Hope

The Greater Birmingham Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham begins tonight and continues through Sunday at the Bartow Arena on the campus of UAB. Event organizers are asking for prayer in several important areas, according to the festival Facebook page:

1. That Christians will invite at least 1 non Christian to the Festival of Hope.

2. For Franklin Graham, the artists, and the team preparing for the Festival.

3. For people throughout the region who need the life-changing power of the Gospel.

Through the power of the message of the Word of God, people can have hope. The Bible says in Romans 15:4:
4 For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope.
Franklin Graham is the fourth of five children of evangelist Billy Graham and his late wife, Ruth Bell Graham.  Yesterday would have been Mr. and Mrs. Graham's 72nd wedding anniversary.  On Franklin's Facebook page, you can read this:

August 13th, my parents were married at Gaither Chapel in Montreat, North Carolina. My father has said that he could not have imagined loving my mother any more than he did that day—but as time went on, he realized that he loved her even more with every passing day. That’s still true. Even though she’s been gone eight years, he still tells me that he misses her and looks forward to being reunited with her in heaven. I’m thankful for their great example of a loving Christ-centered marriage.

Billy Graham will turn 97 this November.

According to the public relations agency for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse:

In his autobiography, Rebel with a Cause, Franklin explained that "just being the son of Billy Graham won't get me into heaven." He knew that he was being called to do more with his life and to make a real commitment to God. So at age 22, after a period of rebellion and traveling the world, Franklin committed his life to Jesus Christ while alone in a hotel room in Jerusalem.

In his early twenties, Franklin Graham was invited by Bob Pierce, founder of Samaritan's Purse, to join him on a six-week mission to Asia. It was during that time that Franklin felt a calling to work with hurting people in areas of the world affected by war, famine, disease, poverty and natural disaster. He said, "I've been called to the slums of the streets and the ditches of the world."  Franklin was elected to the ministry's board in 1978 and the next became its President after the death of Pierce. Samaritan's Purse now ministers in over 100 countries around the world.

He conducted his first evangelistic event in 1989 and now conducts crusades, called festivals, around the world for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. He has preached to more than 8.4 million people. The Association appointed Franklin Graham CEO in 2000 and president of the organization in 2001.

Franklin Graham has become an important cultural voices, addressing a variety of issues from a Christian worldview perspective.   His comments that are posted on his Facebook page can generate quite a bit of discussion.  And, he often invites people to come into a relationship with Jesus Christ. Earlier this week, this was posted on his Facebook page:

I heard someone talking about their “bucket list.” Do you have one? Things you want to do, places you want to go before your time is up? The most important thing that every person needs to make sure they have done in this lifetime is accept Jesus Christ by faith as their Lord and Savior. Nothing else compares in importance. In fact, once we take our last breath and step out of this life on earth, it will be the only thing that matters. God’s Word says, “Behold, now is the favorable time; behold, now is the day of salvation.” If you haven’t turned from your sin and accepted God’s gift of salvation through His Son Jesus Christ, I urge you to do it today—because we’re not promised tomorrow. Check out peacewithgod.net to learn more. What’s on your bucket list?