GRAPEVINE, Texas — Pastor Jack Graham believes the American church is at a crossroads. But for him, the answer has always been clear: go back to the Bible.
“It really gets back to local churches being revived, pastors preaching truth,” he told The Christian Post. “We just had a lot of slippage over the last several years in many places. But on the other hand, there are many faithful pastors doing good work. And that’s one reason I wrote The Jesus Book, to get us back to the Bible.”
It’s a message that has defined Graham’s decades-long ministry and leadership of the over 45,000-member Prestonwood Baptist Church in North Texas.
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In an interview that ranged from trends in the modern church to the spiritual hunger of Gen Zers, the 75-year-old Plano, Texas-based pastor and former Southern Baptist Convention president reflected on what he defined as the greatest need today: biblical literacy.
“All my life, I’ve loved the Bible, and it started on my grandfather’s knee,” Graham recalled. “I learned to love the Bible as a child, the adventures of the Old Testament and, of course, the story of Jesus. When I heard God’s call to preach, I was grateful to have wonderful mentors who taught me to preach the Word of God, explain it and apply it. And so that’s what I’ve done.”
That legacy culminates inThe Jesus Book: Reading and Understanding the Bible for Yourself, a work Graham called his “life working message.”
“If there was just one book that I could write, this would be the one,” he said of the book, released last November. “People ask me about Prestonwood; God’s blessed the church in amazing ways. What’s the reason? Well, the main reason is the message. And if pastors and churches will stay on the message of the Gospel and preaching and teaching God’s infallible, inerrant truth, then churches will flourish. Because that’s what God has promised.”
Graham pointed to Luke 24, the story of Jesus walking with two disciples on the road to Emmaus, as a scriptural anchor for the book’s premise.
“He showed them in all the Scriptures those things concerning himself,” Graham explained. “That was Old Testament Scriptures. He must have started with creation; He is the Christ of creation. Then Genesis 3:15, the promise of the Messiah. All the Passover, the prophecies, the portraits of Christ. The Bible can be intimidating to a lot of people, but if you understand that it’s the story of redemption — God’s love story to the world — then it all starts to make sense.”
According to Graham, perhaps nowhere is that sense of spiritual hunger more visible than among young people. Contrary to the often-cited narrative of church decline, the pastor said he’s encouraged by what he’s seeing on the ground.
“There’s a renewed interest in the pure Gospel without a lot of the trappings and trends,” he said. “There’s a desire for authenticity among young adults right now.”
He sees it in his own family (his grandson is a university student) and in his church’s student ministries.
“We just see an incredible interest among young people today on worldview and establishing a biblical worldview,” he said. “A lot of church kids in the past grew up with pizza parties at youth group and never really got great truth. So we’re working really hard to give students more than church, to give them an experience of God’s Spirit, God’s Word, and the presence of Christ.”
While Bible sales are up, Bible engagement remains a challenge. That, Graham said, is one of the driving forces behind both The Jesus Book and his popular Bible in a Year podcast, which has been downloaded more than 80 million times.
“It’s just simply the Bible,” he said of the podcast. “I give a little application and introduction to each passage, but it’s right through the Bible. And we’re seeing sparks of revival across the nation on university campuses. I’m actually very encouraged right now. I believe you’re going to see the Bible make a big comeback.”
Still, Graham is quick to warn about the rise of counterfeit gospels, especially on social media and among some ministry influencers.
“There is a rise in women ministry leaders who use just enough scripture to make things seem biblical, but they’re not,” he said. “It’s really about relying on yourself, putting yourself first.”
According to Graham, the only antidote is a profound, personal knowledge of the Bible.
“Start with yourself. Get a plan. Read through the Bible. Mark your Bible. Get the Word of God in you,” he said. “The way they identify counterfeit money is by putting the real thing next to it. When you put the authenticity of Scripture next to false ideas, then the false ideas get exposed.”
He also emphasized the importance of choosing the right church.
“If your pastor gets up and doesn’t say within the first few minutes of his message, ‘Open your Bibles to … ’ or you don’t hear Jesus’ name mentioned, then find another pastor. Find another preacher.”
That kind of spiritual discernment, he contended, begins with Scripture, and so does the call to ministry.
“There are a lot of pastors who, unfortunately, fall to sin,” Graham said. “Of all the professions, the ministry is one thing where your personal life — your character, your integrity — absolutely matters. It’s the one thing in ministry you can’t do without.”
And for young men considering ministry, Graham offered both a word of caution and a word of hope.
“Don’t start without character,” he said. “But also don’t get discouraged. Be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord. Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”
Reflecting on his own journey, Graham added, “Sometimes I’m asked, ‘What would an older Jack Graham say to a younger Jack Graham?’ And honestly, I would say it’s worth it. It costs to serve Jesus, but it also pays to serve Jesus.”
Looking ahead, Graham said he hopes The Jesus Book serves as both a primer for new believers and a refresher for seasoned Christians. From Bible translations to devotional habits to applying Scripture in everyday life, the book is designed to be both accessible and profound.
“There’s material in here about how the Bible was put together, about Bible translation, how to pick a Bible. That’s confusing to people,” he said. “But I also wrote it for people who’ve been in the church a long time; chapters on spiritual warfare, worldview and prayer. My biggest desire is that people engage with the Bible and don’t settle for not knowing.”
In a culture full of noise, Graham stressed the answer isn’t another trend or a feel-good message. Rather, it’s the same answer he first encountered on his grandfather’s knee: open the Bible, and meet Jesus there.
“This book is an introduction to the Bible in many ways, but I think it’s more than that,” he said. “It’s an inspiration to treasure God’s Word, love it and then live it.”
Leah M. Klett is a reporter for The Christian Post. She can be reached at: leah.klett@christianpost.com
