Dear Friend,
As we move forward in this new year, I’m reminded of what a critical time this is in the life of our nation. So many voices are trying to lead us away from the truth of the Word of God.
It’s vital for God’s people to know His Word and pray diligently for our nation. Let me encourage you to spend time each day this year in Scripture and prayer. There is still hope for America if we seek His face and call out to Him, confessing our sins and asking for His forgiveness.
When Joshua was faced with the daunting task of leading Israel after Moses’ death, the Lord gave him a command and a promise. “This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success” (Joshua 1:8, ESV).
The Lord wants to guide us daily, and as a loving Father, He desires to spend time with us every day. Will you commit to spend time in God’s Word each day in 2022?
New Life in a New Year
On New Year’s Day, we aired a special Gospel TV spot in several hundred markets around the country. It appeared during the Tournament of Roses Parade, NCAA basketball games, and the Citrus Bowl, as well as movie marathons on TBS and TNT.
Susan* and Matias* were among the many who were watching. Susan left the room during the spot, but after I shared the Gospel, Matias prayed along with me to surrender his life to Jesus Christ. When Susan returned, he told her about his decision, and together they called our prayer line. They had many questions about what it means to be a Christian and how to begin following God.
>>Do you need prayer? Call our 24/7 Billy Graham Prayer Line at 888-388-2683.
In the past, Susan had been addicted to drugs, and she wants to stay clean. Our team member talked with them about God’s forgiveness and His assurance to always be with them to help them. By the end of the conversation, Susan said that she, too, wanted to repent of her sins and surrender her life to Jesus Christ.
We praise God for the thousands of people we are able to minister to each week when they call the prayer line, and we give Him the glory for all those who pray to receive Jesus Christ as Savior. As we continue our prayer line ministry and proclaiming the Gospel through these spots in 2022, pray that God will draw many more people to faith in Christ.
Offering Hope in the Midst of Hopelessness
On Christmas Eve, I spent time with families in Mayfield, Kentucky, after tornadoes ripped through their community. They’ve suffered through so much, and I wanted them to have a little Christmas joy in the midst of their heartbreak, and to know that God loves them and has not forsaken them.
We served a traditional Christmas meal, and I shared the Gospel and a message of encouragement with everyone in attendance. My good friend Ricky Skaggs, who is from Kentucky, also came and blessed the crowd by performing some of his bluegrass holiday favorites.
Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) chaplains ministered in the area, offering comfort and hope in the storm’s aftermath. Your prayers and gifts are touching many lives across this region.
Two chaplains visited a storm victim who asked them to speak to his children about the Lord. During the conversation, the man’s brother and sister-in-law dropped in for a visit. Everyone in the room listened closely as they shared the Gospel message. When the chaplains finished, the children indicated they wanted to pray to receive the Lord Jesus Christ into their lives—along with the brother and his wife! We praise God for orchestrating this divine encounter, so that two generations of this family could come to know the Lord.
Please pray that God will use our chaplains to comfort many other tornado victims across Kentucky. We also sent teams to Boulder County, Colorado, following wildfires that destroyed hundreds of homes. Will you ask God to draw many to Himself through this ministry?
Preaching Jesus Christ as Lord
As I write to you, we are preparing for several Evangelism Summits in key cities across the globe. In these gatherings, Bible teachers and leaders will encourage and help equip evangelists, pastors, and lay leaders for the work of evangelism and discipleship.
Will you pray with me for God to be glorified and that many of His workers will be encouraged and strengthened during these events? Evangelism Summits are scheduled for Quito, Ecuador; Düsseldorf, Germany; St. Petersburg, Russia; and several North American cities.
Looking Ahead to the Future
The Lord has opened many doors for us to “go into all the world and proclaim the gospel” (Mark 16:15, ESV) during 2022. In May and July, I will preach in four cities in the United Kingdom during the God Loves You Tour—and then later in the year, I will bring that same message to the United States for another tour here at home. If the Lord allows, I will proclaim the Good News at Festivals in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil; St. Petersburg, Russia; Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia; and Milan, Italy.
My son Will is getting ready to hold Celebrations in Fredericksburg, Virginia; on two Indian reservations in South Dakota; and in Hobart and Launceston, Tasmania in Australia. Pray with me that the resurgence of COVID-19 will quickly resolve and that these venues will remain open to us to publicly share the life-changing message of salvation in Jesus Christ.
This is the only hope for a world gripped by fear or set adrift by uncertainty. In the face of the coronavirus, destructive storms, political instability, and economic uneasiness, God’s Word reminds us to “look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen; for the things which are seen are temporal, but the things which are not seen are eternal” (2 Corinthians 4:18, NASB). We are committed to obeying our Master’s Great Commission and making eternal investments in the lives of people around the world.
Thank you for your continued partnership in this ministry of evangelism. Your prayers and gifts are touching lives everywhere, and I praise God for you.
May God richly bless you,
Franklin Graham
President
* Names changed for privacy
