By Alex Murashko

In the face of a “coming storm,” evangelist Franklin Graham urged Christian media to simply share the gospel of Jesus Christ and expect opposition.

“Jesus told us ‘The world hated me first, and they’re going to hate you,’” Graham said to those attending the opening session of the National Religious Broadcasters Convention Monday evening. “If you stand for Christ the world hates you. If you’re wanting the world to slap you on the back and say, ‘Good job!’ get over that. Something’s wrong if they do that.”

At the 4-day convention in Orlando, Florida, where more than 4,000 media industry people are gathered to attend sessions, network, and learn best practices it’s evident that most everyone recognizes the intensified spiritual battle between good and evil. 

As reported by The Washington Times, closures of bank accounts and terminations of other critical services have already happened to some non-profits and ministry organizations. 

“For example, the National Committee for Religious Freedom, founded by a former Kansas senator and governor, Sam Brownback, had its Chase bank accounts shut down without explanation last year,” the Times reported.

Graham, who leads Samaritan’s Purse, said he’s had to take steps to avoid being “canceled” on short notice.

He points to his father, Billy Graham, as having the right approach to the spiritual battle of his era and current times.

“My father’s desire was to reach as many people as he could with the Good News, the gospel of Jesus Christ,” Graham said. “That was his goal. He never worried about how big the organization or how small the organization. He just wanted to be faithful to preach the gospel and let God do the rest.”

He implored NRB attendees: “Use your television, your radio, your blogs, internet, whatever. Communicate the gospel. Paul said, ‘I’m not ashamed of the gospel for it’s the power of God and salvation to everyone who believes.’”

While explaining the world’s or unbeliever’s reaction, Graham continued, “There’s Holy Spirit-filled power in the gospel. When you tell a person they’re a sinner it’s offensive. When you tell a person that Jesus is the way, the truth and the light and there’s no way to God except through Him, you offend people. When you tell a person that Jesus Christ shed His blood on the cross, that’s offensive to people. When you tell them that He took our sins to the grave and on the third day He rose again, not only is that offensive, many Christians will say that they won’t believe that so ‘we have to present the gospel in a way that they can understand.’ Really? Why not just tell it the way it is?” 

Graham then shared about the different approaches of evangelism, and did what all good evangelists do, shared the gospel:

“Some people say well, let’s make a friend before we share the gospel. They may be dead by the time they do that! There is power in the gospel. The Bible says we’ve all sinned. The wages of sin is death. The entire human race is guilty of sin. We are guilty of sin. It’s a cancer of the human soul and it's affected all of us. 

“When Jesus went to the cross, God poured on Him the sins of past, present and future. Who never knew sin, became sin for us. And He shed his blood. Died. Buried. But on the third day God raised His son to life. That’s the gospel.

“How does that work? I don’t know. But all I know is it works. I promise you that. 

“You can't apologize. The gospel does not need help.

“Just preach it.

“He uses the gospel to pierce their hearts. Let’s use the time while we still have it. The storm is coming where we will be off radio and television, the internet. All of this storm is coming. Whether it comes in my lifetime, I don’t know.” 

Alex Murashko is a lead writer for the Thinke Writing Team. He highlights Christ followers within the media industry at Media on Mission. Find Murashko on various social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram.