Everybody sure is talking about prayer these days. Between the hoopla over the National Day of Prayer and Franklin Graham's insistence that he be allowed to pray inside the Pentagon, prayer seems to be on everybody's lips, media included. That's a good thing, right? I'm not so sure.

Consider how we got to this interesting place, where the very idea of public praying has become controversial. First, U.S. District Judge Barbara Crabb in Madison last month found the National Day of Prayer, established by Congress 58 years ago and held on the first Thursday of May, to be unconstitutional.

Then, on Aprill 22 the U.S. Army "disinvited" Franklin Graham, who had been scheduled to speak at a Pentagon National Day of Prayer event because his comments about Islam were "inappropriate.'

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The Humanitarian Jesus Interview Series

Franklin Graham

Franklin Graham has been the subject of much current debate and controversy (see National Day of Prayer, etc.), but it would be hard to overstate the shadow cast by his father, especially where preaching the Gospel is concerned. 

But Franklin appears to be right at home in his own preaching of the Gospel, both in word and deed, as he heads one of the largest Gospel centered humanitarian organizations on the globe (over $300 million in support and revenues in 2008). 

We spoke over the phone for last year and this is a portion of that conversation…

CB: What is the difference between humanitarian work and Christian humanitarian work? 

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More than a dozen award-winning artists are combining their musical talents to help make sure desperately needed relief supplies continue flowing into Haiti, where the struggle for survival continues for hundreds of thousands of earthquake victims.    

Healing 4 Haiti is a collection of 15 songs from Christian music’s leading artists and worship leaders and includes the anthem “Come Together Now (Music City Unites For Haiti),” penned by Michael W. Smith, Cindy Morgan and David Mullen. The song list also includes tracks from Israel Houghton, DecembeRadio, Kari Jobe, The Afters, Hawk Nelson and many more plus an exclusive version of Jared Anderson’s new song, “Carry Me.”

Healing 4 Haiti will be released by Integrity Music at iTunes on Tuesday, March 2 with a retail release slated for March 16. A minimum of $5.00 per copy of the album sold will be donated to Haiti earthquake relief. The donations will be used to provide clean water, shelter, medical care and other critical aid from Samaritan's Purse. It will also support the work of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's Rapid Response Team, which had chaplains on the ground within 24 hours of the earthquake providing emotional and spiritual comfort to survivors. Additionally, proceeds from “Come Together Now (Music City Unites for Haiti)” will go to the Haiti relief efforts of Samaritan’s Purse and the American Red Cross.

“Every artist and every individual who can use their talent and ability to shed light on those in need, when it’s all added together, it makes a huge difference,” says Franklin Graham, president of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association/Samaritan’s Purse. “My prayer is that God will use Healing 4 Haiti to touch the hearts of this nation to give generously to the suffering people of Haiti.”

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