While originally known as the song of famed evangelist Billy Graham, Franklin Graham is on his own path to God. Following Bob Pierce, founder of World Vision and later Samaritan’s Purse, the young Franklin Graham took over those ministries in 1978.
Groomed to be an evangelist, he approached the ministry from a different perspective and, as events have shown, one that fits with the times. Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association have partnered to touch many during the coronavirus crisis.
“Everyone is afraid,” said Graham. “The world is upside down.”
The ministries are reaching people from New York, to Native American reservations, to Europe, meeting both physical and spiritual needs.
“We also recently started a prayer center where we give people an opportunity to call in and accept Christ,” Graham said. “We have been flooded with calls as the hearts of people are open in an unprecedented way.”
Graham also sees a worldwide turning to Christ, akin to some of the awakenings of the past where crises in the world brought many to Christ and nations were redeemed. And during this time, he appreciates the president’s stance on moral issues. He considers this election critical.
“The president supports the church. He supports faith,” Graham said. “He supports religious freedom. He is the most pro-life president in history, and we will not get another opportunity in a generation to have such a man as this.”
He echoes the words of author Stephen Strang in God, Trump and The 2020 Election when saying, “As people of faith we must stand up and be counted, casting votes that protect the values we hold most dear.”
“The president is not perfect, but he supports the core values we believe in, and the upcoming election is critical,” Graham said, strongly urging believers to not only vote, but to get their family, friends and others out to vote in the presidential and all local elections. Involvement is crucial in addressing the chaos of the day.
“Look at Seattle—the majority don’t want this kind of anarchy. They don’t vote for this foolishness. It simply shows us that in addition to national leaders, local city councils, local issues, judges—they are all critically important.”
Graham spoke of people moving out of urban centers to escape the chaos, a cry for Christians to get involved.
“Christians so often stay at home during elections, thinking their vote won’t count. It does,” Graham said. “The election of George Bush came down to a tiny number of votes in Florida that changed history. It is critical, as believers, that we be involved, in particular in the upcoming election. We will never have a chance like this in our lifetime where our values, beliefs and worldview are so firmly supported by a president.”
Beyond the vote, Graham calls for another kind of involvement, especially for young people.
“I believe one of the most honorable things a young person can do with his life is to join the approximately 140,000 American missionaries worldwide in service. Don’t let the devil talk you out of it. You only have only one life. It was missionary Bob Piece who taught me what God can do with even one life. I saw how so many people were touched by the love and goodness of God and their lives were transformed.” {eoa}
Amir George is the author of Liberating Iraq and directs The World Helpline at theworldhelpline.org.
See an error in this article?
To contact us or to submit an article
