Franklin Graham’s legal team has disclosed an update about an expanding “defense fund” established to support Christians facing discrimination for expressing their faith.
During the European Congress on Evangelism in May, attorney Justin Arnot, who represents Franklin Graham and the BGEA, described the legal victories as part of a larger spiritual and legal fight over the right to religious expression in public spaces.
The “Billy Graham Defense Fund,” sometimes called by Graham a “war chest,” was formed from court settlements and damages awarded in cases where UK venues to cancel Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA) events themed “God Loves You!”under pressure from critics of his biblical views.
In an interview with Christian Daily International, Arnot emphasized that the “defense fund”—a resource for defending legal rights, not for offensive action, to ensure the freedom to proclaim the Gospel.
The initiative was born out of a series of cancellations of BGEA events scheduled across various UK cities—including Liverpool, Sheffield, Glasgow, and Newcastle—in 2019 and 2020. These cancellations followed campaigns by LGBT and secular activists opposed to Graham’s teachings on marriage and Islamic extremism.
The controversy began in 2018 when Blackpool Borough Council and Blackpool Transport Services removed BGEA’s “God Loves You!” advertisements from buses after complaints about Graham’s biblical beliefs. However, a 2021 court ruling found that both the council and the transport company had unlawfully discriminated against Graham. The council was ordered to issue a public apology and pay compensation.
Recalling the events of 2018, Arnot explained that there was no direct communication from the bus company about the removal of the ads. He pointed out that the advertisements weren’t offensive or overtly religious—the message simply read “time for hope” along with practical details for Graham’s event.
Following this initial legal success, plans were made for an eight-city UK tour in 2020. Contracts were signed with seven of the eight venues in 2019, but the London venue delayed the agreement.
Soon after, there was a surge of opposition on social media, especially on Twitter (now called X), where Franklin Graham was accused by opponents of being a hate preacher. Critics argued he shouldn’t be given a platform, and suddenly, all the booked venues pulled out with “almost zero communication.”
The COVID-19 pandemic further complicated the situation, prompting the BGEA to seek prayerful guidance from the Lord, as months of effort and planning for the tour appeared to be at risk.
Arnot clarified that taking organizations to court is not his primary goal, as he prefers to pursue reconciliation in line with Gospel principles and to restore relationships.
“Our goal is not to fight with folks. We want them to be able to do their business and for us to have the opportunity that we had originally contracted for. And so, when there's a breach in a relationship like that, that has to be pursued and restored,” he stated.
In October 2022, Glasgow Sheriff Court ruled against Scottish Event Campus Limited for discriminating against BGEA due to Graham’s religious beliefs when ending their agreement. The court awarded £97,000 (nearly $130,000), and the matter was resolved following the ruling.
Graham decided to allocate the proceeds from damages, settlements, and support—amounting to just over £500,000 (US$678,163)—toward “building a war chest” meant to assist “Christians who are threatened or intimidated into silence or not expressing their faith.” Samaritan’s Purse contributed an additional £500,000 ($662,532), bringing the total in the fund to approximately £1 million ($1,325,035).
The Billy Graham Defense Fund is prepared to challenge any legal efforts opposed to evangelistic activities that are lawfully protected. “We want Christians to be encouraged to not just let that pass where appropriate, and we want to provide some financial assistance, realizing that there's a significant cost to standing up for those rights,” Arnot stated.
