Evangelist Dr Billy Graham died on the 21st of February 2018 at the age of 99. Dr. Tony Stone worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and we are recalling what it was like to be part of that work.

Paul: How many people would actually come and attend the crusades?

Tony: Literally it would go into hundreds of thousands. For example in the old Wembley stadium, and as far as I know it is still there, there was a brass plaque put up stating that the Billy Graham crusade gathered the most people in history. You have also got to allow for the fact that they used the pitch as well which would add thousands to the normal number that would come for a football match. It would run into over a hundred thousand every night.

Paul: Did you get to know Billy Graham personally?

Tony: I had the privilege of knowing him and meeting him outside the actual meetings. In a small way yes, I saw him informally as well as observing him on the platform.

Paul: What was he like as a man?

Tony: He was a very open man. If anything, he would lean towards being a little shy meeting people, which is hard to believe when you see this man of power in the pulpit. But he was a very ordinary person, a very interesting person to talk to and he showed a great interest in individuals.

Paul: As he was preaching to thousands and thousands of people, how did he prepare for the crusade?

Tony: That was one of the things that I learned in my early years, and to this day I have taken it as a good guide for anyone's life. Billy Graham would get to the stadium an hour or so before the meeting and he would go to his own private room where he would spend time in prayer before going on to the platform. I have no doubt that that was time of study and preparation and waiting on God, but certainly before going on to the platform he would take maximum time for prayer.

Paul: Did you have famous people come to be part of the crusade?

Tony: Yes. In those days that was a great attraction, that people who were famous in our society were believers. They would come and give a testimony, they would speak of their experience of knowing Jesus. In the same way, there were famous people who were not necessarily committed Christians, but they wanted to hear Billy Graham. So almost on every night there would be well know personalities attending the crusade that were either trying not to be seen or who were very obviously wanting to be seen.

Paul: Who did you have in the crusades?

Tony: Well I can remember many people who came. It was always a great attraction on most of the UK crusades when Cliff Richard would come. In those days he was at the height of his career and so that would make a tremendous impact, particularly with young people. Sports people would also come and I particularly remember the well known wrestler, Big Daddy, as he gave a very powerful testimony of faith, and I was very impressed. So sports personalities, the world of entertainment and also on a much more serious side you would have politicians.

Paul: Whenever he had a crusade he would get people to respond and come out of their seats, what was it like for you seeing people responding to the Gospel message?

Tony: Well that is when I had to click into action of course because I was responsible for what was happening on the field when he called people together. But Billy Graham will be remembered for a number of phrases, the first one being, "The Bible says". Billy Graham preached the Bible and he used the Bible as his text book throughout, which every evangelist does to a measure. But then the moment would come when he would use the same words pretty well every night, he would say, "I am going to ask you to get up out of your seats and come forward, I am not inviting you to come to Billy Graham or to a church or a denomination, I am inviting you to come to Christ".

Over the period of 17 years I was working on the crusades, I never got used to or accustomed to it. It was just a fresh thrill every night to see hundreds and then thousands of people get up out of their seats and come forward until there was a massive crowd of people in front of the podium where Billy Graham was preaching. You know you don't get used to those things and it touched my heart every time. It was very moving and for me and it was an outstanding memory to see people coming to Christ at Billy Graham's invitation.