Thousands filled ExCeL London to capacity on Saturday evening (June 21) for the return of the God Loves You Tour, led by Rev. Franklin Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and Samaritan’s Purse. With attendance exceeding 17,000, the venue reached its increased maximum capacity of 15,000, prompting security to turn away several thousand people, according to organizers.
Graham, who has preached in the U.K. on multiple occasions, opened the evening by expressing gratitude. “I’m so grateful to be back in London. I’ve been looking forward to this,” he said.
Despite the overflow, crowds outside the venue responded by singing and clapping rather than expressing frustration. Inside, worship was led by Grammy-winning artists CeCe Winans and Michael W. Smith, along with Christian band The Afters.
The event marked Graham’s third appearance at ExCeL London in partnership with over 550 churches across the city. Leading up to the event, more than 2,000 youth participated in Pursuit—BGEA’s series of gatherings aimed at encouraging young Christians in the U.K.
During his message, Graham referenced ongoing global conflict and uncertainty, pointing to wars in Ukraine, Israel, and Sudan, as well as tensions involving China and Taiwan. “Since I last preached here in London two years ago, the world seems to be one step closer to Armageddon,” he said. “Many people feel hopeless, and they’re asking, is the world running out of time? You can come to the One who can turn that around, and that is the Lord Jesus Christ—God’s Son.”
He concluded by citing John 3:16 and inviting attendees to put their faith in Jesus Christ. Hundreds responded, including a 16-year-old girl who commented, “Everybody is hungry for God in my generation right now, and He is moving.”
The London stop follows recent BGEA outreach events in Krakow, Glasgow, Naples, and Addis Ababa, where Graham preached to a reported crowd of 440,000. Additional events are planned this year in Brussels and Buenos Aires.
Graham’s appearance in London was part of a broader European focus that included convening the European Congress on Evangelism earlier this year in Berlin, gathering over 1,000 Christian leaders from 55 countries and territories.
In addition to leading BGEA, Graham also oversees Samaritan’s Purse, an international relief organization active in more than 100 countries. Its work in Ukraine has included the distribution of over 123,000 tonnes of food and the operation of multiple field hospitals and clinics since the war began.
