Billy Graham wrote the following for the New Year in 2000. This message remains relevant today.

Today, the church is more important than ever. The Bible tells us that—in some ways we do not completely understand—the church represents all that Christ is. And I see the church, with its 2,000 years of history, as a mighty force in our society.

The church cannot ignore the community which has so many whose lives are empty of meaning. We in the church can offer hope. We know that God loves us, that Jesus can help every lost soul that calls on Him. So many today are hurting. All of us can think of someone whose family has broken up, who thinks that no one cares.

The poor and the oppressed have always been very much a concern of the church. During this next decade, I challenge myself and those in the church to love the poor and the sick and the needy, to reach out to the lonely and the homeless, to work to heal those who are addicted to drugs and to care for the widow and orphan. We must also work for peace and justice. These are things we cannot ignore.