Hundreds of evangelical churches across northwest England are preparing to bring thousands of people to Manchester’s Co-op Live arena next month, where American evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham will headline the latest stop of his “God Loves You Tour.”
The Oct. 3 event marks the ninth stop of Graham’s U.K. tour since 2022, following previous stops in cities including London, Glasgow, Liverpool and Birmingham. Organizers say nearly 600 local churches are participating, with more than 8,000 people already booked on hundreds of free coaches traveling from across the region and as far as Swansea, Wales.
Church leaders in the area say the event comes at a crucial moment as local congregations observe a surge of young people seeking spiritual guidance.
“We’re seeing what many other churches across Manchester are also seeing — a growing number of young people searching for meaning, hope and belonging,” said Anthony Delaney, senior pastor of Ivy Church Manchester. “They’ve found that the promises of media, materialism and ‘me-first’ culture leave their deepest questions unanswered.”
Debra Green, founding director of the Manchester-based charity Redeeming Our Communities, echoed the sentiment, noting that the region’s greatest need is a sense of hope and connection.
“At a moment when people are asking big questions about purpose, belonging, identity and hope, it creates an opportunity to say something simple: You are loved, you are not forgotten, and there is hope in Jesus Christ,” Green said.
For Graham, president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the visit carries personal historical significance. His father, the late Rev. Billy Graham, preached in Manchester 65 years ago, in 1961.
“Manchester has changed a lot since my father was here ... but God’s Word doesn’t change,” Graham said in a statement. “In this day and age of AI and global misinformation, many are wondering what truth is and what is real. I want people to know that there is truth and it is found in God’s Son, Jesus Christ.”
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has trained thousands of local Christian volunteers to assist attendees who respond to the gospel message during the event. The outreach follows high-capacity crowds at previous tour stops, including an event at ExCeL London last summer that reached venue capacity, leading crowds outside to join in spontaneous worship.
The Oct. 3 gathering at Co-op Live is free, does not require tickets and is open to the public. The event will also feature live music from three-time Grammy Award-winning Christian artist Michael W. Smith.
