In Portugal, the BGEA, along with 140 local churches, organised the event. Around 480 people responded to an invitation to get to know Jesus personally.
Over 6,000 people participated in the Celebration of Hope festival in Porto. / [link]BGEA[/link]
Over 6,000 people participated in the Celebração da Esperança (Celebration of Hope) festival, organised by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) on 26 April, at the Super Bock Arena of the Portuguese city of Porto.
Other 6,000 watched it online and hundreds stood outside in the cold rain to follow the event on big screens, BGEA reported.
One day after the country celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Carnation Revolution, a peaceful coup that freed the country, and six years after Franklin Graham preached in the capital of Lisbon, Will Graham returned to the country for a one-night event, which also involved over 140 local churches.
As in other festivals before (the God Loves You festival in Krakow, Festival of Hope in Essen, Festival de la Esperanza in Barcelona, Noi festival in Milan, and the God Loves You Tour in three cities of the UK), the evangelistic event included musical performances, this time by Taya, and the band The Afters, who sang a variety of well-known and original worship songs.
[photo_footer] Taya during her performance. / Photo: BGEA [/photo_footer]
Will Graham shared with the audience the story of the king Manasseh, told in 2 Kings 21, who “sinned against God by worshipping idols” , he explained.
“My friends, we commit idolatry today. We worship sex, money, greed. We worship drugs, pornography, TV. Anything that comes before God is wrong”, said Graham.
The grandson of the late Billy Graham encouraged the participants to “resign from being your own boss in life”. “No other king died for you. Allow Jesus to be the new King in your life”, he added.
“Jesus came to save you from eternal separation from God, but you have to be willing to come and confess your sin before God”, underlined Graham.
According to the BGEA, around 480 people responded to an invitation to get to know Jesus personally, or to ask for prayer and ask further questions.
Those interested received a New Testament, along with a couple of Bible study booklets called Living In Christ and Growing in Christ “to help them deepen their relationship with Jesus”, said the organisers. Pastors from local churches will also follow up with them.
[photo_footer]According to the BGEA, around 480 people responded to an invitation to get to know Jesus personally. / Photo: BGEA [/photo_footer]
“We have never had something like that before, the event had a great professional quality in terms of music and technique”, Pedro Costa, pastor and president of the Brethren Church of North Portugal, told the news website Christian Daily International.
“We now have the task of accompanying them through the churches”, added Costa.
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