The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham

The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham

 

S T U D Y G U I D E Q U E S T I O N S

The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham Study Guide Questions
©2005 by The Zondervan Corporation

Prepared by Lee Eclov, Senior Pastor, Village Church of Lincolnshire, Illinois.
Requests for information should be addressed to
Zondervan, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49530

 

This study guide is provided for use with leadership teams, board/committee meetings, small groups, or classrooms in connection with
reading The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham. This study guide is available for free download at www.Zondervan.com.

As you work through these questions with your group, the leader may want to choose just three or four questions per chapter for discussion,
with a couple more held in reserve. Or you might take turns choosing the next question. Time constraints may not allow you to discuss all ten questions on each chapter. Also if time does not permit you to focus on each of the twenty-one chapters, choose those
chapters that best fit your team’s needs.

Introduction
1. When do you remember first hearing of Billy Graham, or what is one of your earliest memories
of him?
2. What one thing has particularly impressed you about Billy Graham over the years?
3. The introduction to Part one begins with a quote by Philip Yancey: “The giants all had one
thing in common: neither victory nor success, but passion” (p. 17). What is one thing you’ve
learned about passion in your work?
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C H A P T E R 1
Igniting!
1. The beginning of this chapter speaks of “ferocious resolve” as one of the qualities necessary
for leadership (p. 19). As you read this chapter, what did you discover leads to this “fierce
intensity of purpose”? If you sense that you or another leader lacked this quality, how could
you go about acquiring it?
2. It was surprising to read how Billy’s fiancée returned his engagement ring because, “I just
don’t see any real purpose in your life yet” (p. 21). How would you react if someone you
deeply respected or loved said that to you tomorrow? Would you protest or agree?
3. What experiences in your life have molded your sense of purpose? Has any particular scripture
been especially significant? Any key person?
4. Have you ever gone through a period of intense prayer like Billy experienced after the loss
of his fiancée (p. 21)? If you’re comfortable doing so, share what you were wrestling with and
what the outcome was?
5. Humility is the other quality necessary for leadership. on page 22 it says Billy “had entered
a life of helplessness—helpless to do this work that was far larger than his capacities.” The
Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 2:3, “I came to you in weakness with great fear and
trembling.” When in your work and ministry do you most identify with that statement?
When are you most likely to be overly self-confident?
6 . George Bennett explains that people in Boston laid aside their suspicions of Billy because he
was “a man without guile” (p. 25). Who is someone you know who is “without guile”? What
risks does such a person take? How does a person cultivate this quality?
7. Theodore Roosevelt lived all his life with what he called “black care” (p. 30). Do you think
such “black care” could be akin to the “thorn in the flesh” that Paul describes in 2 Corinthians
12:7–10? How can such a burden make for a better leader?
8. Is there a significant ministry future for the person who does not feel such an intense sense
of call as Billy Graham has (p. 31)? How would you counsel such a person?
9. Sherwood Wirt wrote, “All attempts to explain Billy Graham fail unless they begin at the
cross.” He then ties that to the Christian self-denial Billy learned to adopt (p. 31). What is one
frontier of self-denial you need to consider in order to sharpen your humility and work effectiveness?
10. Agree or disagree: “Leadership requires awareness of one’s own emotions and depths; awareness
of multiple forces shaping perceptions and drives; awareness of the dark and the light
and the large consequences of one’s acts” (p. 34). Doesn’t that seem like a lot to be aware of?
Can you identify one aspect of that quote that you are particularly aware of personally at
this time?
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C H A P T E R 2
Forming the Team
1. What appeals to you most about working with the same team for a long time? What would
be the drawbacks?
2. What are some of the tough challenges you face in building longevity and mutual strength
in your leadership team?
3. Cliff Barrows was Billy’s most crucial team member (p. 41). Tell about a significant team
member you’ve worked with. What made that person so vital to your team and to you at that
time?
4. Do you look to a team for counsel in your decision making, or do you prefer working out your
own conclusions most of the time? Could your team overrule a decision you make (v. 44)?
How well does your system work?
5. “Billy Graham built and energized his team and widely extended its spirit” (p. 46). How would
you describe the spirit of your team? How is the spirit of a leadership team extended through
its organization and beyond?
6. John Maxwell says, “Who you are is who you attract” (p. 47). What most attracts you to a
leader or a team? What kind of people do you think you are most likely to attract?
7. When was a time when you experienced the multiplied power of an ally in dealing with a
difficult situation (p. 46)? How did having an ally change things?
8. Organizations usually select people to fill a position like Director of Marketing, Volunteer
Coordinator, or Minister of Music. However, besides the skill sets necessary for those positions,
each team member brings another set of skills, like problem-solving expertise, compassion,
or innovation—skills which might apply to all kinds of tasks. With this in mind, how
would you answer the question on page 48, “Can we divide the key roles so that each player
maximizes strengths?”
9. How does your team have fun? The quote on page 49 says “the kind of fun [teams] have is
integral to their performance.” (Also see Billy’s quote on page 52.) How important is fun to
your team?
10. Teams focused on goals—even in Christian ministries—do not always know how to actively
integrate their faith and biblical values with their work as a group. Twice this chapter
addresses how Billy Graham’s team approached this challenge. Page 45 says Billy “was constantly
asking the question, ‘What is God actually saying we should do next?’” on page 51
Cliff Barrows summed up Billy’s contagious attitude: “He was confident in God.” Reread that
paragraph in the middle of p. 51. If outsiders evaluated your team over several weeks, what
would they see that indicates how you actually bring God to the table?
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C H A P T E R 3
Confronting Temptations
1. Reread the quote from Richard Baxter at the beginning of the chapter. From your experience,
do you think Christian leaders are “thoroughly acquainted with [their] temptations”?
Explain your answer. What is the secret to that kind of self-knowledge?
2. We can probably all affirm the observation on page 53 that, “Billy saw how spiritual enthusiasm
did not make you immune to greed, pride, lust, and ambition.” Why is that true?
Doesn’t spiritual enthusiasm help? Or does it stir up these temptations in some way?
