Franklin Graham
Franklin Graham holds Festivals around the world as an evangelist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ.
These events culminate from a Spirit-led process that begin months—or sometimes years—before the outreach through the efforts of people like you. Local churches come together for prayer and training in evangelism and discipleship—and then invite others to hear the Gospel.
Upcoming Evangelistic Events
The Message and the Goal
- To mobilize the Christian community to gather as many people as possible to hear the message that Jesus Christ is “the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6, NKJV).
- To provide an opportunity for inquirers to respond to the Gospel and be counseled personally.
- To refer inquirers to a participating local church for follow-up and Christian nurture.
- To strengthen the local church.
Franklin Graham (left) stands beside an interpreter to share the Gospel at the Mediolanum Forum in Milan, Italy, during the Noi Festival in October 2022.
Michael W. Smith leads the crowd in worship during Franklin Graham's God Loves You Tour stop in Birmingham, England, in June 2024.
Guitarist Dennis Agajanian is a staple at many evangelistic outreaches, including the 10-stop God Loves You Frontera Tour on the U.S.-Mexico border in early 2024.
Training
Training is an important part of preparing for a Franklin Graham Festival or tour. BGEA offers a time-tested Christian Life and Witness Course that’s proven successful around the world. As a result, believers have been renewed in their relationship with Jesus Christ and equipped to effectively share their faith with others—both in daily life and as counselors at the evangelistic outreach.
This free course is offered at multiple locations and various times. Course topics include how to live a dynamic Christian life, how to witness to others, and how to disciple new believers. Completion of the course and submission of an acceptable application qualifies believers to serve as counselors at Franklin Graham Festivals and tours.
Principles and Preparation
There’s much more to a Franklin Graham outreach than the actual evangelistic event.
It all begins with local Christians praying and working behind the scenes preparing for the Festival or tour. Long after the event, area churches carry on the work—discipling those who came to faith.
As an evangelistic event is the work of God through the church and individuals, to be successful, it must be based on:
1. The work of the Holy Spirit and is to be bathed in prayer.
2. Cooperation with the local church.
3. People working together.
4. Excellent training.
5. Personal relationship.
6. Excellent organization.
7. The proclamation of the Gospel, at its core.
8. Follow-up provided by local churches.
5 Ways a Festival or Tour Can Benefit Your Church
It is more than an event; it is a process that strengthens the local church and reaches people with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Participating in the outreach process can help your church become stronger in its witness and community impact. Pastors involved with former outreaches were surveyed and noted these benefits:
Training In Evangelism and Discipleship
Many committed Christians are either afraid or simply don’t know how to share their faith. The Christian Life and Witness Course can help your members renew their personal relationship with Christ and effectively present the Gospel. Those who complete the course and are approved by their church have an opportunity to serve as a Festival counselor. This training and hands-on experience has long-term benefits for ongoing evangelism and discipleship in your church.
A Plan of Action for Relational Evangelism
Relationships are key to reaching people for Jesus Christ and discipling new Christians. The Bring A Friend (or I am Andrew, internationally) program provides a simple plan for Christians to build redemptive relationships and share their faith. This includes inviting friends to the Festival to hear the message of salvation—and following up with those who receive Christ. This relational approach for evangelism can extend to your church.
Unity
Joining with other denominations to reach your community for Christ will foster unity among churches, pastors, and individual believers. As churches come together at prayer events, a common goal is formed and differences begin to fade. This unification will be evident in your community as the body of Christ reaches out as one.
New Christians in Your Church
One of the greatest blessings of being involved in the Festival or tour is welcoming new believers into your congregation. The family of God grows exponentially as these new disciples share the Good News with friends and family. As a result, churches see people make decisions for Christ for months or even years because of those who responded to the Gospel invitation.
Spiritual Renewal
The Festival will be a refreshing time of renewal as churches come together for prayer and training. This emphasis will serve as a catalyst for the spiritual growth of your congregation. Billy Graham observed that evangelism isn’t effective without the renewal and revival of God’s people.
Organization of a Festival
A Festival is organized as a ministry of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). An experienced BGEA team is assigned to work with local pastors and church leaders to set up the Festival.
Since involvement and mobilization of local churches is critical to the success of the Festival, each church is encouraged to form a local church leadership team. This is usually composed of two to four people—to mobilize for prayer, training, Bring a Friend (or I Am Andrew), attendance, and follow-up.
With the help of the local church leadership team, a congregation can be mobilized through planning, information sharing, distribution of Festival materials, and recruiting volunteers for different areas of involvement. Local working teams and a Festival director assigned by BGEA assist local church leadership teams in their work, which extends over a few months’ time.
Our Finance Policy
BGEA is committed to the highest standards of financial integrity and accountability. The local leadership team, if agreed, raises a percentage of the total Festival budget, with all funds going toward the Festival budget. All financial activity is promptly receipted, reported, and audited at the conclusion of the Festival.
Neither Franklin Graham nor the BGEA team receive any part of contributed funds designated for the Festival. His salary, travel, accommodations, etc., are expenses paid by BGEA.