangelicals believe in biblical inspiration , though they disagree over how this inspiration should be defined. Many evangelicals believe in biblical inerrancy , while other evangelicals believe in biblical infallibility . Crucicentrism is the centrality that evangelicals give to the Atonement , the saving death and
6364-462: Is secondary to spiritual experience shaped by Scripture . Postconservative evangelicals seek greater dialogue with other Christian traditions and support the development of a multicultural evangelical theology that incorporates the voices of women, racial minorities, and Christians in the developing world. Some postconservative evangelicals also support open theism and the possibility of near universal salvation . The term "open evangelical" refers to
6512-556: Is seen as forbidden by some evangelical pastors because of the sexual thoughts that may accompany it. However, evangelical pastors have pointed out that the practice has been erroneously associated with Onan by scholars, that it is not a sin if it is not practiced with fantasies or compulsively, and that it was useful in a married couple, if his or her partner did not have the same frequency of sexual needs. Some evangelical churches speak only of sexual abstinence and do not speak of sexuality in marriage. Other evangelical churches in
6660-531: Is termed neoevangelicalism , the new evangelicalism , or simply evangelicalism in the United States, while in Great Britain and in other English-speaking countries, it is commonly termed conservative evangelicalism . Over the years, less conservative evangelicals have challenged this mainstream consensus to varying degrees. Such movements have been classified by a variety of labels, such as progressive , open , postconservative , and postevangelical . Outside of self-consciously evangelical denominations, there
6808-463: Is the cause of many social problems, such as terrorism. Some churches have a conservative moderate position. Although they do not approve homosexual practices, they claim to show sympathy and respect for homosexuals. Some evangelical denominations have adopted neutral positions, leaving the choice to local churches to decide for same-sex marriage . There are some international evangelical denominations that are gay-friendly . Christian marriage
6956-588: Is to "provide evangelical thought leaders a sense of community, coherence, and direction through thoughtful, biblical commentary on issues and through careful, caring reporting of the news." Its presence on the Internet began in October 1994 when it became one of the top ten content providers on all of AOL. Then, in 1996, their website was launched. Originally, it was named ChristianityOnline.com before becoming ChristianityToday.com. Today ChristianityToday.com serves as
7104-406: Is usually run by a Christian pastor . A service is often divided into several parts, including congregational singing, a sermon, intercessory prayer , and other ministry. During worship there is usually a nursery for babies. Children and young people receive an adapted education, Sunday school , in a separate room. Places of worship are usually called "churches." In some megachurches ,
7252-485: The New York Review of Books and The New York Times Book Review and was published by Christianity Today International from 1995 to 2016. At the end of its publication life in 2016, the magazine's circulation was 11,000 and its readership was 20,000. It was edited by John Wilson, and notable contributors included Mark Noll , Lauren Winner , Alan Jacobs , Jean Bethke Elshtain , and Miroslav Volf . Virtue,
7400-483: The Articles of Religion , and some confessional Lutherans with pietistic convictions. The emphasis on historic Protestant orthodoxy among confessional evangelicals stands in direct contrast to an anticreedal outlook that has exerted its own influence on evangelicalism, particularly among churches strongly affected by revivalism and by pietism . Revivalist evangelicals are represented by some quarters of Methodism ,
7548-689: The Brethren Church ) are evangelical, and some Lutherans self-identify as evangelicals. There are also evangelical Anglicans and Quakers . In the early 20th century, evangelical influence declined within mainline Protestantism and Christian fundamentalism developed as a distinct religious movement. Between 1950 and 2000 a mainstream evangelical consensus developed that sought to be more inclusive and more culturally relevant than fundamentalism while maintaining theologically conservative Protestant teaching. According to Brian Stanley , professor of world Christianity , this new postwar consensus
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#17327869211587696-745: The Christianity Today banner are the online legacies of defunct print publications, even named after the aforementioned publications. Ekstasis is a journal that was acquired by Christianity Today in 2021, originally founded in 2016 by Conor Sweetman in Toronto , Canada it focuses on Christian arts and media . Besides English, it is available in 12 other languages: Arabic, Catalan, Chinese, Filipino, French, Galician, German, Indonesian, Italian, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish. Their publication can be found within those linguistic regions, as well as in Japan and Israel. The magazine's mission statement
7844-790: The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Canada , and the Evangelical Lutheran Church of England , who are not evangelical in the evangelikal sense but Protestant in the evangelisch sense, have translated the German term evangelisch (or Protestant) into the English term Evangelical , although the two German words have different meanings. In other parts of the world, especially in the English-speaking world, evangelical (German: evangelikal or pietistisch )
7992-502: The Modesto Manifesto : a code of ethics for life and work to protect against accusations of financial, sexual, and power abuse. The code includes rules for collecting offerings in churches, working only with churches supportive of cooperative evangelism, using official crowd estimates at outdoor events, and a commitment to never be alone with a woman other than his wife (which become known as the "Billy Graham rule"). Graham
