Evangelistic event to salute Billy’s 95th

First, he used revival tents. Then it was stadiums. Now, venerable evangelist Billy Graham uses the latest media technology to reach out and spread the gospel.

Next year, in honour of the preacher’s 95th birthday, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) will hold its largest North American evangelistic event in 60 years, “My Hope with Billy Graham,” scheduled for Nov. 7, 2013. Fifteen months in the planning, the broadcast event will reach out to people in private homes and churches and via their hand-held media devices.

In its 10 years’ of operation, the My Hope project has partnered with local churches and pastors around the world to train facilitators and send the gospel message into at least four million homes from Haiti and Spain to Malawi and Thailand. According to a BGEA spokesperson, a documented 10 million people have accepted Christ as a result.

On the ground, the project enlists the aid of trained “Matthews-hosts who, like their biblical counterpart, invite friends, neighbours and co-workers into their homes to spread the good news of the kingdom, share their testimonies and help people receive Christ into their lives.”

The website will post more details of the November event as they evolve.