Franklin Graham, son of the late world-renowned evangelist Billy Graham, met a delegation from the Chinese Embassy in Washington, DC, on Tuesday, to discuss “strengthening relationships with the churches in China.”
Evangelist Franklin Graham posted on X on Wednesday that he enjoyed meeting with the delegation during their visit to the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, the Billy Graham Library, and the Samaritan’s Purse in North Carolina this week.
The delegation included the Deputy Chief of Mission and Minister Jing Quan; First Secretary Ms. Xue Chunmei, First Secretary Mr. Li Jianbo, and Third Secretary Mr. Guo Han.
Franklin stated, “We discussed strengthening relationships with the churches in China. My grandfather was a missionary surgeon in China, and my mother was born and raised there. She always had a great heart for the people of this country. Let’s pray for Christians across China, as they also pray for us.”
Billy Graham was also called "China's son-in-law" owing to his special ties with China. His late wife, Ruth Bell Graham, was born in Huaian, Jiangsu Province, China, and spent her first 17 years there. Her father, Lemuel Nelson Bell, was a missionary in China and named his name "Aihua" (which means loving China). Billy Graham visited China for the first time in 1988 and again in 1994, saying that he would "pray for China's future and bless the Chinese." He also gave crusades in Hong Kong in 1975 and 1990. His son Franklin Graham and grandsons Will and Roy Graham have been to China, too.
In late October 2023, a delegation of three from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) visited CCC&TSPM and Nanjing Union Theological Seminary (NJUTS) after the three-year pandemic. Rev. Gary Lundstorm, international vice president of Samaritan's Purse, expressed anticipation for future partnerships during the visit.