8140-457: The Montgomery bus boycott in 1955, to join him in the pulpit at his 16-week revival in New York City, where 2.3 million gathered at Madison Square Garden , Yankee Stadium , and Times Square to hear them. Graham recalled in his autobiography that during this time, he and King developed a close friendship and that he was eventually one of the few people who referred to King as "Mike",
8288-912: The National Baptist Convention, USA . In 1969, in the Progressive National Baptist Convention . In 1975, in The Foursquare Church . For evangelicals, there are three interrelated meanings to the term worship . It can refer to living a "God-pleasing and God-focused way of life," specific actions of praise to God, and a public worship service . Diversity characterizes evangelical worship practices. Liturgical , contemporary , charismatic and seeker-sensitive worship styles can all be found among evangelical churches. Overall, evangelicals tend to be more flexible and experimental with worship practices than mainline Protestant churches. It
8436-485: The National Council of Churches , founded in 1950), and making separatism (rigid separation from nonfundamentalist churches and their culture ) a true test of faith. Most fundamentalists are Baptists and dispensationalist or Pentecostals and Charismatics . Great emphasis is placed on the literal interpretation of the Bible as the primary method of Bible study as well as the biblical inerrancy and
8584-829: The RAI Convention Center in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. At one revival in Seoul , South Korea, Graham attracted more than one million people to a single service. He appeared in China in 1988; for his wife, Ruth, this was a homecoming, since she had been born in China to missionary parents. He appeared in North Korea in 1992. On October 15, 1989, Graham received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame . He
8732-578: The Second Coming of Christ as fundamental Christian doctrines. Fundamentalism arose among evangelicals in the 1920s—primarily as an American phenomenon, but with counterparts in Britain and British Empire —to combat modernist or liberal theology in mainline Protestant churches. Failing to reform the mainline churches, fundamentalists separated from them and established their own churches, refusing to participate in ecumenical organizations (such as
8880-634: The Wesleyan Holiness churches, the Pentecostal and charismatic churches, some Anabaptist churches, and some Baptists and Presbyterians. Revivalist evangelicals tend to place greater emphasis on religious experience than their confessional counterparts. Evangelicals dissatisfied with the movement's fundamentalism mainstream have been variously described as progressive evangelicals, postconservative evangelicals, open evangelicals and postevangelicals . Progressive evangelicals, also known as
9028-545: The World Trade Center attacks ), Graham was invited to lead a service at Washington National Cathedral ; the service was attended by President George W. Bush and past and present leaders. He also spoke at the memorial service following the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995. On June 24–26, 2005, Graham began what he said would be his last North American crusade: three days at Flushing Meadows–Corona Park in
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#17327869211589176-861: The confessions of the Reformed churches ) provides such protection. Confessional evangelicals are represented by conservative Presbyterian churches (emphasizing the Westminster Confession ), certain Baptist churches that emphasize historic Baptist confessions such as the Second London Confession , evangelical Anglicans who emphasize the Thirty-Nine Articles (such as in the Anglican Diocese of Sydney , Australia ), Methodist churches that adhere to
9324-620: The emerging church movement from postevangelicals and antievangelicals. Tomlinson argues that "linguistically, the distinction [between evangelical and postevangelical] resembles the one that sociologists make between the modern and postmodern eras". Billy Graham William Franklin Graham Jr. ( / ˈ ɡ r eɪ ə m / ; November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was an American evangelist , ordained Southern Baptist minister, and civil rights advocate, whose broadcasts and world tours featuring live sermons became well known in
9472-539: The evangelical left , share theological or social views with other progressive Christians while also identifying with evangelicalism. Progressive evangelicals commonly advocate for women's equality, pacifism and social justice . As described by Baptist theologian Roger E. Olson , postconservative evangelicalism is a theological school of thought that adheres to the four marks of evangelicalism, while being less rigid and more inclusive of other Christians. According to Olson, postconservatives believe that doctrinal truth
9620-469: The financial downturn of 2008 it was forced to shutter several publications. By 2017 that had further diminished to three, as many of them became sections of Christianity Today proper. The first "sister publication" added to the Christianity Today publishing group was Leadership: A Practical Journal for Church Leaders , launched in 1980. The subtitle clearly defined the journal's mission: it
9768-544: The gospel and invite individuals to come forward (a practice begun by Dwight L. Moody ); such people were called "inquirers" and were given the chance to speak one-on-one with a counselor to clarify questions and pray together. The inquirers were often given a copy of the Gospel of John or a Bible study booklet. In 1949, Graham scheduled a series of revival meetings in Los Angeles , for which he erected circus tents in
9916-542: The impeachment hearings of President Richard Nixon , Christianity Today wrote "that the constitutional process should be followed, and followed with dispatch." The magazine did not call for his resignation, but instead stated that "If he is acquitted, the nation will have to wait out the term of a President whose ability to function has been seriously eroded." On October 5, 1998, regarding the imminent impeachment of President Bill Clinton , Christianity Today stated in an editorial that "Unsavory dealings and immoral acts by
