“If you watch the news, it can be discouraging and definitely concerning,” Franklin Graham wrote on his Facebook page Tuesday. “One thing’s for sure—it’s a reminder of the urgent need for prayer for our nation.”
Franklin Graham is visiting all 50 states this year on the Decision America Tour, rallying people together to pray for America and encouraging them to live out their faith at home and at the polls.
Several tour stops are planned through the spring, and on Tuesday, Franklin Graham announced six more for June and July: Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Oregon, Washington and Alaska. (Scroll down for upcoming tour dates.)
So far, Franklin Graham has traveled to seven states, where more than 27,000 people of all ages have joined hands and bowed their heads in prayer—both for the country and in personal repentance for their own sins.
“We’ve turned our back on you. Forgive us, Father,” Franklin Graham prayed at his most recent stop at the Hawaii State Capitol. Turning the country back to God, he’s said on the tour, begins with each one of us.
“We sense in our hearts that our country needs change—we’re headed in the wrong direction,” Pastor Jeff O’Neal said on the Decision America stop in Atlanta. “It’s not just about the election this year, and it’s not about Republican or Democrat. We’ve lost our way, and each generation has an obligation to respond. And this is how we want to respond.”
Thousands of others—families, churches, Christian schools—have also responded in prayer, and many have been encouraged to take it a step further.
“We need to take action,” said Jeff Fortenberry, who brought his three children to the Decision America stop in South Carolina. “We need to make sure we take our privileges that we’ve been blessed with here in this country and actually go vote.”
Franklin Graham has said he isn’t telling people which candidates to vote for, but is asking them to vote for people who uphold biblical principles, which could have a big impact for generations to come.
“What is the Decision America Tour?” Franklin Graham posted on Facebook Tuesday. “It’s a campaign for God—and I need you to join me when I come to your state. Let’s stand together, hand-in-hand, to pray for our leaders and our nation. We need to let the politicians see that they’re not going to take the Christian vote for granted. We’re going to stand together for God’s truth and righteousness.”
