The Inner Views of Will Graham

"For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek."

Romans 1:16

(KJV)

"Have you ever heard Will preach?" the sweet lady from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association asked as she handed us a brochure.

"No, actually, I don't think I have", I replied.

"His preaching reminds me of Billy's", she said.

Naturally, we looked forward to the evening service with great anticipation.
We were there as members of the Concerned Women for America prayer team.
Will Graham was scheduled to preach that night, and CWA had a prayer room set up for people who wanted someone to pray with them after hearing Will's message.
If there was a dry eye in the crowd, towards the end of his sermon,
 when he spoke of a conversation with his friend in the woods, I didn't know about it.
I asked him to repeat that story here in the interview below.
It is with much gratitude that I share Will Graham's inner views with you today.
May God bless and minister to your heart, as you read.

The 

of

Will Graham.

Cheryl:  First of all, I just wanted to take this moment to thank you for blessing us with your time and thoughts. We so appreciate you and are thankful for your ministry and dedication to our Lord. Could you tell us a bit about your childhood and what it was like growing up as Franklin Graham's son and Billy Graham's grandson?

Will:  Thank you for the opportunity! My brothers, sister and I had an incredible upbringing on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina. My parents were strict but loving, and my father went out of his way to make sure that we were protected from public attention or unfair expectations. That helped to make me the man I am today. I never rebelled or got into much serious trouble, and I’m thankful that I was spared that.

I’m often asked about what it was like growing up as Billy Graham’s grandson, and I have to admit that it’s a bit of a difficult question to answer because I’ve never known anything different. I will say that it has been an incredible blessing. There’s a bit of a “fishbowl” aspect to it. People are always trying to look in, and may view you differently or hold you to a different standard. But I will say this – The benefits far outweigh any negatives. For instance, I wouldn’t have the opportunity to travel the world, sharing the hope of Jesus Christ, if not for my grandfather’s ministry over the decades.

One thing that people should know about my grandfather – whom the grandkids call “Daddy Bill” – he’s always been the same person at home as you would see in public (in interviews, during Crusades, etc.), with one major difference; at home he’s quiet. He doesn’t want to talk. He’d rather hear about your life, your ministry, and your family. He’s a very humble man.

Cheryl:  What are some of your favorite memories of your grandmother, Ruth?

Will:  My grandmother was a quick-witted practical joker who could make a princess and a beggar feel equally comfortable in the same room. My grandfather would refer to her as the greatest Christian he had ever known and comment that she knew the Bible far better than he did. She helped to prepare and equip him to go out and accomplish what he was called to do.

In my grandparent’s home, my grandmother—who had suffered years of declining health—had a room where she spent much of her time. It was where she slept and where she studied the Bible. Several translations were spread across a large desk, all featuring big margins for taking notes. This room was also where she ultimately slipped into eternity.

In that room, on a wall filled with family photos, still hangs a simple woven wreath of Jerusalem thorns. Directly across from it is the bed where my grandmother courageously faced the debilitating pain that followed her for years.

She would never complain about the pain, though you would occasionally see her bright eyes wince and her teeth grit. Rather than lamenting, she would point up to those thorns, similar to the sharp, long blades that were formed into the crown that Jesus wore at His crucifixion. “If He endured so much for me,” she would say, “I have nothing to complain about.”

That was my grandmother – spry, funny, mischievous, but also brave, strong and full of faith.

Cheryl:  We would love to hear about your own, personal Christian testimony. How old were you when you surrendered your life to the Lord? What life events led you to make this decision?

Will:  I was six- or seven-years-old. It was just after I had grown out of “kid’s church” and was now old enough to be with the adults for the service. That Sunday, as I sat nestled in beside my parents at our church, I saw plates carrying small bites of bread and little cups of grape juice being passed around the sanctuary. I was excited! I was hungry, I’d behaved, and I was ready for this grown-up snack that was being handed out.

As the plate came by me, I reached out for a little piece of bread, but my parents wouldn’t let me have any. I couldn’t figure out what I had done that would disqualify me from the treat. The best I could come up with was that they were worried that I would spill the grape juice on the nice church carpet.

