Green Acres Baptist Church launches “40 Days of Prayer for America”

Published 3:42 pm Friday, September 18, 2020

“If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14.

Ahead of Election Day, Green Acres Baptist Church is calling its congregants to join their hearts in “40 Days of Prayer for America.”

The church has created a prayer guide, with prayer thoughts and Scripture, that encourages parishioners to take pause at 7:14 a.m. or 7:14 p.m. beginning on Sept. 23, and each day until Nov. 3, to pray for unity and peace.

“We believe there is power when God’s people intercede with a common purpose at the same time,” wrote Pastor David Dykes. “ … These are crucial days for our nation, and it is time for God’s people to pray like never before.”

While the period of unified prayer is a longstanding tradition at Green Acres, the church was encouraged to begin this year’s initiative after receiving a message from Pat and Harold Hollingsworth, explained Kevin Burdette, minister to adults.

The Hollingsworths had already joined their neighbors in prayer each night at 8 p.m., basing their mission off the Silent Minute, an evening prayer begun in 1940 for all of England, Burdette said.

“This is just to remind our church to pray for unity in our nation, to pray for our candidates that they will be kept safe …,” Burdette said. “As Christians, we believe the Bible is the authority for the way that we live our lives, and we pray that the nation will turn back to those teachings.”

The prayer thoughts, which include prompts like “pray that our citizens will show love towards one another” and “thank God that he is in full authority and control of our nation,” will be posted to the Green Acres Facebook page and website each day once the 40-day period begins.

“In the Bible, 40 days is a significant number that God uses,” Burdette explained. “It’s a good time of focus, and we will use it this year as we commit to pray for our local, our state and our national elected officials as well as our appointed officials and our judges.”

More information will be made available during worship services, at the welcome desk to Green Acres Baptist Church, and, beginning Sept. 23, on gabc.org.