3. If your team members all “went back to their rooms and listed all the problems” with temptation
that people in your particular roles encountered—problems especially likely for people
in your position, what would be on your list? Compare your list with your team members.
4. If your team were to develop its own “manifesto,” it probably wouldn’t be identical to the four
statements developed by Billy Graham’s team (p. 61). How would this exercise help you? Is
it worth an extended effort by your team?
5. Would the policy of never meeting alone with a person of the opposite sex be useful for your
team? What are the problems with this policy? If it isn’t practical for your team, what would
some useful guidelines be for dealing with such situations?
6. The third aspect of the “Modesto Manifesto” was not to badmouth others doing similar work.
Does that have any parallel to your team’s work? What kind of statement would get at the
unique challenges of your situation in responding well to “competitors”?
7. The statement on page 58 by Time magazine correspondent, David Aikman, is thought-provoking:
“The test of Graham’s soul, indeed, lay not in adversity, but in how he coped with
success.” What are your team’s most important recent successes? Apart from the obvious
temptation of pride in times of success, what are the challenges of coping with success?
8. The quote from Bill Pollard on page 59 begins, “Reputations are fragile.” What scares you
most about the challenge of building and maintaining a solid lifelong reputation? What elements
of a good reputation are most important to you? In other words, what to you are the
basic building blocks of integrity?
9. Bill Hybels says on page 60, “Leadership requires moral authority.” Why? What does moral
authority give a leader? Aren’t there key leadership tasks that are done by men or women
who do not have particularly strong moral authority?
10. The statement on page 62 is a good reminder: “Don’t pity poor Billy sitting in his hotel room
without lively and graphic entertainment.” Besides not being disgraced by guilt and sin, what
are the positive advantages of abiding by a holy “manifesto” of your own?
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C H A P T E R 4
Lasering In on the Mission
1. The quote from Peter Drucker at the beginning of the chapter says that super achievers know
when to say “No.” What are two or three things—valuable, important things—that are hard
for you say “No” to?
2. Dwight L. Moody’s motto was, “Consecrate, then concentrate.” How does consecration to
God shape one’s concentration? How has this worked out in your experience?
3. on page 67 George Brushaber says, “There was something about the central passion of his
life that attracted his people.” Have you ever been drawn to be involved with someone
because of “the central passion of his or her life”? What was the outcome? Are you at the
point where you could identify the central passion of your life? Be as specific as possible.
4. There are people with a great passion who do not attract others to their side. What did Billy
Graham have that attracted people to his passion? Are there different qualities that you’ve
seen in other leaders that attract people?
5. What are the problems such a focused person faces? What problems might they cause for others?
Did you spot any examples of these in this chapter?
6. Many people—even leaders—feel they do not have the freedom or calling to focus on one
thing like Billy Graham has with evangelism. They feel they must work on several important
fronts to do their work. A chapter like this could certainly be frustrating and unrealistic to
them, but how might it also help them, even with their multiple demands?
7. Page 73 refers to the “hedgehog principle”—seeing the one most important thing and constantly
burrowing in that direction. In the work you and your team do, what is the “One
most important thing”?
8. When Billy Graham brought in Dawson Trotman to develop follow-up material for new
believers (p. 75), he was enlisting someone to his team with a different laser focus than his
own (discipleship vs. evangelism). Who are the people on your team or in your organization
who have different concentrations? What is necessary for them to work as a team, even with
different basic priorities?
9. on page 76 it says, “Urgency is more important than even the leader’s own work ethic.” Evaluate
your own sense of urgency about your mission. What might be causing it to wane?
What is energizing your sense of urgency right now?
10. If you do not sense that you have the kind of laser-like focus on a mission that Billy Graham
has displayed, what are the take-aways from this chapter for you?
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C H A P T E R 5
Loving Harsh Critics
1. If it would be appropriate, share a story about a harsh critic you faced.
2. on page 80 the authors write, “To even his harshest critics he genuinely reached out in love,
thereby redeeming many a volatile situation but also empowering his own soul.” How does
responding properly to criticism empower our souls? Can you think of any scriptural support
for this idea?
3. Billy Graham often ignored his critics because “he feared engaging them would ultimately
detract from his mission” (p.81). Is it always that way for a leader? When must leaders engage
their critics lest they lose their mission?
4. There are several remarkable stories about Billy meeting with his critics to learn from them.
Think of specific critics you’ve known. Would anything have been gained from meeting with
them (or was something gained if you did)? What would the prospect of such a meeting do
to you inwardly? What would the night before such a meeting be like for you?
5. In preparing to meet with a critic, how would you prepare your heart? What Scripture might
help you? How exactly would you pray? What kind of attitude would you seek to acquire
before the meeting?
6. on page 84 it says that critics “force us to evaluate what we really believe about ourselves
and our mission.” How does criticism do that?
7. In the paragraph about Thomas à Kempis on pages 84–85 the observation was made that
Thomas was “more concerned about refining his soul than developing his leadership.” Strong
leaders are often not particularly inward people, and thus not as sensitive to soul-ish matters.
Have you experienced times where, in retrospect, you think God may have been more
concerned about the shaping of your soul than the outcome of your mission?
8. on page 85 the physical pain of athletic training is used as an analogy for the pain of criticism
that all leaders must face. Is that a good analogy? Is that really what criticism is like?
Why or why not?
9. All the critics mentioned in this chapter came, in a sense, from outside Billy Graham’s organization.
What is different when the critics are from within your organization? Do you have
to be more attentive? What can you take from this chapter even if you can’t always ignore
your critics?
10. Page 89 draws the conclusion, “Accept the Gift of a Good Enemy.” Can you look back on any
situations where you now see that a critic was really God’s gift to you?
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C H A P T E R 6
Communicating Optimism and Hope
1. Tell about a leader in your life whose hope and optimism inspired you?
2. Are you surprised to hear that Billy Graham was called Puddleglum by his family or that
among world leaders who accomplished the most, “melancholics were significantly overrepresented”
(page 94)? Do you know a leader who displays public optimism but wrestles
with “dark care”? Do you know how they cope with this situation?