After church, my dad took me up to my room and started to explain to me what this thing they called communion meant, and how Jesus, to whom I had prayed often, loved me so much that He died on the cross for my sins and had risen from the grave. My dad invited me to make a decision to ask Jesus into my heart.

The fact that I was a good kid and that my last name was Graham didn’t mean anything. Rather, that decision I made in my bedroom with childlike faith is what secured my eternity in Heaven and is how I began a relationship with my Savior. It’s been more than 30 years since that afternoon, and I’ve lived a life full of joy, hope and purpose thanks to that decision I made with my dad after the communion service at church.

Franklin, Will, and Billy Graham

Cheryl:  When did you realize that God was calling you to follow in the footsteps of your father and grandfather to preach the Gospel? After witnessing, first-hand, the sacrifices their ministries required, was it difficult for you to come to a place of consecration in order to answer God's call?

Will:  From a very early age I knew that God had a calling on my life. I didn’t necessarily know what that meant, but I knew that I wanted to serve Him. One day in elementary school, our teacher asked us to draw a picture of what we wanted to do when we grew up. I remember all of the other boys in class drawing pictures of Joe Montana and Dan Marino. They wanted to be football players. I drew an open Bible and an aviation headset. I wanted to fly around and tell people about Jesus, just like my dad did.

Years later, as a teenager, I attended a Bible camp. It was there that I dedicated my life to serving the Lord however He would use me. I didn’t know if that meant bi-vocational ministry, being a missionary, or some other sort of service. I just knew that my life was in His hands, and I was along for the ride. And it’s been a fun, challenging, and blessed journey.

By the way, the two things I drew in elementary school – I accomplished both of those goals while a student at Liberty University: I earned my Bible degree and my pilot’s license!

Cheryl:  What is the most beneficial advice you have ever been given concerning your ministry? Who gave you this advice?

Will:  After God called me to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, I visited with my grandfather to get his thoughts and advice. I’m not sure what I was expecting; maybe practical strategies to move from Point A to B to C.

But I soon realized there would be no lengthy list of do’s and don’ts. I wouldn’t need my pen and paper to chronicle every bit of advice. “Will,” he said softly. “Pray, pray, pray, and study, study, study. Looking back, I wish I had done so much more of both.”

I must admit that I was taken aback by his guidance. After all, as long ago as I could remember, whenever I entered his house my grandfather was almost always praying or reading the Bible. How could my grandfather, who spent more time in prayer and study than anyone I had ever met, feel inadequate in those areas?

His response: “I wish I knew the Bible as well as your grandmother does. She knows it better than anyone I have ever met,” he whispered quietly. “And we could have done so much more if we had taken fewer speaking engagements and spent more time on our knees in earnest prayer.”

I’m now several years into my ministry and have preached on six continents, sharing the same message that my grandfather carried those many years. Not a day has gone by when I haven’t heard those whispered words in my head and sought to follow his humble guidance.

Cheryl:  I will never forget the message you preached at the Truth for a New Generation Conference. One part that was especially moving to us was when you related the story about the time your best friend and you were walking in the woods, and he asked you a very serious question. I don't think there was a dry eye in the house as you spoke. Will you kindly share about that experience with us here?

Will:  It was a cold, icy morning. I was out hunting with my friend Marty, but we decided to call it off because of the bad weather. It took a while to work our way through the thicket, back out to the road.

As we walked, Marty, my old seminary classmate who is still one of my closest friends, broke the silence. “Will,” he said, “Would you give your life for me?”

While I was unsure where this question was coming from, in that moment – as I quickly played the proposed scenario through my head – I knew I’d indeed be willing to lay down my life for my friend. If Marty were condemned to die, and I could save his life by giving up my own, I truly believe that I could and would do that.

“Yes, I guess I would,” I responded.

“I would give up my life for you too,” said Marty. And then after a moment’s pause, he added, “But I don’t think I’d ever be able to trade my child’s life for yours.”

Suddenly his seemingly random question took on a much deeper and resounding significance. Could I die for Marty? Sure. Would I ever – under any circumstances – send my daughters or son to die for Marty or anybody else? Not now, not ever!

