70K Hear Gospel in Franklin Graham's South Korea Outreach: 'A Simple Message of God's Love'
Rev. Franklin Graham preached to thousands at Seoul World Cup Stadium on Saturday – 50 years after his father's historic outreach changed the spiritual landscape of South Korea.
The stadium was filled with 70,000 souls who gathered to seek God and hear about the love of Jesus Christ.
"Korea has changed so much in 50 years. The world has changed, but God's love for you has not changed," Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, 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," he continued.
Graham later shared that his message received an enormous response from the crowd.
"Many stood at the invitation to repent of their sins and put their faith and trust in the Lord Jesus Christ. Korea has changed a lot in the last five decades, the world has changed, but the Gospel has not changed and the needs of the human heart haven't changed. Jesus Christ is still the only answer," he wrote on Facebook.
As CBN News reported, Billy Graham held crusade outreaches in 85 countries on six continents. However, his crusade in Seoul was the largest event with an estimated 1.1 million people in attendance at the final service in Yoi-do Plaza on June 3, 1973.
During that five-day Korean tour, more than three million people heard the Gospel.
Dr. Billy Kim, a pastor who served as the interpreter on Graham's tour told Decision Magazine in 2011 that his crusade changed the nation.
"Korea was a predominantly Buddhist country, with a strong Buddhist influence within high society, government, and politics. Yet after the Crusade, people saw the positive impact and benefits of Christianity," he explained. "There was a strong mobilization of believers, and the church has become a major force, with more than 10 percent of the population being Christian, including many of our leaders in politics, business, and academia. People are not ashamed of the Gospel."
Franklin Graham said he wanted to come back to South Korea on the 50th anniversary to bring hope to a new generation.
"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," he stated.
Graham continued, "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 to preach a simple message of 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."
Will Graham, Franklin's son and the executive vice president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is also an evangelist. On Friday, he preached to 6,500 people at a youth rally at SaRang Church, a 60,000-member Presbyterian church in Seoul, where many Christians met to pray for the outreach at Seoul World Cup Stadium.
"There is a new generation of people who need to know that God loves them, and just like my father, I'm coming to share the Good News that God loves and cares for them," Franklin Graham added.
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