Evangelist Franklin Graham launching ‘God Loves You’ tour in 6 cities this fall
Amid growing hostilities toward the Christian faith, evangelist Franklin Graham is planning to travel to six U.S. cities stretching across 1,000 miles to share a message of God’s love and forgiveness with thousands of people as part of his God Loves You Tour this fall.
The six-city, five-state God Loves You Tour will begin Sept. 24 and conclude on Oct. 2, comprising one-night evangelism events in Allentown and York in Pennsylvania; Youngstown in Ohio; Flint in Michigan; Waukesha in Wisconsin; and Rochester in Minnesota.
“I believe this is where our nation’s backbone of hard work, grit, and determination lies, but so many people in our country are struggling. They’re looking for hope, peace, and purpose in their lives,” said Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, in a statement shared with The Christian Post.
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“We’re coming to remind everyone there is Good News! God loves us, and He sent His Son Jesus Christ to Earth to save us from our sins,” Graham added.
The opening night will be in Allentown on Sept. 24.
On the tour’s website, Graham explains, “America is in desperate need of our prayers. Open hostility toward the truth of God’s Word seems to grow stronger all the time in every area of society. I want to share a straightforward Gospel message with people.”
More than 725 churches and pastors across all six cities are partnering with BGEA for the free tour, which will also include live music from Newsboys and Marcos Witt in select cities.
Newsboys have had 33 No. 1 radio hits, four Grammy nominations and two American Music Award nominations. Witt is one of the most iconic Spanish-speaking Christian music artists in the world, and has received five Latin Grammys and two Billboard awards.
“Despite a global pandemic, economic challenges, and a war overseas, we believe the future continues to be bright because of the hope that’s only found in Jesus Christ,” Randy Landis, founding and senior pastor of Life Church in Allentown, the first city Graham will visit, said.
Jon Schwartz, executive pastor of Life Church, said, “We can’t wait to see hope rise in the hearts of Allentownians and surrounding community members through the God Loves You Tour, Franklin Graham, Newsboys and Marcos Witt.”
BGEA says the tour is much more than the actual one-night gathering. “In the months ahead of time, BGEA offers free evangelism training and preparation for local churches. Many who participate serve as prayer volunteers on the tour.”
More than 18,000 people attended Graham’s recent God Loves You Tour in the U.K. and 1,400 people put their faith in Jesus Christ, according to CBN News.
The U.K. tour, which began in May and concluded in July, included praise, worship, and music from award-winning Christian artists CeCe Winans and Michael W. Smith.
Graham held the tour despite opposition from some LGBT activists, including a Welsh Labour Party politician, due to his biblically-based views on marriage.
Graham, who took legal action against U.K. venues that had canceled his tour events in 2020, said at the time that criticism was expected. “They say, Well, you’re offending a lot of people. I’m not offending them, but God’s offending them, because it’s what God says. But my message is not against gay people or people that think differently or worship differently to us. My message is a message about love.”
