Sixty-five years after his father, the late Billy Graham, first preached in Addis Ababa, Franklin Graham returned to the Ethiopian capital for a two-day evangelistic outreach on March 8-9 dubbed “Encountering God,” drawing hundreds of thousands and witnessing over 4,000 commitments to Jesus Christ.
Graham, who was on his 11th visit to Ethiopia, emphasized the enduring relevance of the Gospel message his father shared decades ago. “My father preached the same Gospel message 65 years ago,” Graham told reporters at a press conference attended by 40 media outlets. “The world has changed, politics have changed, but the Gospel does not change. It’s the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.”
The outreach was organized by the Ethiopian Council of Gospel Believers’ Churches, a coalition of over 3,000 churches in Ethiopia. The evangelistic gathering was preceded by months of preparation, prayer and discipleship training. Seneshat Teka, director of spiritual development at the council, highlighted that while most Ethiopians have some form of religious belief, there is often a strong emphasis on tradition and non-biblical doctrine. She emphasized the importance for Evangelical pastors to remain focused on “the preaching and teaching of the Word of God.”
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The council’s International Relations Director, Pastor Ashebir Ketema, affirmed the significance of the freedom to preach. A survivor of the communist regime, Ketema endured imprisonment and attempted brainwashing for his faith from 1974 to 1991. “When we see such events, that’s the hand of God … to preach freely in this country; it’s because of the hand of God,” he stated.
Ketema noted that the period of persecution actually strengthened the Evangelical community, which grew to nearly one-third of the nation’s population. Graham shared powerful messages centered on God’s love for Ethiopia and the transformative power of a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
On Saturday, he preached from Mark 10:46-52 on Jesus’ encounter with blind Bartimaeus, who cried out for mercy and was healed because of his faith. “Outside of Jesus Christ, you’re spiritually blind. It doesn’t matter what you have or who you are, you are spiritually poor without God,” Graham explained, holding up an Amharic Bible. He posed the poignant question, “Are you willing to say, ‘God, have mercy on me?’”
On Sunday, Graham shared the story of Zacchaeus, a wealthy and corrupt public official who sought to see Jesus. He emphasized that no one is too insignificant in God’s eyes.
The impact of the outreach was evident in the numerous personal stories of transformation shared by BGEA. Yisak, a 22-year-old who heard about the event on TV, walked to Meskel Square and was moved by the message of forgiveness, identifying with the story of Zacchaeus. Holding his new Bible, he expressed his desire to live for and serve Jesus. Darik, a 17-year-old who had drifted from his faith, was touched by the story of Bartimaeus and resolved to fully trust Christ. Ayana, 20, who overcame her parents’ initial opposition to attend, found relief from worry and anxiety by surrendering her life to Christ and rejoicing in receiving her own Bible.
Beyond the spiritual impact, Franklin Graham also highlighted the long-standing humanitarian work of Samaritan’s Purse in Ethiopia, providing medical care, clean water, and nutrition programs over the years.
The evangelist outreach in Ethiopia is part of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association’s (BGEA) ambitious plan to share the Good News of Jesus Chris on five continents by partnering with thousands of local churches for evangelists celebrations. The partnership includes connecting the new believers to local, Bible-believing churches for further discipleship.
This article was originally published at Christian Daily International
Christian Daily International provides biblical, factual and personal news, stories and perspectives from every region, focusing on religious freedom, holistic mission and other issues relevant for the global Church today.
