Franklin Graham arrives in Poland for 'God Loves You' tour after Auschwitz visit: 'Very sobering'
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Evangelist Franklin Graham has arrived in Krakow, Poland, to promote a "message of hope" as part of his "God Loves You" tour.
The "Bóg Cie Kocha" tour – Polish for "God Loves You"– will bring together members from nearly 300 churches across 15 denominations to the TAURON Arena in Krakow on Saturday, April 13, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association noted in information shared with Fox News Digital.
Graham will be joined at the event by singers Michael W. Smith and Taya, and the Polish band CSM.
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"I’m not coming to Poland to talk about religion — religion cannot save you. Your church and your family can’t save you," said Graham, who is president and CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, in emailed comments to Fox News Digital.
He also runs Samaritan's Purse.
What can save a person, said Graham, is "having a relationship with God."
"I’m in Krakow this weekend to tell the people of Poland that God loves them and sent His Son to this earth to pay the debt for our sin," he also said.
He added that he was "praying that many lives will be changed by the power of His Gospel and saved for eternity."
"This is why I’m coming to Poland — I’m going to share the good news of how we can all have a real and personal relationship with God," he said.
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Wojciech Włoch, pastor of the Church of Jesus Christ in Krakow and chair of the Church of God’s College of Pastors in Poland, said an event emphasizing God's love is sorely needed as Poland grapples with a series of issues.
"Our nation is deeply divided. There is so much hatred and fighting around us, even in so many of our own homes and families. It’s a critical problem, and experts and politicians are struggling to find a solution," said Włoch in comments shared in a release.
He added that he believes many of the issues facing the country are "ultimately spiritual."
"This is why hundreds of churches from many different denominations across our country have united around the message of the Bóg Cie Kocha Tour because we believe it can bring the hope and peace that we need in our families and our nation," said Włoch.
Ahead of the event, Graham and Smith made a visit to Auschwitz — which Graham called a "very sobering" experience.
"I was deeply moved by the heavy and heartbreaking history of Auschwitz," said Graham. "The Jews and the Polish people suffered unspeakable evils during WWII," he added.
Graham said that antisemitism is on the rise in the world.
"It is a chilling thought that something like this could ever happen again — but the same evil that was thriving in Hitler’s death camps is still in the world today," he said.
"The only solution to the evil in the human heart is God’s transforming power through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ, who came to this earth to save us from the power of sin," he said.
"Jesus Christ is the only hope for our world."
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association was founded in 1950 by Graham's father, evangelist Billy Graham.
It works to "share the Good News of Jesus Christ around the world," says its website.
Franklin Graham was appointed CEO of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association in 2000. He was named its president the following year.
Samaritan's Purse, the Christian-based charity, was founded in 1970.
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It helps "meet [the] needs of people who are victims of war, poverty, natural disasters, disease and famine with the purpose of sharing God’s love through His Son, Jesus Christ," as that group's website notes.
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Original article source: Franklin Graham arrives in Poland for 'God Loves You' tour after Auschwitz visit: 'Very sobering'
