Six-city tour will bring live music and a life-changing message of hope to Portsmouth on May 6
CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 10, 2023 — Franklin Graham is sharing a message of God’s love in six cities across Virginia, North Carolina, and Maryland this spring, and he’s bringing an evening of music and hope to Portsmouth on the fifth stop of the tour.
“This coastal area is a beautiful place with such a rich history, but like every area of our country, there are many people who don’t know God. So many are searching and struggling. I simply want them to know that God cares for them and has a plan for their lives,” said Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. “The world is changing so quickly—record inflation, bank failures, surges in violent crime, the crisis in Ukraine—the list goes on. So many people are anxious about the future and don’t know where to turn. We are coming to remind people there is Good News! God loves us, and He sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth to save us from our sins.”
On May 6, Graham will bring the God Loves You Tidewater Tour to Portsmouth. The festive, family-friendly event is free and everyone is invited to attend. Live music begins at 6:30 p.m. at the waterfront Atlantic Union Bank Pavilion.
The tour is an outreach of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). More than 115 churches and pastors in the Hampton Roads region and over 825 churches across all three states are partnering with BGEA for the six-city outreach because they believe the hope of the Bible needs to be shared in the tidewater regions of the East Coast.
“The greatest dilemmas in our communities and the world today can be solved with Jesus Christ. Nothing can change and satisfy a person like the Gospel of Christ,” said Dr. Allen McFarland, senior pastor of Calvary Evangelical Baptist Church in Portsmouth. “There isn’t a government institution or political, religious, or secular party that can meet the desires of the human heart. Drugs, alcohol, people and organizations can’t do this either. Only Jesus Christ can satisfy the human heart and soul.”
One of the most influential bands in Christian music history, Newsboys, are joining the tour, and they will perform live at each event. Newsboys have had 33 No. 1 radio hits, four Grammy nominations and two American Music Award nominations. Marcos Witt is also performing live on the tour. He is one of the most iconic Spanish-speaking Christian music artists in the world and has received five Latin Grammys and two Billboard awards. Award-winning musician Dennis Agajanian, who has performed at Billy Graham’s and Franklin Graham’s evangelistic events for more than 45 years, will also be joining the tour.
To learn more, visit GodLovesYouTour.com.
DATES AND LOCATIONS
- La Plata, Maryland (April 29)
- Timonium, Maryland (April 30)
- Elkton, Maryland (May 2)
- Salisbury, Maryland (May 4)
- Portsmouth, Virginia (May 6)
- Edenton, North Carolina (May 7)
MEDIA OPPORTUNITIES
- Franklin Graham will beavailable for advance and on-siteinterviews.
- For media inquiries, please contact Mark Barber at mebarber@bgea.org, 828-386-5803.
- To download b-roll and photos, visit Media.BillyGraham.org/God-Loves-You-Tidewater-Tour.
Founded by Billy Graham in 1950, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association shares the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world. Franklin Graham is continuing the lifelong work of his father, and he has devoted his life to proclaiming the Gospel. His first evangelistic event was held in 1989, and since then he has continued to share a message of God’s love at hundreds of outreaches throughout the United States and around the world. This year, Graham has shared the hope of Christ in Mexico City, Mexico, and Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. Later this year, he is looking forward to preaching in Seoul, Korea; London, England; Essen, Germany; and Rome, Italy.
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