From radio to television and beyond, Billy Graham used emerging technology throughout his ministry to reach people with the Gospel.

“We live in a constantly changing world, and this is especially true in technology,” Billy Graham once said. Looking back on his first experiences with radio as a young boy, he said: “I can still remember the wonder I felt when my father tuned in to a distant station for the first time. Who could have imagined then the world we live in—or what the world will be like a generation or so from now?”

It would not be long before another emerging technology captured his attention. Billy Graham visited the New York World’s Fair in 1940, where he first encountered TV.

“It was the first time I ever saw television. They had a camera where, as you walked by, you could see yourself on a screen. We never thought it would amount to anything, though. It seemed too incredible!” he recalled in his autobiography, Just As I Am.

Little did Billy Graham know at the time, the same technology would later become a powerful tool for proclaiming the Gospel to millions.

In 1950, Hour of Decision made its national radio debut, reaching homes across the country with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The program’s success soon opened another door: television— the very technology Billy Graham had once looked at with amazement, never expecting it to amount to much.

On Sept. 30, 1951, the Hour of Decision television program brought Billy Graham’s message of hope into homes across America for the first time. Unlike a traditional Crusade broadcast, the television program was produced in a studio, bringing together preaching, music and personal testimonies.

The program centered on Billy Graham’s preaching of the Good News of Jesus Christ, with Cliff Barrows serving as host and George Beverly Shea providing special music. At times, the program also featured footage from Billy Graham’s Crusades, giving viewers a glimpse of the evangelistic meetings taking place across the country.

The television version of Hour of Decision continued until 1954. Though relatively brief compared with the radio program—which remained on the air for decades—it helped lay the groundwork for what would become a significant part of Billy Graham’s ministry.

Just a few years later, television cameras captured Billy Graham preaching during the historic 1957 New York Crusade at Madison Square Garden. In the decades that followed, millions around the world would hear the Gospel through televised Billy Graham Crusades and specials.

That same principle continues through the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association today. From television specials and Gospel spots to online videos and social media, emerging technology continues to provide new ways to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.

The technology may change, but the Gospel message does not.

Discover more about Billy Graham’s Hour of Decision and how he used emerging media to advance the Gospel around the world when you visit the Journey of Faith at the Billy Graham Library. Book your free tour today.