forward to further disrupt Billy’s efforts. Then a group of thirty
“Jesus People”—a dynamic, Christian splinter movement from
the youth counterculture—linked hands and confronted the pro-
testers, chanting “Jesus” and encouraging them to submit their
lives to Christ. The protest faded, and the “Jesus People” passed
along a message that eventually reached Billy on the podium:
“Tell Billy Graham: ‘The Jesus People love him.’”
Billy—for many a symbol of the “establishment”—was
beloved by many in the counterculture. How was this possible?
Among many factors, they appreciated his efforts to humbly reach
out on their terms rather than force them to “clean up” and meet
in environments comfortable to him. Historian Larry Eskridge has
noted the significant impact of Billy’s innovative leadership. Had
Billy taken issue with hair length and music styles, perhaps evan-
gelicalism would have developed a debilitating generation gap.
Eskridge wrote, “Without the welcoming arms of Billy Gra-
ham and other evangelical leaders, there would have been no
bridge ‘back’ for thousands of refugees from the counterculture—
just another disillusioning hassle and prolonged battle with
another facet of the Establishment.”
■ ■ ■Generational changes often catch leaders unaware, and Billy’s
sensitivities did not ensure against that. Rick Marshall noticed in
the late 1980s a developing generational disconnect. As director
of Billy’s campaigns, he relied on the support of local ministers,
who began hinting to Marshall that evangelism meetings had run
their course. Even Billy’s biggest supporters were concerned. Mar-
shall remembers their saying, “If you’re younger than fifty and
don’t watch Larry King Live, you may never have heard of Billy
Graham!”
Marshall knew the campaign programming had become
dated, so imagine his concern when the cochairmen of Billy’s
1994 Cleveland campaign—businessman Gordon Heffern and for-
mer Cleveland Indians all-star Andre Thornton—asked him how
Innovating