Franklin Graham, third of four children of Billy Graham and a Christian evangelist in the same tradition, will bring his year-long tour of prayer rallies in all 50 state capitals to Pierre on May 24.
Despite the venues at the seat of state governments, Graham says his point is to point away from politics to a higher source with his “Decision America Tour.”.
“I do not believe Republicans or Democrats or any other party can turn this nation around – only God can,” Graham said in a news release. “God hears the prayers of his people, so we’ll be calling on Christians in every state to pray fervently and faithfully for America.”
The name of his tour carries an echo of his father’s Baptist evangelism that called people to make a decision for Christ, to come forward at giant crusades, promising them “if you came by bus, your bus will wait,” while he prayed with them.
Billy Graham is 97 and living in his home state of North Carolina.
Franklin Graham was in the news across the country on Thursday as part of the negotiation team working with the FBI that led to the last four of “occupiers” at the Oregon federal wildlife refuge giving up.
Graham said on his Facebook page that the FBI had asked him to be involved, which was confirmed by one of the protesters who said he would only relent if he was escorted by Graham.
“Last night I was on the phone with them for several hours, was able to have prayer with them, and they have said they would come out today,” Graham posted on his Facebook page, according to news sources.
The four came out Thursday without incident and gave up to the FBI while Graham waited in an armored vehicle and a Nevada state senator who is supportive of the protesters, according to news reports.
While Franklin Graham has been less politically active than his father, who was known for socializing publicly and privately with presidents, including Eisenhower and Nixon, he has spoken sharply about Islam in the past decade in ways that drew criticism.
His full name is William Franklin Graham III, but he’s always gone by Franklin. He’s already hit six state capitals, the latest on Wednesday in Atlanta.
CNN reported that about 4,500 people filled the mall at the Georgia state capitol Wednesday to hear Graham.
“I don’t think we’re going to make it another election cycle if we don’t’ get God’s voice back in the political arena,” Graham said in Atlanta, according to CNN.
The Atlanta Journal Constitution said Graham said the “sins of our nation,” include legalized abortion, same-sex marriage, pride, materialism, racism and not caring about the poor. He also spoke against an issue being heard in the state capitol in Pierre: “Men belong in men’s bathrooms and women belong in women’s bathrooms,” Graham said. “And we don’t need men and predators going into women’s bathrooms.”
Atlanta was his sixth stop on the 50-state tour.
He’s planning to be in Lincoln, Nebraska, six days before he’s in Pierre, and in Bismarck a day later, on May 25.
Graham says his Decision America Tour “will not endorse political candidates or legislation and no candidates or current public officials will speak at any of the rallies.”
Franklin Graham is 63; his father is 97 and “his mind is still sharp,” he said recently, an associate told the Capital Journal Thursday.
His mother, Ruth Graham Bell, died in 2007. Franklin’s sister, Anne Graham Lotz, also has traveled as an evangelist.
Instead of immediately following in his famous father’s footsteps to large arena evangelism as a young man, Franklin Graham got involved in the 1970s in Samaritan Purse. The nonprofit evangelical charity focuses on helping people worldwide with food, clothing and other materials things, as well as spiritual help.
He’s been the head of that nonprofit for decades and more recently was named head of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association founded by his father. It still holds crusades around the world.
Click here to view original web page at www.capjournal.com