10064-745: The infallibility of their interpretation . Mainstream evangelicalism is historically divided between two main orientations: confessionalism and revivalism . These two streams have been critical of each other. Confessional evangelicals have been suspicious of unguarded religious experience , while revivalist evangelicals have been critical of overly intellectual teaching that (they suspect) stifles vibrant spirituality . In an effort to broaden their appeal, many contemporary evangelical congregations intentionally avoid identifying with any single form of evangelicalism. These "generic evangelicals" are usually theologically and socially conservative, but their churches often present themselves as nondenominational (or, if
10212-513: The life of the mother . The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association states that "Life is sacred, and we must seek to protect all human life: the unborn, the child, the adult, and the aged." Graham leaned toward the Republicans during the presidency of Richard Nixon, whom he had met and befriended as vice president under Dwight D. Eisenhower . He did not completely ally himself with the later religious right , saying that Jesus did not have
10360-655: The ordination of women in churches. The female ministry is justified by the fact that Mary Magdalene was chosen by Jesus to announce his resurrection to the apostles. The first Baptist woman who was consecrated pastor is the American Clarissa Danforth in the denomination Free Will Baptist in 1815. In 1882, in the American Baptist Churches USA . In the Assemblies of God of the United States, since 1927. In 1965, in
10508-466: The resurrection of Jesus , that offers forgiveness of sins and new life. This is understood most commonly in terms of a substitutionary atonement , in which Christ died as a substitute for sinful humanity by taking on himself the guilt and punishment for sin. Activism describes the tendency toward active expression and sharing of the gospel in diverse ways that include preaching and social action. This aspect of evangelicalism continues to be seen today in
10656-592: The sacraments or ordinances ( baptism and the Lord's Supper , but some evangelicals also count footwashing as an ordinance as well). Many evangelical traditions adhere to the doctrine of the believers' Church , which teaches that one becomes a member of the Church by the new birth and profession of faith. This originated in the Radical Reformation with Anabaptists but is held by denominations that practice believer's baptism . Evangelicals in
10804-553: The salvation from sin is considered "the good news". The process of personal conversion involves complete surrender to Jesus Christ (commonly referred to as being " born again "). The conversion process is authoritatively guided by the Bible , the God in Christianity 's revelation to humanity. Critics of the conceptualization of evangelicalism argue that it is too broad, too diverse, or too ill-defined to be adequately seen as
10952-798: The think tank Discovery Institute , established in 1991 in Seattle , defends this thesis. Other evangelicals who accept the scientific consensus on evolution and the age of Earth believe in theistic evolution or evolutionary creation —the notion that God used the process of evolution to create life; a Christian organization that espouses this view is the BioLogos Foundation . The Reformed , Baptist , Methodist , Pentecostal , Churches of Christ , Plymouth Brethren , charismatic Protestant , and nondenominational Protestant traditions have all had strong influence within contemporary evangelicalism. Some Anabaptist denominations (such as
11100-542: The 18th green of the Temple Terrace Golf and Country Club, which was adjacent to the institute's campus. Reverend Billy Graham Memorial Park was later established on the Hillsborough River , directly east of the 18th green and across from where Graham often paddled a canoe to a small island in the river, where he would practice preaching to the birds, alligators, and cypress stumps. In 1939, Graham
11248-691: The 1960 campaign, Graham met with a conference of Protestant ministers in Montreux , Switzerland, to discuss their mobilization of congregations to defeat Kennedy. According to the PBS Frontline program, God in America , Graham organized a meeting of hundreds of Protestant ministers in Washington, D.C., in September 1960 for this purpose; the meeting was led by Norman Vincent Peale . This
11396-551: The 1965 European Baptist Convention. Young also claimed that Graham had often invited King to his crusades in the Northern states. Former Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee (SNCC) leader and future United States Congressman John Lewis also credited Graham as a major inspiration for his activism. Lewis described Graham as a "saint" and someone who "taught us how to live and who taught us how to die". Graham's faith prompted his maturing view of race and segregation. He told
11544-570: The 1980s, the neo-charismatic movement re-emphasized miracles and faith healing . In certain churches, a special place is thus reserved for faith healings with laying on of hands during worship services or for evangelization campaigns. Faith healing or divine healing is considered to be an inheritance of Jesus acquired by his death and resurrection. This view is typically ascribed to Pentecostal denominations, and not others that are cessationist (believing that miraculous gifts have ceased.) In terms of denominational beliefs regarding science and
11692-621: The Anglican, Methodist and Reformed traditions practice infant baptism as one's initiation into the community of faith and the New Testament counterpart to circumcision , while also stressing the necessity of personal conversion later in life for salvation . Some evangelical denominations operate according to episcopal polity or presbyterian polity . However, the most common form of church government within Evangelicalism
11840-508: The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association started "My Hope With Billy Graham", the largest outreach in its history. It encouraged church members to spread the gospel in small group meetings, after showing a video message by Graham. "The idea is for Christians to follow the example of the disciple Matthew in the New Testament and spread the gospel in their own homes." "The Cross" video is the main program in
