Billy Graham
Thanks to my dear friend Henry (to the right of Billy) introducing us...I was telling Billy how much he meant to me...when the picture was taken


Greetings!
BILLY GRAHAM WAS THE REAL DEAL!
What led up to my meeting Billy Graham...

MY LIFE INCLUDED:
-Broken home 4 times
-Atheist
-Never knew my real father 
-Basketball and baseball and a balanced life gave me security
-Studied Psychology in college for 5 years
-"Eat, drink, be merry" and help kids from broken homes
was my philosophy and purpose for living
GOOD NEWS

After reading the Bible for two weeks and coming to the realization that I was a sinner...I claimed Jesus as my Savior...
I BECAME A "GUNG HO", "KAMAKAZE" "JESUS FREAK"
i n Southern California!
Translation: My life was dramatically changed by my faith in Jesus Christ and I became a growing Christian with a zeal for sharing my faith in Christ

A DESERT ISLAND...
I THOUGHT "WHAT'S WRONG WITH ME?"

Frankly the first year I was a believer I was so excited about my faith in Jesus Christ...I told almost everyone including church goers I met about my new faith...most would immediately change the subject or politely say in various ways, "That's nice..."

Three church leaders came to me one day and said "Ted we are excited about your new faith but we recommend you not I talk about it other than at church " I didn't understand their thinking....and I still don't!

By God's grace I discovered Christian Business Mens Committee (CBMC) ...a national organization with chapters in many cities...including Long Beach, CA where I worked. Every week I would visit a number of different chapters in SoCal at their early breakfast meetings...Culver City, South Bay, Santa Monica, Santa Ana, Lakewood just to name a few.

The CBMC meeting format was usually eat breakfast, then one of the men would give their testimony that included...
  • Life before Christ
  • How they claimed Jesus as Savior
  • What has happened since 

FROM A DESERT ISLAND TO THE ABUNDANT LIFE
is how I would describe my church and CBMC experience
"TED, YOU ARE IN SIN"


At our church about a year later in Manhattan Beach, CA I would gather weekly with our Pastor in a small group of men for Bible study and prayer

One morning, out of the blue, the Pastor said to me in front of everyone, "TED YOU ARE IN SIN!" , he continued "...YOU OFTEN GET TOGETHER WITH MEN WHO ARE NOT OF OUR DENOMINATION - YOU ARE UNEQUALLY YOKED BECAUSE OUR CHURCH DOCTRINE IS NOT THE SAME AS SOME OF THE CHURCHES REPRESENTED BY SOME OF THE MEN WHO ATTEND CBMC"

I was in shock!

We soon left the church and joined a church that
thought CBMC was wonderful 

ENTER BILLY GRAHAM

Billy Graham Crusades were popular with all the CBMC chapters and our new church also. Soon we attended not an arena event like the one shown...rather a stadium event...









THE ANAHEIM BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADE

CBMC MEMBERS were encouraged to invite guests and attend the CRUSADE.
A bus was chartered and I invited my father in law and mother in law to join Tudi and me going to Anaheim Stadium. (My father in law thought we were going to see the California Angels play...After the evening Crusade he said to me, "Did you think I would not go if you told me it was a BG Crusade?" ...I said "YES!" For many years we laughed about the trip...but it was a meeting that resulted in my father in law indicating he prayed to claim Jesus as his Savior 
THE OAKLAND CRUSADE

I was involved in local CRUSADE leadership. One highlight...I was going to the TOP OF THE MARK (Mark Hopkins Hotel in San Francisco) to speak to the Rotary Club of SF promoting the BGC.,.I was 29 and nervous...but before I left to speak a leader of the BG Crusade gave me a verse to calm my nerves...

2 Timothy 1:7
"God has not given you the Spirit of fear but power,
love and a sound mind"

That verse has been with me almost every day of my life ever since the TOP OF THE MARK experience.
We took many friends to the Crusade.
One I will never forget- as a sign of his Gospel defiance he brought and smoked a 12" cigar ...
but- my friend, Ken, brought a well known Oakland Raider football player who went forward and claimed Jesus as his Savior.
THE ATLANTA CRUSADE

Tudi brought 2 friends who went forward during the Atlanta Crusade. It was a very special gathering that we attended and promoted...


but the highlight for me personally were some
gatherings that led up to the CRUSADE.
At the Georgia GOVERNORS PRAYER BREAKFAST that Billy spoke at prior to the Crusade ...Thanks to our good friend Henry Holley- who has worked for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association for 45+ years- I had a chance to personally meet Billy before his speaking(see picture above) ..
I quickly made the following notes on a business card so rapid fire I could tell Billy what he meant to me...
1-His faithfulness to the Word ...
2-His focus and boldness in proclaiming the Gospel of Jesus in all environments
3-His endurance of taking pot shots from the media, leaders from the right and left and all doubting Thomas's...

