By Staff, Baptist Message
BATON ROUGE — America is in trouble, and it’s getting worse every day.
Starting today, Jan. 5, — on the steps of the state Capitol in Des Moines, Iowa—Franklin Graham began the Decision America Tour, a series of noon prayer rallies in each state throughout 2016.
As those gather to intercede for America, Graham will preach the Gospel of Jesus Christ, calling the nation to repentance and encourage believers to engage the civil process by voting for godly leaders while prayerfully consider running for local office.
The Decision America Tour, which begins in the state of the first caucus for the 2016 presidential election, will continue through early fall.
On January 13, Graham will arrive in Baton Rouge, the third stop on his tour. He is encouraging everyone to join him for this special event which will take place within a short walk of Louisiana’s old State Capitol building.
The rally will take place at noon on North Boulevard Town Square at the corner of North Boulevard and 3rd Street in Baton Rouge.
He asks the question, “Will you join me for this important event?”
“I encourage you to bring your friends, your family, and your church. Let’s stand together in prayer for our country before it’s too late. I believe we are perilously close to the moral tipping point for the survival of the United States of America,” wrote Graham in his most recent Decision magazine article. “… I refuse to be silent and watch the future of our children and grandchildren be offered up on pagan altars of personal pleasure and immorality.
“More and more, we see the godless forces of secularism seeking to silence Christians who stand up for their beliefs. We see a culture that wants to remove God and His Son, Jesus Christ, from public view. As a nation we have turned our back on God,” Graham continued.
On the heels of several defining moments for our nation—such as the Supreme Court marriage decision, recent terrorist attacks, and wedding florists, bakers and photographers getting fined for standing by their moral and religious convictions, Graham believes there has never been a more crucial time for Christians to stand and be heard.
“There now exists deep-seated antagonism and hostility toward Christianity in every seat of power in this nation—government, media, courts and education. It has become open season on Christians,” he wrote. “Sin is openly celebrated and flaunted by the highest office in our land, and men and women of deep and sincere faith are publicly scorned.”
The Decision America Tour stops—while they will include a Gospel message from Graham, corporate prayer, and encouragement for Christians to get to the polls—will not include a plug for politicians.
“I’m not going to endorse any candidates. The goal is to get Christians to vote. There are Christians who don’t vote. They think that their vote doesn’t count. It does count … every vote counts,” Graham told Fox News commentator Sean Hannity in a recent interview.
“I want people to vote and look at things like school boards. Could you imagine if evangelicals were able to get on the school boards of America—what an impact that would have on our nation over the next 20 years?” he said.
