A North Carolina home once owned by Billy and Ruth Graham has been transformed into a peaceful retreat for pastors seeking to restore and rejuvenate themselves while growing their relationship with God. According to The Christian Post, the home was where the Graham family spent the “most critical years of his ministry” having lived there during the Los Angeles Crusades and Billy Graham’s tour of England. According to their daughter, Ruth Graham, their home is “where it all began” and now pastors will be able to spend time reflecting in this special place.
The house has been able to be transformed into a sanctuary thanks to the contributions of a local businessman, actor Kirk Cameron, and the third daughter of Billy and Ruth Graham, Ruth Graham. Prior to their venture, the home was recently used as a vacation rental where renters could experience the Graham’s family life through the original furnishings, books, photos, and other features. The two-story home now lends itself as an ideal place for its new purpose as a pastoral restoration, being surrounded by “several picturesque walking trails and streams,” and having access to Graham’s library where he often wrote sermons, studied, and which “stands as a monument to the countless hours [he] spent crying out to God on behalf of unrepentant souls and those in need of Christ.”
According to Billy’s Home Place, “Rich in Christian history and gospel-legacy, this humble estate is more than a standing relic of a life well lived. Rather this house serves as a continuation of Dr. Graham’s legacy. A retreat for weary pastors and missionaries; a solace to seek the face of God. It is to that end that Billy’s Home Place was established. To preserve the original home of Billy Graham while providing a place for missionaries and pastors to come for respite and restoration.”
Pastors and missionaries who want to stay at Billy’s Home Place are instructed to complete the Pastoral Rest and Sabbatical Form to ensure that people are staying there for the right reasons as it is only offered to “ministry leaders in need of rest.” There is no charge for pastors or missionaries who stay at Billy’s Home Place.
With Billy’s Home Place now a sanctuary for other pastors, his legacy is carrying on for those who are following in his footsteps of bringing others to Christ. According to Billy’s Home Place, their goal is simple: “To help everyone who steps into Billy and Ruth’s original home apply the same truths of God’s Word to each of our lives. So, like Billy, we can change the world around us!”