Franklin Graham Returns to China
2011 Visit Includes Gospel Proclamation at Two Beijing Churches
May 16, 2011 - Continuing the Graham family legacy of sharing God’s Word and love with the Chinese people, Franklin Graham proclaimed the Gospel May 15 in two different churches in Beijing, Chaoyang Church and Chongwenmen Church, where his father Billy preached in 1988.
At Chaoyang Church, Franklin told the congregation that God sent his son Jesus Christ “to die on the cross for us, yet we are the ones who are guilty. It was your sins that nailed him to the cross. But his love saved us. Today, you can be cleansed of your sins.”
At Chongwenmen Church, he told the people gathered that God is the creator of the universe. “The Bible says that in the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth. Everything was created by God,” said Franklin. “He made you. He made this earth. When you go out and look up at heavens, He made all the stars and the universe.”
Maggie Shu from Shanghai came to Beijing to attend the morning and evening services with Franklin Graham. “We got to welcome him to preach and we thank him very much for his prayers for China, as well as for the Chinese churches,” said Shu. “I hope that he can come to China again and I hope he can continue to pray for China.”
Leah, who attends Chongwenmen Church, described how the church has 100 years of history and how “everyone is getting so excited. Everyone is coming here to listen to the message,” she said on Saturday. “I want to say thank you to all the believers who are praying for China and the Chinese churches.
It was Franklin’s grandfather, Dr. L. Nelson Bell, who came to China in 1916 and served as a medical doctor for the next 25 years. His mother Ruth Bell Graham was born in China in 1920 and fell in love with the Chinese people. The Bell family was forced to leave China when Japan invaded the country during World War II.
“My mother’s desire was to come back to live in China, but she met my father Billy Graham and her life changed,” Franklin has said. “My mother, in her heart, was Chinese first. She loved China.”
His parents did return to China in 1988, accompanied by Franklin, to visit Ruth’s birthplace. During that trip, Mr. Graham had opportunities to preach, to meet numerous church leaders and to talk with government officials.
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