MINNEAPOLIS — The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team (RRT) is offering the love of Christ after days of protests following the death of George Floyd in Minneapolis. Demonstrations erupted nationwide, including Charlotte, North Carolina, where the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association is headquartered. Rapid Response Team Assistant Director Josh Holland explains how we are all called to be ministers of hope and reconciliation.

Teams of Billy Graham Rapid Response team chaplains are continuing to minister to communities in North Carolina and Minneapolis impacted by the turmoil surrounding the death of George Floyd.
Crisis-trained chaplains are responding with a ministry of presence, offering peace and hope. Assistant Director of the Rapid Response Team is Josh Holland.

“We’ve had just wonderful over the last five or six days as I was in Minneapolis, I had wonderful conversations, wonderful opportunities to let the community know that we’re there to stand with them as they grieve the tragic murder of George Floyd at the hands of Minneapolis police officers. We’re there to support the community and to just be a presence three and to talk and pray if they’re needed or requested. The vast majority of individuals that I encountered on the streets were just very blessed that chaplains from all difference parts of the country would’ve come to Minneapolis to support the community during this time.”

Holland says they the greatest needs in these communities.

“Healing from pain where they felt because of the colour of their skin that they’ve suffered great injustice.”

Holland concluded by sharing that he believes this could act as a wake up call for America to come together against injustice.

“Could this have been the catalyst that many people needed for a wake up call to realise that while I certainly believe that the majority of our law enforcement officers are honourable people and individuals that put themselves in harms way to protect and serve us there are like with any profession there are officers that are the bad guys and we need to acknowledge that and work towards healing in that way and dealing with that. And one of these days things will be made right. It’s never going to be totally fixed and healed until that day when he sets up his kingdom and rules and reigns in righteousness, but until then we as the body of Christ need to do everything that we can to be ministers of healing and reconciliation.”

About the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team

The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team was developed by Franklin Graham and the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association following the attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. It has since grown into an international network of chaplains in the U.S., U.K., Canada and Australia who are specifically trained to deal with crisis situations. They have deployed to more than 300 disaster sites, including shootings, floods, hurricanes, wildfires and tornadoes.

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