Obviously, as we had sat quietly in the woods, Marty had been contemplating the amazing sacrifice of God sending His only Son to die for the sins of the world. As Christians, we hear this so much that I’m afraid we tend to forget or gloss over the pain behind it.

However, when you consider this from the perspective of a parent who – above all else – longs to protect, love and provide for your child, you see in a new, fresh and emotional way the pain that was not only felt by Jesus on the cross, but by God the Father as well. Christ was God’s own Son, a part of Him, whom He sent to die for the sins of mankind.

Just by asking me a simple question, Marty had described God’s perfect love for each of us, a love so strong that He would make the ultimate sacrifice. Marty couldn’t do it. I couldn’t either. But God did, and you and I can have eternal hope and life through Him because of it!

Cheryl:  Can you tell us about your work as the executive director at the Billy Graham Training Center? What are your duties there, and what type of training does the Center provide?

Will:  Many years ago, my grandparents had the vision to build a place where Christians could go to get away from the stress of life and focus on Christ. This vision ultimately resulted in the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove, a 1,200-acre conference center nestled in the Blue Ridge Mountains. We bring in some of the best Bible teachers in the country to offer seminars which help to renew the spirit and refresh Christians to reach their world for Jesus.

We also hold special events throughout the year including concerts, Bible studies, personal retreats, and gatherings for senior citizens. Many church groups and Christian ministries also hold their meetings on our grounds.

As the executive director, I give guidance over this ministry, helping to ensure that everything runs smoothly and is on budget. I have an incredible staff that is fully and passionately committed to ministry and hospitality. They pray for each person that comes onto the Cove property – before, during and after their stay.

One of the things that I love the most about working at The Cove is that my grandparents’ fingerprints can be found in every aspect. From the stone work to the steeple top, they built it from the ground up and – if you know what to look for – their personalities shine through.

Cheryl:  To date, what is your most memorable moment while preaching the Gospel as an evangelist?

Will:  Some time ago I was preaching in Orange, Australia. It’s usually pretty hard to see the audience when you’re preaching, because there’s a light on you and the rest of the room is darker. However, I noticed a toddler running around in front of the stage, and the child’s mother sitting on the front row.

After the program that evening, I went to McDonalds with a couple of my colleagues as well as the Aussie pastor who was helping to oversee our efforts. As we ate, the same lady who had been in the front row came into the restaurant. She stopped by our table and thanked us for coming to Orange, and then left to order food.

Our group hung around, laughing and fellowshipping. As the lady got up to leave, she again stopped by our table and – this time around – she began to share her story.

We learned that her name was Catherine, and that she had been enduring the darkest days of her life. In fact, she admitted to us that she was contemplating a way to end it all and remove the pain. Just more than a year into a separation from her husband, and four weeks into a relocation to Orange, it had become too much.

“I’d gotten so bad, I was so lost, that I was contemplating taking myself out. But I couldn’t figure out how because it’s not something that you just know how to do,” she told us.

A woman she’d just met had invited her to come along to our event, and her whole world changed that day. As the Gospel was proclaimed, Catherine recognized that God loved her despite the struggles she had encountered and the pain she felt.

Just as she had been sitting on the edge of the darkness in that auditorium, with the light so nearby, so Catherine moved from suicidal thoughts to redemption, from darkness to light. She reconciled with her husband and they steadily worked to get their lives back on track by embracing the hope, purpose and love presented to them through Christ!

Cheryl:  How does it feel to know that you have been instrumental in personally leading a lost soul to the cross of Jesus Christ?

Will:  Let me first say that I never – never – want to take credit for the work of the Holy Spirit. This journey isn’t about me. When people come forward at the invitation, they don’t come to me. They come to Jesus. Will Graham can’t save anybody. My prayer is that I would just get out of the way and allow Him to speak through me.

With that said, I’ve been incredibly blessed to have a front row seat, witnessing what God is doing around the world. People ask me if I’ve ever seen a miracle, and I say that I see them all the time. Every time somebody comes forward with tears in their eyes to surrender their lives to Christ, I see that which was once dead, raised to life. I’m blessed beyond measure.

