Thousands endured soaring temperatures to hear him preach. On the second day alone, 4,400 out of the 92,000 strong crowd, including many young people, came forward to commit to Jesus Christ, according to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
In a real bid to bring youths back to Christ, Graham committed a great part of the three day festival to events with a nobly youth focus, including a performance by "Jars of Clay" at the 'Concert of hope'. Also with an understanding of the more day-to-day spiritual concerns that belies his age, he touched right on the concerns of many youths today, saying if you do not know Christ then you "haven’t found purpose, you haven’t found meaning."
Despite this enduring fervour and passion to reach out to the hearts of non-believers, the signs of aging and illness were visible - his 23 minute sermon much shorter than expected.
Likely to decline an invitation to speak at an Anglican meeting in London later this year, Graham admitted himself "I know it wont be long".
Clear sadness and regret that this may be the last visit to the city, however, have not dissipated the clear joy and spiritual relief that many have received from this visit. Reverend A. R. Bernard of the Christian Cultural Centre in Brooklyn commented that "we are celebrating the end of 60 years of ministry with Billy Graham."
Even if Graham, soon to be 87, never returns to preach in New York, the poignancy of his words, and indeed the core of his sermon throughout the festival, will likely endure. "Jesus said it’s possible to start life all over again…That’s why he said you must be born again."
Understandably the final tour of this tour de force is being marked as the end of an era in not only the American religious scene, but also in evangelicalism worldwide.
Bill Clinton summed everyone's sentiments when he said "God bless you friend. God bless."
Maria Mackay
Christian Today Correspondant