By Message Staff
BATON ROUGE – Legislators, pastors, businessmen and others from Louisiana started off the first few days of the 2018 state legislative session with a focus on God during the Governor’s Prayer Breakfast.
Keynote speaker Reese Kauffman, president of the international interdenominational Child Evangelism Fellowship, and Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards were among those offering encouraging words to the more than 1,400 attending the event March 14 at the Raising Canes Center in Baton Rouge. Lafayette native and Grammy nominee Christian contemporary artist Lauren Daigle provided the special music.
The event also featured times to honor the military, law enforcement, and the late evangelist Billy Graham, who died Feb. 21.
Kauffman reminded those at the Prayer Breakfast God has appointed them to serve in their various leadership positions. Citing Romans 13:1-3, Kauffman said God has ordained all in authority.
Likewise, Kauffman said the Lord has commanded everyone to pray for those in authority.
“The purpose for that prayer is that we might live a peaceful life and that society might go on smoothly, that the authority structure would work,” said Kauffman, citing 1 Timothy 2:1-4. “And people might come to know Jesus as Savior.”
Jay Johnston, past chairman of the Prayer Breakfast Task Force and associate pastor of First Baptist Church in Covington, told the Baptist Message he was thankful for the opportunity to gather with others in the state to pray.
“I believe gathering to pray corporately encourages and strengthens the body of Christ,” said Johnston, who serves as Louisiana National Day of Prayer coordinator. “To see 1,400 people gather in Baton Rouge from all parts of Louisiana to pray for and with each other postures us in a place of saying, God, we need you. The Governor’s Prayer Breakfast is a time to be still and recognize that God is God.”
The 54th annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast takes place annually during the first few days of the Louisiana Legislative session. According to the Prayer Breakfast website, the event’s purpose is to “seek God’s guidance for all leaders and citizens of our State, and to strengthen ourselves for the journey as we try to live as a responsible community of faith. It is an interdenominational event centered on the person of Jesus Christ as the Savior of the world and is intended to promote His glory.”
For information on starting a prayer ministry or about ways to participate in the National Day of Prayer May 3, contact Johnston at jaygjohnston@gmail.com.
