At a press conference in Berlin, the well-known evangelist addressed his relationship with US presidents and said “prayer is key” to end the war in Ukraine and bring reconciliation.
Franklin Graham and Will Graham (left) at the press conference held at the JW Marriot in Berlin, where the conference is taking place. / Photo: Daniel Hofkamp
Franklin Graham, 73, addressed the media in Berlin (Germany) on the day a conference with 1,000 evangelists in Europe began.
The European Congress on Evangelism is organised by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) to promote public preaching of the gospel in a highly secularised continent.
In his opening address to the congress (the first of its kind organised by the BGEA since Amsterdam 2000), Franklin Graham said: “If we’re going to reach Europe, we’re going to need an army, an army of evangelists—unafraid, unashamed, unapologetic, uncompromising—standing on the Word of God”.
Hours earlier, at a press conference, Evangelical Focus / Protestante Digital asked Franklin Graham if he thought that the negative perception of Donald Trump in Europe, and the fact that Graham was present at his presidential inauguration, could affect the evangelistic efforts that the Billy Graham Association carries out in Europe.
Although Graham did not address the substance of the issue, he did comment on his relationship with Donald Trump.
“I don’t work for him”, Franklin Graham said. “President Trump is the president of the United States, I didn’t place him there, it was the millions of Americans who voted for him. He will be the president for the next three and a half years, it is what it is”, he commented.
After Trump, “there will be another president, and that person may be popular in Europe or maybe not. Politicians come and then go, but God’s Word stays the same”.
“I’ve had the privilege of meeting every president since President Nixon”, continued Franklin Graham, and “President Trump has been very friendly to me and our family, and I am grateful for that”.
“Some presidents are not friendly, it is nice to work with one that is friendly”, he said, “but you have to work with whoever is in office”.
Graham also clarified that the humanitarian organisation Samaritan’s Purse he leads has not received money from the government. “We don’t want the money”, he emphasised. “I don’t want to have that type of relationship [with the government]. Support for Samaritan’s Purse comes from God’s people”.
But that does not prevent the Christian NGO from participating in joint projects with USAID in Africa, mostly in Sudan. “We have distributed food in the Nuba Mountains for the last ten years”, he explained, an initiative that has been accompanied by “spiritual work” on the ground.
[photo_footer] The group of Ukrainians present at the Congress received a standing ovation when their country's name was announced during the flag parade. / Photo: Daniel Hofkamp[/photo_footer] During the press event, Franklin Graham was also asked about the war in Ukraine.
The evangelist underlined the need to “pray” fervently for an end to the conflict. “Pray for President Putin, President Zelenskyy, and the leaders in both countries that God would work in their hearts to find a solution to this war”.
“Pray that God would somehow touch the hearts of these men and bring them to a point of reconciliation”.
He considered important as well to “pray for US President Trump who’s trying to help, mediate, trying to get them started at least talking to one another, and that’s so important”.
Evangelical Focus will be covering the event from Berlin.
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