6 Evangelical reactions to Russia’s Ukraine invasion: ‘Potentially major prophetic fulfillment’

By Samuel Smith, Deputy Managing Editor Friday, February 25, 2022

Franklin Graham

Evangelist Franklin Graham made headlines last week when he took to Facebook to urge Christians to pray for President Putin to avoid war, drawing criticism from some who felt he should have called for prayer for Ukrainians. Others defended the son of the late Billy Graham, noting that the war in Ukraine is essentially Putin’s choice, so praying for God to work in his heart to avoid war wasn’t inappropriate.

On Thursday morning, Graham, the president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the Evangelical humanitarian organization Samaritan’s Purse, explained that Samaritan’s Purse has worked with over 3,000 churches across Ukraine. He has also preached the Gospel in cities like Kyiv and Lviv.

Samaritan’s Purse, through its Operations Christmas Child initiative, was in the process of distributing 600,000 gift-filled shoeboxes for children in Ukraine through those churches and ministry partners, Graham elaborated.

“At Samaritan’s Purse we have many friends not only in Ukraine, but also in Russia as well,” Graham wrote on Facebook. “There is so much fear and uncertainty. Many Ukrainians are fleeing their homes toward the west. These families need our prayers.”