In 1982, Graham became the first–and for many years the only–celebrity American evangelist allowed to preach in the Soviet Union. But in the last two years the once officially atheist nation has seen hordes of American preachers make pilgrimages in an effort to win souls–and a name for themselves back home. In May, Pennsylvania evangelist John Guest trooped around Kiev preaching and “planting” home churches. In June, Pentecostal faith healer Morris Cerullo of San Diego stood under a huge tinfoil cross in Moscow’s Olympic stadium and assured 10,000 nighttime listeners that “the Holy Spirit is here–it’s like liquid fire.”
Now the Russian Orthodox Church is beginning to grumble about the foreign competition. Graham’s latest visit was the first not to be endorsed by the Orthodox hierarchs. To them, the evangelicals are schismatic Christians who treat the locals as if they were pagans. Even some Soviet Baptists find the Americans’ sweaty stadium methods distasteful. “Soviet preachers are more simple and practical, more fundamental in their use of the Bible,” said the Rev. Grigori Komendant, chairman of the Union of Evangelical Christian Baptists.
Graham himself questioned the motives of some American colleagues. “They come and take [video] pictures of the crowds and then go back to raise money for their own work. Their object is not really to help the Soviet people as much as to help themselves back home.” As he talked, Graham’s own video cameras whirred–and captured-another milestone in his evangelical journey.
