Originally published in The Christian Post
Evangelist Franklin Graham has weighed in on whether or not God is “judging” Hollywood as fires continue to ravage Los Angeles, destroying entire communities and leaving thousands homeless.
“People have lost everything. A lot of people are asking ‘Why?’ and that’s a hard question to answer. We want to reassure them of God’s love — that He cares for them and that He hasn’t turned His back on them,” Graham, the CEO of Samaritan’s Purse, said when asked about the fires, which have killed at least 24 people and swept through over 16 000 hectares in the Greater Los Angeles area.
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“Could God be judging Hollywood? I don’t know, but I don’t think so,” he continued.
“The question is, do we know the Lord Jesus Christ? Are we prepared to stand before Him? If our house was burned and we were burned up in it, would we go into His presence? Would God receive us? And the only way we can be sure is by confessing our sins and asking for His forgiveness and by faith, believing on the name of the Lord Jesus, Christ, who took our sins and died on a cross. He was buried, and on the third day, God raised him to life. And if we’re willing to believe that, just accept that by faith and ask Christ into our hearts, then God will forgive our sins. We can have that assurance, knowing that whatever storms come our way in life, we’ll be prepared to stand before God.”
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Graham emphasised that modern technology amplifies the visibility of natural disasters like wildfires, making them seem more prevalent than in the past. While acknowledging that such storms will continue, he stressed the importance of sharing the message of God’s love.
“The reality is we’re going to have more storms like this. It’s not going to get less, and the most important thing that we, as Christians, can do is make sure everyone understands that God loves them. And that when storms like this come, it’s not God’s judgment. I don’t believe that for a second. We know that God loves us,” he stressed.
Graham’s remarks come as thousands of Los Angeles residents face displacement, property loss and ongoing uncertainty due to the wind-fed fires. Currently, there are three active fires in the wider area, while a smaller fire is nearly contained, according to California emergency responders.
The largest fire, in the Palisades area, has burned through more than 9 300 hectares and is still only about 14% contained, despite the efforts of thousands of firefighters, the BBC reported.
Christian relief agencies and churches have worked tirelessly to support those impacted by the fires, including chaplains from the Billy Graham Rapid Response Team, who are working alongside Samaritan’s Purse to address the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of those who have been affected.
Convoy of Hope, CityServe, World Help and Send Relief have also launched relief efforts, while Zoe Church, led by Pastor Chad Veach, is partnering with organisations like the Los Angeles Dream Center to collect and distribute emergency supplies for victims of the fires.
On social media, Pastor Greg Laurie of Harvest Church has repeatedly encouraged Christians to pray for a reprieve from the blazes and recently set up a donation fund through his church to support relief efforts.
“Let’s join together in prayer for the brave firefighters battling the devastating wildfires here in Southern California. Pray for their safety and strength as they work tirelessly to contain the blazes. In the aftermath of this tragedy, let’s also pray that people in our state turn to God, who alone can bring ‘Beauty out of ashes.’ (Isaiah 61),” he wrote in a January 13 post.
Jack Hibbs, pastor of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, recently blasted “horrific politicians” and labeled California a “third-world state,” citing what he described as profound leadership failures in the government’s handling of the fires.
“California is a third world state. … I have asked someone to run for governor, pleading with him to run for governor, he told his congregation. “He lives in the San Francisco Bay area. He loves America. … He moved from Europe because he loves California. … Steve Hilton.”
Hibbs added: “Democrats … destroyed America and California,” referring to what he saw as government mismanagement.
On social media, Hibbs contended in a January 8 post that environmental regulations worsened the crisis, alleging that state officials’ water policies resulted in “our environment … a scorched earth policy”. He wrote: “Every single Democrat in California must go, and we will do everything we can to help them pack in 2026.”
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