The sins of a nation drew an estimated 55,000 believers to Nashville July 7 to convene a “solemn assembly” and pray for spiritual awakening among America’s young people.
Many Alabama Baptists, along with Christians from all 50 states and countries as far away as Nepal and Mongolia, gathered in Nashville’s riverfront LP Field for The Call — 12 hours of worship and prayer they hoped would spark a renewal movement that would sweep the country.
The nondenominational event marked 40 years since the “Summer of Love” in San Francisco unleashed a wave of sexual promiscuity, drug abuse, abortion on demand and pornography in the country and separated a generation of Americans from God, organizers said.
Public confession and repentance were hallmarks of the day, as a series of individuals testified about the havoc those sins had wreaked in their lives and publicly prayed for forgiveness — both individually and on behalf of the nation.
The Nashville event also commemorated 40 years since the youth revival called the Jesus Movement swept America — and organizers hoped it would spark a similar movement for another generation.
“America is a sleeping nation. We have casually and nonchalantly let things slide and get worse,” said Morgan Blount, a staff member of The Call from Dallas. “We are calling for young people in this country to wake up and take a stand, to pray about our world instead of just complaining about what’s wrong with it.
“We are calling them to take action and believe that the Lord can change things.”
Christian Dean, 16, a member of First Baptist Church, Dothan, in Columbia Baptist Association, said the event was “a calling out to the nation to pray for revival.”
“It was very emotional with a lot of weeping and praying,” said Dean, who traveled to Nashville for the event with four others from his church, including 15-year-old Wesley Davidson.
“The experience was great because it got you out of your comfort zone,” Davidson said. “[The] speakers were really good. They focused on things in America that are happening that we need to purify ourselves from.”
As midday temperatures soared near 100 degrees, worshipers lifted their hands in prayer. The stadium floor was sectioned off for those who wanted the freedom to prostrate themselves or kneel in prayer.
Many of those in attendance had fasted for up to 40 days in preparation. Prayer walkers left Nashville’s Centennial Park at 7 a.m. and made their way in silence through downtown to the stadium.
To symbolize their desire for America to return to a covenant relationship with God, three couples simultaneously exchanged marriage vows late in the afternoon.
Organizer Lou Engle, who initiated The Call in Washington in 2000, chose the date — 7/7/07 — because seven is the biblical number of covenant.
The event was broadcast live over the Internet at thecall.com, and Christian television networks such as God TV, Trinity Broadcasting Network, Daystar and Inspiration Network also carried portions of the proceedings to as many as 200 countries.
Blowing the shofar
The evening closed with 300 men — the number of Gideon’s biblical army — blowing the shofar while those in the stands shouted.
“That was the highlight for me,” said Julia Richardson, spokeswoman for the event. “You could feel the presence of the Lord. In the sound of the shofar, we pray our destinies are released and that the city of Nashville would see a new wave of the Lord.”
Future gatherings are planned later this year for Las Vegas and Kansas City and next year in Atlanta; Orlando, Fla.; Berkeley, Calif.; and Detroit.
An assembly is scheduled for Washington in August 2008. (BP, TAB)
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