Running head: AMERICAN RELIGIOUS LIFE
William Franklin “Billy” Graham is a renowned evangelical Christian evangelist who has been named as one of the most influential Christian of the 20th century. Further, Billy Graham was and is still a major authority in the modern day evangelical movements, who through his ministry reached out to millions of believers across the Globe. The evangelical journey by such renowned figures is educative in various perspectives. For instance, Billy sustained over 60 years of televangelism through various networks which reveals a very important character (Trinity Broadcasting Network 2016). The endurance that Billy Graham experienced has taught me about determination. This is because in this period he was able to reach out to every homestead in the USA. In this case, I have learned that determination is important to success. In essence, the determination of a person is fundamental in ensuring firmness of purpose which eventually motivates an individual. Focusing on the enthusing nature by which these evangelical ministers spread the word of God, explains the element of focus and determination which makes his teaching relevant even in modern evangelism.
From another perspective, the essence of evangelism and the controversies between fundamentalism and modernism also enlightened me on historical challenges and the aspect of maneuvering. For example, the Charles Darwin’s theory forms the background of understanding these challenges and most important the enthusiasm of Billy Graham. Despite the contradiction between fundamentalism and modernism, Billy maintained his course of evangelical ministries. Therefore the contribution to American religious life teaches one of determination. Despite facing criticism from the conservatives, he kept himself pure and concentrated in his mission to spread the gospel. Therefore, in conclusion, such prominent figures like Graham contributed significantly in the fight for human rights which bring the theme of perseverance.
References
Trinity Broadcasting Network. (2016). Billy Graham classics. Retrieved from https://www.tbn.org/announcements/billy-graham-classics-span-25-years-of-gospel-preaching-for-the-masses
Billy Graham. (n.d.). Retrieved November 16, 2017, from https://billygraham.org/about/biographies/billy-graham/