I gave Billy my business card with my notes and he laughed and said "I sure have had my share of critics and doubters" ...
According to Henry, Billy was not feeling well that morning but when he was introduced to speak I saw him transformed by the power of the HOLY SPIRIT as he boldly proclaimed the Good News of Jesus Christ


Billy, Governor Harris and me prior to the Prayer Breakfast


THE DEMOCRATIC CONVENTION in ATLANTA

As President of the Atlanta Convention and Visitors Bureau (ACVB) I was very involved in getting the political convention to Atlanta, hosting the huge meeting and press from around the world

I was hired as President by the ACVB in part to help change the image of ATLANTA that was hindered greatly by the Atlanta Child Murders - Wayne Williams missing/ murdered children crimes. This gave Atlanta the image of the murder capital of America. Prestigious conventions were pulling out of Atlanta... American Bankers, American Dental, etc...

I called a meeting of the State officials, local officials and business leaders to pursue a Republican or Democratic Convention. This goal of hosting a convention would provide 13,000 members of the media from around the world to descend on the city...The press would be a captive audience and their articles would focus on the convention. However our press kits would contain all the positive things to do and see in Atlanta and Georgia..for some of their articles and features.
As I proposed this plan to the leaders a few begin to tell the group why it wouldn't work- that we'd never be selected because of our image and other reasons. After about 5 minutes of it appearing like the proposal was doomed....
I said in desperation..."In my office I have a sign that quotes one of my favorite verses- Proverbs 14:4.... 'Where no oxen are the stables are clean' ...The footnote says,  'No manure, no milk' - there is a price to accomplishment"

NO ONE LAUGHED OR SAID ANYTHING FOR AN ETERNITY  
(approximately 20 seconds)...

Finally, a man we respected greatly who represented the business community, Dan Sweat said with a chuckle, "You know, Ted is right- no city has a perfect package...let's go for it but it definitely will have some challenges!"

We got the Democratic Convention and got over a billion dollars of positive area promotion from the 13,000 members of the media ...it was a stepping stone of eventually getting the Super Bowl and Olympics

I CREDIT the truth of PROVERBS 14:4 as the reason we went after and got the political convention

After we got the Olympics, the Atlanta Olympic Organizing Committee, headed by Billy Payne and Andy Young, was invited to meet with President Bush in the Rose Garden of the White House.
President Bush introduced himself to everyone- when he came to talk to me, rather than discuss the Olympics, I told him I recently met with Billy Graham in a small dinner party (because I knew the President and Billy were good friends).
The President was most positive signifying how much Billy Graham meant to him.



BILLY GRAHAM PRESS CONFERENCE

TOPIC ... Was Jesus a Democrat or Republican?

Thanks to Henry during the Democratic Convention I was able to host Billy Graham in my office for a press conference with CNN, NY Times, Atlanta Journal Constitution, NBC, etc.

Billy was known to be friends with all Presidents whether Democrat or Republican ...obviously Billy never gave an answer to the above question but was was direct in saying whether someone is a Democrat or a Republican, putting faith in Jesus Christ is essential for the forgiveness of sin and life eternal...plus living according to the Bible to get direction in our daily lives.

After the press conference came DESSERT!

I had 63 full time employees in my office ...
Billy, Henry and I walked through my office and BILLY talked directly to many of them as though he was their next door neighbor with time to spare ....50 % white, 50% black...a few gay...some believers, many unbelievers

YES, Mr GRAHAM was a friend of Presidents but even more important to you and me he was a friend to the common man

I was honored and privileged to have Billy's message to the Professional Golfers Association of America as the introduction to my first book....GOLFERS OF MEN...Billy's introduction title GOD AND GOLF

BILLY GRAHAM WAS THE REAL DEAL...
from the pulpit and in person his focus was on people
and the Gospel of JESUS CHRIST 

Our challenge:
Where we live, move and have our being are
leaders and, most often, common people who need to hear the
GOOD NEWS of JESUS CHRIST...
Billy showed us all...
It just needs to be our priority and passion so we, too, can be
THE REAL DEAL

That's what WB is all about...
please check our website for more witness insights

Ted Sprague
Acts 17:28
www.witnessbreakthrough.org
witnessbreakthrough@gmail.com