Dear Friend,
Our Decision America California Tour has concluded, and the entire tour was an incredible story of God at work. We had prayed that many souls would get saved, and we saw that happen. To Him be the glory!
I preached the Gospel to thousands at each stop, presenting Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. In each place, God “opened their minds to understand the Scriptures” (Luke 24:45, ESV). When I invited people to stand in repentance of sin and accept Jesus Christ by faith, so many stood that our prayer volunteers could not get to them all. The response was a clear indication of hungry souls in every city.
>>Franklin Graham heads to Oregon and Washington next month for the Pacific Northwest Tour. Here’s how you can get involved.
In each city on the tour, we prayed together for our nation as well as for California and its leaders. I encouraged Christians to be more involved in what’s happening in their state. California’s state government, like many others, has become dominated by secularism. That should alarm us, because secularism and communism are both godless forms of governing, which will eventually fail. The voice of Christians and of the church needs to be heard. I called on believers to speak out and participate more actively in government at every level, to be faithful in voting, and to take a bold stand for Biblical values. I also urged Christians to run for local school boards, city and county councils, and other elected offices. I believe that is important not only in California, but in communities across America.
We started the tour in Escondido, near San Diego in Southern California, and ended in Redding in the far north of the state. In two and a half weeks we went to 10 different cities, preaching the truth from God’s Word about sin and salvation. All the events were outdoors in large parks, fairgrounds, or amphitheaters. People brought lawn chairs or blankets to sit on as they listened to the music and to the message. In all, over 57,000 Californians came out to hear the Gospel proclaimed, and we praise God for thousands who indicated making a life-changing decision for Christ. So many people thanked us for coming. I thank you for praying for me. It is God who did all this, and we give Him the glory.
In Pasadena, where the crowd gathered on the huge lawn outside the famous Rose Bowl Stadium, a prayer volunteer named Dave saw a Hispanic man in his 30s leap to his feet at the invitation. Dave learned the man was desperate to find peace. Although he referred to himself as a Christian, he had no confidence about his spiritual condition. When Dave showed him Scripture about salvation and assurance, he prayed to commit his life to Christ. A look of happiness spread across the man’s face, and he left with the peace of knowing his eternal destiny. Dave gave him resource material on living the Christian life and has called him more than once since then to offer words of encouragement.
Before the event in Santa Clara, a prayer volunteer named Connie asked God to help her choose a spot in the crowd to sit where she could serve effectively. When I shared how Jesus took our sins on the cross, Connie noticed the woman directly in front of her. “I could see the power of the Holy Spirit working on her as Franklin spoke,” Connie said. At the invitation, the woman stood, and Connie was right there to talk and pray with her. The woman’s countenance soon changed to joy. She told Connie that she and her husband recently began reading the Bible together every morning, but that she had never understood about salvation until that moment. Connie encouraged her to be active in a local church and gave her helpful discipleship materials to take home.
Many advised me not to go to the city of Berkeley, a hotbed of the socialist progressive agenda. But I thought we needed to come and share the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ with anyone in that community willing to listen. That’s what we did. There were protesters, and some feared trouble, yet at least 2,000 people came out, and dozens indicated they were giving their lives to Jesus Christ in repentance and faith. I’m glad we went. Afterward, a prayer volunteer felt led to share the Gospel with a protester who had stayed the whole time. At first the protester firmly refused to listen, but then she softened and the volunteer was able to share Christ with her. Pray that seeds planted in this protester’s heart—and in the hearts of many other people across California—will bear fruit in God’s time.
We have a busy BGEA Crusade schedule for the rest of the year with upcoming evangelistic events planned in a total of 25 more cities on three continents. As I write, my son Will Graham is just returning from a Crusade in Falkirk, Scotland. He will lead events later this year in two cities in northern Canada and two cities in Thailand. Pray for him and two other BGEA associate evangelists—we have Crusades scheduled for Robert Cunville in eight more cities in India before the end of the year and several with David Ruiz in Mexico.
I’ll return to the West Coast in August and resume heading northward, this time through Oregon and Washington on the Decision America Pacific Northwest Tour. I will preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ in seven cities, ending up not far from the Canadian border. As in California, godless secularism has become deeply rooted in the Pacific Northwest. Two out of three residents of Oregon and Washington say they don’t live by the authority of God’s Word. Pray for me as I prepare to preach, and pray that many hearts will be opened to God’s truth. If you live in the Pacific Northwest region, I hope you will join me in one of the cities and bring others with you. If you live elsewhere but have friends in Oregon or Washington, be sure they know about this tour. Find dates and details at DecisionPacificNW.com or on the enclosed prayer reminder.
After my Pacific Northwest tour, I will go to Blackpool, England, for a Crusade in September. Blackpool is a place of great spiritual need, and opposition to our visit has already been stirred up by groups who are against some of God’s standards given in the Bible. Pray that God will strengthen local churches and bring a breakthrough for the Gospel across the city.
In the early 1970s, my mother shared a powerful quote about prayer from a book she was reading, and my father repeated the thought in some of his sermons and writing: “A mystery and wonder of prayer is that God often waits until someone asks. I once heard it said that Heaven’s storeroom is full of answers for which no one bothered to ask.”
Jesus said about prayer, “Ask …” (Matthew 7:7). Will you join us in asking? Ask God for many lives to be changed and souls saved for eternity through the preaching of His word at each of the places He sends us. Thank you for partnering with us through your prayers and gifts. Both are vital for carrying out the tasks God has given us, and we are grateful.
May God richly bless you,
Franklin Graham
President
Get more details on the Decision America Pacific Northwest Tour at DecisionPacificNW.com.
If you have friends or loved ones who live in Oregon or Washington, please share this page with them and encourage them to come out and stand for God’s truth.
