Evangelist Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), where he serves as President, have been working with 350 evangelical churches to preach the gospel at the Noi Festival in Naples, Italy, this Saturday, Sept. 14.
“This city is such an important and beautiful part of Italy,” said Graham. “I am looking forward to coming to Naples, but I’m not going to preach a message about religion. I’m coming to share how the people of Italy can have a real and personal relationship with God.”
The family-friendly event in the south of the country marks a return to Italy for Rev. Graham after previous ‘Noi Festival’ iteration outreaches in Milan (2022) and Rome (2023). Some 23,000 people attended those evangelistic events.
The Naples outreach starts at 7pm in the Piazza del Plebiscito with live music by Christian singer and Latin Grammy-winner Christine D’Clario and award-winning artist Charity Gayle.
Antonio Marino, assistant director of the Noi Festival, said that the people of Naples were searching for peace and justice.
“Naples, a city filled with rich history and culture, yearns for lasting peace and a just future,” said Marino. “While it has faced challenges in the past, a resilient spirit is burning strong within its people. This hope for a better tomorrow resonates deeply, mirroring many of the anxieties and struggles felt across the globe.”
Marino further said that the event would be exactly what the city needed to “truly flourish.”
“I have seen firsthand the incredible impact the Noi Festival had on the people of both Milan and Rome,” he added, “and I am excited for Franklin Graham to share the powerful and life-changing message of God’s love in Italy once again."
The Mayor of Naples, Prof. Gaetano Manfredi, said the event would be very important for the city, adding “I am with you in this great initiative.”
“That is why as an administration we are very committed and are collaborating for the success of the Noi Festival. Naples is ready to welcome Reverend Franklin Graham's message of hope in our great Piazza del Plebiscito."
Graham has preached the gospel at an estimated 325 outreaches in 55 countries, to date, following in his late father Billy Graham’s footsteps. He is also President of Samaritan’s Purse, an evangelistic international relief organization.
Samaritan’s Purse provided an emergency field hospital in Cremona during the Covid-19 pandemic, helping to save the lives of Italians. For this work, Graham was honored at a special ceremony with Senate Majority Leader Lucio Malan at the Italian Senate in Rome last year, 2023.
Online outreach complements local events
Meanwhile, the BGEA has focused not only on local events but outreach efforts in the online world. A Search for Jesus initiative has reached 20 million “indicated decisions” for Christ since its inception in 2011.
SearchForJesus.net informs volunteers and supporters whereas PeaceWithGod.net presents the gospel to online searchers for truth.
The global ministry available in English, Spanish, Arabic, Portuguese, Russian, Chinese, and American Sign Language (ASL), uses “Bible scripture, compelling video content, and live chat interactions to share the gospel with visitors from around the world,” according to a press statement.
“This unique ministry allows us to share the gospel through the screen of a phone or computer in places where we aren’t allowed to preach in stadiums,” said Graham. “As long as there is an internet connection, we can take the Good News of Jesus Christ into the hardest to reach countries on earth.”
An online initiative of this nature was something the late Billy Graham would never have “dreamed could be possible” said his son Franklin.
“I’m so grateful that millions of people in 242 countries and territories have heard the gospel through this ministry and have responded by putting their faith and trust in Jesus Christ. This isn’t something we have done—God has done this and we give Him the glory.”
According to BGEA, 3.3 million of respondents to the online invitation to Christ have given contact details for a follow-up and discipleship. The effort is supported by 1,750 trained volunteers giving nearly 24/7 support, using different digital channels and responding to an average of 1,000 questions per day. BGEA estimates that between 300 to 400 of these queries develop into “longer spiritual conversations.”
Enquiries range from faith questions, queries about the gospel, Bible studies and requests to connect with local churches.
Mark Appleton, Vice President of Internet Evangelism at BGEA, believes the online initiative represented an alternate evangelistic effort that complements physical outreaches. It includes online chats, text messaging, emails, and social media conversations.
“While our traditional citywide stadium events remain a powerful method for sharing the hope of Jesus Christ, the digital landscape offers us a unique opportunity to reach people exactly where they are,” said Appleton. “We are witnessing a tremendous response from individuals at crucial moments in their lives when they are most in need of the gospel."
