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The value of pastors, churches leading the way in prayer

Outgoing Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd led a focused time of prayer during the National Call to Prayer for Spiritual Leadership, Revived Churches and Nationwide and Global Awakening at the annual meeting of the SBC in St. Louis, Missouri, June 14, 2016.
Outgoing Southern Baptist Convention President Ronnie Floyd led a focused time of prayer during the National Call to Prayer for Spiritual Leadership, Revived Churches and Nationwide and Global Awakening at the annual meeting of the SBC in St. Louis, Missouri, June 14, 2016. | (Photo: Courtesy of SBC/Matt Miller)

The churches in America are God’s footprints in our nation. God’s churches are blessed and anointed by Him, and the greatest network our nation has for prayer and the advancement of the gospel of Jesus Christ. 350,000+ churches and 200 denominations have the opportunity to impact America on one day in 2019: The National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 2.

As the president of the National Day of Prayer and senior pastor of a local church, I am convinced that we cannot complete our mission of mobilizing unified public prayer for America without the support of the pastors and churches in America. Additionally, each denomination and network of churches can be involved in advancing the Kingdom of God together, which far surpasses our own church and denomination. If there is any one day annually that we can work together for the greater good of God’s Kingdom, it can be the annual National Day of Prayer, which is the first Thursday of May annually.

Our priority must be to mobilize pastors, churches, and denominations to pray for America.

Will You Enter Your Community and Participate?

Pastors and churches, will you enter your community individually or even together, to join us in praying for America on Thursday, May 2, 2019?

Imagine with me for a moment: What would happen if each pastor and church in America established a prayer service or observance on the National Day of Prayer on Thursday, May 2, 2019? It would become the most prayed-for day in America.

Each pastor, church, or denomination can do any one of these options:

  • Connect with and mobilize your church to an existing observance somewhere in your community.
  • Create a new observance in your community in order to mobilize more people to pray for our nation.
  • Realize you can create as many observances in your community as desired and there will still not be enough of these to mobilize your entire community to pray for America.

On each National Day of Prayer, there should be no less than 100,000 gatherings for prayer nationally, due to pastors, churches, and denominations leading the way or working together for the greater good of God’s Kingdom. Every Christ follower should want to take an hour on the National Day of Prayer to pray for America in a public prayer worship observance.

What Every Pastor, Church, and Denomination Needs to Know

If I had the opportunity to personally speak with every pastor and church in America, as well as each denominational leader, I would explain to that the National Day of Prayer provides a unique opportunity to engage all kinds of people in their communities who love America and hope for her best.

Some of these community members may not know Christ personally, but this service or observance can introduce them in a positive, non-threatening way to the things of God and the claims of Jesus Christ.

Regardless of your perception or what others may say, I believe the people of America love our nation. They realize our nation is broken and in trouble. Most also realize it will take some kind of divine intervention to see our nation move forward together positively.

The National Day of Prayer on May 2, 2019, provides a way to connect with one another in a positive, unifying way to pray for America. Pastors and churches are always seeking a way to create good will in the community. The National Day of Prayer is a wonderful way to do this. They will appreciate your participation and leadership in it.

Pastors, Churches, and Denominations, What’s Next?

Right now, get out your phone or calendar and mark this date: Thursday, May 2, 2019. Please mark your personal and your church calendar. Determine to schedule the National Day of Prayer as a priority on your personal and church calendar.

Go to our National Day of Prayer website and sign up to host an observance in your community in 2019. Talk to your staff team or church leaders and determine to become a strong participant in the National Day of Prayer. Also, on our National Day of Prayer website, watch this brief video on how pastors and churches can be involved in The National Day of Prayer in 2019.

The church in America should stand strong on the National Day of Prayer in thousands upon thousands of gatherings, proclaiming we believe in the power of prayer, even prayer for our nation. We need to become proclaimers of hope for our nation. Why would we not want to do this?

In humility, I appeal to all pastors, churches, and denominations in America: On Thursday, May 2, 2019, let’s plan to unite together, participate, or even lead, the National Day of Prayer in our communities. This may be one of the greatest ways you can add value in your community in 2019. God blesses pastors, churches and denominations that that value on the power of prayer.

Originally posted at ronniefloyd.com

Ronnie Floyd is the senior pastor of Cross Church and president of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, which each year mobilizes millions of Americans to unified public prayer for the United States of America. Follow him on Twitter (@ronniefloyd), Instagram (@ronniefloyd) and Facebook.

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