3. Page 98 contrasts Ruth Graham’s natural optimism with Billy’s inclination to ask, “What
could go wrong?” Which is your natural inclination? Can you guess the inclinations of the
others on your team?
4. Since so many leaders have this melancholic bent, do you think there are actually some leadership
advantages to this kind of make up? Why is it that such men and women can rise to
the top of their fields?
5. How do you react to the discussion about creating a “script” that “we communicate to our
bodies” (p.96)? Have you ever tried this? Were you successful? How exactly does a Christian
draw this “script” from Scripture?
6. The Apostle Paul demonstrated this same Christian optimism even when he was hardpressed.
Perhaps the most vivid description of this is in 2 Corinthians 6:1–13. What can you
conclude from these verses about a Christian leader’s motivation for determined optimism?
7. Professor Carol Zaleski, reflecting on Mother Teresa, writes, “Faith must supply what is lacking
to our feeble senses” (p.99). How do you fortify your faith for difficult times? Can you
identify something you could do more effectively to build up your faith in those times?
8. on page 101 it says, “Christian leaders like Billy Graham most often link this optimism and
hope to an abiding trust that history is going somewhere and that God, who specializes in
redeeming flawed situations, is powerfully directing it.” What does that reality mean to you
in your team’s work? Do you specifically think about this perspective?
9. Jay Kessler learned that he had to “limit voicing his discouragements to those capable of
hearing them and helping” (p. 103). From your experience or observation, what are the most
important things colleagues can do for a leader who is heavily burdened but must project a
positive image?
10. Colin Powell’s statement on page 104 is a classic: “Leadership is the art of accomplishing more
than the science of management says is possible.” Right now, what does it mean for you or
your leadership team to project hope and optimism? How are you doing at that? How has
this chapter encouraged you?
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C H A P T E R 7
Mobilizing Money
1. Who have you known and respected who cared very little about money? In what ways was
that a plus? Were there any minuses?
2. As a donor to worthy organizations yourself, do you find the vision of your organization a
motivation to give? What would it take for that vision to be even more motivating for you?
(If your organization is not a non-profit, discuss a charitable organization near to your heart.)
3. on page 108 there is an interesting statement: “He listens so loud you can hear him.” What
would be involved in “listening loudly” to financial advisors? What is hard about listening
well to these advisors?
4. Billy Graham’s early experience of the Great Depression and an impoverished community
obviously had a life-long effect on him. How does your upbringing affect your view of
money?
5. Do you find Billy’s frugality and his concern about even the appearance of indulgence to be a
good example for you, or do you think he was a little over the top in this regard? While on
the job, would you ride in a limo or eat the best meal on the menu of a good restaurant?
What wouldn’t you do, for appearance’s sake?
6. How would you describe your connection with the financial side of your organization? Do
you think much about financial resources? Do you see your financial people as teammates,
foot-draggers, bureaucrats . . . what?
7. There is a striking statement in the middle of page 111: “Most ministers—or writers or scholars
or musicians—become so absorbed in their craft and mission, they don’t think much
about the necessary fiscal structure. Those few who do, geometrically expand their influence.”
How well do you think you understand your organization’s fiscal structure? Does your
fiscal structure multiply your ministry strength or hinder it. Any ideas on how you could
improve your situation?
8. Page 112 tells about a situation when Billy paid for some ministry expenses out of his own
pocket. Are there times when you do that? How do you feel about such experiences? Is it
good for a leader to pay some expenses out of his or her own pocket?
9. Page 117 speaks of an organization’s “money DNA.” Make three statements describing your
organization’s money DNA.
10. This chapter refers to Billy Graham’s frugality, as well as that of others like Ken Taylor
(p. 119). If you were convinced of a need, what would it take for you to give away more
money than you are now? Where would you sacrifice to do so? What kind of need would
have the strongest pull for you?
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C H A P T E R 8
Empowering Soul Mates
1. This chapter begins with a powerful story from the life of Max DePree, ending with this observation
(p. 123): “At the core of becoming a leader is the need always to connect one’s voice
and one’s touch.” Is there anyone in your life, outside your family, who has embodied this
for you, connecting voice and touch?
2. one of the things Billy did to draw in Sherwood Wirt to the organization, according to page
125, was, “He prayed with him.” What happens when you draw a potential teammate into
a time of sincere prayer? Is this something that is easy and natural for you to do, or would it
seem awkward? Is there any downside to praying with a potential teammate?
3. There is a lot of talk in this chapter about how Billy Graham shaped the BGEA’s organizational
DNA. What are the factors that have shaped your organization’s DNA (key people, events,
culture, crises)?
4. Have you seen the principle of “cascading trust” at work anywhere (p. 128)? What made it
happen? If you haven’t seen it, what do you think are the reasons why this doesn’t happen
in an organization?
5. on page 129 David Schmidt comments on the effectiveness of the systems in a mature organization
like the BGEA. Is your organization in its infancy, adolescence, or maturity? How do
you see the systems you have for accomplishing things reflecting your “age”? Can you name
one or two systems that have to be improved?
6. As we have seen in an earlier chapter, this chapter again mentions the importance of choosing
people for your organization whom you trust (p. 131). What are you learning about how
to accomplish that, especially when you may not have the luxury of spending a lot of time
with someone before bringing them on? What are tip-offs to a trustworthy person—both in
terms of loyalty and in terms of capability?
7. Bill Martin observes, “When Billy asks you to do something, you kind of want to find a way
to do it. You don’t want to let him down” (p. 131). What does it take for you to feel that way
about serving a leader? What are a couple of things you could do to improve in this area?
8. How do you react to the story on pages 132–33 of Billy’s overruling a decision? Have you had
experience on both sides of such a decision? What is the effect of a decision like Billy’s upon subordinates’
trust? How does a situation like this define an organization, for better or for worse?
9. Page 133 discusses how control is not the leader’s only tool. Of the various necessary qualities
listed, circle two or three that are your strongest, and underline two or three of the weakest.
