“It is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed.” —Deuteronomy 31:8, ESV
Dear Friend,
The images coming out of Ukraine are heartbreaking—bombed out hospitals and apartment buildings, families fleeing for their lives, and convoys of military vehicles. Europe hasn’t seen this carnage since World War II.
God has opened the door for us to minister on the ground there, and we have deployed Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains to Ukraine. They are serving alongside Samaritan’s Purse field hospital staff and ministering among the tens of thousands of refugees passing through Lviv’s train station.
>>Help deploy chaplains to shine the light of Christ in this war zone
One of our team members was deeply moved by what he saw. “We are here to share the love of Jesus Christ with the precious people of Ukraine, to cry with people, to pray with people, just to be there to listen to people,” he said. “The stories I heard … the individuals I talked to … I don’t think I’ll ever be the same.”
The need in this nation is great, and there are so many brave pastors and individuals who are faithfully serving their communities despite grave hardship and danger. We have helped local churches train their members to comfort others with the peace of Jesus Christ in the midst of the crisis. In addition, we are equipping them with practical Ukrainian-language tools such as our evangelism and discipleship resources “Steps to Peace With God” and Living in Christ.
Please ask God to comfort each man, woman, and child hurting in the wake of this unjust conflict. Pray for the safety of our Ukrainian brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ and for our chaplains, that the Lord will use them as witnesses for the Prince of Peace in this war zone.
And please pray that they will be reminded that “it is the Lord who goes before you. He will be with you; he will not leave you or forsake you. Do not fear or be dismayed” (Deuteronomy 31:8, ESV).
God Loves You Tour in the UK
This May, the God Loves You Tour will begin in the United Kingdom. The U.K. was once a great sender of missionaries around the world, but today the number of believers is rapidly falling.
Barely over a quarter of people in the U.K. call themselves Christians—and only 60% of those “Christians” say they believe in God! So many in Great Britain desperately need the hope of Jesus Christ.
I’m glad God has given us the opportunity to share the Gospel there through this tour, which will kick off in Liverpool on May 14 before moving on to South Wales (May 21), Sheffield (May 25), and then ending in London on July 16.
Will you join me in praying that God will call many men and women to salvation and new life in Jesus Christ through the God Loves You Tour?
The secularization of the U.K. is making it increasingly difficult for Christians to share their faith. We have seen this firsthand over the last several years as activist groups and venues have tried to prevent us from publicly proclaiming the only message that can “open their eyes, in order to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins” (Acts 26:18, NKJV).
We filed several cases in the British court system to stand up for the rights of Christians to share His truth, and we thank Him for favorable rulings that are safeguarding these rights. I praise God for the thousands of bold men and women He has raised up who are standing firm for Him and are partnering in the tour to reach their countrymen with the Good News.
This hostility to Biblical truth is also spreading across the West, and persecution may not be far off for us here in America. We shouldn’t be surprised. Jesus Christ told us to expect it. On the night before Good Friday—which we will soon celebrate—He warned the disciples, “If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you” (John 15:20, NKJV). Then He added a great word of encouragement: “In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (16:33).
As you mark the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead this Easter, let His victory over the grave remind you of His victory over the world. No matter what comes our way, let’s stand boldly and faithfully for Him, seizing every opportunity for the Gospel.
Ministry to the Hispanic Community
We recently hosted Hispanic pastors from across the country at the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove for a bilingual Evangelism Summit. This summit was modeled after the meetings we held last fall in the U.K., and church leaders and individuals gathered to refocus on the fundamentals of the Gospel and how to best reach Latino communities in the U.S.
In the next six months, we will hold three more Evangelism Summits in Texas, California, and Illinois. Will you ask God to empower these leaders to reach this growing population with the Good News of Jesus Christ?
Exciting Updates at the Billy Graham Library
The Billy Graham Library will reopen soon with brand-new technology and updates. This summer will be the perfect opportunity to bring your unsaved friends and family members for a visit.
While many things are changing, the goal of the Library never will. Every single person who takes the Journey of Faith tour will hear the Gospel—the same message that my father dedicated his life to preaching: “God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Romans 5:8, ESV).
This summer we will also dedicate the Billy Graham Archive and Research Center in Charlotte, North Carolina. It will preserve my father’s written, audio, and video materials from decades of ministry, and we are praying that God will raise up and equip a new generation for the Great Commission as they study these records.
In the coming months, we will begin hosting these students and young leaders at the Library for training seminars in proclamation evangelism.
God Loves You Tour in the U.S.
We recently finalized dates and venues for the God Loves You Tour that will take place in the U.S. This fall, I will preach the Gospel during one-night events in Allentown and York, Pennsylvania; Youngstown, Ohio; Flint, Michigan; Waukesha, Wisconsin; and Rochester, Minnesota. Will you pray that the Lord will guide ongoing preparations and that He will draw many to Himself through this evangelistic tour?
None of these outreaches would be possible without the prayers and support of friends like you, and I praise God for you.
As you gather with your family this Easter, I pray that “the God of peace who brought up our Lord Jesus from the dead, that great Shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, make you complete in every good work to do His will” (Hebrews 13:20–21, NKJV).
May God richly bless you,
Franklin Graham
President
