Photo above: More than 6,500 people heard the Gospel, with hundreds giving their hearts to Christ in Christchurch, New Zealand. Saturday marked the first stop on Franklin Graham’s three-city God Loves You Tour in this island nation.
“I love the name of your city,” Franklin Graham told the thousands of people gathered in Christchurch, which kicked off the three-city New Zealand God Loves You Tour.
Sharing God’s love was extremely meaningful to this community, considering the tragedies they’ve endured.
Between 2010 and 2011, three major earthquakes rocked the city, with 185 people losing their lives in the February 2011 quake.
In March of 2019, 50 people were killed during a terrorist attack at two Islamic mosques.
And of course, there’s the pandemic.
But Christ hasn’t forgotten the city that bears His Name.
“He knows your name. He knows everything about your life,” said Franklin Graham.
“He sees you here tonight.”
‘Welcome Home’
Franklin Graham was officially welcomed to New Zealand by the M?ori Christian community, descendants of the island’s first inhabitants.
At a special ceremony, called p?whiri, participants sent the evangelist out to preach the Gospel.
Prayer counsellor Alisha Fonmoa longs for her M?ori community to know Jesus.
“They believe in gods of the forest—the sea, sky, war, love,” she said, among others. “Some people wear [their symbols] as necklaces, and they pray to them.
“But we’re designed to worship the one true God,” she said.
Across the room, another prayer counsellor, Yolande, felt a tap on her shoulder.
Her friend Lisa,* who is M?ori, told her she wanted to recommit her life to following Jesus Christ.
“I thought I was going to be praying for a complete stranger,” Yolande said. “It was just beautiful.
“We had waited for her [to come back to Christ] for a very long time.
“I just said to her, ‘Welcome home.’”
>>Get details on the upcoming God Loves You Tour stops in Wellington and Auckland.