Billy Graham’s ‘unprecedented’ home-based campaign expected to draw consumers to Christian retail

Billy Graham is one of the most beloved, recognized figures in the United States and across the world. His faith is outspoken, his evangelistic rallies enthusiastically attended, his advice sought by U.S. presidents and world leaders.

As his 95th birthday approaches Nov. 7, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) embarks on a continent-wide initiative called My Hope America with Billy Graham. My Hope America is a grass-roots effort to introduce Jesus Christ to people across the U.S. and Canada via a combination of personal relationships and media outreach. The goal is for believers to invite friends, neighbors and family into their homes the week of Nov. 7 and show a specially prepared program featuring Graham.

“People think of Billy Graham preaching in large stadiums to large crowds, but those people are individuals,” said Preston Parrish, vice president of My Hope America with Billy Graham. “My Hope is that strategy continued, but instead of large stadiums, it’s in people’s living rooms.”

My Hope America with Billy Graham is a sweeping campaign that offers training materials for churches and individuals, videos, webcasts and television spots. It promises to bring people into Christian retail stores, thanks to the Oct. 15 release of Graham’s 32nd book, The Reason for My Hope: Salvation (W Publishing Group, $19.99), and the music CD My Hope: Songs Inspired by the Message and Mission of Billy Graham (Sparrow Records/Capital Christian Distribution).

“It’s important for retailers to understand that My Hope America has become an unprecedented grass-roots movement,” said Parrish. “Within the next three months, involvement and awareness about My Hope America will be at a peak. This is a good thing for retailers because in offering products, they’re offering quality, biblically consistent resources of interest to many people.”

The Parable Group, which serves 165 stores across the country, is featuring the My Hope America product line in catalogs through the end of the year, as well as encouraging stores to pull together their own displays of Graham’s books.

For Randy Ross, marketing specialist at the Parable Group, it’s about impacting the lives of people for Christ. 

“I hope people buy Billy’s books because he’s got plenty to say,” Ross said. “How can anyone refuse salvation? Once you answer that question, stores can be part of solidifying the faith journeys of those people who come to faith.”

Ross points to what he calls Graham’s “legacy books,” including Just As I Am: The Autobiography of Billy Graham; Peace With God: The Secret of Happiness; How to Be Born Again; and Nearing Home: Life, Faith, and Finishing Well; along with books such as Billy Graham in Quotes and Billy Graham & Me.

“Here’s a man who has had the ear of presidents, is visible and well-respected and is still above reproach; he’s got a story to tell,” said Ross. “What Billy writes doesn’t run out.”

Ross is also encouraging bookstores to create “Share Your Faith” sections and prepare new-believer products for display after the My Hope America campaign ends in November. Booksellers can include their favorite go-to titles for someone who has just come to faith.

“Anytime you deal with Billy Graham, it’s more than just about Billy, more than just selling a book,” Ross said. “It’s selling his message and making sure that message is intact in consumers’ minds. On its best day, the Today show or Good Morning America doesn’t have the visibility of a Billy Graham campaign.”

Graham has been appreciative of the role Christian retail has played in spreading the message of salvation, according to Larry Ross, spokesman for Graham and president of A. Larry Ross Communications in Carrollton, Texas.

“Though Mr. Graham completed his public preaching ministry in 2005, Christian retail stores have provided a consistent and effective channel for him to continue to deliver his message through books, which stands as an ongoing ‘crusade between the covers,’ ” Ross of A. Larry Ross said. 

Because BGEA is based in North Carolina, some may be surprised to learn that the United States is not the first country to participate in the My Hope campaign. In fact, 57 countries have participated in My Hope since its beginning in 2002. What began in Central America has spread across the world, most recently via campaigns in Europe, including Spain and Portugal.

“We saw an incredible harvest,” said Parrish of My Hope. “Evangelical churches are a small minority, but this was an unprecedented harvest. A man gave us a check from believers in Spain to help fund a My Hope campaign in America. It was the first financial gift to My Hope in the U.S.”

So far, more than 300,000 churches have been involved in training and My Hope events; more than 4 million Christians have opened their homes; and there have been recorded decisions for Christ from more than 10 million people.

“We’re astounded by what God has done,” said Parrish. “This shows how God uses individual Christians, praying for and reaching out in love to people they know using a Billy Graham presentation.”

In the 19 months of planning for the North American campaign, more than 20,000 churches have registered to participate. In August, those churches estimated that 125,000 people would open their homes in the campaign.

Parrish of My Hope America is excited about the parallel release of The Reason for My Hope: Salvation and the My Hope music CD, which features a dozen new recordings by Christian recording artists such as Amy Grant, Michael W. Smith, Matthew West and TobyMac.

“It’s a great gift that at almost 95 years old, Dr. Graham is able to reflect and write about the message he’s been preaching his entire ministry,” said Parrish. “At 95, Dr. Graham believes the central message of God is the exact same thing he’s preached his entire life.”

Christian retail stores can help the My Hope America campaign.

“By continuing to carry Mr. Graham’s books, new generations that never heard him preach are being influenced by the same message he faithfully delivered in arenas and stadiums for more than six decades and is still relevant today,” Larry Ross said.

For more information on the campaign, visit www.myhopewithbillygraham.org or call 877-7MY-HOPE (769-4673).