Boycott leaders are asking “The Nation's Pastor” — the Rev. Billy Graham — to stay away from Cincinnati and cancel his summer mission, which is expected to be the area's biggest religious event in decades.

        But mission leaders say they haven't been contacted by boycotters and have no plans to alter an evangelical event that already involves thousands of Tristate volunteers and more than 600 area churches.

Rev. Billy Graham

        “We're trying to bring healing to the city of Cincinnati,” said the Rev. Damon Lynch Jr., a co-chair of the mission. “What we're dealing with is mission and evangelism — not politics.”

        But his son, the Rev. Damon Lynch III, told the Enquirer the city needs justice before it can heal and that he is calling for the boycott. The Rev. Mr. Lynch III was instrumental in lobbying the Rev. Mr. Graham to come to Cincinnati, and until last week, served on the general committee of the mission. He declined to discuss any strategy concerning the boycott's expansion to the Graham mission.

        The Rev. Mr. Lynch III said he's always admired the Rev. Mr. Graham and his preaching of the Gospel, but said that now is not the right time for the evangelist's message.

        “Weall preach every Sunday,” he said from Kansas City, where is attending a conference. “I don't think Cincinnati lacks for preaching, but we do lack justice. We do lack economic inclusion.”

        The boycott decision could cause a rift among African-Americans and others who have supported the boycotters' call for economic sanctions, but consider the mission a time to praise God.

        The Rev. Mr. Graham's visit is billed as a time for people of all races and socioeconomic status to come together and pray. Volunteers started work nearly 18 months ago to bring the Rev. Mr. Graham to Cincinnati and redoubled their efforts after April's riots.

Frances White (left) keeps track of mailings Thursday in a Swifton Commons office in preparation for the Rev. Billy Graham's mission to Cincinnati in June. (Dick Swaim photo) | ZOOM |

        Jeff Anderson, who works for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and is director of the Cincinnati mission, said the boycotters had not contacted him, and he was not aware of any formal request to the Rev. Mr. Graham to cancel the mission.

        “(The Rev. Mr. Graham) felt it was the right time to come, and we're moving forward with the mission,” Mr. Anderson said Thursday from Texas.

        The free event is expected to attract 200,000 people to Paul Brown Stadium June 27-30. An estimated 15,000 to 20,000 volunteers will serve as ushers, sing in the choir, minister in prisons or counsel newly committed Christians.

        Already, more than $600,000 of the $2.5 million budget has been spent on preparations, and next week, thousands of men, women and children plan to attend special prayer meetings.

        The boycott leaders have a number of demands for the city, including amnesty for rioters, millions of dollars for inner-city development projects and changes in the police department. A few entertainers have responded to the call to boycott, including Bill Cosby who was scheduled to perform tonight at the Aronoff Center.

        The sanctions apply to every group, said Juleana Frierson, chief of staff of the Black United Front, one of the key boycott groups.

        A representative of another boycott organization, the Coalition for a Just Cincinnati, did not return repeated telephone calls.

        “We're definitely calling for the Billy Graham crusade not to come. There's been no change in the city,” Ms. Frierson said. “It's a call for total boycott of travel, tourism, crusades, conventions and anything else from coming to Cincinnati.”

        Volunteer Louise Bell has worked for nearly a year to get members of her church, Union Baptist in downtown Cincinnati, inspired and involved about the mission. And a call to boycott won't stop her.

        “I'm very excited about it. I pray every day about it. I talk about it at work. I try to pull more people to be involved in it,” said Mrs. Bell of Kennedy Heights. “I am driven. I have a passion for it, and I can't let anyone steal that from me.”

        The decision whether to respond to the boycotters is up to the Rev. Mr. Graham, said the Rev. Larry Davis, who spearheaded efforts to invite the evangelist to town.

        But the Rev. Mr. Davis is moving ahead.

        “I plan to be on the front row,” says the Rev. Mr. Davis, a co-chair of the mission and pastor of First Baptist Church of Cold Spring in Northern Kentucky.

        The mission leaders had rarely talked about the possibility of a boycott, he said.

        “I had hoped that the community of faith could come together whether the business and political community did or not,” the Rev. Mr. Davis said.

        Other mission leaders said they were disappointed — and surprised — by the boycott request, but most don't expect it to deter plans or weaken the mission.

        “We're committed to moving forward for this mission of prayer and of salvation for our community,” said the Rev. Taylor Thompson, of Quinn Chapel AME Church in Forest Park and a mission committee member. “It doesn't matter what the court system does or our leaders. Real healing can only occur when the presence of God is upon us.”

        Already, the mission's success can be measured in the cooperation between different congregations, black and white, suburban and urban, rich and poor, he said.

        “The devil is working hard in a number of ways to try to slow the mission down,” he said.

        The Rev. Clarence Wallace, an executive board member of the Graham mission, had said early Thursday he didn't think a boycott should include the mission. But he changed his mind by the afternoon.

        “I stand in support of Damon,” said the Rev. Mr. Wallace, who has not attended any mission meetings. He cites family health and other commitments at his church, Carmel Presbyterian in Avondale. “You cannot talk about God, religion and Christianity without dealing with issues of righteousness and justice.”

        Another executive board member, Joellen Grady, fears some people will have split loyalties. They support the boycott, like she does, but also believe in the power and importance of the mission.

        Still, she already has made her decision. Mrs. Grady will continue to work on the Graham event.

        “Bringing people to Christ is not the same as economic sanctions.”

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