The Jesus Generation by Billy Graham

Posted by Kevin D. Hendricks on January 22, 2009

Take a retro ride into Christianity circa 1971 with your favorite crusading hipster, Billy Graham. That’s the basic feel of The Jesus Generation by Billy Graham.

In a book that’s understandably out-of-print, Graham tries to “rap” with the youth of America and get them to “turn on” to Jesus. Graham often borrows campy ’60s and ’70s expressions in an attempt to connect with the younger generation, and 30 years later it’s kind of funny.

As a challenging and encouraging devotional book it falls a little short. As a retro ride it’s very insightful and entertaining.

The book is very telling of the times (there’s a lot of environmental doom and gloom), and you even learn that on a few occasions Billy Graham himself visited various rock festivals, protests and love-ins in an attempt to understand the masses. Of course he attended “incognito” (meaning he donned a hat, sun glasses, and a big sweater).