Italy’s Noi Festival with Franklin Graham gave way for more than 13,000 people to gather and listen to the powerful message of Jesus. “I’ve met a lot of people who are religious but don’t have a relationship with God,” Franklin said in his opening remark. “Religion is not enough. … You cannot work for your salvation. You cannot buy your salvation.” And it is only through Jesus that one can be saved.
More Than 13,000 In Attendance
For the first time in Italy’s history, more than 520 evangelistic churches worked together for the biggest evangelistic event ever. It resulted in thousands of attendance and hundreds of responses to Christ.
According to Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), it was also the first for Milan’s Mediolanum Forum to receive its largest crowd. In its 32 years, Mediolanum has been primarily used for entertainment activities.
“There are many people here with hungry hearts, many who have been searching for peace in their lives,” Franklin said. “I’m here to tell you that God loves you. And you can find that purpose for your life by putting your faith and trust in God’s Son, Jesus Christ. He came from heaven to this earth to save us from our sins.”
At the peak time of the pandemic, when Italy became the epicenter of the country’s COVID-19, BGEA deployed field hospitals to assist the medical team. They were the first international organization to send spiritual aid and medical relief to the city.
As a result, it opened doors for churches across the region to unite and proclaim the Gospel of Christ. They worked together and planned for the biggest evangelist gathering.
Today, pastors who never met with other pastors are coming together regularly. The NOI Festival will only be their first event.
Gerry Testorill, a Festival committee member, expressed his awe for God’s work over their city. “Pastors in the north part of Milan are praying with pastors in the south. This is a blessing for our nation.”
Reference: Billy Graham Evangelistic Association