T R O P E R L A U N N A 6 0 0 2 THIS IS THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION 1 Billy Graham Parkway • Charlotte, NC 28201-0001 TELEPHONE: 704-401-2432 WEB SITE: billygraham.org My Hope World Evangelism Television Project 45161 4473 Printed in the U.S.A. ©2007 BGEA THIS IS THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION THIS IS THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION Live Events Dare to Be a Daniel THIS IS THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION THIS IS THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION Counseling and Follow-Up Rapid Response Team “For God ... has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.”—2 CORINTHIANS 4:6, NLT THIS IS THE BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION Dear Friend, I wish you could share my view from the Crusade platform as men, women, and children stream forward to surrender their lives to Jesus Christ. What a blessing to see the faces of those individuals changed for eternity! Multiply this thousands of times over—across five continents—and these are the faces of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). “Those who look to him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame” (Psalm 34:5, NIV). We are humbled that God would use BGEA in lifting up these faces and removing the shame of sin and guilt through the shed blood of Jesus Christ. Praise God, through evangelistic live events, nationwide TV broadcasts, disaster-response chaplain teams, innovative training for youth, and so much more, 3.9 million people made decisions for Jesus Christ in 2006. Please join us in giving thanks to God for the great things He has done. All the glory belongs to Him alone! As I consider our plans for 2007—including the opening of the Billy Graham Library, the launch of our Dare to Be a Daniel group curriculum, and our busiest Crusade schedule in a decade—I can only imagine what God has in store. My heart rejoices when I recall the Lord’s promise that He “is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine” (Ephesians 3:20, NIV). What a powerful God we serve! May He richly bless you. Sincerely, Franklin Graham President and CEO LIVE MINISTRY EVENTS FRANKLIN GRAHAM FESTIVALS • In 2006, God was at work rewriting record books across the globe using Franklin Graham Festivals. Record-breaking crowds totaling more than 670,000 on three continents heard the Good News of Jesus Christ, and for the first time, Japanese- and English-speaking Christians in Okinawa joined together to reach their island for Christ. But the greatest records of 2006 are the 56,000 that will stand for all eternity—they are the men, women, and children God has changed forever by the saving power of Jesus Christ. • Festivals, like all of our Crusade events, begin with local believers who are burdened for the salvation of their friends and neighbors. At the invitation of THIS IS THE BILLY GRAHAM Christian leaders in a city, BGEA partners with churches for EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION months of planning and training leading up to the three-day outreach. After the event, we assist the local body in following up with those who made decisions for Christ. 2006 ANNUAL REPORT BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION 11 Franklin Graham Festivals Baltimore, Maryland FACING THE SAVIOR During a follow-up phone call after the Festival in Mobile, Ala., one woman said the event saved her life. Two and a half years earlier, her husband had died. When Hurricane Katrina washed ashore months before the Festival, she lost her new boyfriend and several close friends. Dejected and hopeless, she was contemplating suicide. On the final evening she discovered something worth living for and came forward to give her heart to Jesus Christ. Louisiana State Penitentiary, Angola, Louisiana Okinawa, Japan Because these churches are a permanent part of their day event at the city’s Superdome, the Grahams parole. Before the Festival, Franklin Graham visited country’s largest evangelistic event—and broke the community, lives continue to be changed by the power reminded crowds that real hope is found only in Jesus. and prayed with the men on Death Row. attendance record at Olympic Stadium. of the Gospel long after the Festival is over. Weeks later, inmates at what was once America’s More than 300 churches prepared for the Gulf In late fall, God’s love melted cold hearts in frigid The year began in the Philippines with the Metro bloodiest prison heard a message of forgiveness and Coast Festival in Mobile, Alabama, overcoming racial Winnipeg during the Central Canada Festival. Overflow Manila Festival—Franklin Graham’s first in Asia and his freedom. The Louisiana State Penitentiary at Angola barriers, as well as the physical