For the three-days of June 24-26, Billy Graham, now 86, will be hosting the seventh and the last Greater New York Billy Graham Crusade, according to Art Bailey of the New York productions team. These crusades are large-scale worship conferences of prayer, praise, and a Bible message. It has been confirmed that Billy Graham, himself will speak at each of the three nights of the Crusade.
"Although one of the most densely populated parts of the world, people are lonely. Although this is one of the richest places is the world, yet this is a place that is poor in spirit," said Art Bailey, Director of the New York Crusade production. "The needs that you find in people's lives across the world are multiplied here just because of the energy of New York. I think many new people will find a new relationship to God and understand how Christ can meet the need in their lives."
Billy Graham has made a direct impact on 210 million people in 185 countries, and millions more through broadcast. He is a major contributor to the growth of evangelicalism. He served as a spiritual advisor to every U.S. President since Dwight Einsenhower and has been the impetus for several movements, such as the Lausanne Committee for World Evangelism which brought together the historic meeting of evangelical leaders in 1974 and well-known ministries like Christianity Today. Times Magazine called him the "nation's spiritual counsellor."
It has been nearly 15 years since Billy Graham last visited New York City in 1991, though eldest son, Franklin Graham had been assuming the reigns of the long-time evangelistic ministry in 2000.
The first New York Crusade held in 1957 was the most significant, according to Bailey, after which Graham became a leader of the evangelical movement, demonstrating that no city was "too hard" for him.
New York's Crusade posed several logistical challenges. Because of the large crowd expected, the location was changed late April - just two months before the event - from Madison Square Garden to Flushing Meadows Corona Park, in Queens, reputedly one of the world's most diverse neighborhoods, where over 130 language groups reside closely together.
"Flushing Meadows probably has more languages in that zip code than any one place in the world," said David Epstein, pastor at Calvary Baptist Church in an article by Bob Paulson, editor of Decision Magazine. "I think that's going to be a great symbol of the love of God for the world."
The plus side is the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association will have a chance to follow up with many members of these language groups, and evangelise several "nations."
"Jesus commanded his disciples to go and preach to the ends of the world, and in a sense, we can do that right here in New York," said Bailey.
In addition, the New York Crusade production team must overcome the logistical challenges of planning and holding an event in a city that is populated with around 20 million people, according to 2003 Census Bureau estimates and who are living in a tight space, meaning transportation will be difficult, according to the Director who has been in New York as far back as 2003.
Since 2003, the New York production team has conducted 149 public meetings with churches. The average number of meetings is around 50. Meeting with churches will help them understand what it means to be part of a Crusade, said Bailey.