Add any others that come to mind. Then discuss your observations with your team.
control passion sensitivity tenacity patience
courage firmness enthusiasm wonder
10. Mary Kay Ash says, “Everyone has an invisible sign hanging from his neck saying, ‘Make Me
Feel Important!’” (p. 134). Who are two or three people in your organization who are especially
good at making people feel important? What’s their secret?
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C H A P T E R 9
Expanding the Growing Edge
1. Most organizations are basically local; most boards and leadership teams do not discuss major
social issues very often, yet these big issues form the backdrop for much that they do. What
are the social or political issues that are most on your constituents’ minds? Which important
issues make them most uncomfortable?
2. Sherwood Wirt says of Billy Graham, “He thought like a large ruler. His vision outstripped
us all” (p.139). Who is a leader you admire who thinks like that?
3. on page 140 it mentions an African-American foreman for the Graham family who shaped
Billy’s sensibilities. Who is someone who shaped your social sensibilities, perhaps in a way
that might have been contrary to the community you grew up in?
4. How do racial issues affect your organization?
5. What are ways in which you think you deal with these issues well? What are ways in which
you think you deal with these issues poorly?
6. Billy’s convictions about racial issues did not come easily or quickly (p.143). What is one
strong conviction (theological, social, organizational, etc.) that you did not come to quickly?
What did it take for you to change?
7. The last full paragraph on page 144 discusses the need for leaders to be tactful in the way they
put forward their strong convictions. What do you think of that paragraph’s contention?
What is an important issue faced by your organization that needs to be addressed with special
sensitivity, given where your people are?
8. Garry Wills, in writing about Abraham Lincoln, said, “The leader needs to understand followers.
. . . This is the time-consuming aspect of leadership” (p.145). What is tricky about
understanding your followers right now, especially in their natural resistance to something
important?
9. Gerald Strober talks about the way a Billy Graham crusade brought people together: “A year
ago, people who didn’t know each other started praying together, started studying together,
started planning together. Now you see integration in the choir, on the platform, in the
stands” (p.146). Have you seen this kind of thing happen? What disparate groups within the
reach of your organization would you most like to see get together? Is there anything you
can imagine that would get them praying and working together?
10. Do you think there are any issues of social justice that God wants your team or organization
to tackle? How would God make this clear to you?
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C H A P T E R 1 0
Summoning Courage
1. Have you ever felt threatened as a leader? What were the circumstances?
2. This chapter details the almost impossible decision Billy faced over whether to go to the Soviet
Union, given the strings that were attached. Why would God put a leader in such a terribly
difficult predicament, one sure to engender criticism and even damage to the Christian cause?
3. In this crisis, not only was Billy Graham’s reputation at stake but also the reputations of his
organization and the thousands of evangelicals who were seen as being like him. What other
people are tied to your personal reputation? If your reputation suffered, even for righteousness
sake, who else would be drawn into the controversy with you?
4. Is there some group of people you would dearly love to influence for Christ but who seem
out of reach? What would you be willing to sacrifice if you could reach them with the gospel?
Where would you draw the line?
5. Page 156 says Billy’s “decision to go to the Soviet Union had been carefully considered and
prayerfully discerned” (p. 156). We’re told that he sought the counsel of many. Who are
three people outside of your leadership team whose counsel you would seek in a very difficult
decision?
6. Exactly how would you go about praying through a very risky and uncertain decision? What
would be hard about praying well in such a situation? How would you know if God had spoken
in answer to your prayers, or if you had really just come to your own conclusion independent
of the Lord?
7. How does this story, with its terrible conflict and eventual vindication, affect you? “I can’t
relate at all.” “It reminds me of . . .” “I’m motivated to . . .”
8. What on your leadership agenda makes you most nervous? Where is the greatest risk?
9. Novelist I. A. R. Wylie said, “I found that fear has aroused in me unsuspected powers”
(p. 159). Have you had that experience? What “unsuspected powers” were aroused? How
about the opposite—what unsuspected weaknesses did your fears arouse?
10. What are three or four Scripture passages you’d turn to when you need to muster up courage
you lack? Why do they help?
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C H A P T E R 1 1
Learning from Failure
1. In the first paragraph of this chapter an executive says that the downside of a promotion
“means your bad decisions do more damage” (p. 165). Without speaking ill of someone, can
you share an example of that truth?
2. This chapter makes the point several times that failure is an inevitable part of leadership.
Why? Why must failure always be part of the deal?
3. Would you be willing to share one of your gaffes—something you’ve said that was poorly
considered or in bad taste? How did you deal with it? Did you learn any lessons?
4. William Martin called Billy’s South African incident “a shot that hit his foot and ricocheted
around the world.” Have you seen any examples of that in the news recently?
5. Would you be willing to share a story of a personal failure that changed you? How are you
different as a result? Are there downside changes—ways you are scarred or harmed by the
experience?
6. Senator Sam Ervin said, “Defeat may serve as well as victory to shake the soul and let the
glory out” (p.173). Do any examples come to mind where defeat has served in someone’s
life to let the glory out? How about in your own experience?
7. What is a biblical example of failure where the result was ultimately good? What are some
Scripture passages that would help you keep your perspective in times of failure?
8. What are your natural negative or dangerous responses in times of failure (p. 174)? What are
some poor ways that you cope or escape? on the other hand, what are your strengths in
times of failure? What good responses are you likely to have?
9. on a scale of 1 to 10, what is your willingness to take risks as a leader? Explain. What are
your main reasons for caution? What drives you to step out?
10. Does this chapter prompt you to think of any area in your life or leadership where you are
holding back due to fear of failure?
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C H A P T E R 1 2
Experiencing Trauma and Betrayal
1. Billy’s profound sense of betrayal by Richard Nixon was, according to his wife Ruth, “the
hardest thing her husband had ever gone through” (p. 178). If you had been there with them
and felt free to speak, what would you have said? What consolation or counsel can you give
to someone who is feeling deeply betrayed?
