by Dr. Peirong Lin
24 February 2026 marked the fourth anniversary of the war in Ukraine. Since the start of the war, unrest has spread around the world—from the Holy Land to Iran to Sudan to Myanmar.
The message of the Gospel stands as the only true hope amid the pain and suffering of believers around the world. This week, I had the privilege of traveling to Malta to learn from ministry partners in the Middle East and to join in prayer and fellowship. Watching these partners—bound together by their passion to see God’s Kingdom come on earth—labor side by side in the region and beyond, I was reminded once again of the blessing that comes when we collectively seek the Kingdom of God.
Evangelicals as Good News People
What are Evangelicals? It was once said that anyone who liked Billy Graham was an Evangelical. [1] Today, Evangelicals are often described as a voting bloc known for supporting the current American administration. In a recent opinion piece, Johannes Reimer asked the question if “Trump is the hope for Evangelicals.”
While religion can influence voting behavior, it is only one of many factors. At its core, the term “Evangelical” comes from the Evangelium—the Good News of Jesus Christ. As followers of Christ, we are bound by the Great Commandment and the Great Commission. We are outward-looking, recognizing that God’s love is for all.
This is consistent with the stories of Scripture: the angel meeting Hagar, God calling Jonah to warn the people of Nineveh, and Peter’s vision revealing that the Gospel is also for the Gentiles through the dream of the sheet filled with unclean animals.
The command to love one’s neighbor and to bear holistic witness to Christ continues to shape the work of Evangelicals in North America. The National Association of Evangelicals, a national member of the World Evangelical Alliance, recently published a statement supporting immigrant neighbors in a time of crisis. Its relief and development arm, World Relief, regularly stands with refugees, advocating for compassion toward the displaced.
United in Purpose
As we live in this connected world loved by Christ, we know that He is the only true hope of the world. We come together to share that hope with all.
Earlier this month, both the International Religious Freedom Summit and the U.S. National Prayer Breakfast took place in Washington, D.C. The IRF Summit brings together many Christian leaders who are at the forefront of advocating for religious freedom. The National Prayer Breakfast, started in 1953, is an event intended to unite leaders and attendees across the political spectrum for one simple purpose—prayer. It was established in the spirit of love and reconciliation, as taught by Jesus of Nazareth 2,000 years ago.
Recognizing that religious freedom reflects the choice God has given humankind out of His love, the WEA International Council Chair and International Ambassador for Religious Freedom, Rev. Godfrey Yogarajah; Secretary General Rev. Botrus Mansour; and Global Advocacy Director Dr. Kyle Wisdom were in attendance.
Rev. Yogarajah, a veteran advocate for religious freedom, participated in a series of high-level meetings. These included engagements with policy officials at the U.S. State Department, particularly within the Office of International Religious Freedom, as well as meetings with representatives from the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), and the American Bar Association’s Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI). Rev. Botrus Mansour spoke at the International Religious Freedom Roundtable, focusing on evangelical priorities and reaffirming that religious freedom is for all. “It is not a privilege granted by the state but a fundamental human right that comes from God and protects belief, disbelief, and peaceful expression alike.”
Similarly, members of various alliances attended the Prayer Breakfast, recognizing that while political differences exist, they can be set aside in the presence of God.
Participation in events such as the Prayer Breakfast or the International Religious Freedom Summit reflects the understanding that we are stronger together. Such engagement does not signal alignment with any nation’s political agenda; rather, it brings believers together as they collectively seek to live out and proclaim the Good News wherever they are.
Echoing Billy Graham’s words at a press conference in West Germany:
“I am very happy to be here today, and I would like to say immediately that I have not come here as a political representative of my country, so I will not answer political questions. I am here to represent the Kingdom of God, and the message I preach is 2,000 years old[2].”
Standing together for the sake of the Gospel
In this world, we do not need to look far to see trouble. Yet as Evangelicals, we remember that God has told us to take heart, for He has overcome the world. Jesus accomplished this through His death and resurrection, paying the ultimate price.
Our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against powers and principalities.
As His followers around the globe, we need one another. Only when we are one in Christ is the lasting hope of the world truly lifted up.
[1] Silliman, Daniel. “An Evangelical Is Anyone Who Likes Billy Graham: Defining Evangelicalism with Carl Henry and Networks of Trust.” Church History 90, no. 3 (2021): 621–43.
[2] Billy Graham Press Conference, 1970
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