The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) has announced that, at the invitation of local church and civic leaders, Will Graham will hold the Ohio Valley Will Graham Celebration at the Owensboro Convention Center in Owensboro, Ky., April 24-26, 2015.
“After praying about the invitation to hold a Celebration in Owensboro, I believe that the timing is right to preach the Gospel here,” said Graham. “I’ve been around the world sharing the timeless message of God’s love for us, and I can’t wait to return to Owensboro next year to share that same hope at the Ohio Valley Celebration.”
The Ohio Valley Will Graham Celebration is operating under the direction of a Celebration Executive Team led by Paul Haire, director of wealth management for First Security Bank in Owensboro. Area volunteers representing churches and denominations across the region will participate in the preparation process, working toward a successful Celebration.
“As we prepare Owensboro for the upcoming Celebration, we will begin to learn Christ-like characteristics to more love our fellow person. We will become aware of the Christian strength in our community,” said Haire, discussing the importance of the upcoming Celebration. “It would be ideal if we became a more loving community, if denominations established a positive working relationship, and all knowing that the reason is for Christ and not for ourselves.”
All Celebration programs will be free and open to the public. BGEA Celebration Director Sam Hardy will help guide preparations. Additional staff has been hired locally.
“Owensboro is a world-class city, and is surrounded by some of the most beautiful country and wonderful people I’ve had the blessing to see and know,” said Hardy. “Years of prayer and preparation have gone into getting us to this day, and I can’t wait to see what God has in store for this region in the months to come.”
Will is the third generation of Grahams to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ under the banner of the BGEA. He is the grandson of Billy Graham and the oldest son of Franklin Graham. Will has held multi-day outreaches on six continents. His 2014 events have included outreaches in Sri Lanka, Australia, Japan, Papua New Guinea, and Mississippi. Additionally, Will serves as vice president of the BGEA and as executive director of the Billy Graham Training Center at The Cove in Asheville, N.C.
About BGEA
From its headquarters in Charlotte, N.C., the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association directs a wide range of domestic and international ministries. For more information, please visit www.billygraham.org. Get BGEA news updates on Twitter at www.Twitter.com/BGEANews.
