Billy Graham on Retirement

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks on January 23, 2009

In 1952 Billy Graham hit a wall of exhaustion in his early 30s and wasn’t sure he could go on.

“I’ve always thought my life would be a short one,” Graham said at the time. “I don’t think my ministry will be long. I think God allowed me to come for a moment and it will be over soon.”

Yet Billy Graham continued to do crusade ministry until 2005, speaking to nearly 215 million people in live audiences in over 185 countries. While frail and mostly homebound today, he continues to minister.

“The New Testament says nothing of Apostles who retired and took it easy,” Graham said in a 1993 article about his 75th birthday. Graham turned 90 last fall and is currently writing a book about growing old.

“It doesn’t make me feel any different, turning 75, than when I turned 45,” Graham said in 1993. “But when I see pictures of my 19 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren, I know some time has passed. I let days like that slip by and try to forget it. I’m not looking backward. I’m looking to the future.”