Competent Communicator

America’s Pastor—The Reverend Billy Graham

A person that I consider to be an eloquent and effective communicator is Reverend Billy Graham. He goes down in history as the only preacher to be acquainted and advisor to every president since 1950 including President Barack Obama. Reverend Billy Graham used the media to get his message of Christianity and Jesus Christ out in a live audience format on radio and television and is still being rebroadcast today.  According to Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (2013) more than 3.2 million people have responded to the invitation at the Crusades to accept Jesus Christ as their personal savior. As of 2008, Graham's estimated lifetime audience, including radio and television broadcasts, topped 2.2 billion.  “For the 56th time since 1955, Billy Graham has made the USA Today/Gallup Top 10 list of Most Admired Men in the World” (Freeze, 2013, para. 1).                                                                                                                               

The qualities that I deem that makes him such a persuasive speaker are not only his powerful and well-articulate way of speaking, but it is the amazing way in which he connects to the audience that stands out.  “Successful people usually have a well-developed set of skills that allows them to do their work successfully, inspiring others in the process” (O’Hair & Wiemann, 2012, p. 19).  I remember as a child sitting with my Daddy in front of the television watching the Reverend Billy Graham.  He would place his hands upon the podium and with a clear commanding voice and there would be silence among the thousands gathered to listen to him preach the gospel.  His distinctive voice would fill the stadium as he preached the power of the love of God.  Reverend Graham said, “You must come publicly if you profess Jesus before men, He will profess you before His Father.”  Thousands would come forward.  Reverend Graham’s words and presence were so stirring and moving that my Daddy and I would cry and I rarely saw my Daddy cry.  Yes, I would love to model my communication behaviors after this person because I greatly admire his ability to connect with others and express his beliefs and opinions in a way that is well received.    

References

Freeze, T. (2013). Billy Graham among most admired 56^th time. Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Retrieved from http://www.billygraham.org/articlepage.asp?articleid=9138

O’Hair, D., & Wiemann, M. (2012). Real communication: An introduction. New York: Bedford/St. Martins