Cheryl:  We are surely living in the perilous times prophesied about in God's Word, and the tide of evil seems so strong and impossible to combat in this culture that is growing more and more hostile towards God and His cause. As a minister working on the front lines during such an evil time, what do you feel is the most effective thing we, as individual Christians, can do to make a difference?

Will:  I think there are a couple of things. First of all, we need to get back to our First Love. I feel like faith has become a thing we do, rather than who we are. Even Christians are easily swayed by the ways of the world and the influences of culture. We’re too busy fighting with each other, and not spending enough time in the Word and in prayer. We, as believers, need to be so sold out for God that we allow Him to perform that radical change in our lives. The world needs to see that there’s something different about us.

Second, when people do see that there’s something different and ask about it, we need to be prepared to share the hope that we have in Him (1 Peter 3:15). Every day we’re surrounded by people who are struggling and in need of hope, or people who are going through the motions thinking everything is okay, but they’re dying spiritually. Romans 10:17 says, “So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ” (ESV). We can never be good enough, righteous enough, to save our friends. However, we can lead them to salvation by verbally sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and allowing the Holy Spirit to bring conviction and repentance.

Until we become fully in love and on fire for Jesus, and then use that passion to reach others with His hope, we are on the wrong path.

Cheryl:  As a Christian father of three, what do you consider to be the most important thing(s) we should be teaching our children? What values should we most diligently strive to instill in them while they are young?

Will:  One of the biggest things to me – apart from the main thing, which is ensuring that they are exposed to the Gospel and put their faith in Jesus – is just to give them a firm foundation and base in the Bible. As a child, my parents had a little plastic loaf of bread on the table that contained a stack of Bible verses written on little cards. It was called the “Bread of Life,” I believe. You know what? It worked! I still remember the first verse I memorized from that little plastic loaf.

In the day in which we’re living, there are so many competing voices trying to tell us what’s right and wrong. Entertainers, politicians, friends, other family members – I want my children to know that in a wavering world, Jesus is the Way, the Truth and the Life, and the Bible is the last word on morality and sin… No matter what anybody else may say.

Cheryl:  On a personal level, what is one of the hardest seasons you have yet had to face? How did your faith in God sustain and uphold you during the darkness?

Will:  I’m not sure that I would call this one of the hardest seasons of my life, but it certainly was one of the most impactful. I will always remember the day that God called me to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

In 2006, I was the pastor of a growing church plant in Raleigh, North Carolina, and in the middle of a church building campaign. Things were going great. The church treated me and my family very well emotionally, spiritually and financially. I was happy and content there.

I’d never set out to be a pastor, and honestly it was one of the last things I wanted to do. But – through a series of events – God brought me to this point and this place, and I loved it, and had no desire to go anywhere else.

That particular day I was out mowing the lawn, and God spoke to me and said “It’s time.” I felt it so strongly that it was almost like I was jerked away from the lawn mower. I went into my home, sat at my couch, and wept.

Moments later, with my mind in turmoil as I wrestled with this calling, my phone rang. At the other end of the line was an evangelist from Texas whom my father met while they were ministering to contras in Central America. He and I hadn’t visited in years.

“Will,” he said, “God laid it on my heart to call you. I know you’re in the middle of making a big decision right now, and I want to pray with you …”

It was clear to me that it was God’s will and God’s timing to go help my dad at the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

Now, just because it was God’s will and God’s timing didn’t necessarily make it any easier to leave. I loved that church, and I still love it. I still have my membership there. Telling the senior pastor of the church which had planted my church – a man who had become a mentor to me – that I had been called away was one of the hardest things I’ve ever done. And the long hours and weeks away from home that I’ve been called to as part of my new ministry have not been easy.

But when God shows you His will for your life, you better listen and be ready to obey. Because I followed His leading into evangelism, I’ve had the opportunity to be on the frontline of His work around the world. I’ve had the incredible blessing of watching people across a multitude of countries on six continents as they’ve come forward to accept a new eternity with Christ.