2. Wouldn’t you think that frequently reading Scripture and praying together, as page 179 says
Billy and Nixon did, would give a clear insight into someone’s character? Do you think Nixon
was faking it? How would you explain Billy’s inability to see the President’s hypocrisy?
3. What does such an overwhelming sense of disillusionment and betrayal do to a person? What
are some possible long-term consequences?
4. Page 181 refers to a one-time colleague who came to be regarded as an enemy. Has that ever
happened to you? In your mind, what does a person have to do to not only lose your trust
but also be regarded as an enemy?
5. Page 181 says that “Billy remained pastoral despite being chief among the ‘betrayed and let
down’” by Nixon. Page 187 picks up that idea when it says that when a tragedy happens in
an organization, “a pastoral role is thrust upon the person in charge.” What added responsibility
do you feel for being pastoral as a leader in your organization when you must deal with
people who disappoint or even betray you or with a tragedy that affects your whole organization?
If that role doesn’t fall to you, who does it fall to?
6. Billy said the pressure was so great that he felt like “lying down in the cemetery to see how
I fit in” (p. 183). Have you ever felt that way? Would you be comfortable sharing that story?
7. Billy speaks of having been with people who suffered greatly (p. 183). How does an experience
like that affect you? When you hear of someone facing great pain—perhaps as a result
of sin or a crushing disappointment—do you dread entering into that, or do you feel drawn
to such situations?
8. on page 184 James E. Loehr speaks of training for “your next emotional hit.” Do you think
this is good advice? Have you tried it? How could you better use your devotional times to
brace and prepare yourself for some inevitable blow in the future?
9. When traveling, Billy often thought of his mountain home as a kind of mental and emotional
oasis (p.185). Do you have an emotional oasis that you frequent when you are
stressed? How does it help you?
10. The chapter ends with the powerful story from Black Hawk Down and the statement, “We’re
all shot. Get in and drive!” What would be one or two of the most important things to do or
remember if you found yourself in that kind of life-and-death situation? What would you
want to be sure to do if a teammate was feeling that way?
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C H A P T E R 1 3
Redeeming the Ego
1. This chapter title comes from Fred Smith’s comment on page 191 when he described, “How
someone could be humble and handle the ego while becoming such close friends with presidents.
‘The ego must be redeemed.’” What are some of the various ways an unredeemed ego
manifests itself, especially in a leader?
2. Christians are fairly quick to say, as Billy did (p. 194), “I didn’t do these things. The Lord did.”
But sometimes you really have worked very hard, or been especially instrumental in accomplishing
something valuable. The Bible is clear that the Lord will reward his servants for what
they have done. What needs to go through your mind to answer a genuine compliment well?
3. In spite of his humility Billy showed great confidence because he was so certain of his calling.
How does an unredeemed ego (or a partially redeemed ego) taint the humble confidence
of one’s calling? Do you have a strong enough sense of God’s call that you can act with
strength and confidence as well as humility? What do your teammates think?
4. on page 196 Russ Busby makes reference to the “thorn in the flesh” addressed by Paul in
2 Corinthians 12:7–10. Take a moment and reread those verses. Is there a thorn in your flesh
that has truly humbled you—a kind of embarrassing weakness that forces you to rest on
God’s power more than you would naturally? Over time, what has the effect of that thorn
been upon you and your leadership? What do your colleagues see?
5. Busby also says of Billy, “He’s one of the few Christian leaders whose attention God can get
when he wants it. He’s not running so fast or so deeply involved in his own agenda.” Do you
think God can readily get your attention? When was the last time he did? Why not evaluate
one another on this point? What is it about a busy, focused person that makes him/her sensitive
to God’s tap on the shoulder?
6. There’s an interesting discussion about the meaning of meekness in a leader on pages 196–
97. Who is a leader who best exemplifies meekness to you? How do you see “power under
control” in that person? Is this a natural personality trait, or a cultivated Christian virtue?
7. Karl Gustav Jung is quoted on page 198, “Fear of self-sacrifice lurks deep in every ego.” How
does self-sacrifice figure into humility and the redeemed ego? Where is self-sacrifice called
for in your position in a way that is especially difficult for you?
8. Look again at the call-out quote by Abraham Lincoln on page 200 (“I have been driven many
times to my knees . . .”). When is the last time you felt strongly this way? When you face
such a time, you undoubtedly pray for wisdom and help, but are there other things you pray
for or other elements of your praying that are critical to an answer from God? In other words,
what does it mean to pray well in such a desperate time?
9. Do you think one has to be humiliated—at least occasionally—in order to be truly humble?
Has being humiliated done anything good for you? Are there any long range negatives?
10.The statements by Frank Laubach on page 202 are very thoughtful. For example, he said, “The
Lord will not wish to count my trophies, but my scars.” What do you think he meant by that?
Which of your scars are a good measure of your life, scars that God will count?
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C H A P T E R 1 4
Birthing Dreams
1. What’s the biggest plan you have right now or the biggest plan you are a part of?
2. Starting on page 208, the book talks about the various aspects of beginning something new.
What do you think is the hardest part of launching a major new initiative? Why is that the
hardest?
3. In your context, when something significant is being launched, who needs to be heard? What
person or people are hardest to hear? What do you do about people who shout to be heard
while others are quiet?
4. Page 209 talks about how Billy “applied his full mental powers” to thinking through the
launch of Christianity Today. What helps you do your best thinking on something new and
nebulous? What stimulates your thinking? Are there certain places, people, books, etc., that
are helpful?
5. Page 211 says that Billy saw this magazine as a “rallying point . . . a flag.” Your organization
or constituency is probably not as far-flung as the one Billy was trying to reach, but do you
still sense the need for a rallying point? What is the glue that holds your people together?
How do you keep them on the same page? How is it working well? Where is it working
poorly?
6. Billy’s direct and critical evaluation of the first magazine (p. 213) must have stung editor Carl
Henry. Look at this from two sides. First, would you be able to be as direct as Billy was without
alienating your staff? What is the secret to that? on the other hand, how would you
handle such strong reactions to something you had worked on very diligently?
7. What is one key problem in your organization that your leadership team has solved (p. 215)?
What is a major problem your team faces that needs to be solved?