11988-609: The Christian right ... His early years of fierce opposition to communism gave way to pleas for military disarmament and attention to AIDS, poverty and environmental threats." Graham was a lifelong registered member of the Democratic Party . In 1960, he opposed the candidacy of John F. Kennedy , fearing that Kennedy, as a Catholic, would be bound to follow the Pope. Graham worked "behind the scenes" to encourage influential Protestant ministers to speak out against Kennedy. During
12136-618: The Deep South, the two remained friends; the next year King told a Canadian television audience that Graham had taken a "very strong stance against segregation." Graham and King would also come to differ on the Vietnam War . After King's " Beyond Vietnam " speech denouncing US intervention in Vietnam, Graham castigated him and others for their criticism of US foreign policy. By the middle of 1960, King and Graham traveled together to
12284-664: The Greek word for ' gospel ' or 'good news': εὐαγγέλιον euangelion , from eu 'good', angel- the stem of, among other words, angelos 'messenger, angel', and the neuter suffix -ion . By the English Middle Ages, the term had expanded semantically to include not only the message, but also the New Testament which contained the message as well as more specifically the Gospels , which portray
12432-565: The My Hope America series, and was also broadcast the week of Graham's 95th birthday. Graham's early crusades were segregated , but he began adjusting his approach in the 1950s. During a 1953 rally in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Graham tore down the ropes that organizers had erected to segregate the audience into racial sections. In his memoirs, he recounted that he told two ushers to leave the barriers down "or you can go on and have
12580-606: The November–December 2017 issue. Evangelical Evangelicalism ( / ˌ iː v æ n ˈ dʒ ɛ l ɪ k əl ɪ z əm , ˌ ɛ v æ n -, - ə n -/ ), also called evangelical Christianity or evangelical Protestantism , is a worldwide interdenominational movement within Protestant Christianity that puts primary emphasis on evangelization . The word evangelic comes from the Greek word for ' good news ' ( evangelion ). The Gospel story of
12728-557: The Protestant Reformation". While approving of the evangelical distinctions proposed by Bebbington, confessional evangelicals believe that authentic evangelicalism requires more concrete definition in order to protect the movement from theological liberalism and from heresy . According to confessional evangelicals, subscription to the ecumenical creeds and to the Reformation-era confessions of faith (such as
12876-513: The Socialist movement." This usage refers to evangelism , rather than evangelicalism as discussed here; though sharing an etymology and conceptual basis, the words have diverged significantly in meaning. One influential definition of evangelicalism has been proposed by historian David Bebbington. Bebbington notes four distinctive aspects of evangelical faith: conversionism , biblicism , crucicentrism , and activism, noting, "Together they form
13024-858: The Tenth Baptist World Congress of the Baptist World Alliance . In 1963, Graham posted bail for King to be released from jail during the Birmingham (Alabama) campaign , according to Michael Long, and the King Center acknowledged that Graham had bailed King out of jail during the Albany Movement , although historian Steven Miller told CNN he could not find any proof of the incident. Graham held integrated crusades in Birmingham on Easter of 1964, in
13172-400: The United States and Switzerland speak of satisfying sexuality as a gift from God and a component of a Christian marriage harmonious, in messages during worship services or conferences. Many evangelical books and websites are specialized on the subject. The book The Act of Marriage: The Beauty of Sexual Love published in 1976 by Baptist pastor Tim LaHaye and his wife Beverly LaHaye
13320-672: The University of Minnesota during InterVarsity's "Year of Evangelism" in 1950–51, a 4-day mission at Yale University in 1957, and a week-long series of meetings at the University of North Carolina's Carmichael Auditorium in September 1982. In 1955, he was invited by Cambridge University students to lead the mission at the university; the mission was arranged by the Cambridge Inter-Collegiate Christian Union , with London pastor-theologian John Stott serving as Graham's chief assistant. This invitation
13468-600: The aftermath of the bombing of the Sixteenth Street Baptist Church , and toured Alabama again in the wake of the violence that accompanied the first Selma to Montgomery march in 1965. Following Graham's death, former SCLC official and future Atlanta politician Andrew Young (who spoke alongside Coretta Scott King at Graham's 1994 crusade in Atlanta), acknowledged his friendship with Graham and stated that Graham did in fact travel with King to
13616-651: The basic truths of the Christian faith taught in the Scriptures and expressed in the creeds of the historic evangelical churches." Its first editor was Carl F. H. Henry . Notable contributors in its first two decades included F. F. Bruce , Edward John Carnell , Frank Gaebelein , Walter Martin , John Warwick Montgomery , and Harold Lindsell . Lindsell succeeded Henry as editor and during his editorial administration much attention centered on debates about biblical inerrancy . Later editorial leadership came from Kenneth Kantzer, Terry Muck, and David Neff. V. Gilbert Beers
13764-507: The borough of Queens, New York City. On the weekend of March 11–12, 2006, Graham held the "Festival of Hope" with his son, Franklin Graham . The festival was held in New Orleans , which was recovering from Hurricane Katrina . Graham prepared one last sermon, "My Hope America", which was released on DVD and played around America and possibly worldwide between November 7–10, 2013. November 7 was Graham's 95th birthday, and he hoped to cause
13912-488: The broad English term Protestant and should not be confused with the narrower German term evangelikal , or the term pietistisch (a term etymologically related to the Pietist and Radical Pietist movements), which are used to described Evangelicalism in the sense used in this article. Mainline Protestant denominations with a Lutheran or semi-Lutheran background, like the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America ,
