Tarrant's National Day of Prayer emphasizes God-led governmental leadership
Tarrant County's National Day of Prayer Luncheon was filled with shouts of 'Amen' and 'Praise God' as the keynote speaker said too many elected officials have forgotten who they ultimately serve: God.
Kevin Sorbo, an actor known for 'Hercules: The Legendary Journeys' and 'God's Not Dead,' told the crowd of 700 gathered at the Worthington Renaissance Hotel in downtown Fort Worth about his faith journey as a Christian conservative in Hollywood and condemned the secular path America is going down.
An official Day of Prayer was first established in 1952 under President Harry Truman. In 1988, President Ronald Reagan designated the first Thursday in May as the annual National Day of Prayer when Americans gather to pray for the nation.
'Can you imagine if God was woke?' Sorbo asked. 'Suppose today's God was an unforgivable, judgmental, quick to cancel your livelihood, your family, your life, everything, no compassion. Well, thank God, God is not woke. Instead of being ready to cancel and condemn, God is eager to forgive, reconcile and to restore God's attitude to a very imperfect humanity, which includes all of us.'
The crowd cheered and applauded the keynote speaker as he said the American flag is his pride flag and said it's ridiculous the 'alphabet crowd' gets a month while mothers, fathers and veterans only get a day each.
For the second year in a row, Tarrant County Judge Tim O'Hare hosted the luncheon under the Romans 15:13-influenced theme 'Pour out to the God of Hope and be filled.' Among the hundreds in attendance were elected officials from across the state, pastors and church-goers.
The event benefitted nonprofits 6 Stones, aimed at helping the North Texas community through food and resources, and The Justice Reform, a Mercy Culture organization that helps sex trafficking victims.
Before the three dedicated prayers, Scott Coburn came to the podium as the Patriot Mobile representative to express how important it is for elected officials to be praying over the country at events like this.
Grapevine-based Patriot Mobile touts being 'America's only Christian conservative wireless provider.' It donates a large part of its earnings to its super PAC, Patriot Mobile Action.
Coburn said his company helped sponsor the event because it's aimed at spreading the Word of God.
'What we're doing here today is very important,' Coburn said. 'Quite honestly, this is what we're called to do. We're called to be disciples, to spread the good news, and that's why we choose to support this organization, and we will always support organizations that are for prayer.'
Another Patriot Mobile representative, Leigh Wambsganss, led the group in a prayer over family and churches. She prayed for churches to be a beacon of light for the world, which is searching to fill 'a God-sized hole that is within every human being.' Wambsganss also prayed for protection from the devil's attacks on the pastors, families and marriages. She also prayed that the Lord shield children from 'the enemy's lies of sexual confusion.'
The second dedicated prayer was over government and military, given by another sponsor, Grapevine's First Baptist Church Pastor Doug Page. Page prayed for protection and the faithful leadership of President Donald Trump, Vice President JD Vance and the presidential Cabinet.
'Father, we pray for every leader in every state, but we take a moment to come right here, right now and say how grateful we are for Judge Tim O'Hare,' Page prayed. 'Thank you for a man who I know loves you, and I know seeks to lead in a way that will please you. And so I pray for your protection on him.'
Pastor Parkey Cobern of Capstone Church in Benbrook, another sponsor of the event, prayed for the Christian business leaders 'on the cutting edge of evangelism in this city.' He prayed for a great awakening for the business leaders who don't follow Jesus and that Fort Worth be known as a city that conducts business with integrity.
Throughout the 10 minutes of prayer, mumblings of 'yes, Lord' and shouts of 'amen' came from the audience. Then, members of the crowd stood with hands up as Mercy Culture Church musicians led the group in singing 'How Great Thou Art.'
Kyle Hubbart, the prayer coordinator for Mercy Culture, said he came to the event to take part in the power of prayer and he appreciated that the speakers weren't afraid of the truth of the Bible.
'I love the honesty,' Hubbart said. 'And also just the fact that our county judge, the person who sits in the highest place of authority, judicially, loves God and honors God. So we know the person who has the gavel in our county is putting that gavel down for justice and righteousness and biblical value.'
Sheri Williams, a former member of the National Day of Prayer Tarrant County Board of Directors, said she enjoys coming to the luncheon so she knows what to keep in her own prayers. She said people have called her the 'Mother of Fort Worth' because of her diligence in praying for the community.
Williams said she is grateful that O'Hare has taken up hosting the event annually because past commissioners haven't been as involved in the Christian organization.
O'Hare said next year, he hopes to grow the event so that more people can join in the fellowship.
'This event is about honoring God and showing folks that it's okay that government stands up and honors God,' O'Hare said, 'and we're going to continue to do that as long as I have the fortune to be here.'
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