Franklin conducted his first evangelistic event in 1989 and committed to spend 10 percent of his time each year preaching. Each year, he conducts an average of seven Festivals around the world as an evangelist for the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA). Since 1989, he has preached to more than two million people in cities from Johannesburg, South Africa, to Tupelo, Mississippi.
 
In 1995, Franklin was elected to serve as the first vice-chairman of the BGEA and in 2000 he was named CEO of the organization. He has also served on the BGEA board since 1979.