(Video above: A clip from the Birmingham “Festival of Hope”)
By Alabama NewsCenter’s Karim Shamsi-Basha
“Our cars can become an idol, sports, football. Uh-oh, stepping on toes!”
Franklin Graham on Saturday drew laughter out of more than 8,000 people who descended on UAB’s Bartow Arena for the Greater Birmingham Festival of Hope.
The evangelist was telling a story from the book of Daniel as part of his message for the three-day event this past weekend, which featured him and music artists Kirk Franklin, NewsBoys, Tasha Cobbs, Michael W. Smith, Flame, Kari Jobe, Lacey, Dae-Lee, Amena Brown, DJ Opdiggy, Tommy Coomes Band and Dennis Agajanian.
Members of more than 250 churches were among the thousands of volunteers to bring the president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and the international Christian relief organization Samaritan’s Purse to the city.
“Everyone is welcome,” Graham said. “Our hope is that anyone in the Birmingham area who is struggling with questions about life, or would like a new beginning, will join us.”
The Festival of Hope was the first time Franklin Graham and his team have visited Birmingham. After the massive tornadoes that hit Birmingham and Tuscaloosa in 2011, however, Samaritan’s Purse was heavily involved in the cleanup and rebuilding efforts.
Billy Graham brought his “crusades” to Birmingham in 1964 and 1972. The 1964 event included blacks and whites sitting next to one another at Legion Field. Graham’s message of reconciliation brought more attention to the city that was in the midst of civil rights marches and protests.
Birmingham attorney Dale Wallace was the chairman of the leadership team that extended the 2015 invitation to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.
“Franklin said that Birmingham was on his heart when he accepted the invitation. We were thrilled,” Wallace said. “Our goal with this three-day event is to increase church unity, minister to people in need, and overcome social and cultural problems.”
Wallace had several meetings with the evangelist and described Graham as a humble and wonderful leader with a heart for those who are hurting.
Rod Barnett, director of North American Festivals with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, said that Birmingham lived up to Graham’s expectations.
“We go where God wants us to go. The burden of the city was on our hearts from the start. We hope to reach as many people as we can with the gospel of Christ,” Barnett said.
Barnett has been with the organization since 1994 and he describes Franklin Graham as someone who tries to stay true to the Bible and its message of love and hope.
To Gary Cobb, director of training with the association, the festival is more than a good message.
“It is relevant that we share our faith in this world that is moving in a direction contrary to ours,” Cobb said. “Franklin is compassionate about people and both their temporal and eternal well-being.”
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