8. Peter Drucker says, “It is more productive to convert an opportunity into results than to solve
a problem.” Do you agree or disagree? What is an important opportunity before your organization
right now? What would be involved in tackling that opportunity?
9. Drucker also says (p. 216), “As every executive has learned, nothing new is easy. It always
gets into trouble.” Where have you learned that lesson? How has an experience like that
made you a more effective leader?
10. In the quote at the end of the chapter, Billy says, “Prayer is not just asking. It is listening for
God’s orders.” As a leader in the thick of the pressure and heat of launching a new endeavor
or solving a looming problem, how do you pray with a listening ear? How do you know if
you have heard what God said? How exactly does one pray when trying to think through a
major new endeavor? Can you think of any Scriptural guidelines or examples?
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C H A P T E R 1 5
Building Bridges
1. This chapter begins with an interesting distinction between leaders and managers: “Mangers
work mostly within an organization while leaders also develop key relationships outside the
organization.” Is this true in your organization? If so, who are the leaders? What outside
relationships are important to your organization?
2. Billy says that his father-in-law, L. Nelson Bell, “actually taught me to be a churchman”
(p. 222). What does he mean by that statement? How have you learned to “be a churchman”
or churchwoman?
3. The practice of churches taking on more neutral names is mentioned on page 222. Do you think
that this is a good example of bridge building? Have you seen firsthand any benefits or liabilities
of this kind of thing? What are some other examples from churches in your community?
4. As you read the story of Billy reaching out to Cardinal Cushing (pp. 223–225), what was
your reaction? What were the real risks of this kind of bridge building?
5. Some people seem to be natural bridge builders while others are more like guardians of the
gate, sentries making sure nothing valuable is compromised. Which are you more likely to
be? What drives you toward your perspective? Who in your organization is your opposite?
6. Were you surprised to read on page 226, “Billy said his goal was not to convert these [Soviet]
Jews but to rescue them from their oppression and bring them to lands of freedom”? Compare
that with his news conference comment on the middle of page 234, “I’ve come to thank
you and the Jewish nation for proselytizing me as a Gentile to follow a man who was a Jew
and who claimed to be the Son of God.” Do you admire the tact of comments like these, or
do you think Billy bent over backwards too far?
7. Who are the bridge builders in your sphere whom you admire? What have they accomplished
that has helped their community or constituency? What could you learn from them?
8. Page 232 indicates that one of the secrets to Billy’s bridge building was his eagerness to learn.
“Learning was an insatiable desire with me,” he said. “I burned to learn, and I felt my limitations
of schooling and background so terribly that I determined to do all I could through
conversations, picking up everything I could from everybody.” Against that standard, rate
yourself from 1 to 10. What do you need to do to be better at learning from other people (as
opposed to book learning)?
9. What are some strategic relationships you are seeking to build outside of your organization?
Who is someone whom you would be wise to get to know better? What’s the first step?
10. The chapter ends by quoting Isaiah 1:17–18: “Learn to do right! Seek justice, encourage the
oppressed. Defend the cause of the fatherless, plead the case of the widow. ‘Come now, let
us reason together,’ says the Lord. Though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white
as snow.” How does your organization measure up as judged by those verses? Is there a coalition
with someone or some group beyond your own that would help you be more obedient
to this command?
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C H A P T E R 1 6
Igniting Other Leaders
1. Who is most responsible for igniting leadership within you? Did you realize at the time the
influence that person was having on you? What was it that they did?
2. Jay Kessler said, “The whole Graham organization and all their people were tremendously
encouraging to me” (p. 241). Could this be said of your organization? By whom? Are there
ways your leadership team together cultivates younger emerging leaders?
3. Page 242 speaks of the long-term effects of a Billy Graham Crusade. Have you ever been
involved with one of his crusades? When and where? What was the most important effect
on your life? What long-term effects did you see in the church and community?
4. Rick Warren attributes his view of team leadership to Billy (p.244). Realistically, could you
set a goal of a leadership team like that—one that stays together as best friends over many
years? Why or why not? Would you want to? What changes over the years that makes this
kind of goal difficult?
5. Ravi Zacharias realized an interesting distinction between evangelistic efforts targeting “the
unhappy pagan” and “the happy pagan” (p.246). In your personal efforts to share the gospel,
which category are you more drawn toward? How about your church or Christian organization?
Do you think an organization needs a call to one or the other, or should you try to
reach both?
6. Ravi Zacharias also remembers Billy saying, “You have never evangelized a person until you
have told them about the Cross” (p.246). In your circles, is this emphasis done well? What
makes it difficult to keep this focus? Do you recall any Scripture that gives insight into why
this is difficult?
7. Billy didn’t just take a kindly interest in young people; he subtly prepared them as future
leaders. What did you pick up in this chapter about how he and others do this well?
8. As a leader yourself, are there younger people whom you have your eye on whom you might
influence? If not, have you just not been thinking about it, or haven’t you seen anyone qualified?
If there is someone, what about them captured your attention?
9. on page 251, Gordon MacDonald says, “Each time Billy Graham has walked into my life he
has marked it.” Who would you like to affect that way? What do you try to do to leave a
mark? How could you be more purposeful when you walk into someone’s life so that you
leave your mark?
10. Leighton Ford says that one of the difficult problems in cultivating younger leaders is “the
challenge of selection” (p. 253). He says, “It’s a matter of prayerful discernment and spiritual
chemistry.” What could you add to that from your experience? Do you have any success or
failure stories?
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C H A P T E R 1 7
Sowing Seeds in All Seasons
1. Read the quote from Elizabeth Dole at the beginning of the chapter. When is it hardest for
you to remember that life is a stewardship?
2. When was the last time you just wanted to escape? Is there a certain kind of pressure that is
sure to make you want to run away?
3. There are three stories of serendipitous meetings people had with Billy Graham. Can you
remember any particularly significant but unexpected meeting with someone that affected
your life? If you can’t think of such a serendipitous meeting, tell about any very significant
meeting you’ve had.
