Billy Graham
The Man I Knew
Will be published approx. on 18. June 2026
Book
Paperback/Softback
432 pages
978-1-5107-8497-0 (ISBN)
Description
Billy Graham Was the World's Best-Known Evangelist-Loved and Admired by Millions. But Very Few Knew Him Personally.
Pastor and bestselling author Greg Laurie was one of those fortunate few, blessed with an insider's view of Billy Graham's world for more than two decades.
With the same painstaking research and eye for detail that distinguishes his previous biographies, Steve McQueen: Salvation of an American Icon and Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon, Laurie now turns to the life of his beloved mentor, offering the intimate perspective of a disciple and friend.
As a strapping North Carolina farm boy, Graham surrendered his life to Jesus at a camp meeting led by a blustery itinerant preacher, but he never lost the mischievous twinkle in his eye or his fun-loving air.
Laurie sheds light on Graham's lesser-known struggles-such as a broken heart before he met the love of his life and a crisis of faith from which he emerged stronger than ever. From the evangelist's private challenges and public successes to his disappointments and joys, Billy Graham: The Man I Knew provides a vivid portrait of one of history's most remarkable Christian lives.
Pastor and bestselling author Greg Laurie was one of those fortunate few, blessed with an insider's view of Billy Graham's world for more than two decades.
With the same painstaking research and eye for detail that distinguishes his previous biographies, Steve McQueen: Salvation of an American Icon and Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon, Laurie now turns to the life of his beloved mentor, offering the intimate perspective of a disciple and friend.
As a strapping North Carolina farm boy, Graham surrendered his life to Jesus at a camp meeting led by a blustery itinerant preacher, but he never lost the mischievous twinkle in his eye or his fun-loving air.
Laurie sheds light on Graham's lesser-known struggles-such as a broken heart before he met the love of his life and a crisis of faith from which he emerged stronger than ever. From the evangelist's private challenges and public successes to his disappointments and joys, Billy Graham: The Man I Knew provides a vivid portrait of one of history's most remarkable Christian lives.
Reviews / Votes
"Among the many things that stand out about my dad-the preacher- is that he had a desire to invest in younger preachers. His heart con- nected with those who had a passion for preaching God's truth to future generations. My longtime friend Greg Laurie is one of these guys. I've often said that the public Billy Graham seen on Crusade platforms and television was the same private Billy Graham at home. This certainly is revealed in Billy Graham: The Man I Knew, which is based on Greg's personal thoughts on the special times spent with my father and how his ministry impacted Greg's own life and evangelistic ministry. I am grateful for Greg's friendship, for his love for my father, and for his proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ."-FRANKLIN GRAHAM, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse
"In this page-turner of a book I learned things about my father that I never knew! Greg Laurie has done a masterly job of setting my father's life in historical and cultural context. I pray that Billy Graham: The Man I Knew will draw readers to the Gospel, where they will find the love of God that he preached so fervently and faithfully."
-ANNE GRAHAM LOTZ, bestselling author of Jesus in Me
"God delights in using ordinary people to do extraordinary things. That a kid who grew up on a dairy farm in North Carolina would grow up to be the greatest evangelist the world has ever known is just the sort of thing that must make God smile. In Billy Graham: The Man I Knew, Greg Laurie will pull Dr. Graham out of the stained glass you might be tempted to put him in and inspire you to believe God wants to use you too!"
-LEVI LUSKO, lead pastor of Fresh Life Church and bestselling author
"In our world of chaos and negativity, it is so refreshing to read in depth about the life of Billy Graham. His unwavering commitment to the Lord and to sharing the Gospel is unparalleled. He was never corrupted by fame or the magnitude of his platform. He was genuine, humble, and loved Jesus until his last breath. Greg Laurie has done a phenomenal job of capturing the heart and life of the legendary Billy. This is completely inspiring and well worth the read!"
-JEREMY CAMP, Grammy Award-nominated singer, songwriter, and storyteller
"Much has been said about 'the next Billy Graham.' It's not only a title that is passed around today, but Leonard Ravenhill wrote in a personal letter to a friend using that phrase as far back as the 1960s. People have been measuring against Billy Graham's impact for a half-century. He won't like me saying this, but I have shared multiple times publicly that Greg Laurie is the 'Billy Graham of Now' because of the unusual level of anointing I see on his ministry for salvations.
So it is fitting that my hero Greg Laurie is writing about his personal friendship with Billy and the great impact Billy had on our world. I've ready many books on Billy Graham, but this one should be at the top of your list. Your faith will be edified by Billy Graham's pure heart for God and the Gospel."
-MATT BROWN, evangelist, author of Truth Plus Love, and founder of Think Eternity
"Billy Graham preached to more people than anyone in history, and his massive influence continues to this day as he is beloved by millions. But what was the man really like? Greg Laurie gives us an up-close look at the great evangelist and offers a new generation the story of one of the greatest Christians who has ever lived. Greg has done us all a great service in providing this fresh and inspiring biography of a spiritual hero."
-DR. JACK GRAHAM, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas, and host of PowerPoint with Jack Graham, which airs weekly on TBN
"This book introduces Billy Graham to a whole new generation. And the perfect person to write this is Greg Laurie. For years I have thought of Billy's anointing falling on Greg like Elijah's mantle fluttering down from heaven onto Elisha. This dynamic makes Billy Graham: The Man I Knew a most interesting read. I must confess I thought I knew all about Billy Graham's biography after studying him for half my life. Boy was I wrong! Pastor Greg revealed so many unheard stories and insights into Graham's life that the world has never heard. Reading every word of this book, from cover to cover, had me mesmerized. Let me tell you this is a book every Millennial has to read. The world has received a gift in Greg Laurie's friendship with Billy Graham documented in this compelling narrative."
-BEN COURSON, bestselling author, a TV and radio personality, an international speaker, founder of Hope Generation, and the senior pastor at Applegate Christian Fellowship in Oregon
"I opened Billy Graham: The Man I Knew, and after a few chapters I was mesmerized. The combination of deep truths and vibrant moments kept me glued to teachings that my soul remembers crying out for so many troubled years ago. Traveling with him in these stories brought everything about eternal destiny into clear focus. He was common, he was consistent, and he was centered. Like King David he was a man after God's own heart, but upon reading Billy Graham: The Man I Knew, I realized that even more than that he was a man after my heart and yours. Billy Graham the man was summarized perfectly in one of the early chapters: 'In ordinary conversations and in the pulpit, he was able to take the complex and make it simple enough for a regular person to understand . . . a rare combination of a Statesman-Everyman-the farmer who was sought out by presidents, the country preacher who touched the world.'
And if you are looking for romance . . . herein lies the love story of the ages.
-KEN MANSFIELD, former U.S. Manager of Apple Records and author of The Roof: The Beatles' Final Concert and The Beatles, the Bible, and Bodega Bay
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
New York, NY
United States
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Dimensions
Height: 210 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 22 mm
Weight
431 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-5107-8497-0 (9781510784970)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Greg Laurie, the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, one of the largest churches in America, has written more than seventy books. Featured on the syndicated radio program A New Beginning and on a weekly television show on the Trinity Broadcasting Network, he serves on the board of directors of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He and his wife, Cathe, are the parents of two and grandparents of five.