Billy Graham, Woody Allen, and talking to the unsaved

At the church I go to I’m teaching a class on church history every Wednesday night (as mentioned previously). Last night I was covering church history from 1900 to about the mid 1980’s. You can check out the notes form all of my classes here. But the highlight of last night was a two part clip of Billy Graham having an interview with Woody Allen (below).

Go ahead and give this clip a view when you are able. After that I HIGHLY suggest you look below to see my comments on the clip.

Okay, that was awesome, right? The answer is, of course, “yes Kirk you are right.”

What I really like about this clip is that it is a great example about how to talk to the unsaved. A little background, the year is 1969 and Woody Allen is very popular as playwright. But he also, I think, exemplifies 1960s culture; cynical, distrusting of authority, and out to have a good time. We also see his skill as an interviewer. Notice how his looks are very unassuming and he is disarmingly self-depreciating. But he also smart often trying to catch Billy off-guard as with the questions about premarital sex and God’s existence. Billy, however, is never caught off-guard.

These clips show why Graham was the great evangelist that he was. Never is he insulting to Allen and he’s always got a joke when appropriate. He doesn’t dodge any of Allen’s questions but answers all of them candidly and with Biblical truth. I think, and I’m obviously biased, that Graham wins that day. He looks cool, collected, and always ready with God’s truth.

I told my wife, “if every conversation I had with non-believers went like this it would be awesome.” I think we can learn a lot from Graham. He comes into the interview ready to give his point of view but never looking for a fight. He engages Allen in conversation and never preaches at him. At the end Graham even sets up another meeting with Allen (though I don’t have any evidence Allen went a Graham revival).

When talking to the unbeliever I think we can learn a lot from Graham. We should always be ready to make conversation instead of having an argument. We should always say what is true about God but let the other guy have his say. Finally, in never hurts to crack a joke!

Wanna know more about history? Have question about my notes? Wanna leave note confessing your undying love for me? Leave a comment.