More than 14,000 people gathered in Brussels, Belgium, to hear a message about the hope of the gospel from veteran evangelist Franklin Graham, in an event supported by 620 evangelical churches.
Graham — son of the late evangelist Rev. Billy Graham and president and CEO of both the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) and Samaritan’s Purse — delivered the keynote message at the “Festival of Hope” evangelistic outreach at Brussels’ ING Arena on Saturday night, Sept. 27.
“We praise Him for the hundreds of lives changed for eternity as people of all ages responded to the Gospel!” the BGEA wrote on social media following the event.
“In the heart of a country deeply divided by language and culture for decades, over 14,000 Belgians from Antwerp to Waterloo united together in one voice, praising God at the Festival of Hope with Franklin Graham in Brussels, Belgium.”
Although the ING Arena seats 8,965, the turnout was so large that an additional 5,000 attendees were accommodated in two nearby overflow areas, where they watched the event live-streamed on big screens.
Organizers said the message was translated live into seven languages — French, Flemish, Slovak, Spanish, Portuguese, French Sign Language and Flemish Sign Language — to make it accessible to all attendees.
“It’s a miracle in itself to have such large numbers of people showing up for something like this and to have Dutch and French churches working and collaborating together—it is completely unexpected,” said David Vandeput, president of the Belgian Federal Synod of evangelical and Protestant churches.
“It’s a sign that God is on the move and something real is happening. This is a milestone that will be remembered by the evangelical church in Belgium, but it’s not about religion. It’s not about evangelicals. It’s about Jesus Christ! This is just the start—it’s the launching point—I believe there is much more to come.”
According to the BGEA, the city of Brussels was once the center of religious tension during the Reformation but it has become mainly secular in spiritual culture. However, the evangelistic association noted God working in the hearts of many attendees at the event, “moving mightily across language and denominational lines.”
“People are here from everywhere — it’s a melting pot,” Franklin Graham told attendees.
“Tonight, I want you to know that God loves you and that He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, from Heaven to this earth to take your sins. This is why Jesus Christ came. He didn’t come to condemn us, He came to save us. Jesus Christ came for all, but you’ve got to come to Him in faith.”
Hundreds responded to Graham’s invitation to place their faith in Jesus Christ, according to the BGEA. “Please pray for the churches in Belgium as they welcome these new believers and continue to grow in unity,” the organization added.
On Friday before the event, Graham sat with media representatives to explain how his father Billy visited Brussels 50 years ago to hold a youth evangelism conference called EuroFest. In 1975, more than 100,000 people heard his father Billy Graham preach in the city during a nine-day event.
Similarly, Franklin Graham shared his father’s concern for the nation’s youth at Saturday's event. Young adults make up the largest age group in Brussels, he noted.
“So many young people in Europe are searching for purpose in life,” Graham said. “They try sexual experiences and drugs and alcohol looking for God and they’re not finding God. I want young people to know that God made them, He’s real, He loves them, He cares for them, and He’s got a plan for how we can have a relationship with Him.”
Graham also hoped the Brussels event, held in the heart of Europe, would cause a ripple effect for evangelism across the wider continent.
“It’s important for the churches to hear and to see people standing to their feet, coming forward, confessing their sins, repenting of their sins, and inviting Christ into their hearts to know Him,” Graham said. “This will strengthen the Church.”
