Claremont, N.C., Tornado: Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (BG-RRT) chaplains deployed 46 times this year, twice to North Carolina in response to EF1 tornadoes—Claremont in January and Wilkesboro in April. They stood with the hurting outside damaged homes, offering a listening ear as residents processed the destruction around them.
Police Officer Shootings: February was a devastating month for law enforcement across the country as officers in Tennessee, New Mexico, and Minnesota were killed or injured in the line of duty. Chaplains offered the comfort of Christ to police departments in those areas as they grieved. Later in the year, chaplains deployed to Smyth County, Va., after a seven-year veteran officer was shot and killed on Aug. 9.
Smokehouse Creek Fire: The Smokehouse Creek Fire started in the Texas Panhandle on Feb. 26—killing two people and becoming the largest fire in the state’s history. Chaplains offered support and care to people in Hutchinson County in Jesus’ Name after the flames subsided.
Ohio and Indiana Tornadoes: As people endured tragedy and suffering, chaplains helped them take their heartache to the Lord in prayer. Throughout 2024, chaplains prayed with more than 84,000 people, including those in Logan County, Ohio, and Winchester, Indiana, where several were killed and many injured when an EF3 tornado ripped through the Midwest on March 14. Chaplains shared about the peace that is available through a relationship with Jesus Christ as they offered emotional and spiritual support. Residents who surrendered their lives to the Lord received a Billy Graham Training Center Bible.
Maryland Bridge Collapse: On March 26, a 984-foot cargo ship lost power and rammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge, leaving a gaping space in this iconic 1.6-mile stretch of Baltimore’s skyline. Six construction workers died in the collapse, devastating family members who had waited hours to hear word about their missing loved ones. BG-RRT chaplains comforted and prayed for those impacted by this tragic accident.
Iowa, Nebraska, Oklahoma Tornadoes: The last weekend in April was the beginning of a nightmare for many Iowa, Nebraska, and Oklahoma residents. A deadly storm system tore through the states, killing four people, including a 4-month-old. Only two months later on May 6, multiple tornadoes devastated Barnsdall and Bartlesville, Okla., leaving two people dead. Chaplains ministered to residents after each storm “to give them the same comfort God has given us” (2 Corinthians 1:4, NLT).
Charlotte, N.C., Police Officers Killed: Tragedy struck close to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association headquarters when four Charlotte police officers were killed and four were injured in a shootout on April 29. Seven crisis-trained chaplains and a Mobile Ministry Center—a safe space for prayer and conversations—deployed to police headquarters to offer emotional and spiritual care in the wake of the worst law enforcement shooting since 2016. “Philippians 4 says the peace of God that passes all understanding will guard our hearts and minds,” international director for BG-RRT Josh Holland said. “When it doesn’t make sense logically to feel peace in certain situations, God supernaturally gives it. And that’s what we want to pray for.”
Law Enforcement Appreciation Retreats: This year, BG-RRT welcomed over 500 police officers and their spouses to Law Enforcement Appreciation Retreats in Illinois, Washington, and California. Provided free of charge, these gatherings are an opportunity for officers to be encouraged in the Lord as they serve and protect their communities and their families. “I am 70 years old, and I have never felt able to talk to God until now,” said a retired Illinois sheriff who was one of 12 people to accept Christ during one of the retreats.
Iowa Tornado: A deadly tornado sent Greenfield, Iowa, residents reeling in May. The storm killed four people, including one woman whose car was blown off the road by raging winds. Later in the month, a round of EF3 storms hit further south, striking Arkansas—and Oklahoma for the third time in a year. Chaplains offered a listening ear, pointing people to the eternal hope that comes through relationship with the One who created them.
New Mexico Wildfires: Chaplains stood with the people of Ruidoso, N.M., after two wildfires—the Salt Fire and South Fork Fire—burned more than 23,000 acres of land and destroyed 1,400 buildings in June. They cared for over 1,600 people and pointed them to the only One who can bring beauty from the ashes—Jesus Christ (Isaiah 61:3).
Hurricane Beryl: After Hurricane Beryl left a deadly trail from the Southern U.S. to the Caribbean this past July, BG-RRT deployed to Brazoria County, Texas, and Carriacou, Grenada. As they empathized with shaken residents, they also shared God’s infinite care and compassion.
Hurricane Debby: Chaplains provided a listening ear for grieving people and told them about a Savior who is “a very present help in trouble” (Psalm 46:1, ESV). Above, chaplains pray with a woman after Hurricane Debby dumped over a foot of rain around Sarasota, Fla., in August and left massive destruction.
Apalachee School Shooting: On Sept. 4, tragedy unfolded at Apalachee High School in the small city of Winder, Ga., when a 14-year-old student gunned down two students and two teachers. In the days following the shooting, crisis-trained BG-RRT chaplains ministered to hundreds of people coping with fear, anger, and grief after the deadliest school shooting of the year.
Respite for Officers and Their Spouses: Over six weeks during the summer in the Alaskan wilderness, BG-RRT hosted 24 couples for Marriage Resiliency Weeks—designed to refresh law enforcement officers and their spouses physically, emotionally, and spiritually. The ministry is specifically geared toward officers who have been injured or involved in traumatic incidents in the line of duty. God began healing trauma, restoring marriages, and brought 13 people into a relationship with Him through the retreats this year.
Hurricane Helene: In late September, Hurricane Helene took thousands by surprise when torrential rains fell across Florida, Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, and western North Carolina, causing rivers to overflow. Videos and pictures captured the unbelievable—cars covered in red clay from mudslides, gaping holes where roads and bridges once were, and entire homes washed downstream and smashed to pieces. Many people shared that prayer was the only thing getting them through as the death toll rose over 230.
Hurricane Milton: Shortly after Helene, Hurricane Milton spawned dozens of tornadoes and left millions of residents in the dark as it moved across the Florida Peninsula—killing more than 30 people. “I just want to encourage people to pray,” Franklin Graham urged during a news broadcast in light of the second major storm to slam the Southeast in less than a month. Chaplains did just that—asking God to heal hearts dealing with shock and grief.
Wisconsin School Shooting: On Dec. 16, families in Madison, Wis., were rocked by a shooting at Abundant Life Christian School that left three dead. Chaplains are there to offer comfort and prayer following this horrific event so close to Christmas. Will you keep all who have been impacted by tragedy in your prayers this holiday season?