4. Billy Graham seems to be able to bring the gospel into almost any conversation in a very natural
way. How does he do it? Notice the statement by Mark Hatfield at the bottom of page
264. Could you be more effective than you are? How?
5. Page 265 says, “Having ‘great expectations’ about multiple effects of our leadership is not
unrealistic. In fact, expectations are often a major factor in serendipitous results.” Have you
ever thought about leadership that way? What “multiple effects” do you expect as a leader?
In particular, do you expect to sow seeds among up-and-coming leaders?
6. Bill Hybels tells about a sobering assessment he received: “The best gift you can give the
people you lead here at Willow is a healthy, energized, fully surrendered, and focused self.
And no one can make that happen in your life except you” (p.265). Let’s assume you personally
had just received that assessment from your board or leaders. How would you
respond? What weakness of self-management would come to your mind first?
7. Hybels’ observations on the top of page 266 regarding self-management may be a surprise to
you: “Management of self should occupy 50 percent of leaders’ time and abilities.” What is
self-management? What takes so much time? What advantages do Christians have when it
comes to self-management?
8. Who is someone you know who does self-management well? How would you rate yourself
on self-management? What do you do best? What do you do worst?
9. Page 267 mentions how a budding writer was squelched by a crusty and graceless response.
Have you ever had a similar experience—a put-down or criticism that took the wind out of
your sails and caused you to pull back from something you wanted to do?
10. What is one take-away from this chapter for you? How could you be more effective in “sowing
seeds”?
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C H A P T E R 1 8
Learning—and Leveraging Weaknesses
1. Read the opening quote by Eric Hoffer: “In times of change, learners inherit the earth, while the
learned find themselves beautifully equipped to deal with a world that no longer exists.” Do any
examples of his point come to mind from your experience, either of learners or the learned?
2. What does it take to be a learner in your professional area? Is there something different about
being a learner in your area than in someone else’s who is in a different kind of profession
or calling? What drains your inquisitiveness and teachability?
3. Billy’s brother, Melvin, makes a thoughtful observation on page 275, “Billy Frank would
interact with just about anybody. It didn’t matter who they were . . . He studied a lot. He
prayed a lot. He’d get on his knees and flatten out on the ground and call on the Lord. I’ve
seen him.” Three different things are mentioned in that quote: interacting with others, studying,
and praying. Which do you do best? Which is your weakness? What is the consequence
of that particular weakness?
4. Page 277 tells how Billy studied his predecessors and “cribbed all sorts of . . . ideas” from others.
Who in your particular field do you learn from? Whose writings? What friend? What is
something you’re learning now, or would like to study? John Naisbitt said, “The most important
skill to acquire now is learning how to learn” (p. 282). Rate your learning quotient from
1 to 10. How do you keep learning?
5. Have you ever gone through a time of serious doubt over your faith? Have you walked with
a friend through such a time, like Billy did with Chuck Templeton (p. 278)? What stands out
in your memory about those times?
6. The last paragraph on page 278 describes how fervently Billy would pray in dealing with his
faith questions. With that description in mind, finish this sentence, “If I were to be with someone
while he/she prayed this fervently, I would . . .” Explain what is behind your answer.
7. Does it surprise you to read that Billy had difficulty with “waffling on certain difficult decisions”
(p. 280)? What do you think it is about Billy that produced this ambivalence? Can
you relate to this? When is it hardest for you to make a decision? Easiest?
8. Warren Bennis and Robert Thomas, in their book Geeks and Geezers, talk about effective
geezers—people over seventy (p. 283). Do you find it difficult to maintain the qualities mentioned
at the bottom of the page as you grow older? What drains these things from older
people? How do you keep them alive so they can be effective even as a senior adult?
9. Describe a time recently (apart from counseling someone) when you think you were an especially
good listener (p. 284). What did you learn? How about a recent conversation where,
in retrospect, you wish you had been a better listener? What do you think you might have
missed by not listening better? What’s the trick to being a learning listener?
10.Is there something in your organization that needs to be “repristinated” (pp. 285–286)? What
treasured tradition or value that needs to be refreshed—repainted—if it is to endure? How
do you think you should go about it?
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C H A P T E R 1 9
Plugging into Continuous Voltage
1. This chapter opens with a statement from Billy Graham: “When we come to the end of ourselves,
we come to the beginning of God.” The statement on page 293 is similar: “The great
things happen to those who pray, and we learn to pray best in suffering.” Tell about one time
when you have learned this lesson. What makes for good praying? What can you learn from
Bible prayers about praying well?
2. The first pages of this chapter talk about Billy’s ongoing work long after the usual time of retirement.
What do you think about a Christian retiring? Pros and cons? What do you plan to do?
3. Page 293 speaks of Billy’s moment-by-moment attitude of prayer. How would you grade
yourself in this regard? When, apart from “quiet times,” are you most likely to be prayerful?
When are you least likely to be in an ongoing attitude of prayer? Why is that so? What do
you think the effect on your work would be if you were better at this?
4. Imagine you needed to create a prayer budget for a key area under your leadership—a list of
provisions or help you must have to succeed, but that only God can give. What are the top
three or four things on your budget? Even if everything goes well, but you don’t pray, what will
be lacking?
5. Gordon MacDonald addresses drivenness on page 296. on a scale of 1 to 10, how driven are
you? Do your colleagues grade you the same way? What good things happen when you’re
driven? What are the negative consequences?
6. Pages 296–297 present a potent exploration of the subject of soul neglect. What were you
thinking as you read this section? What is usually the first sign of soul neglect in your life?
How would you assess your condition right now?
7. The story of Bill Leslie on pages 297–299 is powerful. What was the effect of changing his
metaphor “from that of rape to that of a farm pump”? Was that helpful to you? Do you relate
to the statement, “Way down deep, you’re shallow!”? What do you need to do today—or this
week—to sink your well deeper?
