“My father used radio and TV, now we reach many online. But I spend as much time as I can doing festivals like in Madrid”

In Madrid, Protestante Digital and Evangelical Focus spoke for 15 minutes with Franklin Graham, the well-known US American evangelist, the day before the Festival of Hope began (30 and 31 May 2026).

Meeting at the Intercontinental Hotel, Pedro Tarquis asked the preacher and president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) about the large events at the Vistalegre sports arena WiZink Center.

The last such campaign organized with churches in Spain was in 2015, in Barcelona, which brought together 25,000 people.

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Question. This is the second time, the second Festival of Hope that you're holding in Spain since last time in 2015. So, what has motivated you to return?

Answer. Yes, I was invited years ago by pastors from Madrid. We weren’t able to work out the schedule. But two years ago I was in Krakow, Poland. And pastors were there, said, please come to Madrid. So we set the time. That's why we're here.

Q. Have you had or would you have the opportunity to meet with public authorities, with mayors or some politicians like you did in Berlin with Zelenskiy or in Belarus some days ago?

A. I haven’t had any invitations here. I would certainly want to speak, I would be glad to see them. But we haven't received any invitations.

 

Q. There are indicators that have suggested that Christianity is experiencing a decline here in Spain and across the continent. What do you think is the role of the Festivals of Hope being held across Europe to change this situation?

A. People are searching for answers to life. People want to know, is there a God? They want to know. People want to know, does God know who I am?

 “We cannot save ourselves. The church cannot save us. Only one can save us, Jesus Christ”

And a lot of traditional churches are not answering that question for people. And so they’re not interested in church. But I want people to know that God is real. He made us, He created us. He wants to have a relationship with us.

But the problem we have is sin. Sin separates us from God. And we have to deal with sin. But we cannot pay the debt of sin. We cannot save ourselves.

The church cannot save us. Only one can save us, Jesus Christ. Jesus came from heaven to take our sins on the cross. He shed his blood for your sin, my sin. And then he was buried. He took our sins to the grave. But on the third day, God raised his son to life. Jesus is not dead. He's alive.

And if we're willing to confess our sins and repent, turn, turn from those sins, and by faith believe on the name of Jesus Christ, we'll be saved. And it's by faith, not of works. You don’t. You cannot work for your salvation by faith.

Q. It will certainly not be the first or the last time that the Donald Trump issue comes up in your interviews.

A. No (not the first time).

Q. So, at what point, for what reason did you decide to associate your person to Donald Trump, something that we don’t see your father Billy Graham did in his life or ministry?

A. My father knew President Trump. He had a relationship with eight presidents, going back to President Truman, Eisenhower, Nixon.

 “I met President Trump before he was president. When there’s something I disagree with him on, I do it privately”

I met President Trump before he was president. So, I’ve known him for some time. And I don’t agree with everything he says or everything that he does. And when there’s something I disagree with him on, I do it privately, and that’s important.

Because he is the president of the United States, and he had the largest turnout of vote for him in history. So, he’s the president of the American people.

And it’s important that we pray for those that are in authority. I encourage people to pray for him. The Bible tells us to do that.

I was in Belarus, the week before last. And I met with Lukashenko. I said, ‘Mr. President, I said, come tomorrow night’ [to the first evening of the Festival of Hope in Minsk]. I said, ‘I'll have everybody stand and pray for you’.

He said, ‘I need prayer’. But he said, ‘I have the president of Zimbabwe here and I'm entertaining him. I can't come’.

I said, ‘well, come the next night’. He said, ‘well, I'm with President Putin’. I said, ‘well, bring him as well’ [laughs]

 

Q. I would particularly like to thank you for the support Samaritan’s Purse provided to Spain during the DANA floods in Valencia – something that may well have gone unnoticed by the general public –. I’m a doctor and I’m very touched by all your humanitarian work that you're doing in Central Africa because of this breakout Ebola issue that is taking place. Shouldn’t Samaritan’s Purse be doing more to raise awareness among the general public about its activities?

A. We don’t do it for publicity. In some places we are known. We are known at government levels, the European Union, for example, they know us.

And so, they call us. We help when we can. But we always respond in Jesus’ name, and so a lot of times governments don't like that. But we do it in Jesus’ name.

I don’t have to have government money. The money we have, God has given it. And so, that’s why we can respond and do it in Jesus’ name.

And if governments don’t like it, no problem.


Q. Some believe that Western evangelical Christianity has generally shifted from a gospel center on commitment, moral character, values to entertainment, self-help. In this regard, how do you view the Christian spiritual life beyond the initial step of conversion to Jesus Christ? What should we do or tell the church?

A. The Bible. People need to read the Word of God, study the Word of God, know the Word of God.

Some churches focus maybe too much on entertainment, but they need to focus on God's Word. Worship is important, music can be important in church but you cannot replace the word of God.

Q. In what aspect are you continuing your father Billy Graham’ work? And what innovations have you made in the ministry?

A. My father used radio and television for ministry. He didn’t have really the internet at his time. We do much more on the internet and reach more people online. We still use television, we still use radio.

And then I try to spend as much time as I can doing festivals like here in Madrid.

 “God uses the preaching of that message to save. Many people will be saved, they may hear the gospel for the first time”

Some people believe that preaching the gospel and giving an invitation doesn’t work.

Tomorrow night, all the pastors that are there will see God at work, that the preaching of the gospel, giving an invitation, that it touches people’s lives.

Paul said, ‘I’m not ashamed of the gospel, for it's the power of God unto salvation’. It's the power of God unto salvation. To save us from what? Is to save us from hell.

That there’s power in this message, that we are sinners, that Jesus Christ came, took our sins to the cross, he died, he shed his blood for our sins, he was buried for our sins, and on the third day God raised his son to life.

There is power just in that message.  How does it work? I have no clue. The Holy Spirit of God. That’s what God uses.

God uses the preaching of that message to save. And there will be many people tomorrow night that will be saved, they may hear the gospel for the first time. And God will touch their hearts and call them.

Q. Is there anything else you’d add?

A. Coming to Madrid is a great privilege. Because it’s not just the capital of Spain. But this is really the capital of the entire Spanish-speaking world: Mexico, Central America, all of South America except for Brazil. Even in Brazil. They still look to Madrid. It’s a very, very influential city.