Recently, some people have had discussions about the state of evangelicalism today, almost referring to it as a politically related term. I can’t speak for others, and I’m certainly not a spokesperson for any kind of evangelical movement, but I can tell you what I believe.

I believe in God. I believe in His Son, Jesus Christ. And I believe in the Holy Spirit. I believe my God is three in one. I believe that God sent His Son, Jesus Christ, to this earth to take our sins. That He died on a cross and shed His blood for all the sins of mankind. I believe He took our sins to the grave, and I believe in the resurrection. God raised Him to life on the third day.

This is God’s Gospel—and I believe there is supernatural, Holy Spirit-filled power in this message. Jesus told us to go into all nations, baptizing them in the Name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. I believe without Christ, a soul will be lost, condemned to hell for all eternity. This should motivate all of us to share the Good News of God’s love to a sick, dying and compromising world. I am called and committed to preaching this message as long as I have breath or until the Lord returns.

I am also committed to taking Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association into this new millennium, proclaiming this Gospel to as many people as we possibly can through every means possible.

I just finished preaching in Lisbon, Portugal, where we had nearly 30,000 people attend, with hundreds responding to the invitations to confess their sins, to repent and by faith believe on the Name of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Starting in May, I’ll be going to California and the Pacific Northwest to pierce the “blue wall,” not for politics, but for the Gospel. The blue wall represents progressive secularism, which is anti-God. I will be preaching in outside venues in 17 cities. The only hope for California, the Pacific Northwest or any other place in the world is the Gospel. Then when we finish the West Coast, I’ll be going to England, Armenia and Mexico this year.

In addition to presenting a clear Gospel message during our tour of California and the Pacific Northwest, I will be asking for a renewed commitment to prayer and intercession on behalf of our country. We are in deep trouble as socialist-progressives have doubled down on their efforts to turn our legislatures, schools and communities into showcases for a godless, secularist agenda that is openly hostile to the Christian faith.

But I want to do more than just ask people to pray—though that is paramount. I also want them to be sure to engage in the political process, examine candidates’ records, and be sure to turn out and vote in the upcoming mid-term elections.

As I have said before, I believe God has given us a brief window of opportunity to at least slow down, and with God’s help perhaps reverse, the steep decline that has put America in serious moral jeopardy.

The past year has seen some progress. A conservative Supreme Court justice has been appointed under the Trump administration. Steps have been taken in the White House to defend and protect religious liberty. Executive orders have been issued that protect the rights of those with sincerely held religious beliefs.

I am grateful for this, but the battle lines have been drawn, and the voices of those opposed to people of faith are growing louder by the minute. Their attacks against the sanctity of marriage and the right to life are more abusive than I can ever remember.

It may seem a bit early to talk about it, but I believe the mid-term elections coming up this fall are crucial in determining whether our nation will continue to safeguard our religious liberties. Now is the time to inform yourself on how the agenda of those running for office align with basic Biblical principles. Now is the time for churches to gather congregations together for focused prayer on behalf of our nation. Now is the time for the Body of Christ to stand boldly together for our faith and Biblically informed convictions.

Just a few weeks ago, a bill to stop men from using women’s restrooms was defeated in the voting booth in Anchorage, Alaska. This new law would have meant that people would be required to use the restrooms, dressing rooms and locker rooms that match the sex listed on their birth certificate. It was voted down by a very narrow margin—but only 35 percent of the city’s registered voters even cast a ballot! It makes you wonder how the outcome would have been if every Christian and every church in Anchorage had gotten behind it.

My father was never afraid to take a stand for what he knew was right. He decried racial segregation in the ’50s and ’60s and refused to conduct Crusades unless people of every color were allowed to participate. He went behind the Iron Curtain in the ’70s and ’80s to preach the Gospel in communist countries, despite strong opposition. He was never hesitant to engage the culture, because he knew he was God’s ambassador to a world that was lost and dying without Christ.

And that’s exactly why I will continue to stand firmly against the godless proponents of secularism and progressive socialism who advocate destructive legislation and are antagonistic to the basic moral precepts of the Christian faith. If further empowered in upcoming federal, state and local elections, they will do all they can to silence us. The danger is real. Very real.

I promise you, I will never remain quiet about the sure testimony of Scripture on clearly defined moral concerns, because it is the authoritative Word of God that, when adhered to, brings all the blessings of obedience. However, when ignored, rejected and ridiculed, the bitter, destructive fruit of disobedience is not far behind.

This is not a time to relax our vigilance. This is not a time to withdraw from the culture. This is not a time to remain quiet. This is a time for believers to pray fervently, work steadfastly and engage the world around us both with the truth of God’s Word and the eternal hope of the Gospel. In our neighborhoods. In our schools. In our workplaces. In our communities.

“The righteous are bold as a lion” (Proverbs 28:1).

I’m going to continue to do what I have been doing for some 40 years—feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide medical care for the sick, bring comfort to those ravaged by wars and storms—so that I can reach people with the truth of God’s love, that He sent His Son Jesus Christ to earth to take our sins to the cross.

Evangelism is simply reaching the lost with this message. We should be concerned about how we can reach more, and not get sidetracked. A number of years ago Nike had a slogan that said, “Just Do It!” That’s our job—that’s what we are to do today.

I’m not interested in fanning out in all kinds of directions. I’m interested in focusing on one direction—reaching lost souls with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. It is calling people to cross the line from death to life, in Him. That’s evangelism. And that’s what evangelicalism should be about.

 

Scripture quotations are taken from The Holy Bible, New King James Version.