Luis Palau (Video screenshot)
Evangelist Luis Palau, who played an influential role in Christian evangelism for 65 years, has died following a three-year battle with lung cancer.
A statement released by his organization, the Luis Palau Association, confirmed he died peacefully early Thursday at his home in Portland, Oregon. He was 86.
He spent the early years of his Christian ministry as an intern with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, serving as translator for Graham, who later helped Palau begin his own organization.
He had a special concern for his home country of Argentina and Latin America, and he targeted his two daily radio programs in Spanish, Cruzada con Luis Palau and Luis Palau Responde, to the Spanish-speaking parts of the world.
His message, however, spread far beyond, and he and his organization held more than 500 evangelistic campaigns, festivals and rallies in more than 80 nations, including New York City, Buenos Aires, London, Madrid, Singapore, Hong Kong and Cairo.
During the '70s and '80s, Palau was one of the few foreign preachers allowed to hold spiritual campaigns within the old Soviet Union, and when the iron curtain came down in 1991, he was among the first to hold open-air stadium campaigns in the region, the association report said.
Other efforts included a training program, extensive television outreaches and a digital evangelism program.
He's published dozens of books and booklets throughout his lifetime. His most well-known books include "God is Relevant," "¿Con quién me casaré?" (Whom Shall I Marry?), "Where is God When Bad Things Happen?," and "Say Yes!"
His Starting Point Study Bible was a 2003 Gold Medallion finalist for best Bible of the year.
He served as president of OC International, which was known as Overseas Crusades, as well as on boards for Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary, Dallas Theological Seminary, and Multnomah University.
He held honorary doctorates from Wheaton and Talbot School of Theology.
In 2019, Palau published "Palau: A Life on Fire," a biography that traces his interest in faith back to his life on the streets of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
For the past several years, Palau's sons have run the day-to-day operations of the ministry.
"I have no regret in pouring out my years, from the time I was a boy, for the sake of the Good News. If I was given a thousand lifetimes, I would dedicate them all to the same calling," he once said.
At the SpaceCoastDaily was a statement from his family.
"He died suddenly and very peacefully, just as he had hoped. Mom and the family are doing well," they said. "It’s too early for details on a memorial service but we plan to have a small, private service here in Portland that will be streamed online to honor Dad’s life and the Lord. We’ll be sure to share details soon."
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