World famous evangelist, Billy Graham, has died aged 99, it has been announced.
Spokesman Mark DeMoss has reported that Graham, who had suffered from cancer, pneumonia and other conditions, died at his home in North Carolina on Wednesday morning.
In a statement released to CMC, Will Graham, the grandson of Billy Graham and the son of Franklin Graham, said: "My grandfather once said, 'One day you'll hear that Billy Graham has died. Don't you believe it. On that day I'll be more alive than ever before! I've just changed addresses.' My friends, today my grandfather moved from the land of the dead to the land of the living."
"We mourn that he is no longer with us physically here on earth, but we don't grieve as those who have no hope. My grandfather invested his entire life in sharing the promise of eternity through Jesus Christ, and today he had the opportunity to realize that hope himself, kneeling before his Savior and hearing the words, 'Well done, good and faithful servant.' My family appreciates your prayers now and in the days ahead."
Billy Graham was born Nov. 7, 1918, in Charlotte, N.C., and raised on a dairy farm. He graduated from Wheaton College in Wheaton, Ill. – home of the Billy Graham Center Museum and where he met his wife, Ruth McCue Bell, the daughter of a missionary surgeon to China. They were married for over 60 years until Ruth's death in 2007.
Graham, a Southern Baptist, has preached the Gospel to more people in live audiences than anyone else in history. The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association estimates that he has preached live to nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries and territories, and hundreds of millions of more people through television, video, film and webcasts. He has led hundreds of thousands of individuals to make personal decisions to commit their lives to Jesus Christ, according to BGEA.
He is also known as the "pastor to presidents," having met every U.S. president since World War II through Barack Obama. For his 95th birthday celebration, President Bill Clinton was among the 700 guests that included Sarah Palin, Donald Trump, Rupert Murdoch and Rick Warren. And for the dedication of the Billy Graham Library in Charlotte, N.C., in 2007, three former U.S. presidents came to share the momentous event with him: George H.W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton.
"Every life Billy Graham ever touched – including people who never became president, never spoke at a crusade – is better because he was a good and faithful servant of the two most important commandments (to love God with all your heart and to love your neighbor as yourself)," said Clinton in his speech during the dedication ceremony on May 31, 2007.
Meanwhile, Rick Warren of Saddleback Church in Southern California and author of the bestseller The Purpose Driven Life, had told CMC that Billy Graham was among his mentors.
"One of the things that a lot of people don't know about Billy Graham is that he was also an encouragers to pastors," Warren shared. "One time in Amsterdam he brought in 12,000 evangelists from all around the world. I had written a Bible study methods and Billy had brought a book for every one of those evangelists and had me come in and teach it.
"He was first and foremost an encourager," Warren remembers fondly.
Billy Graham is survived by his five children – Virginia, Anne Morrow, Ruth Bell, William Franklin, III, and Nelson Edman – 19 grandchildren and numerous great-grandchildren.
