GRAHAM'S ST. LOUIS CRUSADE THIS WEEK

ST. LOUIS -- The Rev. Billy Graham has been called "the people's pastor," and as such he brings a gospel message to St. Louis this week.

Graham will lead a four-day crusade beginning Thursday in St. Louis. Many area church groups are planning to attend at least one night of the crusade. Admission is free. No tickets are needed but seating is limited to a first-come, first-seated basis. Doors open 90 minutes before the 7 p.m. service.

Several churches in Southeast Missouri, from Cape Girardeau to St. Marys, are planning to attend. Buses have been reserved and seats filled as people will flock to the Trans World Dome for what may well be Graham's last crusade.

Billy Graham is known around the world for his crusades, and at age 81, people are often questioning which event will be his last. St. Louis could well be it; he spoke in Indianapolis, Ind., in the spring.

Graham suffers from Parkinson's disease and limits his appearances, though he has crusades planned for 2000. He also likes to spend as much time as possible with wife Ruth, who suffers from spinal deterioration, at their North Carolina home.

For 54 years, people have come to hear Graham preach.

It's the simplistic way that Graham relates the gospel message that keeps bringing people back, said the Rev. Dave Griesemer, who once worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association headquartered in Minneapolis, Minn.

"It's just the basic gospel message that hasn't been watered down," Griesemer said.

Sometimes people try to make things complicated when they really aren't. Graham looks at the simplicity of the message and that's been the key to his success, Griesemer said.

But he's also lived that message and has not strayed from his high, moral level and integrity, Griesemer said.

In an age when people are experiencing a lot of emptiness in life, they are looking for something to fill that void. Graham offers them hope, Griesemer said.

Griesemer, the former minister at First General Baptist Church, worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association from 1983 to 1987.

He was a crusade coordinator for the associate ministries affiliated with Graham's crusades. Often Griesemer would work as a support staff member for the larger crusades. He recently took a similar job as a crusade organizer for the North American region with Luis Palau Evangelistic Association.

During his years with the Graham organization, Griesemer would move to the site of a crusade months or years before the event to help with planning.

About 45 percent of the job was preparation; 10 percent was the actual crusade and another 45 percent was the follow up work after people came to make decisions during the altar call, he said..

Local churches are the key to presenting a crusade, Griesemer said.

"This is not like a normal revival," he said. Every Christian denomination will be represented and thousands of people are needed to volunteer as ushers, choir members, counselors and translators.

When the Billy Graham association moved into St. Louis about two years ago, there was a staff of 13 people. Now the staff numbers 25 and volunteers number at least 25,000.

"When you see the scope of the work, you need the churches to volunteer," said Scott Lenning, St. Louis crusade director.

Crusade staff asked churches in the metro St. Louis area to volunteer as ushers, choir members and counselors, knowing that people would come from across the state to see Graham.

Local churches in the cities Graham visits often make their requests for him to come years in advance of the crusade. It's not that Graham picks a city to visit but that he accepts an initiation, said Lenning.

Finding that initial support base and gauging enthusiasm is an overwhelming task, said Griesemer. But as the choir practices and crusade time rolls around, "the enthusiasm builds and you think about what you are hosting and everyone's excited about it."

For information about the St. Louis crusade, call (314)426-1999 or visit the Web site at www.stlouiscrusade.org

BILLY GRAHAM CRUSADE

WHO: The Rev. Billy Graham, George Beverly Shea and Cliff Barrows will lead the services.

WHEN: Oct. 14-17, Thursday through Sunday. Services will begin at 7 p.m. each night. A youth event begins at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 16.

WHERE: Trans World Dome, St. Louis.

TICKETS: Admission is free. No tickets are necessary but seating is limited to a first-come, first served basis.

Information about the cursade and other Billy Graham revivals is available by phone at (314) 426-1999 or at www.stlouiscrusade.org