The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) has a long history of preaching the Gospel in the Philippines. Billy Graham’s 1977 Crusade in Manila was the capital city’s first major evangelistic event.
Billy Graham’s evangelistic meetings in Manila helped spark a revival among churches on the southeast Asian islands. The number of evangelical churches—5,000 in 1977—had grown to 50,000 by Franklin Graham’s visit in 2006.
The majority of the people living in the Philippines are Catholic, with the rest of the population equally divided between Protestantism, Islam and other faiths. BGEA’s ministry is focused on telling people about a relationship with God, not a religion.
When Billy Graham shared the Good News of Jesus Christ to the estimated 412,000 people who attended the 1977 Metro Manila Crusade, more than 22,000 people made a decision for Christ.
“The Bible always says, ‘Today is the day.’ This is the day of rejoicing. This is the day of salvation. This is the day when God is going to move mightily in the Philippines. This is the day of revival.” —Billy Graham
When Franklin Graham preached at the 2006 Metro Manila Festival, the evangelistic event was the first united effort among local churches since his father’s visit in 1977.
The 2006 Festival was also Franklin Graham’s first evangelistic event in Asia. More than 317,000 people filled the city’s historic Rizal Park and more than 33,000 people made commitments to Christ.
“I believe that the proclamation of the Gospel was used by God, because the people had nowhere to look except to the Lord. And that presentation of the Gospel brought a tremendous response,” a local leader who participated in the 1977 Crusade and 2006 Festival said.
The spiritual seeds planted over the past four decades continue to grow in Manila. Many people who made decisions for Christ at Billy Graham’s Crusade and Franklin Graham’s Festival are pastors and leaders in their communities today—and are helping prepare for Will Graham's Celebration in February.
Will Graham’s February visit to Manila won’t be his first to the southeast Asian country. Will traveled to the region of Bicol in 2011 and returned in 2015 after a devastating typhoon to remind Filipinos of the hope of Christ with events in Tacloban and Cebu.
Unprecedented destruction and death came to the Philippines when a super typhoon struck in 2013. By Will's visit just 17 months later, the city had started to rebuild but many of its residents were still recovering from the devastation.
Tacloban, one of the hardest-hit areas, welcomed Will Graham’s message of hope: “Despite your circumstances, God wants to work in your life tonight.”
“When God’s Word is preached,” Will said, “God’s Word does not return void. And He calls people by name. I always sit in amazement to it, because God is faithful in the preaching of His Word and in allowing people to respond to it.”
Will Graham is returning to the Philippines on Feb. 15-17 to share the Good News from the same stage in Manila where his father and grandfather preached before him. Join us in prayer and follow along with the 2019 Metro Manila Celebration on BGEA’s Facebook page and BillyGraham.org.
