The following article is reprinted from the March 2005 issue of Tri-State Voice.

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

Let's get real for a second.

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.

His sentiment, shared by many, is rooted in the experience of being burned before. Those of us who've been around the ministry block in New York for any length of time have seen ministries blow in and out with designs on saving our city. Some come with reputations, real or imagined, as great evangelists or prophets or apostles. Some come with the rhetoric of humility but the reality of ego. Some claim a calling, others a divine right. But mainly they just come and go.

They get their photo op and we're left to clean up the mess.

Usually the preferred method is to conduct a grand event in the tradition of American evangelicalism. Often, they do things that offend local sensibilities, like call the campaigns "crusades." The efforts don't come cheaply because everything - everything! - costs more in New York than elsewhere, and it seems they're willing to pay for everything - everything! - except the blood, sweat, and tears of the folks who live here.

In the early stages they say what we want them to say: That their event is more than an event. That their ministry is not like all the rest. That they won't drain resources from the City. That they'll invest training and catalyze unity. That we'll experience an outpouring of God. That follow-up won't be an afterthought.

As a critical mass buys in, they invite us to own the process. But in time, ownership devolves into joining a committee tasked with following their tried-and-true ministry methods. They ask us how they can avoid the mistakes of their predecessors, but then ignore our suggestions. They tell us our opinions matter then they do what they were going to do anyway. Eventually they get frustrated when we stop attending meetings, returning calls, forwarding emails, recruiting volunteers, and distributing flyers. In the end, they blame us for the disappointments.

How do I know the 2005 Greater New York Billy Graham Crusade isn't just more of the same? Truthfully, I don't. I didn't know for sure when I signed up and I can't say with certainty today. At least not in the same way I now know (as much as it pains me to know this) that in 2004 the Red Sox reversed 86 years of failure to finally win a World Series.

But I can believe. I have to believe. Not in Billy Graham. Not in the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association or its staff. Not in the Executive Committee or the General Committee or the Youth Committee or any of the dozen other Crusade committees. Frankly, whether I possess confidence in any of them is immaterial.

My confidence rests squarely in the One who transcends our record of failure. He alone conquered the curse of ineptitude and defies our penchant for rhetoric over substance. It's His team to which I belong.

And in His divine providence, He chose to bring the world's foremost evangelist Billy Graham to New York one last time. Despite our best attempts, He delayed the timing to June 2005 and has allowed venue uncertainty throughout the planning. In spite of our skepticism, He handpicked a ministry staff team comprised of character individuals who aren't afraid to tell it like it is and are willing to be stretched, personally and professionally. (And they have been stretched; more on that in next month's column.)

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?

What if this is the year the spiritual Red Sox of our city finally achieve the impossible? For all I know, in His timeline the Crusade might be more spring training than World Series, but what if it plays even a small role in the outpouring of God's spirit on our city and nation that we have desperately yearned to see for so long?

What if all of that is true, and I somehow miss out because past disappointments kept me sidelined? That's a failure I, for one, refuse to experience.

We've got four months left to prepare for the impossible. Let's be ready.

Next month: "Billy Graham to NY Youth: Get Real."

- Die-hard Yankee fan Jeremy Del Rio, Esq. co-chairs the Youth Committee of the Greater New York Billy Graham Crusade. Comment on the article at his webblog. For more on Jeremy, read his bio here.

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Additional articles by Jeremy available online:

Things We Don't Talk About (February 2005)
The X Factor:Redefining a Generation for Xmas (December 2004)
An Embarrassment of Riches: Economic Injustice and the Church (November 2004)
Wake Up from Slumber: Civic Hypocrisy and Voter Dysfunction (October 2004)
A Letter to My Son on Father's Day (June 2004)
Fight of the Fatherless (May 2004)
Let's Talk about Sex (April 2004)
Beyond Passion: Living a Crucified Life (March 2004)
Losing Races: A Dream Deferred (February 2004)
A Crisis of Zeroes: Engaging NYC Public Schools (September 2003)
WWJD (What Would Jay-Z Do): Engaging Youth Culture (August 2003)
The Joshua Paradox: Establishing a Meaningful Mentorship Model (July 2003)
Young People are NOT the Future: Embracing the YW8? (Why Wait?)™ Generation (June 2003)
Thanks to Heroes (September 2002)
A View from Ground Zero (September 2001)
By Any Means Necessary: Free Hot Dogs and Youth Evangelism (July 2001)
Ground Zero Photos (Photography)

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