“Jesus Christ would advocate for people using vaccines,” Evangelical Leaders Encourage Us to Get COVID-19 Vaccine

June 1, 2021

Evangelical leaders are urging Christians to get the COVID-19 vaccine, reminding us that it is our responsibility as Good Samaritans to protect the least of these. 

Most recently, Reverend Franklin Graham, President of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association and Samaritan's Purse, wrote on Facebook,  “Jesus Christ would advocate for people using vaccines and medicines to treat suffering and save lives.” Rev. Franklin Graham’s father, Rev. Billy Graham, also supported Christians partaking in modern medicine, including vaccination.

Other evangelical leaders have publicly supported getting the vaccine. Rev. J.D. Greear, President of the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) - the nation’s largest Protestant denomination -  posted a picture of himself getting the vaccine. Dr. Robert Jeffress, megachurch pastor at First Baptist Church in Dallas, TX has also expressed support of the vaccine, affirming that the vaccines were created in accordance with Pro-Life values.

Rev. Russell Moore, devout evangelical and prominent conservative, told Christians that, while he supports their decision to choose whether or not to vaccinate, there is no part of the Christian faith that should keep them from vaccinating.  Invoking the “Golden Rule”, Rev. Russell Moore explained, “this [COVID-19 vaccine] is something that’s in not only our own best interests, but also in that of our neighbors.” Rev. Moore hopes that by speaking out publicly, he inspires Christians to dismiss misinformation about the vaccine and realize that the vaccine is our best way of showing compassion to one another during the pandemic.  

In response to the misinformation targeting faith communities about the vaccine, evangelical leaders are stepping up to provide resources to pastors and faith leaders on how to best talk about vaccines with their communities. 

The Christians and the Vaccine project is aimed to help Christian communities with their questions, while the “Pastor’s Toolkit” is a great overview for pastors and Christian leaders who feel ill-equipped to address the COVID-19 vaccine questions from their congregations: Is the vaccine safe? Is the COVID vaccine Pro-Life? Can Black Americans trust the vaccine? Is the vaccine the "Mark of the Beast"? Is the vaccine a form of government control?