March 2009

Dear Friend,

We are in the midst of the most serious crisis our nation has faced in my lifetime, and I believe unless God intervenes, America will never again be the great nation that we have known and loved.

The federal government is on the verge of nationalizing our financial institutions, fundamentally changing the economic engine that has driven our democracy for over 200 years. That would be a giant step toward socialism.

This isn't what I fear most, however. What burdens my heart and soul is that I believe America finds itself in this predicament because we are a nation that has forgotten God. We have rejected God. We don't want Him in the marketplace, our schools, or our government. The moral and spiritual fabric that kept this country strong for so long has almost completely unraveled, and the economic chaos is just one of the disastrous consequences.

We need another great awakening, a fresh revival that puts us on our knees, brings us to repentance for our sins, and turns our hearts back again to worship and obey God.

There is no other way for America to be great again.

In the book of Nehemiah, a remnant of Hebrews who had survived 70 years of Babylonian captivity returned and rebuilt the burned and crumbled walls of Jerusalem. As they gathered around one of the gates of the city, the scribe Ezra stood before the people and read from the book of the law of Moses.

From daybreak to noon, he stood on a large platform and read aloud the Scripture. God's Word was preached and explained clearly.

As the people listened, they wept over their sin. "They stood in their places and confessed their sins and the wickedness of their fathers" ( Nehemiah 9:2, NIV). They publicly acknowledged that they had forgotten God and that the Lord was just in punishing them.

Our nation is now reaping what we have sown. Our greed, relentless pursuit of pleasure, and abandonment of God's principles have brought us to this historical turning point.

I love my country, but I hate what I see taking place. God may be bringing judgment on us, just like He did on the Israelites. We have sinned openly and repeatedly, and we are in grave danger unless we repent and turn back to God.

This is why we preach the Gospel. This is why we proclaim the message of repentance and faith in God and His Son Jesus Christ, who shed His blood on Calvary's cross for our sins.

People sometimes ask me if I get discouraged as I preach God's Word in city after city, only to see our nation grow darker. Not at all. I'm encouraged, because as I deliver God's Gospel, I see thousands come forward, confess their sins, and turn by faith to the Lord Jesus Christ.

In Nehemiah's day, the Hebrews humbeled themselves as they heard Ezra preach God's Word. How I thank God that, today, I often see godly sorrow over sin sweep across stadiums and fields as we preach the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. As the tears dry, there is great rejoicing. "Do not grieve," Nehemiah told the crowd, "for the joy of the Lord is your strength" (Nehemiah 8:10).

I believe we can experience this kind of national revival again. I believe we can see the hearts of millions touched by the power of the Gospel.

We must pray. We must come before God every day and ask Him that the riches of His kindness and patience would lead us to genuine repentance (see Romans 2:4). We must intercede for our leaders to turn their hearts to Him.

Please pray for us as we take the Gospel to the heartland of America this summer through Rock the River, an evangelistic concert tour where I will be preaching to thousands of young people. Pray also for Crusades I have coming up this month in Urugray and in Estonia May 29-31. Pray with us that many lost will respond to the saving message of Christ.

We need your help financially. Working together, the gifts of thousands of believers like you enable this ministry to preach the Gospel through our Crusades, television, radio, and many other evangelistic outreaches.

America is at a crossroads. The need is greater than ever before. The hour is more urgent than ever before.

Let us all remember that, despite our sin, the Lord is a "forgiving God, gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love" (Nehemiah 9:17) for all who call upon His Name for salvation. It's never too late to turn back to God. Help us take that message across America--and to the ends of the earth.

May God richly bless you, Franklin Graham, President BGEA

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