ADDIS ABABA, Ethiopia, March 10, 2025 – The massive public square in the heart of Ethiopia’s capital city was the place where infamous Communist rallies once took place. This weekend, Meskel Square was transformed into a place of worship where hundreds of thousands of people heard a message of hope and God’s love. On the second and final night of the event called Encountering God Ethiopia, the square was so full, thousands of people spilled into the nearby streets to hear the Good News of Jesus Christ.
To download photos from Encountering God Ethiopia, visit Media.BillyGraham.org/Encountering-God-with-Franklin-Graham-Ethiopia.
More than 1,600 evangelical churches throughout Ethiopia worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association forthe outreach. The free event featured a powerful message from the Bible from Franklin Graham, as well as live music from more than a dozen local musical groups and Christian artists from the United States. The historic outreach took place in Addis Ababa six decades after Franklin Graham’s father, Billy Graham, shared the Gospel in the capital and was honored by Emperor Selassie at the Imperial Palace.
“I am so grateful for each and every one who has come. My father Billy Graham was here 65 years ago to this very day. He loved the people of Ethiopia. I first came in 1985, and this is my eleventh visit—I love Ethiopia,” Rev. Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), told the crowd. “If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, I’m going to give you an opportunity tonight. God loves you, but our sins separate us from God. All of us have sinned. Every one of us is guilty, we have fallen short of God’s standards. But God so loved Ethiopia, He sent His Son from heaven to save Ethiopia. And tonight He will save you if you repent and believe on the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ.”
Thousands of people made decisions for Christ during Encountering God Ethiopia. These new Christians will now be discipled by local churches that will help them grow in their faith.
“I have no words to express my heart. My eyes were full of tears to see so many people respond to the Good News that was preached. This is what we wanted—we have been praying many years for a moment such as this,” said Rev. Dereje Jemberu, general secretary of the Ethiopian Council of Gospel Believers Churches. “I thank God for what He is doing in Ethiopia and what He has done this weekend. This has helped encourage and motivate evangelical churches to continue to work together to understand one another and to organize activities to reach as many people as possible with the hope of Jesus Christ.”
Franklin Graham has a deep and profound respect for the people of Ethiopia. In addition to serving as president of BGEA, he also leads Samaritan’s Purse, and Ethiopia was one of the very first countries that the Christian relief organization began working in internationally. In 1988, Samaritan’s Purse started drilling water wells in Ethiopia, and over the past 37 years, the organization has helped dozens of partners in the country respond to emergency needs by providing food, medical care, and clean water in Jesus’ Name for millions of people affected by conflict, famine, and other disasters.
About Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association
Founded by Billy Graham in 1950, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association shares the Gospel around the world. Franklin Graham’s first evangelistic event with the ministry was held in 1989, and since then, he has continued to share the Good News through more than 325 outreaches in 55 countries. Most recently, Rev. Graham has preached the hope of Jesus Christ in Vientiane, Laos; Can Tho, Vietnam; Naples, Italy; Birmingham, England; Glasgow, Scotland; Krakow, Poland; Mexico City, Mexico; and in 10 cities along the U.S.-Mexico border. After preaching in Addis Ababa, Rev. Graham is planning to preach in London, England; Brussels, Belgium; and Buenos Aires, Argentina, later this year.
About Samaritan’s Purse
In addition to serving as president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, Franklin Graham also leads the international Christian relief and evangelism organization Samaritan’s Purse, which helps meet the needs of refugees, victims of war and natural disasters, the sick, the poor, and the suffering in more than 100 countries around the world. Samaritan’s Purse has a long history in Ethiopia, dating back nearly four decades to when the organization began installing freshwater wells and instituting agriculture programs during widespread drought and famine. Franklin Graham has visited Ethiopia many times over the years to oversee these projects and encourage local pastors and churches.
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