Hosted by TV and radio presenter Karl Faase, the breakfast provided an ideal setting to reflect on the effectiveness of the youth rallies Graham had spoken at in regional New South Wales.
13 year old Thomas Kelly told of his experiences with BGEA's 'Dare to be a Daniel' program, a 5-session course which trains young people in the way of Daniel: excellence, humility and Godliness. Thomas spoke on the positive change which the camp had affected in his life as well as the life of his friend, before Will Graham was asked to address the group. After greeting the gathering, he turned the conversation homeward.
Will was not reticent in addressing questions about the health of his grandfather. "My granddaddy's just old," he said. "He's not in hospital… He's losing his sight but he's writing his 31st book. He doesn't like getting old – he's used to being active." The book's working title is 'Salvation', fitting for one of the most renowned evangelists of recent times, whose legacy continues through the work of his grandson who is now a BGEA Associate Evangelist.
Billy Graham's health challenges have by no means meant that the ministry has stalled. The breakfast saw Will announce BGEA's plans for "the greatest evangelistic outreach the US has ever had", using television to reach the whole country. 'My Hope with Billy Graham' will air on November 7, 2013 - Graham's 95th birthday.
Will's tour of NSW has included Reality events aimed at reaching youth in regional centres. This year's tour reached Orange, Bathurst and Lithgow, with a reported 4,000 in attendance and 320 decisions to follow Christ. In preparation, over 870 people were trained with practical guidance on how to share their faith, a key strength of the Billy Graham Association's approach.
The resulting cooperation between churches and the equipping of evangelists is what leads one to conclude that the fruit of this recent tour will remain long after Will Graham returns home to North Carolina.
