Graham’s evangelistic career had just begun when he was asked to speak at a Youth for Christ rally. Torrey Johnson was looking for a dynamic speaker who could inspire and energize a young audience in their faith and he thought of Graham. The Youth for Christ rallies were established to be upbeat, exuberant, and celebrate Christ’s good works. Graham spoke at Chicago’s first Youth for Christ rally on May 24, 1944. Graham was nervous that no one would show up, but it was just the opposite (Wooten, 2001). That night Graham preached to 3,000 people, the largest crowd he had ever faced. During his first year with Youth for Christ, Graham logged two hundred thousand miles of travel. This was a pattern that would continue for the next fifty years.
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Billy Graham, his good friend, Torrey Johnson, and four others went to Great Britain and several other European countries for their first international Youth for Christ tour. They preached in soccer fields, churches, and entertainment halls and they were an enormous hit. Graham described the city as “dark and grimy” because of the rubble from World War II and for this reason, Graham and his team were glad to bring hope to the people in this dismal time (Wooten, 2001). While becoming internationally known, Graham helped people learn more about and come closer to Christ. Billy would soon be speaking by himself without the Youth for …show more content…
Graham had a good-sized crowd but it wasn’t the size that he had wanted (Graham, 1997). But one night before the event, the place was crawling with reporters and photographers. When Graham asked what was happening, one reporter answered, “You’ve just been kissed by William Randolph Hearst” (Wooten, 2001, p. 8). Of course Graham had heard of the famous newspaper owner, Hearst, but he had never met him or even talked to him. Graham did not know the exact reason why Hearst decided to tell his editors to “Puff Graham.” The next morning, almost all of the newspapers had an article about Graham in them. Everyone from cab drivers to waitresses would talk to you about Graham. Now that Graham was more publically known, people from all over would come to hear him speak. Graham had many more fans now and he was about to gain even more with his own radio
Billy Graham, his good friend, Torrey Johnson, and four others went to Great Britain and several other European countries for their first international Youth for Christ tour. They preached in soccer fields, churches, and entertainment halls and they were an enormous hit. Graham described the city as “dark and grimy” because of the rubble from World War II and for this reason, Graham and his team were glad to bring hope to the people in this dismal time (Wooten, 2001). While becoming internationally known, Graham helped people learn more about and come closer to Christ. Billy would soon be speaking by himself without the Youth for …show more content…
Graham had a good-sized crowd but it wasn’t the size that he had wanted (Graham, 1997). But one night before the event, the place was crawling with reporters and photographers. When Graham asked what was happening, one reporter answered, “You’ve just been kissed by William Randolph Hearst” (Wooten, 2001, p. 8). Of course Graham had heard of the famous newspaper owner, Hearst, but he had never met him or even talked to him. Graham did not know the exact reason why Hearst decided to tell his editors to “Puff Graham.” The next morning, almost all of the newspapers had an article about Graham in them. Everyone from cab drivers to waitresses would talk to you about Graham. Now that Graham was more publically known, people from all over would come to hear him speak. Graham had many more fans now and he was about to gain even more with his own radio