Everyone Has to Make a Choice

From the Archives Part 1: Winter 2010

By Franklin Graham

Photo Courtesy of Samaritan’s Purse

One might assume that growing up in the home of Billy Graham would automatically lead to being a follower of Jesus Christ, but that’s not so. There comes a time in everyone’s life when they have to make a choice whether they are going to accept or reject God’s love and provision. That involves confession, repentance, receiving Christ by faith and choosing to follow Him as Lord.

Though my folks insisted I go to church every Sunday, as far back as I can remember, my parents never crammed religion down my throat. They tried to instill in all of us kids the importance of a personal relationship with God.

We had daily Bible readings and prayer and I even made a decision for Christ at age 8, but I’m not really sure I understood what I had done. I say that now because I had a rebellious streak that stayed with me in various ways until the time my father confronted me when I was 22 years old.

A Loving Confrontation

In July, 1974, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association sponsored the International Congress for Evangelism in Lausanne, Switzerland. About 2,500 Protestant evangelical leaders came from 150 countries to attend the 10-day conference.

I went there to help handle logistics for the conference right after I had graduated from Montreat-Anderson College in May. During the conference, I celebrated my 22nd birthday and my parents took me out to eat at a little Italian restaurant on Lake Geneva.

After that meal, Daddy and I walked along a pathway beside the lake. My father, who hates confrontation, turned to me and, somewhat nervously, said: “Franklin, your mother and I sense there’s a struggle going on your life.” I stared at him but I didn’t say anything. He had caught me off guard and I wondered how he knew this.

Dad went on to say “You’re going to have to make a choice either to accept Christ or reject Him. You can’t continue to play the middle ground. Either you’re going to choose to follow and obey Him or reject Him.

“I want you to know we’re proud of you, Franklin. We love you no matter what you do in life and no matter where you go. The door of our home is always open and you’re always welcome. But you’re going to have to make a choice.”

“Something Was Missing in My Life”

I felt angry. Maybe I was mad because he had seen right through me. I’d always thought I was so clever and could fool my parents. After all, I went to church, sang the hymns, and said the right words.

But my sinful life was no secret. I couldn’t figure out how he knew about the struggle that had been going on inside me for some time. But he did. I knew he was right.

That challenge weighed on me, and, in the next few weeks as I helped with my dad’s summer tour, I had a struggle going on inside of me. I felt I was a Christian. I was the son of Billy Graham, I went to church, and I memorized Scripture. But something was missing in my life.

Photo Courtesy of Samaritan’s Pure

Forgiveness and Cleansing

One night, instead of going to the bar for a couple of beers like I usually did, I went to my room early. I sat on my bed and smoked a cigarette, picked up my New Testament and reread the third chapter of the Gospel of John.

The words of my father a few weeks earlier haunted me

“Franklin, you’re going to have to make a choice either to accept Christ or reject Him.” At that point, all I knew was that Franklin Graham was a sinner who had been running from God. Suddenly, I had an overpowering conviction that I needed to get my life right with God.

I read John 3 again where Jesus told Nicodemus, “You must be born again.” Nicodemus was a respected religious leader in his city. Yet, all of his religion and learning were not enough to gain entrance into heaven. Nicodemus had to be born again. All I knew was that I wanted the big empty hole inside of me to be filled. I was tired of running.

I put my cigarette out and got down on my knees beside my bed. I’m not sure what I prayed but I know that I poured my heart out to God and confessed my sin. I told Him I was sorry and that if He would take the pieces of my life and somehow put them back together, I was His. I wanted to live my life for Him from that day forward.

I asked Him to forgive me and cleanse me, and I invited Him by faith come into my life. That night I finally decided I was sick and tired of being sick and tired. My years of running and rebellion had ended.

God’s Purpose for My Life

From that point, I began to seek God’s will and purpose for my life, apart from just helping with my dad’s ministry.

I decided I wanted to further my college education by finishing my business degree at Appalachian State University. Toward the end of my time at ASU, I had gotten to the point where I only needed to do a research internship for the final college credit needed for graduation. I did research for Drs. Lowell and Richard Furman, who wanted to start an organization that would send doctors short-term to developing countries.

It was my job to find out whether that was a true need. This research led to the realization that there was a major need for this in the world and was the beginning of World Medical Mission, which later became part of Samaritan’s Purse.

What is important about my story or my journey is important about every person’s story. That is, God has a plan and a purpose for each of His children. That makes every person very special--whether or not they happen to be born into a famous family. God’s plan and purpose for me can be traced back to that time in 1974 when I decided to surrender and let Christ run my life.