Cheryl:  I was so encouraged to hear that God's people rose to the occasion and voted in bigger numbers during this Presidential Election than they have in decades. With all my heart I believe that one of the main reasons for this is due to the extensive efforts of your father, Franklin Graham, and his Decision America 2016 Tour that encompassed all 50 states. Before the election, my family and I thought much about this and prayed earnestly that his efforts would not be in vain, and how we rejoice that God dealt with his people and they felt compelled to participate in the voting process. Now that the election is behind us, and in light of all that faces our new president, including the daunting, weighty responsibility of the nomination of Supreme Court justices, what are some of the most important things we, as God's people, can do to support President Donald Trump?  

Will:  First, thank you for your prayers and support of the Decision America Tour. My dad felt that it was vitally important to call the nation to prayer, and more than 230,000 joined hand-in-hand across our nation to cry out to God through this movement. He also shared the Gospel at each stop, resulting in thousands of people accepting Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord!

I would encourage everybody reading this to not only pray for President Trump, but for all branches of government – from your local city council and school board, all the way to Washington D.C. Do so earnestly and sincerely.

My grandfather once said, “We have so many battles going on in America today that we should be a people of prayer. Our government needs prayer. Our leaders need prayer. Our schools need prayer. Our youth need our prayers. Our families need our prayers.” And he said that in 1991. Think of how much our country and our world have changed in the last quarter-century!

I would also caution people to remember that our struggle is not a political one, but a spiritual one. Kings and rulers … or presidents … will never be perfect. They will let us down. They will take stances that are opposite of ours. We can’t become complacent. We need to first and foremost be people of prayer, who walk closely with Christ and open our hearts to the Holy Spirit. We need to live lives that are set apart from the world. And then we need to be prepared to offer the hope that we have to those who so desperately need it.

Politics and presidents aren’t going to fix the “heart problem” that we have. Only Christ has the answer.

Cheryl:  What are your favorite Bible verses and go-to resources in times of discouragement?

Will:  I have a few. The first, like it is for many, is John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” This is the beauty and simplicity of the Gospel – the message I’ve been called to preach is summed up perfectly in this one verse. God loved you and me so much that He gave His Son as the ultimate sacrifice to pay our debt. Because of that, we can have hope not just for this world, but for eternity.

Another of my favorites is Luke 12:12: “for the Holy Spirit will teach you in that very hour what you ought to say.” This was the first verse I ever memorized. It was one of many written on slips of paper, stuck into a plastic “Bread of Life” loaf that sat on our kitchen table, which I mentioned earlier. I love the message here. So often people are afraid to share their faith because they're not sure what to say. Don’t worry about it! Make yourself available, and the Holy Spirit will use you.

Finally, 1 Samuel 3:19: “And Samuel grew, and the Lord was with him and let none of his words fall to the ground.” First, I love the books of 1 and 2 Samuel. I’ve spent years working in and through those books. This particular verse catches me because of the imagery in “the Lord … let none of his words fall to the ground.” Everything that Samuel said on behalf of God was received and came to pass. It’s my prayer as I get up to preach the Gospel message as well: “Lord, move me out of the way and speak through me. Not my words, but yours. Let none of these words fall to the ground, but let them be received by willing and ready ears.”

Cheryl:  How can we pray for you?

Will:  Thank you for asking! Please pray for my family – My wife, Kendra, and my children: CJ (Christine Jane), Rae Rae (Rachel Austin), and Quinn (William Franklin Graham V). My calling takes me away from home for significant stretches of time, and God has blessed me with an amazing wife who holds everything together. Thank you for praying for us!

Also, just pray for my evangelistic ministry. I’m incredibly blessed to have a front-row seat to watch as God works around the world, but it’s not without significant challenges. Pray that I would remain humble and seek Christ first (John 3:30: “He must increase, but I must decrease.”) Pray for safety for me and our team as we travel into a variety of situations and locations. And pray especially for those who will hear the Gospel (many for the first time ever), that their hearts will be softened and prepared to hear the Good News of the Gospel.

We will surely be praying for Will, his family, and his ministry,

and we ask that you do the same, dear readers.

A big thank you to Will for being willing to take the time to share his inner views with us here.

We have all been abundantly blessed!

Photo Source & Accompanying Article

(Click here to read about our experience volunteering for the BGEA Decision America 2016 Tour.)

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