trials brought on by crowds attended each night, and more than 2,000 largest to date. Over 317,000 people heard the Gospel, is still a maximum-security prison, and many inmates hurricanes Ivan, Dennis, and Katrina. Franklin Graham people responded to the call to follow Jesus. and more than 33,000 people made decisions for are serving life sentences without the possibility of spoke on the kind of relief that can only come from The Okinawa Festival, the final event for 2006, Jesus Christ. On Saturday morning, 82,500 kids and God, and hundreds put their trust in Christ. marked the first time that local Japanese-speaking family members packed Rizal Park, breaking the In July, the Metro Maryland Festival was held in churches and international English-speaking churches record for the largest children’s event ever held there. “And this gospel of the Oriole Park at Camden Yards, the only time in 2006 joined together to reach out to the island with the In March, God brought a message of new life to a kingdom will be that this famed venue hosted a nonbaseball event. A Good News of Jesus Christ. shattered city through the historic Celebration of record 81,000 people attended the Festival, and 3,255 Considering that less than 1 percent of the Hope in New Orleans, Louisiana, and 1,365 people preached in the whole made decisions for Christ. Billy Graham also made an population of Japan is Christian and the average made public commitments to Christ. appearance, preaching the sermon on the final day. church has only 40 members, local organizers were Billy Graham toured ruined neighborhoods with his world as a testimony to Next Franklin Graham traveled to Quito, Ecuador, for astonished at the response to the Festival. More than son, offered encouragement to local pastors, and Festival de Esperanza (Festival of Hope). More than 30,000 people turned out to hear the Gospel, and delivered Sunday’s closing message. During the two- all nations.”—MATTHEW 24:14, NIV 140,000 people attended the two-day Festival—the 1,784 responded to make decisions for Christ. 12 2006 ANNUAL REPORT BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION 2006 ANNUAL REPORT BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION 13 LIVE MINISTRY EVENTS ASSOCIATE EVANGELISTS THIS IS THE BILLY GRAHAM WILL GRAHAM CELEBRATIONS EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION In 2006, William Franklin “Will” Graham, IV, held FACING THE SAVIOR his first large-scale evangelistic Crusade in the U.S. with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. A Ukrainian pastor Crowds totaling more than 12,600 attended the went door to door Greater Gaston Celebration in Gastonia, North in the days before Carolina. Will preached to an audience of 4,500 on the Viktor Hamm the opening night, a record for the decades-old Festival of Hope, stadium. During the three-day Celebration, over 450 people came forward to make personal decisions for Jesus Christ. inviting people to Cliff Barrows and George Beverly Shea, longtime Crusade partners of the evangelistic Billy Graham, joined Will on stage. outreach. One of those who agreed VIKTOR HAMM to come was his In June, Christian leaders across the Ukraine former teacher, an joined Viktor Hamm in holding the Festival of Hope in the southwestern city of Chernovtsy. With ardent atheist. overflow attendance during the three-day During the days of Festival, more than 44,000 people came to hear Soviet rule, she the Good News, and over 1,800 made personal regularly humiliated decisions for Jesus Christ. At the sight of fellow and even beat him Ukrainians finding new life in Christ, one attendee and other Christian said, “It’s a joy to see the happy faces of those who have found what they have been seeking for so long.” students for their The event was held as part of year-long preparations for Franklin faith. She came to Graham’s upcoming Festival in Ukraine, which will be held in the the Festival, heard nation’s capital, Kiev, in July 2007. the Gospel, and surrendered her life ROBERT CUNVILLE In addition to his major responsibilities as to the Savior she chairman of My Hope-India, Robert Cunville held had spent her life 14 evangelistic Festivals of Peace all across India— denying. A few many in areas traditionally hostile to the Gospel. months later, she We praise God that over 691,000 people heard was baptized by her the Good News, and more than 41,000 made former student. public commitments for Christ. 2006 ANNUAL REPORT BILLY GRAHAM EVANGELISTIC ASSOCIATION 15 Will Graham Celebrations Gastonia, North Carolina MY HOPE WORLD EVANGELISM TELEVISION PROJECT • The My Hope World Evangelism Television Project is small group evangelism on a massive, nationwide scale, modeled after the Apostle Matthew, who invited many friends into his house to meet the Savior.