Evangelist Franklin Graham announced that he will be taking his God Loves You tour to the U.S Southern border next month.
According to CBN News, the tour will commence the 10-city God Loves You Frontera (Border) Tour on Feb. 24 at the Brownsville Sports Park in Brownsville, Texas before proceeding to McAllen, Laredo, Eagle Pass, Del Rio, Presidio, and El Paso.
The tour will also make a stop in Tucson, Arizona on Mar. 5 followed by a stop in Yuma on Mar. 7. Graham will conclude his tour on Mar. 9 at the North Island Credit Union Amphitheater in Chula Vista, California.
The tour will also feature musical performances by Taya, Marcos Witt, and Dennis Agajanian.
Graham, who leads Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), announced the tour dates and stops in a message on X.
"Next month we will be hitting the road for the #GodLovesYou Frontera Tour! For more on each of these FREE events visit: GodLovesYouTour.com," he wrote.
Graham told CBN News that he is not going to the border to speak against the U.S. border policy. Instead, he’s going there "to preach the Good News of Jesus Christ where it's desperately needed."
"We are taking the God Loves You Tour to the southern border this year because it is one of the neediest areas of our country at this time, and people need to hear a message of hope from God's Word," Graham said. "God has placed a burden on my heart as I have seen what has been happening there, so we are taking the Gospel to 10 cities, starting in Brownsville, Texas, and going over 1,500 miles all the way to the Pacific, holding an event in Chula Vista, California."
The evangelist also added that he's not going to the border because of the upcoming presidential election.
"Everyone along the border is overwhelmed—the churches, the law enforcement agencies, the residents, those there trying to help, as well as the people coming into our country. I'm not going to the border because it's an election year. We're going because it's a crisis and it is one that is continuing to grow. The God Loves You Frontera Tour is about preaching the Good News of Jesus Christ where it's desperately needed," Graham said.
He also noted that "The Gospel is for all people," regardless of what country they are from.
"I'm going to share a message for everyone—regardless of whether they're from the United States, Mexico, or from some other country—the Gospel is for all people. I'm not going to welcome people to the U.S. or to tell them to go back. I'm not going there to speak against our policies at the border. The politicians know these policies are broken," Graham said.
"There are a lot of hungry hearts and hurting people, so I'm going to the border to tell them about God's Son Jesus Christ, and how He can make a difference in our lives if we put our faith and our trust in Him," he added.
In the past seven years, Graham has led evangelistic events across the U.S., partnering with local pastors, churches, and volunteers. According to the tour’s website, over 570,000 people have heard the Gospel and more than 34,000 have made professions of faith.
Image credit: ©Getty Images/John Moore/Staff
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
