Billy Graham Library
Encyclopedia
Evangelism
Evangelism refers to the practice of relaying information about a particular set of beliefs to others who do not hold those beliefs. The term is often used in reference to Christianity....
Billy Graham
Billy Graham
William Franklin "Billy" Graham, Jr. is an American evangelical Christian evangelist. As of April 25, 2010, when he met with Barack Obama, Graham has spent personal time with twelve United States Presidents dating back to Harry S. Truman, and is number seven on Gallup's list of admired people for...
. The 40000 square feet (3,716.1 m²) complex opened to the public on June 5, 2007. The library is located on the grounds of the international headquarters of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is an organization started by Billy Graham in 1950. The main focus of the BGEA is to spread the gospel of Jesus Christ to as many people as possible...
in Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte, North Carolina
Charlotte is the largest city in the U.S. state of North Carolina and the seat of Mecklenburg County. In 2010, Charlotte's population according to the US Census Bureau was 731,424, making it the 17th largest city in the United States based on population. The Charlotte metropolitan area had a 2009...
, a few miles from where Billy Graham grew up. The library is styled after a dairy barn
Dairy Barn
Dairy Barn is a chain of regional convenience stores located in Long Island, New York, with headquarters in East Northport.The stores are distinguished by their drive-through feature and their red barn appearance with little red silo....
to reflect Graham's childhood on a farm.
The main galleries within the library showcase numerous presentations, pictures, music, artifacts, and voices from throughout Graham's ministry. One gallery is entirely devoted to Ruth Bell Graham, the late wife of the evangelist. There is a dairy bar café and bookstore called "Ruth's Attic." All visitors enter the Library through doors at the base of a 40 feet (12.2 m) glass cross. Also located on the Library grounds is the Prayer Garden, where Ruth Graham was buried on June 17, 2007. She was against being buried there, and preferred her home in the mountains to be her final resting place until just before she died. In March 2009 the wife of long time music director for Rev. Billy Graham Cliff Barrows (Wilma "Billie" Barrows ) was also buried on the Library grounds.