14060-415: The building is called "campus." The architecture of places of worship is mainly characterized by its sobriety. The Latin cross is one of the only spiritual symbols that can usually be seen on the building of an evangelical church and that identifies the place's belonging. Some services take place in theaters, schools or multipurpose rooms, rented for Sunday only. Because of their understanding of
14208-507: The change in life it leads to is marked by both a rejection of sin and a corresponding personal holiness of life. A conversion experience can be emotional, including grief and sorrow for sin followed by great relief at receiving forgiveness. The stress on conversion differentiates evangelicalism from other forms of Protestantism by the associated belief that an assurance will accompany conversion. Among evangelicals, individuals have testified to both sudden and gradual conversions. Biblicism
14356-487: The conversion of a number of show-business personalities". In 1953, Graham was offered a five-year, $ 1 million contract from NBC to appear on television opposite Arthur Godfrey , but he had prior commitments and turned-down the offer to continue his live touring revivals. Graham held crusades in London that lasted 12 weeks, and a New York City crusade at Madison Square Garden , in 1957, ran nightly for 16 weeks. At
14504-603: The editorial. In 2022, the magazine published two articles announcing that a number of women reported demeaning, inappropriate, and offensive behavior by former editor in chief Mark Galli and former advertising director Olatokunbo Olawoye, whilst their behavior remained unchecked and the men were not disciplined, according to an external assessment of the ministry's culture. Speaking to Religion News Service , Galli admitted that he may have "crossed lines" during his time as editor but denied having had "any romantic or sexual interest in anyone at Christianity Today ." In an editorial on
14652-519: The establishment of elementary and secondary schools. It also enabled the development of several bible colleges , colleges and universities in the United States during the 19th century. Other evangelical universities have been established in various countries of the world. The Council for Christian Colleges and Universities was founded in 1976. In 2023, the CCCU had 185 members in 21 countries. The Association of Christian Schools International
14800-634: The family moved about 75 yards (69 m) from their white frame house to a newly built red brick house. He was raised by his parents in the Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church . Graham attended the Sharon Grammar School. He started to read books from an early age and loved to read novels for boys, especially Tarzan . Like Tarzan, he would hang on the trees and gave the popular Tarzan yell . According to his father, that yelling led him to become
14948-422: The great task of world evangelization." The movement remains a significant fruit of Graham's legacy, with a presence in nearly every nation. Graham played multiple roles that reinforced each other. Grant Wacker identified eight major roles that he played: preacher, icon, Southerner, entrepreneur, architect (bridge builder), pilgrim, pastor, and his widely recognized status as America's Protestant patriarch, which
15096-415: The history of Christianity. Graham was on Gallup's list of most admired men and women a record-61 times. Grant Wacker wrote that, by the mid-1960s, he had become the "Great Legitimator", saying: "By then his presence conferred status on presidents, acceptability on wars, shame on racial prejudice, desirability on decency, dishonor on indecency, and prestige on civic events." William Franklin Graham Jr.
15244-708: The issue. He settled it at Forest Home Christian Camp (now called Forest Home Ministries) southeast of the Big Bear Lake area in southern California . While attending Wheaton, Graham was invited to preach one Sunday in 1941 at the United Gospel Tabernacle church. After that, the congregation repeatedly asked Graham to preach at their church and later asked him to become the pastor of their church. After Graham prayed and sought advice from his friend Dr. Edman, Graham become their church's pastor. In June 1943, Graham graduated from Wheaton College with
15392-692: The largest proportion of evangelicals in the world. American evangelicals are a quarter of the nation's population and its single largest religious group . As a transdenominational praxis, evangelicals may be found in nearly every Protestant denomination and tradition, particularly within the Reformed ( Continental Reformed , Anglicanism , Presbyterian , Congregational ), Plymouth Brethren , Baptist , Methodist ( Wesleyan–Arminian ), Lutheran , Moravian , Free Church , Mennonite , Quaker , Pentecostal / charismatic and non-denominational churches. The word evangelical has its etymological roots in
15540-543: The latter's 27-year imprisonment. In 1984, he led a series of summer meetings—Mission England—in the United Kingdom, and he used outdoor football (soccer) fields for his venues. Graham was interested in fostering evangelism around the world. In 1983, 1986 and 2000 he sponsored, organized and paid for massive training conferences for Christian evangelists; this was, at the time, the largest representation of nations ever held. Over 157 nations were gathered in 2000 at
15688-490: The leadership of the Southern Baptist Convention —was named the incoming Christianity Today Editor-in-Chief. Christianity Today has a print circulation of approximately 110,000 and an online readership of 2.2 million at ChristianityToday.com. The founder, Billy Graham , stated that he wanted to "plant the evangelical flag in the middle of the road, taking the conservative theological position but
15836-668: The library site. When Ruth Graham died, it was announced that they would be buried at the library site. In 2011, when asked if he would have done things differently, he said he would have spent more time at home with his family, studied more, and preached less. Additionally, he said he would have participated in fewer conferences. He also said he had a habit of advising evangelists to save their time and avoid having too many commitments. After his close relationships with Lyndon B. Johnson and Richard Nixon , Graham tried to avoid explicit partisanship. Bailey says: "He declined to sign or endorse political statements, and he distanced himself from
