Billy: The Untold Story of a Young Billy Graham and the Test of Faith That Almost Changed Everything

Book title: Billy Authors: William Paul McKay & Ken Abraham Nashville, Thomas Nelson, 2008 264 pages Billy is the life story of Billy Graham as told to a reporter by outspoken atheist, Charles Templeton. A has-been reporter, Deborah Matthews, is sent to Templeton on his death bed with one assignment: get dirt on Graham. Matthews is pressured and threatened by her editor with an ultimatum: deliver scandal or hit the bricks. The story is told from Templeton's point of view. Charles Templeton and Billy Graham were close associates in the early years of Graham's ministry. Charismatic evangelists, both, were filling venues with folks hungry for the gospel of Jesus. Despite success and an incredible ability to influence people, Templeton grows skeptical and finds himself at a crossroads; a crisis of faith. He is plagued with doubts and questions. If God exists, how could he allow the evil of Auschwitz and Nagasaki? Can modern science and the Bible exist in harmony? Is Jesus of Nazareth really the Son of God? These unanswered questions left a vacuum of doubt in Templeton so great that he would no longer preach a Bible he couldn't believe. Templeton's departure from ministry and the faith shakes Billy to the core. Graham, himself, is at a crossroads. Can he preach if he can't provide answers to Templeton's challenges? Few in American culture are ignorant of Billy Graham and his success. McKay and Abraham weave the story of Graham's journey masterfully. They develop their characters endearingly - Billy, Ruth Bell, Templeton, and Matthews - in a way that readers grow affectionate toward each one. Billy is one of the best biographies I've read in a long time. I'm looking forward to being disappointed by the movie because the book is always better.

Powerful, dramatic, gripping...these are the words that come to mind when trying to describe this book. This is not your ordinary, garden-variety biography. At first, that intrigued me, then it bothered and upset me. By page 40 I was ready to quit. But I couldn't. The story had already drawn me in. Billy, the story by William Paul McKay and Ken Abraham, tells the story of Billy Graham's early years. The book reads like a novelized version of a movie script. And that's basically what it is. So if you begin this book, as I did, expecting a traditional non-fiction work, you will be thrown off-track. However, if you understand going into the book that it is a dramatized account, I think you will be able to better enjoy and appreciate the story. This book is told in series of flashback scenes through the eyes of Charles "Chuck" Templeton, the close friend and colleague of Billy Graham. Mr. Templeton is on his deathbed being interviewed by a television reporter who is determined to find evidence of scandal in the life and ministry of Billy Graham. The story parallels the lives of the two men, one with big aspirations and small faith, the other with low aspirations and big faith. It shows how decisions made for or against Christ can impact our life and the lives around us for either good or evil. Basically, the book is about the struggle that first began in the garden between Eve and Satan--the struggle between doubt and faith. It underscores the importance of being grounded in our faith through the absolute authority of God's Word, and of turning to God in the midst of spirit-crushing doubt. The movie-like scene depicting spiritual warfare, as a young Billy Graham fights through his crisis of faith with prayer and God's Word, is vivid, eye-opening and at times touching. "The accuser smugly squared his frame, openly gloating over his work; he had delivered the piercing blow to Billy, and he was certain it had struck its target with full, deadly impact. Lucifer repressed a fiendish laugh as his brilliant mind recalled thousands of cases in which he had lured good men and women to this identical crucible, as they had tried to reconcile the seemingly incompatible elements of rationality and genuine faith. They were good men and women who never went on to achieve the great things they were designed to do, but, instead, because they allowed their doubts to solidify into disbelief, the burden dragged them down; they settled into a spiritual quagmire that slowly but surely smothered their destiny. Templeton was right where the enemy wanted him, and Lucifer was certain that Graham was about to follow him." Seeing Billy Graham persevere in his faith and emerge victorious against the forces of hell gives those of us who follow great encouragement. More than anything, this is a book about God--about how He is at work redeeming and reconciling to Himself a lost and dying world; about His willingness to use common and ordinary people who are humble an

