Billy: The Early Years

The story begins with a reporter (Jennifer O'Neill) interviewing Charles Templeton on his deathbed. Told in the eyes of Charles Templeton, the film proceeds in showing Billy Graham’s life as a teenager during the great depression living at the family dairy farm in Charlotte, North Carolina. During this time, Graham is seen becoming a Christian at a tent revival meeting. Later, Graham is seen going to Bob Jones College, which is now Bob Jones University, but Graham goes to Florida Bible Institute after being identified as a failure by Bob Jones, Sr. Following his time at Florida Bible Institute, Billy Graham goes to Wheaton College where he falls in love with his Wheaton classmate Ruth Bell to whom he ultimately gets married. In the 1940s, Charles Templeton, becomes a really close acquaintance of Billy Graham; however, Charles Templeton, who is a young, gifted preacher, leaves his faith when he is challenged by scientific skepticism, leading Graham and Templeton to part. Billy continues to evangelize in his crusades and believe that the word of God is infallible. The film finishes with Graham inviting his listeners to accept Christ as their personal savior in his Los Angeles crusade of 1949.