15984-496: The life, death, and resurrection of Jesus . The first published use of evangelical in English was in 1531, when William Tyndale wrote "He exhorteth them to proceed constantly in the evangelical truth." One year later, Thomas More wrote the earliest recorded use in reference to a theological distinction when he spoke of "Tyndale [and] his evangelical brother Barns." During the Reformation , Protestant theologians embraced
16132-483: The magazine, the CEO of Christianity Today Timothy Dalrymple admitted that the society that owns and edits the magazine fell short on protecting the employees and apologized for the fact, promising strong and swift action against sexual harassment. Harold Myra , who became president and chief executive of the magazine in 1975, believed that a "family" of magazines would disperse overhead expenses and give more stability to
16280-478: The members of his church in Western Springs, Graham decided to take over Johnson's program with financial support from his congregation. Launching the new radio program on January 2, 1944, still called Songs in the Night , Graham recruited the bass-baritone George Beverly Shea as his director of radio ministry. In 1948, in a Modesto, California hotel room, Graham and his evangelistic team established
16428-414: The mid- to late 20th century. Throughout his career, spanning over six decades, Graham rose to prominence as an evangelical Christian figure in the United States and abroad. According to a biographer, Graham was considered "among the most influential Christian leaders" of the 20th century. Beginning in the late 1940s and early 1950s, Graham became known for filling stadiums and other massive venues around
16576-486: The middle to preach to all people, right and left. I haven't been faithful to my own advice in the past. I will be in the future." According to a 2006 Newsweek interview, "For Graham, politics is a secondary to the Gospel ... When Newsweek asked Graham whether ministers – whether they think of themselves as evangelists, pastors or a bit of both – should spend time engaged with politics, he replied: 'You know, I think in
16724-399: The ministry's web home, ChristianityToday.org , all other brands for Christian thought leaders and church leaders are featured, including publications such as the intellectual Christian review, Books & Culture , and the website for pastors and church leaders, CT Pastors . Additional web resources include Men of Integrity and Preaching Today . Many of the sections published online under
16872-556: The only option for many Christians to live their faith in community. For example, there is the Evangelical house churches in China movement. The meetings thus take place in private houses, in secret and in illegality. The main Christian feasts celebrated by the Evangelicals are Christmas , Pentecost (by a majority of Evangelical denominations) and Easter for all believers. Evangelical churches have been involved in
17020-428: The organization. Christianity Today both online and magazine is the flagship publication, fully effective in three basic areas: editorial, circulation, advertising; as such, many of the articles from their broader publications often get distributed through CT's flagship. Christianity Today founded or acquired periodicals during the 1980s and 1990s, beginning with Leadership , a quarterly journal for clergy, in 1980. At
17168-909: The origin of the earth and human life, some evangelicals support young Earth creationism . For example, Answers in Genesis , founded in Australia in 1986, is an evangelical organization that seeks to defend the thesis. In 2007, they founded the Creation Museum in Petersburg, in Kentucky and in 2016 the Ark Encounter in Williamstown . Since the end of the 20th century, literalist creationism has been abandoned by some evangelicals in favor of intelligent design . For example,
17316-660: The prayer committee. This took place in Lausanne , Switzerland (July 16–25, 1974), and the movement which ensued took its name from the host city. Its purpose was to strengthen the global church for world evangelization, and to engage ideological and sociological trends which bore on this. Graham invited Stott to be chief architect of the Lausanne Covenant , which issued from the Congress and which, according to Graham: "helped challenge and unite evangelical Christians in
17464-461: The president and those close to him" have compromised his administration's moral leadership, criticizing his televised August 17 confession as a "nonapology". In an editorial published on December 19, 2019, a day after the U.S. House of Representatives impeached President Donald Trump for abuse of power and obstruction of Congress, editor in chief Mark Galli asserted among other criticisms that he sought to leverage his political power "to coerce
17612-544: The president of Northwestern Bible College. The first Billy Graham Crusade was held on September 13–21, 1947, at the Civic Auditorium in Grand Rapids, Michigan , and was attended by 6,000 people. Graham was 28 years old then, and would rent a large venue (such as a stadium, park, or even a street); as the crowds became larger, he arranged for a group of up to 5,000 people to sing in a choir. He would preach
17760-415: The proliferation of evangelical voluntary religious groups and parachurch organizations . The word church has several meanings among evangelicals. It can refer to the universal church (the body of Christ ) including all Christians everywhere. It can also refer to the church (congregation) , which is the visible representation of the invisible church . It is responsible for teaching and administering
17908-739: The revival without me." During a sermon held at Vanderbilt University in Nashville on August 23, 1954, he warned a white audience, "Three-fifths of the world is not white. They are rising all over the world. We have been proud and thought we were better than any other race, any other people. Ladies and gentlemen, I want to tell you that we are going to stumble into hell because of our pride." In 1957, Graham's stance towards integration became more publicly shown when he allowed black ministers Thomas Kilgore and Gardner C. Taylor to serve as members of his New York Crusade's executive committee. He also invited Martin Luther King Jr. , whom he first met during
