Luis Palau was born on November 27, 1934, in the small town of Ingeniero Maschwitz near Buenos Aires, Argentina. His early years were marked by both joy and hardship. As the only son in a family of seven children, Luis grew up in a bilingual household, rich with the cultural heritage of his Spanish, Scottish, and French roots. His parents, Luis Palau Sr. and Matilde Balfour de Palau, found faith after receiving a Bible from a British oil executive, Edward Rogers, who became a spiritual mentor to them. However, tragedy struck when Luis was only ten years old. His father, a construction executive, passed away suddenly, leaving the family in financial turmoil due to poor financial decisions by relatives.
A Pivotal Encounter with Jesus
In the midst of this, at the age of 12, Luis attended a summer camp where he had a pivotal encounter with Jesus. A counselor guided him to place his faith in Christ, a moment he later described in his memoirs: 'You don't have to have a jaw-dropping story of how you received Jesus. It just must be yours.' This personal conversion was the foundation for his unwavering commitment to Christ, despite the challenges he faced.
As Luis grew, his desire to share the message of Jesus intensified. Inspired by listening to Billy Graham on the radio in 1952, he aspired to become an evangelist. His mother's guidance also played a critical role in his journey. During his early street preaching days in South America, she encouraged him to minister in a town lacking a Bible church, reminding him, 'The call went out 2,000 years ago, the Lord is waiting on the answer, forget the call.'
Building a Global Ministry
In 1960, Luis moved to the United States to study at Multnomah School of the Bible in Portland, Oregon, after meeting Ray Stedman, a pastor who mentored him. There, he met and married Patricia Scofield in 1961. His early ministry experiences included interning with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and translating for Graham's Spanish-speaking audiences. In 1978, he founded the Luis Palau Evangelistic Association, launching city-wide evangelistic events that would eventually reach millions worldwide.
A Legacy of Transformation
Luis Palau's dedication to spreading the gospel was evident in his global impact, particularly in Latin America. His ministry touched over 25 million people through events in more than 70 nations. Despite facing stage-four lung cancer in 2018, his message remained steadfast: 'One encounter with Jesus Christ is enough to change you, instantly, forever.' Luis passed away on March 11, 2021, in Portland, Oregon, leaving behind a legacy of faith and transformation, crediting Jesus for every soul reached and life changed.
