Post by MaybeNext on Mar 21, 2005 20:59:08 GMT 10
Evangelist lures thousands
By Barney Zwartz
March 21, 2005
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Melbourne has several thousand new Christians after visiting American evangelist Franklin Graham ended his three-day festival at Telstra Dome yesterday afternoon.
More than 80,000 people went to the three main rallies, and about 7000 accepted Mr Graham's invitation to come forward and "receive Christ".
Festival co-ordinator Paul Molyneux said 55 per cent, or about 3800, were first-time converts. The rest were people renewing their commitment.
It was Mr Graham's first visit to Melbourne, and the biggest evangelistic effort in the city since his famous father, Billy Graham, mesmerised the city in 1959, drawing 143,750 to the MCG. Graham senior also visited in 1969.
Graham junior, an outspoken conservative who attracted controversy after September 11, 2001, when he called Islam "an evil and wicked religion", said last week he hoped Muslims would go to the Telstra Dome - but it did not appear any did.
Mr Graham was well pleased with the festival. "It's so different from 1959, because at that time maybe 50 per cent of people went to church, but now this country is unchurched," he said.
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Advertisement"To see what happened over the three days, and to have more than 800 churches involved, is tremendous."
He said he found the audience "very receptive, very warm - delightfully so".
Buses brought people from throughout the suburbs and the state - youth groups on Saturday night, church congregations yesterday afternoon, bringing non-Christian friends and family with them.
The biggest rally was on Saturday night, when singer Guy Sebastian was the "mystery star". Yesterday's surprise star was the Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery, who said he became a committed Christian as a combat commander in Vietnam. He said the Lord had given him strength and hope throughout his life. "He is there for all of us if we but ask."
By Barney Zwartz
March 21, 2005
Page Tools
Email to a friend Printer format
Melbourne has several thousand new Christians after visiting American evangelist Franklin Graham ended his three-day festival at Telstra Dome yesterday afternoon.
More than 80,000 people went to the three main rallies, and about 7000 accepted Mr Graham's invitation to come forward and "receive Christ".
Festival co-ordinator Paul Molyneux said 55 per cent, or about 3800, were first-time converts. The rest were people renewing their commitment.
It was Mr Graham's first visit to Melbourne, and the biggest evangelistic effort in the city since his famous father, Billy Graham, mesmerised the city in 1959, drawing 143,750 to the MCG. Graham senior also visited in 1969.
Graham junior, an outspoken conservative who attracted controversy after September 11, 2001, when he called Islam "an evil and wicked religion", said last week he hoped Muslims would go to the Telstra Dome - but it did not appear any did.
Mr Graham was well pleased with the festival. "It's so different from 1959, because at that time maybe 50 per cent of people went to church, but now this country is unchurched," he said.
Advertisement
Advertisement"To see what happened over the three days, and to have more than 800 churches involved, is tremendous."
He said he found the audience "very receptive, very warm - delightfully so".
Buses brought people from throughout the suburbs and the state - youth groups on Saturday night, church congregations yesterday afternoon, bringing non-Christian friends and family with them.
The biggest rally was on Saturday night, when singer Guy Sebastian was the "mystery star". Yesterday's surprise star was the Governor-General, Major General Michael Jeffery, who said he became a committed Christian as a combat commander in Vietnam. He said the Lord had given him strength and hope throughout his life. "He is there for all of us if we but ask."
