Billy Graham to Local Youth: 'Get Real'

"Even when I am old and gray, do not forsake me, O God, till I declare your power to the next generation, your might to all who are to come." (Ps. 71:18)

Answer: Five million. Question: How many young people under 19 live in metro New York?

Answer: A reality check. Question: How are they going to have a credible opportunity to attend the Greater New York Billy Graham Crusade?

In February, the Youth Committee for the Crusade and 787 participants adopted the modest goal of giving five million young people a credible opportunity to attend the Crusade. Yes, the Youth Committee and the local pastors that appointed us need a reality check.

Fortunately, Billy Graham is coming to New York this June to provide just that: a reality check called "Get Real."

Get Real defines both the essence of Mr. Graham's message and the strategy to generate awareness that he'll be in the city one last time to deliver it. It also establishes how and why the Crusade is relevant to un-churched kids, who would otherwise care less about sacrificing a summer Saturday to listen to an unfamiliar, 86-year old Southern preacher.

The message of Get Real is about a real man presenting real answers to real life issues. The real man, whom Christians regard as the world's foremost evangelist, is also the preeminent pop icon who has spoken live to more people than any other person in history. Yet his life reflects impeccable integrity, the same private character as public persona, and he is as concerned about individuals as he is for a crowd of half a million.

The real answers he offers meet people where they are, in their language, at the point of their greatest need. They transform lives through unconditional love that reaches into the mire of humanity without judgment, resisting the urge to be trite and simplistic.

The people with whom he associates have real issues. His invitation to "come as you are," transcends the hypocrisy of many churches as eternal truth, not just a cliché. All are welcome despite the complications of self-doubt, family dysfunctions, sex, drugs, or worse.

The strategy of Get Real is about recognizing opportunity and seizing it wisely. The historic opportunity demands our participation for dozens of reasons, including the following:

First, Mr. Graham is coming to New York for what might be the final crusade of his career at precisely the moment of his greatest spiritual impact. Recovering from hip and pelvis surgeries and battling Parkinson's disease, he is physically weaker than ever before. Yet his spiritual strength is at its peak, because in our weakness we experience God's strength.

Second, a local army of youth workers larger than Billy Graham has ever had in his ministry's nearly 60-year history-larger than Gideon's army and more numerous than David's "Mighty Men"-has already amassed. As of the February 26th Square One breakfast, 787 youth workers have agreed to participate.

Third, metro New York has more kids than any other market in the country, and their disproportionate influence on youth culture reverberates worldwide through the echo chambers of MTV, Fashion Avenue, and other media outlets.

Fourth, local Crusade leadership is willing to put their money where their mouth is and invest significant resources in the Get Real campaign.

Fifth, the local Billy Graham staff team is willing to be stretched. Leadership begins at the top, and crusade director Art Bailey has encouraged creativity.

Seizing the opportunity requires strategic focus and effective coordination of efforts. While the cause we have embraced is simple, implementation is not easy. Giving 5 million kids a credible opportunity means they need to know the event is happening and understand its relevance. To this end, Get Real has embraced a grassroots strategy that empowers students themselves to invite their friends. The Crusade Youth Committee will provide credible invitation tools, including an illustrated booklet and multimedia CD, that they will be excited to distribute at their schools.

In order for your youth ministry to Get Real with Billy Graham, register with the Crusade office by emailing youth@greaternycrusade.org. Embrace the Billy Graham Four Pillars for effective evangelism: Prayer, Training, Outreach, and Follow-up. Identify the high schools that your students attend, and commit to promote Get Real at those schools. Lastly, understand that local youth leaders must cultivate long-term relationships beyond the event in order to expand and preserve the harvest.

We in youth ministry serve a generation desperate for authenticity. Let's leverage this Crusade to give them Truth-modeled in how we live, not just the words we say-that meets them on their terms. And transforms their lives.

- Jeremy R. Del Rio directs Generation Xcel and co-chairs the Crusade's Youth Committee. For more of his writings, visit his weblog: www.GenXcel.blogspot.com. For information on the upcoming Billy Graham Crusade visit www.Billygraham.org or call (212) 857-2005.

Why I Support the Billy Graham Crusade (and Pray You Do Too)

Billy Graham is coming to New York in June for his final crusade in the city, and quite possibly the last crusade of his distinguished career. So what? Why should you care, beyond perhaps the historical curiosity of the 86-year old, so-called “Protestant Pope” retiring?

My friend, for one, doesn’t. He's a respected youth pastor in the city who told me: "I don't [care] about Billy Graham and I don't [care] about this crusade." Shocking as this might seem to some, I don't believe he meant any disrespect. ...

Locally, our collective response to this Crusade says much more about the makeup of Christ's team in Greater New York than it does Billy Graham or his ministerial association. Can we forgive past frustrations? Can we link arms with folks whose traditions are a little different than ours? Can we join our community mission to a larger ministry vision? Can we bear the relative inconvenience of attending trainings, participating in the process (not just the event!), and sacrificing a June weekend?

By Jeremy Del Rio, excerpted from the March issue of the Tristate Voice. Read the entire column here.