Customer Reviews

Invitation: Billy Graham and the Lives God Touched

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
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2 star:		(1)
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What an unusual and moving book! It's a collection of family pictures from the Graham family as well as a collection of stories of people who have changed their lives through faith.

I was surprised to find the pictures of the talks Graham gave so striking. There are thousands and thousands of people sitting quietly in huge arenas, all listening raptly to Billy Graham. The very air seems to be still.

One woman, Allison, had reached a point where she felt "completely hopeless and useless" (p 70) until she happened to glance at a crusade by Graham then on her TV. He told her how much Jesus loved her, even as she was at the moment. An inexpressible joy shot through her. The moment changed her life.

There have been many biographies written of Billy Graham, so I was wondering what would make this book different and worth reading. Now, don't get me wrong, I've read several biographies on Billy Graham and I really respect the man. I just wondered if this would be more of the same. I like the fact that it wasn't a thick book, so I picked it up and began looking at it. I was pleasantly surprised!

This book gives you a visually history of ministry of Billy Graham. It is full of photos and stories from those whose lives he touched. It was heartwarming and renewed my great respect and awe for the man.

From this book and the website [...], the fruit of Reverend Graham's ministry demonstrates the truth in Dr. Graham's ministry and message that is so simple and has never changed. Thank You Billy, for the millions of lives God has changed through your ministry, including my mother's and father's. And the legacy continues.

This book captures more than 70 years of ministry. You will enjoy the stories that are very well put together.

JP

[...]

If you are enamored of Billy Graham and his ministry you will love this book. It's full of good news stories about people who credit him with changing their lives and chock full of great photos. Very nice cover, too.

Graham started his career as a Fuller Brush salesman and rapidly became that company's number one peddler in South Carolina. He was a salesman first, and he never lost the knack. To those of a more critical mind set, it is surely apparent that evangelism is principally salesmanship and Graham himself compared it to selling soap. Having satisfied customers is necessary to success and this slim volume is mostly testimonials.

However, there's really nothing new here. The stories Graham has spun about his early years have become set pieces and they're trotted out again as received wisdom, with the addition of those heart-warming stories of salvation. Good on them.

As far as I can determine, the only two writers who have made serious efforts at defogging the spin from Graham's public relations machine are Marshall Frady, Billy Graham: A Parable of American Righteousness and myself, The Prince of War: Billy Graham's Crusade for a Wholly Christian Empire. The rest, like Invitation, are predictable fluff.