Tens of thousands of Christians are gathering in Washington, D.C. today for a prayer march hosted by Franklin Graham and a worship event called “The Return.”
Vice President Mike Pence delivered opening remarks at the prayer march.
“In these challenging times we do well as you do today to remember that in everything by prayer and petition with thanksgiving that we are to present our requests to God,” the vice president said. “And we can claim the promise that the Peace of God that passes all understanding will guard our hearts and minds in Christ Jesus as His grace has through the generations of this nation.”
“We need to be the United States of America, not the divided states of America,” the famed evangelist said before the march.
Graham has been warning Christians about the rise of socialism in America and the threat it poses to people of faith.
“I’m just concerned that the people in this country don’t realize that the left, the socialists, want this country to look like Cuba… like Venezuela,” he said.
Graham said the focus of the march is to pray for the nation and all those in leadership roles, both Republicans and Democrats. The march is set to begin at the Lincoln Memorial an end at the Capitol Building.
“The only hope for this country is God. It’s not Republicans or Democrats,” Graham said. “Only hope is God and if we as Christians don’t pray for God’s help, he may just let this country fail.”
The Return is for all believers from all denominations and backgrounds.
“We’ve witnessed the darkest year. A year in which the world and specifically America has been shaken,” Jonathan Cahn co-chair of the event said in his opening address. “This is not a rally, it’s not a seminar, it’s a sacred assembly. This is an appointed gathering at an appointed place at an appointed time.”
Dozens of prominent Christian leaders and influences will be speaking at the event, including Anne Graham Lotz who kicked things off Saturday morning by telling the crowd it’s time for America to turn it’s eyes toward God.
“I believe our nation is in crisis. Our nation is in a hard place and it’s time to look up and see the Lord,” Lotz said. “The world is being shaken for the purpose of getting us to look up.”
