Prayer targets world's 3rd largest mission field

Prayer targets world's 3rd largest mission field – America
'Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure'

A blanket of prayer for America is being proposed for Sept. 11, 2008, the seventh anniversary of the terrorist attacks on New York and Washington, because it no longer is the Christian nation it once was, according to a coalition of organizations.

"America used to send out missionaries," Matti Stevenson, a spokeswoman for the effort, told WND. "Now it's the third-largest mission field itself. People from Africa are coming to help us. What does that say?

"It just takes my breath away," she said.

The project is called "Cry Out America" and intends to have a prayer vigil in every county – all 3,141 of them – on that day. It's being assembled by the Awakening America Alliance, a non-partisan, broad coalition of Christian leaders, denominations, churches, ministries and others.

"America is a nation in great spiritual decline evidenced by current statistics which show that only 17 percent of Americans attend church on any given Sunday and that America is the third largest mission field in the world," the organization said.

"In 2001 extremist enemies assaulted America with the terrorists attacks of 9/11. These acts of aggression signaled a physical wake up call for our nation as we entered the new millennium. Our lives were changed forever—millions of Americans fell to their knees in prayer," the organization said. "Now seven years later, as part of the Awakening America Alliance, Christians are issuing a spiritual wake call through a historical, nationwide prayer gathering on Sept. 11, 2008.

"CRY OUT AMERICA claims this day of prayer to fully awaken America to return to the Lord and to mark this significant day in its history with POWERFUL prayer for EVERY STATE, EVERY COUNTY, and EVERY HEART. "

Billy Wilson, the executive cabinet chairman of the Awakening America Alliance, said 2008 will be a spiritually "critical" year for America.

"The current condition of America demands united, and decisive action. We need more than one positive election, more than one court decision, more than one good series of sermons – we must experience a new national awakening in our generation,” he said.

The plan is for Christians to gather on 9/11 at every county courthouse from noon until 1 p.m. in a united cry to God for communities, friends, family and the spiritual condition of the nation.

"D.L. Moody once said, 'Every great movement of God can be traced to a kneeling figure,''" the group said.

Coordinators are being recruited for each county in the nation, and already hundreds of counties from more than 36 states have been designated.

"For the last 40 plus years our nation has increasingly drifted lazily toward the falls of godless postmodern values, rejecting God’s standards in favor of a reinterpreted anything goes morality. Soon we will reach the precipice of no return unless we act quickly,” said John Franklin, member of the Cry Out America national mobilization team and president of John Franklin Ministries. “On one level the events of 9/11 awakened us to the threat of radical Islamic fundamentalism, but the greater threat confronting us is our departure from God.”

There also will be a special service hosted from New York on the eve of 9/11.

"If you believe that extraordinary prayer is needed to awaken our nation and you are willing to be used of God to make this happen, then I encourage you to please visit the CRY OUT AMERICA section of Awakening America, find your county and apply to serve today," Wilson said.

Among the long list of participants in the alliance are Africa for Jesus, AGLOW International, the Assemblies of God, Awake America Ministries, Christ for the Nations, the Christian Film & Television Commission, Christian Broadcasting Network, Christian Emergency Network, Intercessors for America, Moody Broadcasting, National Pastors Prayer Network, Teen Mania and Youth With A Mission.