The Gospel of Jesus Christ has been proclaimed to more than 22,000 people last weekend in a country that has historically been known as a “graveyard for missionaries.”
Evangelical Christians in Spain are calling it a big answer to prayer after massive crowds showed up to hear American evangelist Franklin Graham preach about God’s gift of salvation.
Large crowds overflowed from Madrid’s Palacio Vistalegre, which was once a bullfighting arena, for the two-night Festival of Hope evangelistic outreach.
12,600 packed the arena on the first night with another 2,000 listening from just outside, while more than 8,000 attended on the second night.
“IF YOU REMEMBER NOTHING ELSE TONIGHT, REMEMBER THIS: GOD LOVES YOU”
Evangelical churches in Spain have been praying for many years for a powerful moment like this, believing God for a spiritual breakthrough in their country.
Those prayers were answered as hundreds of Spanish citizens committed their lives to Christ.
“God made you, He loves you, and He sent His Son, Jesus Christ, from heaven to this earth to save you from your sins,” Franklin Graham told the crowds.
“If you can’t remember anything else tonight, remember this — God loves you.”
“And He will forgive your sins if you come to Jesus Christ by faith.”
ATHEIST IN TEARS AS HE RESPONDS TO THE POWER OF GOD’S LOVE FOR HIM
A 36-year-old man named Marcos Badell was among those who said “yes” to Jesus.
He had never attended an evangelical event before, and he felt the power of God’s love for him.
He choked back tears as he explained: “I’m an atheist. Well, I was an atheist. And I see that despite that, He has sought me out. That’s what impacts me the most.”
People who responded to the Gospel are being connected to local churches so they can grow in their newfound faith.
“THE LORD IS DOING SOMETHING THAT WE’VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE IN MADRID”
Nearly 900 evangelical churches across 15 denominations in the Madrid area partnered with Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) to organise the Festival.
“I was so happy to watch people respond to the Gospel and see what the Lord is doing in many lives,” said Madrid-based Pastor Manuel Cerezo.
“We feel that the Lord is moving. He is doing something that we have never seen before in Madrid.”
“WE ARE FACING A MOVEMENT AGAINST EVANGELICAL CHURCHES IN THE MEDIA”
Evangelical Christians are just a small minority of the population in Spain.
Less than 2% of the country is evangelical, and most people are either Catholic or not religious.
Pastor Cerezo said the local churches have faced opposition as they seek to fulfill the Great Commission.
“We are facing a strong movement against the evangelical churches in the media.”
“It has been like a hurricane and we feel their attacks.”
“WHEN PEOPLE SPEAK AGAINST US ON ACCOUNT OF JESUS, WE ARE BLESSED”
The pastor explained Protestants and evangelical Christians have faced persecution in Spain for hundreds of years, since the days of the Spanish Inquisition.
He said the news media target evangelicals these days, mistreating them like they’re a cult.
“But God says in the Bible that you are blessed when people speak against you on the account of Jesus Christ, so we are blessed,” Pastor Cerezo said.
BGEA reports that national newspapers and television networks have expressed surprise that the evangelical church has been growing recently in Spain.
“ONLY THE BLOOD OF JESUS HAS THE POWER TO SAVE US FROM OUR SINS”
When journalists asked Franklin Graham about the trend, he replied, “Religion can’t save you. The church can’t save you.”
“Only the blood of Jesus Christ has the power to save us from our sins.”
“That’s the Good News that evangelical churches proclaim and the message that I am sharing with the people of Madrid.”
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