What legacy will the world’s most famous evangelist leave?
Billy Graham, who has preached live to 180 million people since a 1949 crusade in Los Angeles propelled him into the international spotlight, has spawned one of the largest evangelism organizations in existence.
The umbrella Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) oversees such ventures as Decision magazine, World Wide Pictures, and Graham’s “Hour of Decision” radio broadcast. But the mainstay of the 500-employee BGEA in Minneapolis is the crusades themselves.
Graham turns 75 next month. Many organization insiders believe the most tangible ministry he eventually leaves will be the Billy Graham Training Center, also known as the Cove.
Mobilize the laity
Graham dedicated the $26 million, 1,500-acre complex on the outskirts of verdant Asheville, North Carolina, earlier this year. The Cove, only ten miles from Graham’s own home, was built largely from donations to the BGEA.
Leaving buildings behind is not Graham’s goal. Rather, the Cove is designed to train believers in God’s Word to win others to Christ. “God’s work is not just the task of a few professionals,” Graham said at the dedication. “If the world is ever to be evangelized, the laity must be mobilized.”
The complex is sequestered behind a gatehouse in the forested Blue Ridge Mountains, complete with meal and lodging accommodations. The centerpiece is the $11.5 million, 75,000-square-foot training center, finished in 1991. “It took 17 months to build, 18 months to plan,” says 35-year-old Hugh Elder, director of operations. “Everything has been done with excellence but without extravagance.” The retreat center has a huge, stone fireplace in an expansive lobby. Lower-level ...
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