30 July 2011

Tyler civic leaders, pastors, and ministry representatives converged on the city's largest church for a news conference Friday to lend their substantial support to The Response, a prayer and repentance meeting called by Texas Gov. Rick Perry scheduled for Aug. 6 at Houston's Reliant Stadium. City Councilman Jason Wright, at the lectern, reads a proclamation from Mayor Barbara Bass endorsing the day of prayer.
                                 Photo By Raymond Billy/ResonateNews.comBy Patrick Butler and Raymond Billy | ResonateNews.com

TYLER, Texas — Civic leaders, pastors, and ministry representatives converged on the city's largest church for a news conference Friday to lend their substantial support to The Response, a prayer and repentance meeting called by Texas Gov. Rick Perry scheduled for Aug. 6 at Houston's Reliant Stadium.

The news conference came one day after a federal judge in Houston tossed out a lawsuit by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. The suit argued that the governor's involvement in the day of prayer violated the First Amendment's establishment clause. In dismissing the suit, the judge, Gary H. Miller, said that Perry “has done nothing more than invite others who are willing to do so to pray.”

The Rev. David O. Dykes, senior pastor of the 14,000-member Green Acres Baptist Church, stood with pastors and listened as Tyler City Councilman Jason Wright read what he called "A bold proclamation" from Mayor Barbara Bass designating Aug. 6 a “day of prayer and fasting” for Tyler, the largest city in East Texas.

The day of prayer  is "imperative," said Wright, quoting the Bible.

“It is imperative that we do not let our light be hidden, 'but seek first the kingdom of righteousness and all shall be added,'” he said.

In endorsing The Response, Bass acknowledged that “given the trials that beset our nation and world, from natural disasters to the global economic downturn, it is time to convene the leaders and citizens of this great City of Tyler in a day of prayer and fasting,” according to the proclamation.

Speaking with ResonateNews.com after the news conference, Wright said he is proud to stand behind Perry's call for Christians to pray.

“Our governor acknowledged that Jesus Christ is our only hope during this time of crisis in our nation, and he's absolutely correct about that,” said Wright, a member of Green Acres.

Dykes told ResonateNews.com he didn't poll his congregation for any objections to the fact that Perry, a political figure, called for the prayer and repentance meeting.

“We don't need permission to pray,” said Dykes, smiling. “When we are called to pray, we pray. Our leadership team and elders look at this, and felt it was good to be involved.”

Green Acres will Webcast the event live beginning at 10 a.m. Aug. 6 and continue all day at its Crosswalk Conference Center on the grounds of Green Acres Baptist, 1607 Troup Highway in south Tyler. Community Christian Fellowship at 15704 Highway110 North in Smith County, located next to Mercy Ships International Operations Center will also host an event-long simulcast of The Response beginning at 10 a.m.

Both events are free.

Adam McCain of Christ for the Nations in Dallas spoke at the conference, saying he was “excited” about the flood of international support organizers of The Response have been receiving.

“There are literally hundreds of thousands of believers, some as far away as Indonesia, who have communicated to us they are praying for The Response and for God to move,” he said. “It's been so encouraging to see this kind of support.”

But even in Texas there has been some resistance to The Response — surprisingly from Christians, said the Rev. Dan Cummins, senior pastor of Bridlewood Church in Bullard, Texas. Cummins, whose role is to help distribute information to East Texas churches,  estimates he has spoken to or emailed hundreds of area pastors on behalf of The Response.

“As we draw closer to the event itself, things are turning around among those who had initial suspicions of the intentions of The Response,” Cummins said to ResonateNews.com after the conference. “As pastors realize this is a day of humbling ourselves, that this is definitely not a political or partisan event but a time to come together to pray together, worship together and call out to God together, they are willing to be part of it. Still, there are more churches to reach before Aug. 6.”

Laura Allred of Dallas, a Response event organizer mobilizing youth and founder of Captured, a mentoring ministry for young women,  said she has recently seen the same scenario Cummins spoke of

“I've seen pastors hearts touched as they've met with us with their concerns, I've seen tears — even reconciliations — between some leaders who thought they would never pray together. It's been amazing, and very exciting to see. I sincerely hope people will join us as we seek God for wisdom, provision and hope.”

She said she understands some feel politics is in the way The Response, but a recent conference call with Perry underscored the motivation.

“He told us this was a solemn assembly smiler to Joel chapter two, "Blow the trumpet in Zion, declare a holy fast, call a sacred assembly, gather the people…' (Joel 2:15) and people should come to be ready to “do business with God,” Allred said.

The Wall Street Journal reported July 16 that Perry, who once sold Bibles door-to-door, has called for prayer sessions previously. In April he issued a proclamation declaring three days of prayer to end the states long drought.

“In a short video promoting the August event," the Journal said, “he said he was 'calling on Americans to pray and fast like Jesus did and as God called the Israelites to do in the Book of Joel.'”

Wright said that the decision of some Christians to forego the event is “between them and God.”

Dykes said, “I don't know all the leadership for The Response, but I've personally known Don Wildmon of the American Family Association for years. When I saw he was involved, and heard this would be a  nonpolitical, nonpartisan event focused on prayer and Don was part of it, I believed this was something Green Acres could be part of.”

Stay with ResonateNews.com on Aug. 6 with live team coverage from Houston at The Response and local coverage of The Response Webcast in churches in Smith County.

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