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Verse:For I decided to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and him crucified. —1 Corinthians 2:2, NRSV
Can you imagine someone who conducted more than four hundred evangelistic crusades and preached the Christian gospel to as many as 215 million people in live audiences in more than 185 countries on six continents? And more, he met with the pope, the queen, several prime ministers and kings, and celebrities, and with every US president from Harry S. Truman to Donald Trump.
Speaking on many special occasions, he has been called “America’s pastor.” William Franklin Graham Jr. (1918–2018), popularly known as Billy Graham, was born on November 7, 1918, near Charlotte, North Carolina.
On September 13, 1947, when he was only twenty-eight years old, Graham started his first citywide campaign in the Civic Auditorium in Grand Rapids, Michigan, “held under the banner of Youth for Christ.” His ministry team’s goal of moral integrity was expressed in the “Modesto Manifesto” (1948).
It pledged to uphold accurate reporting, financial honesty, sexual purity, and local clergy support. It was agreed that no man on their team would ever be alone with a woman other than his wife.34 Billy Graham saw his mission as leading people to repent from their sins and accept Jesus as their personal Savior.
In his own words, “My one purpose in life is to help people find a personal relationship with God, which, I believe, comes through knowing Christ.” Furthermore, he wrote, “Sin is the second most powerful force in the universe, for it sent Jesus to the cross. Only one force is greater—the love of God.” Typically, Graham closed his powerful evangelistic sermons with an altar call for people to accept Christ while a choir solemnly sang the hymn “Just as I Am.” Seventh-day Adventists have a unique prophetic message to proclaim to the world. It is summarized in the three angels’ messages of Revelation 14:6–12.
And, as Ellen White reminds us, “Christ is the center of all true doctrine.” And again, “Of all professing Christians, Seventh-day Adventists should be foremost in uplifting Christ before the world.” Christ cannot be known merely at the doctrinal level; He must be the experiential reality of our personal religion.
Jesus Christ is at the heart of the Seventh-day Adventist message!