The Graham family's influence may soon extend from the evangelistic platform to one of Washington's most prominent religious-liberty positions.
President Donald Trump has nominated Jane "Cissie" Graham Lynch, daughter of Franklin Graham and granddaughter of legendary evangelist Billy Graham, to serve as the United States ambassador-at-large for international religious freedom. The appointment must still be confirmed by the Senate.
Franklin Graham proudly announced the nomination on social media, telling followers that his daughter is "uniquely qualified" for the role because of her international travel and years studying the challenges facing people of faith.
"I couldn't be more proud of her," Graham wrote, before asking Christians to pray that God would give Lynch "wisdom and strength."
Lynch responded with her own statement, saying Trump had asked her to serve and that she would consider the position a tremendous honor and privilege.
"If confirmed by the Senate, please pray that I would serve with excellence and make the most of every opportunity to protect our most precious and fundamental right," she wrote, emphasizing that millions worldwide still live without freedom of religion.
The ambassador-at-large leads the State Department's efforts to monitor religious persecution and promote freedom of belief internationally. The official can call attention to governments that imprison, abuse or discriminate against people because of their faith and advise US leaders on appropriate diplomatic responses.
Lynch has worked with the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse in various capacities since 2010. Her ministry work has taken her around the world, where she has advocated for vulnerable women and children while participating in Christian humanitarian and evangelistic initiatives.
She is also the host of the Fearless With Cissie Graham Lynch podcast, which examines cultural and political controversies from a biblical perspective. Lynch has previously spoken publicly about antisemitism, Christian persecution, religious expression and the pressure believers face to compromise their convictions.
Her nomination immediately places another member of America's most famous evangelical family in the political spotlight. Billy Graham advised presidents from both major parties, while Franklin Graham has become one of Trump's most vocal evangelical supporters. Cissie Graham Lynch could now enter government service with an official mandate to defend religious freedom around the world.
Supporters are celebrating the nomination as a bold choice at a time when Christians and members of other religious communities face severe persecution in numerous countries. If confirmed, however, Lynch will also face scrutiny over how she balances her explicitly evangelical convictions with the responsibility to protect people of every faith-and those who profess no faith.
For Franklin Graham, the announcement was both political and deeply personal: a proud father asking Christians to pray as his daughter prepares for what could become the most consequential assignment of her public life.
