HONG KONG – Popular U.S. evangelist Franklin Graham will visit mainland China next month at the invitation of the Chinese Protestant Church.
Graham, son of world renowned evangelist Billy Graham, is scheduled to preach at Chong Yi Church in Hangzhou – one of the most renowned and prosperous cities of China for much of the last 1,000 years. Chong Yi Church, which seats 6,000 people, is reportedly the largest church in China.
During his evangelistic tour in Hong Kong last November, Graham revealed his plan to visit mainland China, which he said has “a special place” in his heart.
“I have a common history with China,” said Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and the international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse. “My mother was born in China, my grandparents were medical missionaries here, and I’ve been traveling here for more than 30 years.”
The evangelist also recalled to the crowd how he learned to use chopsticks before knives and forks.
“I love the people of China,” he added.
According to the Gospel Herald newspaper, Graham wishes to meet with church leaders in mainland China during his visit next month and have more communication with Chinese churches.
Christian Post correspondent Claudia Cheng in Hong Kong contributed to this article.
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Matthew 24:14 says "This gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all the nations, and then the end will come." With great ministers like the Grahams reaching out and with modern technology, the gospel of the kingdom is being preached in the whole world, which is a sign of the end of times according to Matthew's gospel.
Hope Page: itsallaboutjesusnotme.blogspot.com
I wonder if he is going to meet with the church leaders and preachers that are currently in Chinese prisons for preaching? Or maybe he will visit the sites of the hundreds of Chinese homes that have been bulldozed by the government for being a "house church."
I'm afraid his actions will do nothing more than lend some kind of credibility to the regime well-known for persectuing Christians and its puppet, state sponsored church.
I wish there were more protestant ministers like Franklin Graham
God bless the ministry of Franklin Graham, in Jesus' name.