Samaritan’s Purse President Franklin Graham completed a historic four-day visit to North Korea on Sunday morning by preaching an evangelistic message at the Bongsu Church, one of only two Protestant churches in the capital city of Pyongyang.

With no restriction from the authorities, Rev. Graham preached from the third chapter of the Gospel of John where Nicodemus secretly approaches Jesus. Rev. Graham explained to hundreds of North Koreans in the congregation how they can be born again through repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. Afterwards, the North Korean choir sang “Amazing Grace.”

Franklin Graham and his father, Billy Graham, are the only two Americans who have been allowed to preach at the Pyongyang church. Billy Graham visited in 1992 and 1994 and Franklin Graham was previously there in 2000. In the past year, the church has moved into a new sanctuary that was funded by gifts from South Korean Christians.

“I did not come here as a politician, but as a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ” Rev. Graham told the congregation. It was a message he affirmed throughout his trip.

Graham’s sermon culminated meetings with high-ranking North Korean officials and visits to medical development projects that have been sponsored by Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association. Samaritan’s Purse is also involved in a new program to help feed hundreds of thousands of North Koreans in the wake of a food shortage resulting from last year’s floods.

Those examples of Christian compassion set the stage for Sunday’s message. As Jesus told Nicodemus, “But whoever lives by the truth comes into the light, so that it may be seen plainly that what he has done has been done through God” (John 3:21, NIV).

During his meetings with North Korean officials, Rev. Graham discussed ways that Samaritan’s Purse can help the people of North Korea and strengthen relationships. Through the feeding program, Samaritan’s Purse has been allowed to open an office in North Korea.



On Saturday, Rev. Graham visited a provincial hospital in Sariwon where Samaritan’s Purse is preparing to install a generator and solar panels to provide a dependable source of electricity. During his visit, the halls were dark and sweltering because of the intermittent blackouts. Hospital staff described a makeshift system of mirrors that they use to provide light from the windows when the power fails during surgery.

The day before, he visited another hospital in Pyongyang where Samaritan’s Purse installed the intensive-care unit, and he spoke to the North Korean staff who operate dental vans donated by Samaritan’s Purse and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association.

When he flew into Pyongyang on Thursday, he said this is a historic time for relations between North Korea and the United States, as peace talks are progressing to bring a formal end to the Korean War.

“Peace is important to God,” he said.

He explained to officials and others at the dinner how it is possible for people to have peace with God, peace in their hearts, and peace with one another. The key to that peace, he said, is expressed in the Bible in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.”

He was introduced by Rev. Kang Yong Sop, chairman of the central committee of the Korean Christian Federation. Also welcoming him Thursday were Ri Jong Ro, director of international affairs for the Korean Christian Federation; and Jong Tae Yang, vice director of foreign ministry.

Rev. Graham recalled his family’s long history in North Korea, going back to 1934 when his mother, Ruth Bell Graham, attended a Presbyterian mission school in Pyongyang.

“In many ways, I feel like I’m coming home,” Rev. Graham said. “North Korea was so close to my mother’s heart, and she often told us about her experiences going to school in Pyongyang.”

Rev. Graham shared his father’s recollection of his first visit to North Korea in early April 1992.

“President Kim pointed outside and said that just as the long Korean winter was about to give way to the warmth of spring, so he hoped that the relations between our two countries would soon move away from the coldness of winter and into the warmth of spring,” he said. “In the years following the late President Kim’s statement to my father, many people in my own country doubted if it would ever happen. But because of recent events we can truly say that a new springtime has arrived in the relationship between my country and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea.”

Since the 1990s, Samaritan’s Purse has been sending medical teams into North Korea to work on a restricted base. The work accelerated last year, after North Korea was deluged with torrential rains and devastating floods that left thousands homeless and destroyed much of the nation’s farmland. We chartered a 747 cargo jet to deliver $8.3 million in medicine and other emergency supplies. It was the first private flight directly from the United States since the Korean War.

During Rev. Graham’s visit, North Korean government leaders personally expressed their deep gratitude to Samaritan’s Purse for last year’s flood relief efforts.

The extensive flooding caused great damage to the nation's farms, leading to the country's current food shortage. Samaritan’s Purse is one of five non-governmental organizations that have been invited by the United States Agency for International Development to distribute food in North Korea. The first shipment of grain arrived a few weeks ago.

“There are understandably differences between our countries,” Rev. Graham said, "but the overarching theme is the friendship that was established between my father and Kim Il-Sung. My prayer is that this relationship will grow even stronger, and I pledge to do everything I can to make this happen.”

Samaritan's Purse , North Korea , Evangelism , Bringing Good News to North Korea