18056-654: The root of sparking this new movement during the First Great Awakening . Today, evangelicals are found across many Protestant branches, as well as in various denominations around the world, not subsumed to a specific branch. Among leaders and major figures of the evangelical Protestant movement were Nicolaus Zinzendorf , George Fox , John Wesley , George Whitefield , Jonathan Edwards , Billy Graham , Bill Bright , Harold Ockenga , Gudina Tumsa , John Stott , Francisco Olazábal , William J. Seymour , and Martyn Lloyd-Jones . Evangelicalism has long had
18204-664: The second of the Ten Commandments , some evangelicals do not have religious material representations such as statues, icons, or paintings in their places of worship. There is usually a baptistery on what is variously known as the chancel (also called sanctuary) or stage, though they may be alternatively found in a separate room, for the baptisms by immersion . In some countries of the world which apply sharia or communism , government authorizations for worship are complex for Evangelical Christians. Because of persecution of Christians , Evangelical house churches are
18352-561: The term as referring to "gospel truth." Martin Luther referred to the evangelische Kirche ("evangelical church") to distinguish Protestants from Catholics in the Catholic Church . Into the 21st century, evangelical has continued in use as a synonym for Mainline Protestant in continental Europe . This usage is reflected in the names of Protestant denominations, such as the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America . The German term evangelisch more accurately corresponds to
18500-468: The thousands of attendees to make a commitment to follow Jesus Christ for the rest of their lives. He often quoted a six-word phrase that was reportedly written in the Bible of William Whiting Borden , the son of a wealthy silver magnate: "No reserves, no retreat, no regrets". Borden had died in Egypt on his way to the mission field. Graham also held evangelistic meetings on a number of college campuses: at
18648-492: The two remained in touch, meeting for the last time at a National Day of Prayer meeting in February 1963. In his autobiography, Graham claimed to have felt an "inner foreboding" in the week before Kennedy's assassination , and to have tried to contact him to say, "Don't go to Texas!" Graham opposed the large majority of abortions, but supported it as a legal option in a very narrow range of circumstances: rape, incest , and
18796-707: The web home for Christianity Today magazine, which now has distinct sections for Local Church Pastors, Reporting, Women, History, and Spanish readers. Together, all Christianity Today brands reach more than 2.5 million people every month when print and digital views are combined, plus more than 5 million pageviews per month on the Internet. The ministry offers access, both premium and free, to more than 100,000 articles and other content on their various websites. They operate several stand-alone websites from ChristianityToday including SmallGroups.com, Preaching Today, Church Law & Tax and many other sites. In 2005, Christianity Today International published 12 magazines, but following
18944-412: The world where he preached live sermons; these were often broadcast via radio and television with some continuing to be seen into the 21st century. During his six decades on television, Graham hosted his annual "crusades" , evangelistic live-campaigns, from 1947 until his retirement in 2005. He also hosted the radio show Hour of Decision from 1950 to 1954. He openly repudiated racial segregation , at
19092-509: Was 16 when he was converted during a series of revival meetings that Ham led in Charlotte in 1934. After graduating from Sharon High School in May 1936, Graham attended Bob Jones College . After one semester, he found that the coursework and rules were too legalistic. He was almost expelled, but Bob Jones Sr. warned him not to throw his life away: "At best, all you could amount to would be
19240-585: Was 29 when he became president of Northwestern Bible College in Minneapolis in 1948. He was the youngest president of a college or university in the country, and held the position for four years before he resigned in 1952. Graham initially intended to become a chaplain in the Armed Forces , but he contracted mumps shortly after applying for a commission. After a period of recuperation in Florida, he
19388-594: Was 91 and experiencing substantial vision, hearing, and balance loss when he made a rare public appearance at the re-dedication of the renovated Billy Graham Library . There was controversy within his family over Graham's proposed burial place. He announced in June 2007 that he and his wife would be buried alongside each other at the Billy Graham Library in his hometown of Charlotte. Graham's younger son Ned argued with older son Franklin about whether burial at
19536-555: Was a founder. It built on Graham's 1966 World Congress on Evangelism in Berlin . In collaboration with Christianity Today , Graham convened what Time magazine described as "a formidable forum, possibly the widest–ranging meeting of Christians ever held" with 2,700 participants from 150 nations gathering for the International Congress on World Evangelization . Women were represented by Millie Dienert , who chaired
19684-533: Was a pioneer in the field. The perceptions of homosexuality in the Evangelical Churches are varied. They range from liberal to fundamentalist or moderate conservative and neutral. A 2011 Pew Research Center study found that 84 percent of evangelical leaders surveyed believed homosexuality should be discouraged. It is in the fundamentalist conservative positions that there are antigay activists on TV or radio who claim that homosexuality
19832-542: Was a quarterly publication, aimed primarily at clergy and focusing on the practical concerns of ministry and church leadership. The first issue of Leadership sold out its initial press run of 50,000 copies and the publication was in the black after a single issue. The journal continued in print for 36 years. After volume 37, issue 1 (winter 2016), Christianity Today discontinued the print publication, replacing it with expanded content in Christianity Today for pastors and church leaders and occasional print supplements, as well as
