Monday, June 27, 2005
MORE THAN 9,400 MADE
DECISIONS FOR CHRIST
OVER THREE DAY GREATER NEW YORK
BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADE
By Jeremy
Reynalds
 FLUSHING MEADOWS, NEW YORK (ANS)
-- By the end of his historic Greater New York
Crusade, Billy Graham had preached to more than 242,000 people. More
than 9,400 people of all ages and a wide variety of nationalities had
committed their lives to Jesus Christ. (Pictured:
The Graham Crusade - from BGEA).
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) reported on its web
site (www.bgea.org/News_Article.asp?ArticleID=104)
that Sunday’s meeting included music from longtime guests for past
crusades, as well as current chart-toppers.
Ricky Skaggs, Marcos Witt, The Gaither Vocal Band, MercyMe, and Michael
W. Smith performed throughout the program, as well as George Beverly
Shea and the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir.
A special video was shown to recognize those who lost their lives in
the World Trade Center tragedy on Sept. 11 2001, and New York Detective
Milton Rosario prayed both for the Crusade and all those affected by
the tragic events of 9/11.
In the shadow of the Unisphere, a dramatic steel globe representing
Queens’ diversity, BGEA reported Graham preached on the great flood
from the book of Genesis and related it to the future end of the world
as we know it.
“We are approaching a climactic moment in history,” Graham said. “There
is going to come an end to the world’s system in which we live.”
While Graham spoke about humanity’s mortality and need for the saving
power of Jesus Christ, he also talked openly about his own mortality.
Thanking longtime associate, 96-year-old vocalist George Beverly Shea,
and mentioning his own age of 86, BGEA reported Graham said, “I know it
won’t be long before both of us are going to be in heaven. ... In Amos
chapter four it says, ‘Prepare to meet your God.’ Are you prepared?”
More than 2,700 came forward at Graham’s invitation to receive Christ.
TALES FROM THE CRUSADE
BGEA reported that Jessica, a 16-year-old student who had come with her
youth group from Texas to counsel at the Crusade, told of praying with
37-year-old Anna, a Russian immigrant, as the woman committed her life
to Jesus for the first time.
Earlier that afternoon, far from the main platform, Anna had sat down
near Jessica and two of Jessica’s friends from her youth group.
According to BGEA, the four chatted as they listened to the music, and
Anna asked them questions about their faith and reasons for coming to
the Crusade. When the time came for the girls to go to the counseling
area, they said their goodbyes and made their long way to the front
area.
Jessica turned around to find Anna had followed them, excitedly asking
to be led to Jesus Christ. BGEA reported that after praying and going
over the evangelistic materials BGEA gives each respondent, Anna asked
for prayer for her unsaved family, and Jessica encouraged her to take
her newfound faith back to her community.
Graham spoke of the deep, immediate need of mankind for forgiveness,
and gave a clear explanation of repentance and the new life it brings.
“The Bible says that today is the day of salvation,” BGEA reported he
said. “This should not be the end of anything. This should be the
beginning of a new day with the Lord in New York.”
For more than 9,400 people, the Greater New York Billy Graham Crusade
was just that.
| Jeremy Reynalds is a
freelance writer and the founder and director of Joy Junction, New
Mexico's largest emergency homeless shelter, http://www.joyjunction.org or http://www.christianity.com/joyjunction.
He has a master's degree in communication from the University of New
Mexico and is a candidate for the Ph.D. in intercultural education at
Biola University in Los Angeles. He is married with five children and
lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico. For more information contact: Jeremy
Reynalds at jgreynalds@aol.com.
Tel: (505) 877-6967 or (505) 400-7145. Note: A black and white JPEG
picture of Jeremy Reynalds is available on request from Dan Wooding at danjuma1@aol.com. |
 |
ASSIST News Service (ANS) www.assistnews.net
-- E-mail: danjuma1@aol.com
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