“We were concerned about giving the right counsel to the
people who were making decisions,” said Cliff, “and it was wear-
ing us out. We would stay after the service and go to the inquiry
room where we’d talk about the decision they had made, the
importance of prayer and Bible reading, identifying with a church,
and sharing your faith. By the time we were done, it took all our
energy out of us.”
As Cliff and Billy talked about the need, the name of Dawson
Trotman came up. He’d earlier been a colleague of Billy’s and had
recently started a ministry called the Navigators, which empha-
sized systematic growth in the spiritual life. Cliff knew Dawson,
respected him highly, and said, “Let’s call him.”
Billy asked Dawson to come to Louisiana to advise them.
When he arrived and observed what they were doing with inquir-
ers, he said, “You’re going to kill yourselves and wear yourselves
out trying to do all this. Let some of the rest of us study this and
see what we can do.”
With Billy’s encouragement, Dawson developed packets of Scrip-
ture verses and basic explanations of the Christian life. “That was
the beginning of our follow-up and counseling materials,” said Cliff.
“Billy didn’t try to do that himself. He gave himself to preaching and
his calling as an evangelist.” But while lasering in on his mission, he
made a “big ask” for help in preparing for those who responded.
Broaden Your Base of Help
Having clarified his primary mission, Billy could welcome help
from others, even from some who differed on other issues. This
has been the source of some of the most vocal criticism of Billy
Graham over the years. Only his laser-sharp understanding of his
central calling has enabled him to navigate these issues.
One example arose during his 1987 meetings in Denver. Col-
orado Governor Richard Lamm was a platform guest on opening
night. Lamm was known as a liberal Democrat who had recently
made controversial statements about euthanasia and the obliga-
tion of the terminally ill to expedite their deaths, thus freeing up
resources for others.
Lasering In on the Mission