Fighting for the Souls of Canada's Youth: An Interview with Franklin Graham

He'll also feel a stirring in his self-described fighting spirit. "I am a fighter," says Graham. "I am going to fight for every soul that I can. I am going to fight for every kid that I can."

On Aug. 7, Graham will fight the good fight in the Fraser Valley area of British Columbia, outside of Vancouver, as part of Rock the River Tour West. The summer concert series will then travel to Calgary (Aug. 21) and Edmonton (Aug. 28).

In each city, Graham will be armed and ready with the power of the Gospel. "When I preach," says Graham, "I preach the Gospel. Paul said, 'I am not ashamed of the Gospel for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes.' The Gospel is God's power. When you preach the Gospel, God uses that to pierce the hearts of those He is calling. We'll pray that there is a great harvest of young people this year who will give their hearts to Christ."

The purpose of the Rock the River Tour is to reach kids who would never go to church--"kids who have no home life and no hope whatsoever," Graham explains. This is about reaching out to a generation that doesn't know God.

"When I was growing up," he continues, "many people were familiar with church. They went to church. But today, so many people have turned their backs on God. We've become such a secular society and we've taken God out of government. We've taken God out of our schools. Kids today--many of them know nothing about God whatsoever. So if we don't reach them, we'll lose them."

Graham says he wants these kids to know that God loves them. "I want them to know that Jesus Christ died for their sins and was buried and rose to life. If they are willing simply by faith to believe on His name and invite Him into their hearts, not only will God forgive them and cleanse them, but they can have a whole new life, a whole new beginning with the Lord Jesus Christ."