CHARLOTTE, N.C., Aug. 23, 2021 — Franklin Graham, son of the late legendary evangelist Billy Graham, will kick off his eight-city Route 66 God Loves You Tour at 4 p.m. on Sunday, Sept. 19, at Chicagoland Speedway, 500 Speedway Blvd. in Joliet.

The public is invited. Admission and parking are free.

Franklin Graham, president and CEO of Billy Graham Evangelistic Association, is going through the heart of America to offer people a message of God’s love.

He said, “I think this is where the strength of our country lies, and I’m coming to remind people that God loves them. There are a lot of people who are afraid. People have lost their jobs. Many people have been sick and loved ones have died. I just want people to know that God hasn’t forgotten them.”

The tour will begin in Joliet before coming to St. Louis. Following the stop in the Gateway City, the tour will continue along Route 66 with events in Springfield, Missouri; Oklahoma City; Amarillo, Texas; Albuquerque, New Mexico; Flagstaff, Arizona; and San Bernardino, California.

One of the most influential bands in Christian music history, Newsboys, will perform live at each event. Newsboys have had 33 No. 1 radio hits, four Grammy nominations and two American Music Award nominations. “I first joined Billy Graham 27 years ago to perform at an evangelistic event in Cleveland, Ohio,” said Michael Tait, Newsboys lead singer. “It was the beginning of a friendship with the Graham family that has lasted to this day.”

Marcos Witt is also performing live on the tour. He’s one of the most iconic Spanish-speaking Christian music artists in the world, and he has received five Latin Grammys and two Billboard awards. Award-winning guitarist Dennis Agajanian has performed at Billy Graham and Franklin Graham’s evangelistic events for more than 45 years, and he will also be joining the tour.

Franklin Graham’s tour across the U.S. made headlines in 2016 when he visited all 50 state capitals to invite people to make a decision for Jesus Christ. More than half a million people have attended these tours that Graham has continued in Tennessee, Texas, California, the Pacific Northwest, the Northeast, North Carolina and Florida.

To learn more about the Route 66 God Loves You Tour, visit GodLovesYouTour.com.

DATES AND LOCATIONS FOR ROUTE 66 GOD LOVES YOU TOUR

• Joliet, Illinois (Sept. 19)
• St. Louis, Missouri (Sept. 21)
• Springfield, Missouri (Sept. 23)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (Sept. 25)
• Amarillo, Texas (Sept. 26)
• Albuquerque, New Mexico (Sept. 28)
• Flagstaff, Arizona (Sept. 30)
• San Bernardino, California (Oct. 2)

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Al Benson

Freelance Photo-Journalist

Al Benson is an Aurora-based freelance photo-journalist. He is currently an archives research specialist at Aurora University. His work has appeared in The Voice, The Daily Herald, The Beacon-News, and the Chicago Tribune.