Franklin Graham Weighs in on Debate Over Wildfires and God’s Judgment on Hollywood

Evangelist Franklin Graham ministers to victims on the ground as the organization's pastor and weighs in on the social media debate over whether the Los Angeles wildfires reflect God's judgment on Hollywood. There is. The wildfire has claimed 23 lives, destroyed more than 12,000 buildings across the region, and remained under control as of Tuesday. palisades fire — the person who caused the incident — The Eaton Fire has burned 23,713 acres and is only 17 percent contained, while the Eaton Fire has burned 14,117 acres and is 35 percent contained. cal firea national agency.

Pastors from the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's Rapid Response Team are on the scene.

“People have lost everything. A lot of people are asking, 'Why?' That's a difficult question to answer,” Graham said. premier christian news. “We want to reassure them of God’s love. He cares for them. he I didn't turn my back on them.

PRAYER REQUEST: Please pray for the first responders who are fighting to put out the ongoing fires in California. Pray for their safety, comfort, and wisdom in the name of Jesus.

— Samaritans Purse (@SamaritansPurse) January 13, 2025

“I think there are storms like this in life, and that's because of television. because we have With social media and now every iPhone being a broadcast-quality video camera, we see so much more today than we did 20 or 40 years ago. So we don't know if fires are worse today than they were 100 years ago, but we're seeing it and it's all around us.

“The reality is that storms like this will continue to occur. it's not go to Get less and most importantly that What we as Christians can do is help everyone understand that God loves them. And when a storm like this comes, it is not God's judgment. I just can't believe it. We know that God loves us. ”

Premier Christian News asked Graham if he thought the wildfires were a sign of God's judgment on Hollywood. Several major entertainment stars have lost their homes.

“Is it possible that God is judging Hollywood? I don't know, but I don't think so,” Graham responded. “The question is, do we know the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we ready to stand before Him? our house burned and we burnt out Will we come before God in this? Will God accept us? And the only way we can be sure of that is by confessing our sins, asking God's forgiveness, and by faith in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, who took our sins and died on the cross. is to believe. was buriedAnd on the third day God raised him from the dead. And if we are willing to believe that; just If we accept by faith and seek Christ in our hearts, God will forgive us our sins. No matter what storms come our way, we can have that certainty in lifegood Please prepare It's about standing before God. ”

Josh Holland, international director of the rapid response team, said pastors have “already begun serving in local shelters, offering prayers and encouragement to those who have lost everything.”

our @Billy Graham Chaplains from the emergency response team are serving areas affected by the ongoing fires in Los Angeles County. Pray for the many firefighters, police, and first responders who are working heroically during this crisis. And for all those who lost their lives… pic.twitter.com/OyuM4CfS1Z

— Franklin Graham (@Franklin_Graham) January 14, 2025

Photo credit: ©RNS/AP Photo/Chris Seward

michael faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His articles have appeared in Baptist Press, Christianity Today, Christian Post, Leaf Chronicle, Toronto Star, and Knoxville News Sentinel.

First publication date is January 14, 2025.