19980-773: Was also lifelong friends with Robert Schuller , another televangelist and the founding pastor of the Crystal Cathedral , whom Graham talked into starting his own television ministry. Graham's evangelism was appreciated by mainline Protestant denominations, as he encouraged mainline Protestants, who were converted to his evangelical message, to remain within or return to their mainline churches. Despite early suspicions and apprehension on his part towards Catholicism —common among contemporaneous evangelical Protestants—Graham eventually developed amicable ties with many American Catholic Church figures, later encouraging unity between Catholics and Protestants. Graham operated
20128-512: Was born on November 7, 1918, in the downstairs bedroom of a farmhouse near Charlotte, North Carolina . Of Scots-Irish descent , he was the eldest of four children born to Morrow (née Coffey) and dairy farmer William Franklin Graham Sr. Graham was raised on the family dairy farm with his two younger sisters Catherine Morrow and Jean and younger brother Melvin Thomas. When he was nine years old,
20276-450: Was created in the date of October 15, 1956, and the opening editorial, Why 'Christianity Today'?, stated " Christianity Today has its origin in a deep-felt desire to express historical Christianity to the present generation. Neglected, slighted, misrepresented—evangelical Christianity needs a clear voice, to speak with conviction and love, and to state its true position and its relevance to the world crisis. A generation has grown up unaware of
20424-625: Was first used in 1831. In 1812, the term evangelicalism appeared in The History of Lynn by William Richards . In the summer of 1811 the term evangelicalists was used in The Sin and Danger of Schism by Rev. Dr. Andrew Burnaby , Archdeacon of Leicester . The term may also be used outside any religious context to characterize a generic missionary, reforming, or redeeming impulse or purpose. For example, The Times Literary Supplement refers to "the rise and fall of evangelical fervor within
20572-507: Was founded in 1978 by 3 American associations of evangelical Christian schools. Various international schools have joined the network. In 2023, it had 23,000 schools in 100 countries. The International Council for Evangelical Theological Education was founded in 1980 by the Theological Commission of the World Evangelical Alliance . In 2023, it had 850 member schools in 113 countries. In matters of sexuality , there
20720-409: Was founded in 1989. Christianity Today purchased the magazine from Cook Communications Ministries in 1998 in the same deal in which it acquired Virtue . It ceased publication in 2005. Men of Integrity was a bi-monthly magazine for Christian men published by Christianity Today. It was created in 1998, in partnership with the evangelical men's organization Promise Keepers . It ceased publication with
20868-565: Was greeted with much disapproval in the correspondence columns of The Times . In 1950, Graham founded the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) with its headquarters in Minneapolis . The association relocated to Charlotte, North Carolina , in 2003, and maintains a number of international offices, such as in Hong Kong, Tokyo, and Buenos Aires . BGEA ministries have included: In April 2013,
21016-468: Was hired as the first full-time evangelist of the new Youth for Christ (YFC), co-founded by Torrey Johnson and the Canadian evangelist Charles Templeton . Graham traveled throughout both the United States and Europe as a YFCI evangelist. Templeton applied to Princeton Theological Seminary for an advanced theological degree and urged Graham to do so as well, but he declined as he was already serving as
21164-528: Was hired as the fourth editor in 1982, reportedly to increase the magazine's lay readership. From 2015 until January 3, 2020, Mark Galli was the editor in chief. Following Galli's retirement Daniel M. Harrell served as editor in chief for a year. Russell Moore took the position in August 2022. The publication now includes print and online versions and various ancillary products. Print and online contents include feature stories, news ranging from cultural issues from
21312-405: Was on a par with Martin Luther King and Pope John Paul II . He served as a trustee of the International Mission Board in the late 1950s and trustee of the SBC's Radio and Television Commission in the late 1960s. Graham deliberately reached into the secular world as a bridge builder. For example, as an entrepreneur he built his own pavilion for the 1964 New York World's Fair . He appeared as
21460-464: Was online only, but still required a paid subscription to access, although at a lower price than the print magazine. In 2012 the name of the digital publication was changed back to Today's Christian Woman , and in 2016 it stopped being issued as a regularly scheduled digital periodical. Christian History was a journal of the history of Christianity, first issued in January 1982 by the Christian History Institute. Each issue had multiple articles covering
21608-445: Was ordained by a group of Southern Baptist clergy at Peniel Baptist Church in Palatka, Florida . In 1940, he graduated with a Bachelor of Theology degree. Graham then enrolled in Wheaton College in Wheaton, Illinois . During his time there, he decided to accept the Bible as the infallible word of God. Henrietta Mears of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood in California was instrumental in helping Graham wrestle with
21756-441: Was shortly before Kennedy's speech in Houston , Texas, on the separation of church and state; the speech was considered to be successful in meeting the concerns of many voters. After his election, Kennedy invited Graham to play golf in Palm Beach, Florida , after which Graham acknowledged Kennedy's election as an opportunity for Catholics and Protestants to come closer together. After they had discussed Jesus Christ at that meeting,
21904-441: Was the only person functioning as a minister who received a star in that capacity. On September 22, 1991, Graham held his largest event in North America on the Great Lawn of Manhattan's Central Park . City officials estimated that more than 250,000 were in attendance. In 1998, Graham spoke to a crowd of scientists and philosophers at the Technology, Entertainment, Design Conference. On September 14, 2001 (only three days after
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