Millions to participate in Global Day of Prayer

DALLAS, Texas — Two of the nation’s largest churches are spearheading efforts for the Global Day of Prayer on May 15 in an initiative that is crossing racial barriers and bringing millions of Christians together in prayer.

More than 75 U.S. cities are scheduled to take part in the Global Day of Prayer, an effort led by Bob Bakke, director of National Prayer Advance for the Evangelical Free Church in America. Bakke said he expects 200 million people to fill arenas and stadiums in 150 countries.

Bakke has made Dallas a “model city” for the effort, and said he chose the city to host the main U.S. event because of its widespread religious resources and talent. He said Dallas is taking its role seriously.

Two of Dallas’s largest Christian churches—one mostly black, one mostly white —will lead an effort to bring more than 20,000 people to Reunion Arena in Dallas on May 15 for the event.

Bishop T.D. Jakes of the Potter’s House in Dallas and the Rev. Jack Graham of Prestonwood Baptist Church in suburban Plano said they will work together to make the event happen. The congregations are two of the largest in the country.

“It is a very significant initiative that brings together Christians from all walks of life,” Jakes said at a press event to announce the cooperative effort.

Jakes’ nondenominational church has 28,000 members.

“I was attracted to participate in it because not only is it an event, but I believe it will have a tremendous impact on the city of Dallas,” he said.

Graham, a former Southern Baptist Convention president whose church has 23,000 members, said he was pleased that in the weeks prior to the event there would be “days of compassion” in which area churches would reach out to the poor, those in prison, and the disabled.

Graham said it was wrong to assume that conservative evangelical Christians care only about issues such as abortion and marriage.

“We do care about those issues,” he said. “But that doesn’t mean that evangelical Christians are not concerned about social justice, not concerned about economic development, not concerned about helping the poor and engaging communities in acts of love.”

Highlights of the Dallas event will include participation by the Rev. Tony Evans of the 7,000-member Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas; an address by the Rev. Rick Warren, senior pastor of Saddleback Church in California and author of the best-selling “Purpose-Driven Life;” and opportunities for participants to volunteer with Habitat for Humanity, the Salvation Army, and other organizations.

Published, May 2005

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