Billy Graham team responds to IL, IN following storms, tornadoes

CHARLOTTE — The Billy Graham Rapid Response Team deployed crisis-trained chaplains to Illinois and Indiana following a deadly tornado outbreak that swept through the Midwest.

The storm system killed an elderly couple in Lake Village, Indiana, and caused widespread destruction across several states.

Chaplains will provide emotional and spiritual care in Kankakee County, Illinois, and Newton County, Indiana, officials said. The deployment aims to support residents in some of the hardest-hit areas as they begin to recover from the loss of life and property.

The same storm system caused widespread damage across Michigan earlier this week. In that state, the tornadoes killed four people and injured more than a dozen others. Billy Graham Rapid Response Team chaplains previously deployed to those affected Michigan communities to assist residents, officials said.

Josh Holland serves as the vice president of the Rapid Response Team. He explained that the organization aims to provide support beyond just the physical restoration of the affected areas.

“Storms like these leave more than physical damage—they leave people grieving and searching for hope,” Holland said. “Our chaplains are there to walk alongside those who are hurting, offering prayer and sharing the comfort that comes from Jesus Christ.”

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