Billy Graham was my first and primary influence when it came to citywide, mass evangelism. He gave me a vision for reaching large crowds in person, as well as through radio and television. I was personally challenged by his writing and speaking, and I’ve always been very open about telling people that I base much of our ministry on his model. I am grateful for many mentors through the years, and Billy Graham is one of them.

It was in Argentina that I first heard Billy on the radio, one late night, as he preached in one of his programs.  His passionate delivery of the Good News message made a huge impact on me as a 17-year-old.  I didn’t even know who he was that night. Later, after I came to the United States and dreamt of having my own evangelistic team, Mr. Graham was the one who advised me to focus on reaching big cities.

Do you have someone you admire? Someone you aspire to be like? I think it’s important to seek out a mentor. Someone who can help you grow. Proverbs tells us, “Walk with the wise and become wise, for a companion of fools suffers harm.”

What wise person can you walk with today? The more wisdom we gain, the more effectively we will be able to reach our world, and the fewer mistakes we will make.                                                                                                  This is Luis Palau.