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'''Billy Graham''' (born William Franklin Graham; November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was a preeminent evangelical preacher of the [[Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptist church]].  Active for over 60 years, Billy Graham was originally known for tent revivals and soon became known for city "crusades" in large auditoriums.  One of the most well known Christian preachers of his time, Mr. Graham has inspired over 215 million people in 185 countries around the world.<ref name="DeadAt99"/>

'''Billy Graham''' (born William Franklin Graham, Jr.; November 7, 1918 – February 21, 2018) was a preeminent evangelical preacher of the [[Southern Baptist Convention|Southern Baptist church]].  Active for over 60 years, Billy Graham was originally known for tent revivals and soon became known for city "crusades" in large auditoriums.  One of the most well known Christian preachers of his time, Mr. Graham has inspired over 215 million people in 185 countries around the world.<ref name="DeadAt99"/>

==Career==

==Career==

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Graham began his studies for the ministry at [[Bob Jones University]]. But he was unhappy with its confining creed and moved on to become one of 75 students at Florida Bible Institute in Dunedin (now Trinity Bible College), where he stayed two and a half years. There he came into contact with well-known evangelists including Gypsy Smith, William Evans and others. Success in the pulpit led Graham to baptism by immersion and ordination as an evangelist in the [[Southern Baptist Convention|Baptist Church]].  He transferred in 1940, to [[Wheaton College]] in Illinois, graduating in 1943 with a major in anthropology.<ref>http://www.wheaton.edu/academics/departments/socio</ref>  Despite fully accepting the [[Bible]] as the infallible word of [[God]], Graham did not repudiate the [[theory of evolution]] that he was apparently taught at Wheaton.

Born in Charlotte, North Carolina, Graham came to salvation at age 15 during an evangelistic crusade by Mordecai Ham.  (Ham's use of the song [[Just As I Am]] as the invitation hymn would later lead Graham to do likewise.)

 

Graham began his studies for the ministry at [[Bob Jones University]]. But he was unhappy with its confining creed and moved on to become one of 75 students at Florida Bible Institute in Dunedin (now Trinity Bible College), where he stayed two and a half years. There he came into contact with well-known evangelists including Gypsy Smith, William Evans and others. Success in the pulpit led Graham to baptism by immersion and ordination as an evangelist in the [[Southern Baptist Convention|Baptist Church]].  He transferred in 1940, to [[Wheaton College]] in Illinois, graduating in 1943 with a major in anthropology.<ref>http://www.wheaton.edu/academics/departments/socio</ref>  Despite fully accepting the [[Bible]] as the infallible word of [[God]], Graham did not repudiate the [[theory of evolution]] that he was apparently taught at Wheaton.

In 1944 Graham went on the road for the Youth for Christ movement and loved the traveling life so much that in the years ahead he spent little time at home, in Montreat, North Carolina, with his family.  Moving to Minneapolis, he was chosen as the successor to [[William Bell Riley]] and served as president of Northwestern Schools (now Northwestern College), 1948-52 while continuing his revivals.

In 1944 Graham went on the road for the Youth for Christ movement and loved the traveling life so much that in the years ahead he spent little time at home, in Montreat, North Carolina, with his family.  Moving to Minneapolis, he was chosen as the successor to [[William Bell Riley]] and served as president of Northwestern Schools (now Northwestern College), 1948-52 while continuing his revivals.