Christians Meet in Dallas Area to Fast, Pray for a Nation Beset by Problems

Christians Meet in Dallas Area to Fast, Pray for a Nation Beset by Problems

“The Gathering” Solemn Assembly Seeks America’s Return to God

By Dan Wooding, Founder of ASSIST News Service

SOUTHLAKE, TEXAS (ANS -- Sept. 24, 2016) -- Hundreds of pastors from around the country were joined on Wednesday (Sept. 21, 2016) by thousands of faithful Christians from across the DFW Metroplex at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas, to fast and pray for a spiritual solution to national concerns involving race, the family, immigration, government and other issues.

According to a news release from Steve Yount from A. Larry Ross Communications (http://alarryross.com/), “The Gathering” solemn assembly drew some 500 national Christian leaders from across racial, generational and denominational divides to a three-hour afternoon session and a total of more than 2,000 believers to a two-hour evening session open to the public.

The event was also broadcast live around the world on Daystar Television and live streamed on cbn.org and Lifeway.com.

“We're not here to represent any political party; we’re here as representatives of the body of Christ and the kingdom of God,” said Robert Morris, senior pastor of Gateway Church, which hosted “The Gathering.” He added, “We're not here to celebrate a particular candidate, but to celebrate the King of Kings, Jesus Christ.”

Earlier in the day, Dr. Tony Evans, event visionary and chairman, said the Bible calls for a solemn assembly like “The Gathering” when God’s people have grown away from Him and want to renew their relationship in order to be more effective in prayer.

“Wednesday’s event was the first phase of a three-step process that also includes churches emphasizing discipleship over membership, and mobilizing them in good works to demonstrate the love of Christ in the community so that the Church can speak with moral authority as the conscience of the culture, much as it did during the Civil Rights era,” said the news release.

“As our nation experiences racial and political turmoil in the midst of this presidential election, Evans said that the solution to our problems is spiritual, not political, as the Church has neglected its duty and needs to turn back to God.”

Evans went on to say, “Our culture is looking for Washington to fix our problems. But God will not skip over the church house to fix the White House. We must start by getting ourselves right with God. If God is our problem, only God is our solution.”

“The Gathering” featured many prominent Christian leaders, including Bishop Harry Jackson, chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition; Max Lucado, acclaimed preacher and best-selling author; Jonathan Falwell, pastor of Thomas Road Baptist Church in Lynchburg, Virginia; Kay Arthur, co-founder of Precept Ministries International; and others.

Program participants repeatedly stressed the need for the Church to be a greater force for good in our country. Dr. Ronnie Floyd, recent president of the Southern Baptist Convention, noted that America’s cities are in disarray.

“I can't recall a time when there was a greater need for the Church to be the Church; God will judge our land, unless we turn from where we are back to Him,” Floyd said. “Now is the time to see what God can do. When we seek His face, then we will receive His power. God can do more in a moment that you can do in a lifetime.”

Anne Graham Lotz, chairman of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, and daughter of evangelist, Dr. Billy Graham, reminded fellow Christian leaders that the key to revival is repentance, admonishing them to individually repent of personal sins, including busyness, fearfulness, political correctness, immorality, prayerlessness and pridefulness.

Dr. Jack Graham, pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church, noted that the Church needs to similarly repent corporately, to overcome problems of division, defection, defilement, disobedience, distraction and defeatism in order to return to being a united community of God.

“Right now we are seeing marriage, sexuality and gender redefined, and human life is no longer precious,” said James Robison, founder of LIFE Outreach International. “Wake up, church; focus not on a candidate or party, but the unshakeable Word of God.”

Throughout the day, prayer was another common theme and practice. “The best thing we can do for our nation is pray,” Pastor Morris concluded. “God needs us to do our part, which is natural, and His part is supernatural.”

The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference, heralded the beginning of a new “Jesus Movement.” “If the devil has already tweeted that ‘God is dead,’ what will happen next will require him to delete his tweet,” he asked. “God is not done with us yet; a movement is beginning.”

For more information on “The Gathering,” please visit http://thegathering2016.com/.

Note to Editors: To arrange an interview with one of the organizers of “The Gathering,” please contact Steve Yount at 972.267.1111 or via e-mail at steve@alarryross.com .

Photo captions: Robert Morris, senior pastor of Gateway Church, speaking at the event. 2) Dr. Tony Evans, another speaker. 3) Anne Graham Lotz with her famous father, Dr. Billy Graham, at his home in Montreat, North Carolina. 4) Dan Wooding with Dr. Tony Evans after interviewing him at the NRB Convention in Nashville, Tennessee.

About the writer: Dan Wooding, 75, is an award-winning winning author, broadcaster and journalist who was born in Nigeria of British missionary parents, and is now living in Southern California with his wife Norma, to whom he has been married for more than 53 years. They have two sons, Andrew and Peter, and six grandchildren who all live in the UK. Dan is the founder and international director of the ASSIST News Service (ANS). He is the author of some 45 books, and has been a full-time journalist since 1968. Dan also has a weekly radio show and two TV shows all based in Southern California.

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