Phil Winningham said he remembers the night “the preacher” knocked on his door 41 years ago.
“I heard the robust voice of Don Graham say, ‘Hello, young man — I’ve come to share with you good news,’” Winningham said. “I remember yelling to Mom, ‘Momma, I think it’s the preacher — should I let him in?’”
They did, and that night Graham shared the gospel with Winningham, who now serves as an associate in the office of evangelism at the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions. He decided to follow Jesus, and the next day Graham knocked on his door again — to begin discipling him.
This December marks 60 years that Graham has been leading the lost to Jesus in full-time ministry. He preached his first sermon in December 1958 at Union Baptist Church, Lipscomb — and he smiles when he looks back on it.
“It was a sermon on the last seven sayings of Christ on the cross,” he said. “Typically pastors preach a Christmas message in December. I didn’t even think about that.”
Now he said he hopes that the last sermon he preaches — no matter what month it is — is on the subject of the cross too. He served 35 years as a pastor, including leading four Alabama churches — Samaria Baptist Church, Clanton; Katherwood Baptist Church, Birmingham; Bellevue Baptist Church, Gadsden; and First Baptist Church, Center Point.
And in 1996 he started his full-time evangelistic ministry and has preached revivals and conferences across the state and nation and in nine other countries.
Graham is available for revival meetings, Bible conferences and other speaking engagements. Contact him at 205-755-7295. (Grace Thornton)
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