8. There is an arresting statement on page 299: “Because Billy realized the power didn’t come
from him but came through him, he didn’t feel obligated to overreach with his methods.” How
does that work? How does that realization produce that result? Look again at the statement
at the top of page 300: “That confidence in the power of the message frees the leader from
having to work over-hard on presentation techniques to convince the hearers.” Is there anywhere
in your sphere of leadership where you’re “forcing the shot” and need to rely more
on God’s power flowing through you rather than from you?
9. “John Wesley used the term conferencing to describe the kinds of thoughtful reflection and
interaction with others that can deepen and keep current our spiritual lives” (p.301). When
in your life was your most effective time of that kind of Christian conferencing? What is necessary
for that kind of interaction to happen and to work effectively?
10. Robert Cooley makes a rather remarkable admission that as a seminary president, “I didn’t
have anyone who would take that message [the importance of a life of prayer and spiritual formation]
to me” (p. 301). Even in the most intensely Christian environment, something this
basic can be unspoken. Who makes sure you get that message as a leader? Are you that person
to anyone else? If no one takes that message to you, what could you do to find someone?
The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham Study guide / 22

C H A P T E R 2 0
Innovating
1. The opening quote from John Nuveen is stunning: “You can judge your age by the amount
of pain you feel when you come into contact with a new idea.” Give one example of his
observation, positive or negative, from your experience.
2. Peter Drucker says, “Reality never stands still very long” (p. 303). How is reality moving in
or around your organization? How does that moving reality affect you? Is it frustrating? Energizing?
Thought-provoking?
3. Billy Graham was constantly tapping into new technology. What is a technology frontier
your team is facing? What are the costs versus benefits of moving ahead to embrace this new
technology? Which way are you leaning?
4. Pages 305–307 tell how the BGEA made a risky and controversial adjustment to reach young
people. When was the last time your organization took a risk to reach a goal? What was it?
Who in your organization is most likely to say (as Billy did), “Let’s do it”?
5. “Broad knowledge . . . helps us put innovation in perspective”—something illustrated by
Peter Drucker’s unique perspective (p. 309). Who do you know as a particularly wise and
open-minded sounding board when innovation is being considered? What do they do, or
how do they think, that makes them so helpful? If no one comes to mind, how could you
identify someone like that?
6. Jack Modesett said, “You need a frontier mentality” (p.309). What is the most obvious frontier
before you personally right now? Before your organization? How do you feel about that
uncharted territory? Do you have any sense of what your next step should be?
7. Who has been your innovation hero? In your adult lifetime, what has been your favorite
innovation from an organization you’ve been part of?
8. An engineer captured the way that, in one sense, innovation is an individual task: “The bearing
of a child takes nine months, no matter how many women are assigned” (p.311). Often,
the initial seed of innovation, as well as the early drive, comes from one person. But if that
is true, then what is the benefit of a group—a staff, board or leadership team—in moving
innovation forward?
9. The CTI leadership found Einstein’s statement described them: “How do I do my work? I
grope” (p. 312). Have you faced a time of groping for new direction in your organization?
What did your groping look like? Was it ultimately productive? Did you make any wrong
turns you could avoid next time?
10. George Wilson said that even when Billy’s programs didn’t seem feasible, “you know whatever
program he is going to project, the Lord has led him to it in the hours of the night.” Is
there something inherently different about an innovation found through such earnest
prayer? Could you sense the divine impetus behind an idea even if you didn’t know that the
person bringing it had spent hours praying over it? Are there any tip-offs that an idea has
God’s fingerprints on it? What hinders you from praying this way?
The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham Study guide / 23

C H A P T E R 2 1
Leading with Love
1. What would be distinctive about working on a team with a leader who “always led with
love” (p. 315) as opposed to an otherwise effective but unloving leader?
2. Perhaps you remember hearing Billy say in a Crusade sermon, “God is saying to you, ‘I love
you. I love you. I love you’” (p. 316). In spite of all the times Christians hear that assurance,
some of us have trouble internalizing a deep sense of God’s love for us personally. What has
helped you grow in your confidence in God’s love? How does being sure of God’s love change
someone’s style of leadership?
3. Page 317 says, “Billy has always been theologically rooted in grace.” What would it mean for
you to be rooted in grace? How would it show? Is grace common in your organization, or is
yours more performance-based? Is that a fair contrast?
4. What are three specific ways your organization or, more specifically, your leadership team
could show love to others? Any guesses as to what the effects would be? What stands in the
way?
5. If you could go back to one leadership decision your team has made or one action you have
taken and reshape it to be more loving, what would it be and what would you do differently?
What do you think the outcome might have been?
6. What is one decision or action you’re considering right now? What can you do to infuse
Christian love into it? If you’re not sure how love would best integrate into that process, how
could you find out?
7. There is an amazing story on page 321 about Billy’s personal intervention on behalf of a
Soviet prisoner of conscience. Of course, the problem many times is that for a leader to get
involved in one person’s complicated problem is personally draining and not a very efficient
use of time, in light of all the people we’re responsible for. How do you know when to be a
Good Samaritan? Can you recall a tough decision of this kind that you had to make?
8. Page 322 tells of a time when Billy was stern, scolding a group of clergy for their coldness.
What made that rebuke work when it might just as easily have misfired? Have you ever seen
someone take this kind of tack with a group or a person, and still be acting in love? How did
it turn out?
9. There were several poignant stories on pages 322–324 about Billy’s personal ｅxpressions of
love for others. Stop and think about these stories. Do you sense God speaking to you specifically
in any way about something you should do differently or someone you should pursue
with loving action?
10. Who is someone, outside of the Lord and your family, whose love for you has been deeply
redemptive and life changing? You may think either of a long-haul relationship, or a single
significant act. How were you changed?
The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham Study guide / 24
Wrap-up
1. What are two or three abiding impressions from reading this book? Is there anything that just
keeps coming back?
2. Where are the distinctions between Christian leadership and other leadership principles most
pronounced?
3. Many times throughout this book we were reminded of the potency of a great team of leaders.
What are two or three key improvements you’d like to bring to your leadership team?
4. What chapter(s) had the most impact on you? Why? What do you want to do about what
you read?
The Leadership Secrets of Billy Graham Study guide / 25
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