Grahams

Franklin Graham told students at John Brown University on Tuesday to remain committed in their faith in Jesus Christ and preach the Gospel in spite of the persecution they may face.

Speaking during a special chapel service, the evangelical preacher asked the students of the private Christian university in Siloam Springs, Ark., to "set the sail for the course that God has in front of you," while overcoming the pitfalls, temptations and challenges in their path.

"The last thing the devil wants you to do is serve the Lord Jesus Christ," he said. more >>

Almost a year has passed since the devastating earthquake hit close to Port-au-Prince, Haiti’s capital, leaving over a million people homeless.

Since the disaster that struck the highly populated area on January 12, 2010, survivors continue to struggle to rebuild their lives in the poorest country of the west.

It is in this desperate time that a Festival of Hope will be held with Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Samaritan's Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). He is set to lead the event in response to an invitation from 75 Haitian pastors eager to deliver the message of the Gospel as a reminder of hope and God’s love for the survivors. more >>

Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is the top religion newsmaker of 2010, say USA Today readers.

In a poll featured in USA Today’s Religion and Reason blog, readers selected the Tea Party leader as the top religious newsmaker out of six other choices. Palin, who spent most of the year campaigning for GOP candidates such as Delaware’s Christine O’Donnell, received 26 percent of the vote. The poll’s results upset Religion Newswriters Association’s pick for newsmaker of the year – Imam Abdul Feisal Rauf.

Rauf, who is the force behind the effort to build an Islamic center blocks from New York City’s Ground Zero, tied for second place with Pope Benedict XVI. Benedict spent most of the year trying to dissolve troubles stemming from molestation charges against Catholic priests. Both religious leaders took 23 percent of the vote. more >>

Franklin Graham expressed alarm over the rapid spread of cholera in Haiti Saturday and called on the international community to increase its response.

More than 1,110 people have died in Haiti from cholera as of Friday, since it first broke out in October. Another 18,000 people have become sick because of the intestinal disease that causes severe diarrhea, vomiting and abdominal pain. Cholera is easily treated but can be fatal if not detected early.

“I am alarmed at the rapid spread of cholera in Haiti and the lack of capacity and supplies to properly prevent and treat this life-threatening disease,” said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the relief and development organization Samaritan’s Purse. more >>

Many prominent ministry leaders came out Tuesday in a webcast to endorse the new edition of Operation World and to call on Christians to pray for the nations.

Operation World, a prayer encyclopedia listed in Christianity Today’s "The Top 50 Books That Have Shaped Evangelicals," was endorsed by Joni Eareckson Tada, Max Lucado, Anne Graham Lotz, and megachurch pastor David Platt, among other well-known leaders.

Through individual videos, the leaders shared how the up-to-date, country-focused book has impacted their prayer life. more >>

Over 3,000 people made commitments to Christ during the Festival of Hope event led by Franklin Graham this past weekend in the Northern European country of Latvia.

Graham preached about the story of Zacchaeus from the book of Luke and the story of the rich young ruler in the book of Mark during the Nov. 5-7 event, in the capital city Riga. He told the daily crowd of about 12,000 – with 14,000 on Saturday – that everyone faces problems, but only God can solve the problem of sin.

“Only Jesus Christ can solve the problems of the human heart,” said Graham Sunday night, according to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. more >>