Evangelist Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelist Association (BGEA), preached the Good News to 70,000 people at Seoul World Cup Stadium over the weekend.
The event marked 50 years after his father Billy Graham’s historic Seoul Crusade, the largest outreach of his ministry, where 3.2 million people heard the gospel over five days and more than 72,000 decisions were made for Christ, according to the BGEA.
Many of the attendees on Saturday were at the Seoul Crusade in 1973 at the Yoida Plaza which drew 1.1 million.
“I felt God’s grace,” one woman said. “I cried a lot. I loved it. I remember how Billy Graham was so energetic.”
More than 5,700 churches united and formed a 10,000-member choir at the gathering with Franklin Graham, where he once again shared the Good News.
“Korea has changed so much in 50 years. The world has changed, but God’s love for you has not changed,” Graham told the crowd. “God made you, He created you, and He loves you. He sent His Son Jesus Christ to save you from your sins. If you’re willing to accept that by faith, believe in His name, and turn from your sins, your soul will be safe and secure in His hands for eternity.”
Franklin recalled when his father preached and Dr. Billy Kim interpreted in Korean, thanking the pastor and the churches for inviting him back.
“I love the people of Korea. This is a strong and beautiful country, and the people are so sincere and generous,” he said. “They have always made me feel right at home, and I am looking forward to being with the people of this nation. I’m coming to Seoul at a time that has been difficult for many people. The pandemic was very challenging. People need to know there is hope. So many are anxious about the future and don’t know where to turn. I want them to know that God has a plan and a purpose for our lives.”
“There’s no nation in the world quite like Korea, but all the money and all the technology doesn’t fill the vacuum in the human heart. People want to know, ‘Who am I? Why am I here? What’s the purpose and the meaning for my life?’ People are searching, and they don’t even know what they’re searching for, but something is missing. Only God can fill that vacuum. I’ve come just to preach a simple message: God’s love for the Korean people, and I want everyone to know how they can have a personal relationship with God through faith in His Son Jesus Christ,” Graham told Korean media.
42-year-old Sung Eun, a mother, said she didn’t realize she was a sinner and didn’t even know if Jesus was real before attending the event.
“This was my first time meeting Jesus personally,” she said after confessing her sins and praying to surrender her life to Him.
“I didn’t want to come,” she admitted, but a friend had invited her. Afterward, tears of joy slipped down her face. “I feel relieved,” she said.
More than 6,400 people made decisions for Christ.
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Caleb Parke is the SMG managing editor. Follow him on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and connect with him at calebparke.com.