Billy: The Untold Story of a Young Billy Graham and the Test of Faith that Almost Changed Everything I just read "Billy" an inspiring story of the life of Billy Graham that really glorifies God. Charles Templeton tells the story. He was one of the "greatest preacher" of his time. In the story a reporter tries to dig up dirt on Billy Graham by interviewing a man who parted company with Billy Graham and took the path of unbelief. One of the most inspiring truths from the story is that according to Templeton; Billy was never capable of greatness but at every turn some how the doors opened and God greatly used Billy. It is interesting to see how Billy's simple faith gave him a very different life than the one that Templeton had with his doubt. I do not want to ruin the story for you but to see the story of Billy's personal torment as he decides to believe and the way God worked in his life is inspiring. To see how Billy mocked evangelists and yet God saved him and put him in the ministry as an evangelist is exciting. Maybe the part of the story I most enjoyed was watching Billy's dad gather with men around an old stump and pray for God to do a great work and call out someone to take the gospel message to the world. There Billy stands almost mocking God, his dad, preachers, and the gospel that will soon become so important in his life. I personally enjoyed the book very much. I think it is well written and makes it hard to put down. I was excited to watch God work and see how God used a man who never really sought the greatness that he was later afforded. Get the book and read it. I really think you will enjoy it!

"Billy" by William Paul McKay & Ken Abraham is a biography about Billy Graham and I was expecting just that, a boring biography. I was completely mistaken. Though the book did a great job of retelling a series of life-altering moments in Billy's life, I was not expecting such a dramatic novelistic approach. The book begins with Charles Templeton, one of Billy Graham's best friends, who is being interviewed by a lady named Deborah who's looking for any dirt she can find on Billy in order to boost her career as a journalist. Right off the bat, Templeton makes it known that there is absolutely no dirt to be found when it comes to Billy Graham. "He's the genuine article. He actually believe all that stuff he preaches," as Templeton says it. But as you continue on, you begin to see that while Templeton who has left his beliefs in Christianity long ago, he deeply admires Billy even though he often makes comments that he has "committed intellectual suicide." Templeton takes us through many events in Billy's life such as the moment he began to believe in Christ to the dark woods when he was filled with doubts about his faith and on the verge of giving up. As we make this journey through Billy's life, we are also given a glimpse into the life of Charles Templeton and how he began to doubt his beliefs in Christianity which eventually lead him to leaving his ministry to pursue a degree and declaring himself agnostic. It was Templeton's doubts in God that brought Billy to that tree stump in the middle of the woods in CA one dark night. In those moments, Billy was on his knees before God pleading for answers. "Oh God, there are many things in [the Bible] that I don't understand. There are questions in this book that I just can't answer. There are some areas that don't seem to correlate with modern science. So give me something. Anything! Where are you?" Then Billy remembered his mother reminding him that Jesus will never leave you nor forsake you. Billy looked back at his Bible and declared, "You said in Your Word that the just shall live by faith," and he never looked back. Billy knew in that moment that he would believe in faith that in the Bible was the truly inspired Word of God. It was after this test of faith that Billy Graham's ministry grew into what we all know of today. I would definitely recommend this book anyone who has had doubts about their faith. As Billy says early on in his life, it is okay to question. It's those questions that will lead you to the Truth if you choose to pursue it.

Title: Billy Author: William Paul McKay and Ken Abraham Publisher: Thomas Nelson 2008 ISBN: 978-0-8499-2067-7 Genre: Inspirational/biography It always comes down to this, us coming face to face with ourselves and with God and working out our own soul's salvation with fear and trembling. This book written by William Paul McKay and Ken Abraham is a wonderful portrayal of exactly how this happened in the life of the Reverend Billy Graham. A biographical parallel between the lives of Billy Graham and Charles Templeton, Billy takes us back to the very beginning, where the two young men give their lives to Christ. We follow them on their journey through life. We see each man facing their doubts, even faltering, but one man stays true to God and to the calling of God on his life. This book will cause you to laugh, cry, grieve and rejoice, with each step of faith, or lack of faith as the two young men face up to their questions and doubts. Never before have I read authors who have so perfectly portrayed the spiritual battle for Dr Graham's soul. Just as doubt was planted (by the enemy of our souls) into the mind's of Billy and Charles, the difference in each man was FAITH. The just shall live by faith and not by sight. This part of the book spoke volumes to me concerning the battle for all of our souls, and how the enemy strives to keep us from fulfilling our destiny in Christ. We settle for mediocrity, and never reach our full potential spiritually, let us be like Billy and press through the warfare. I feel this is a must read book for all Christians, especially those struggling with their faith, it is more than a biographical book, there is a message for us in the pages of this book. A picture of true integrity is portrayed in all the areas of Dr Graham's life. Literally millions of people have made decisions for Christ in the crusades. This year is Dr Graham's 90th birthday, what an awesome blessing God has given to the world via Dr Graham. Billy is a book that makes you feel a very part of the life of Billy Graham. A highly recommended book from this reviewer! 264 pages $19.99