Franklin Graham Shares Gospel with 17,000+ People in Mongolia's First Ever "Festival of Joy"
It all began twenty years ago with the prayers of a group of church leaders.
The answer to those prayers was that Evangelist Franklin Graham told an unprecedented crowd in Mongolia that each of them needs Jesus because He’s the only Way to God.
CBN News reported on the event saying, “In a first-ever event, evangelist Franklin Graham preached a message on God’s love Saturday night to thousands of people in Mongolia.”
“More than 17,300 people attended the ‘Festival of Joy’ in the capital city of Ulaanbaatar, and hundreds of people made decisions to follow Jesus Christ.”
Mongolian church leaders have been praying for two decades that the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association would hold an event in their country. James 5:16b ESV says, “The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working.” This was evident for all present during the event.
The event was coordinated by the efforts of 260 Mongolian churches and was the first of its kind for the local churches. Graham’s event was free and showcased the culture of the country through music and the arts.
Across every culture, there are differences to be celebrated, but one truth remains the same: Every soul is hungry for Jesus and in need of salvation.
On his Facebook page, Graham put it this way:
“So many people are searching and have an emptiness that they can’t find a way to fill—they don’t even know what they’re searching for. But God loves us and wants a relationship with us. He’s the only one who can fill that void in our lives.”
“It was thrilling to see hundreds of people of all ages respond to God’s invitation to repent of their sins and put their faith in His Son, Jesus Christ. ‘And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved’ (Acts 4:12). Their lives are changed for eternity—and we give God the glory!”
Graham expressed gratitude for the hundreds of leaders, churches, and volunteers who made the event possible through their efforts and prayers. He promised that the BGEA would be praying for all of them.
Many doors (and hearts) were opened in Mongolia through the ministry of Samaritan’s Purse. Over 450 Mongolian children have received life-saving heart surgeries from the organization. Graham visited many of them in 2018 and believed that an opportunity for the gospel was in the works.
“I am grateful we have been able to care for so many precious Mongolian children. While physical needs are important and I want to do everything I can to meet those needs, I believe the greatest needs of the human heart are spiritual,” Graham said.”
Now, hundreds of people have given their lives to Jesus in the wake of this long-awaited event.
To think it began with a group of leaders united in prayer. What are you praying for tonight?
