‘We Welcome You, Lord Jesus’: FRC Hosts Pre-Inauguration Prayer Event in D.C.
Washington Stand | S.A. McCarthy January 20, 2025
Ahead of President-elect Donald Trump’s historic second inauguration, Family Research Council President Tony Perkins led Christians in Washington, D.C. in praying for the incoming administration and for the United States of America. “This is going to be one of the most important events that takes place in the next 48 hours because we are reaching to the throne of Heaven, which is the one that turns the keys here on earth,” Perkins said at the beginning of the Inauguration Praise & Prayer Convocation hosted by Well Versed and FRC on Sunday.
Pastor Jim Garlow, founder and CEO of Well Versed, a ministry to government officials, explained that the event was not “an ecumenical gathering.” He stated, “We’re a Bible people. This is not an interreligious service. We will not be praying to Allah or Buddha, we’ll be praying to the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. This is not a prayer breakfast which is tall on breakfast and short on prayer.” In fact, Garlow noted, attendees at the event would spend several hours fasting amidst their praying. “This is an event that is going to be primarily vertical. We’re talking to God, a holy, righteous, just God from a nation that desperately needs the touch of this God,” he continued.
As praise and worship was played, the band’s worship leader recounted, “We had a large gathering in front of the Capitol on the National Mall just about a week before the election. And that day we said on that stage, ‘God, if you do this, if you turn it around, we’re going to give you all the glory.’” He continued, “‘No politician’s going to get the glory. No political pundits are going to get the glory. No ideology is going to get the glory. It’s going to be you.’” He added, “You are the King. You are the Lord. You did it. … Let’s just lift our hands and let’s just give him the glory right here, today.”
David Barton, founder of WallBuilders, discussed the “historical context” of the Inauguration Praise & Prayer Convocation. “So back in 1774, America had its very first form of government. It was called the Articles of Association. Under that form of government, the very first president under that form of government was a man named Peyton Randolph,” Barton explained, noting that although most people “hear very little about Peyton Randolph today,” he was the first president of Congress. Barton continued to observe that the very first Congress was “opened with prayer. They opened with two hours, actually, of prayer and scriptures.”
“And John Adams talked about what they did. He said, in addition to that time of prayer … ‘we’ve appointed a continental fast.’ He said, ‘Millions will be upon their knees at once before their great Creator, imploring His forgiveness and blessings, His smiles on American counsel and arms,’” Barton noted. He continued, “So prayer has always been fundamental to what we have done with public functions, public activities, governmental activities. When you look at the very first president under the Constitution, George Washington, when he was inaugurated, there were actually eight different religious activities that occurred during that inauguration.”
“They were serious about praying at that point in time. You go through president after president after president. I’m going to jump ahead and jump to Abraham Lincoln,” Barton chronicled. He observed that Lincoln abandoned the Christian faith and did not return until 1853, under the tutelage of Presbyterian pastor James Smith. Barton continued, “When he becomes president of the nation, it is a polarized nation. The South is already divided before he became president.” Quoting from Lincoln, Barton said:
“Both read the same Bible. Both sides read the same Bible, both pray to the same God, and each invokes His aid against the other. The prayers of both cannot be answered, and that of neither will be fully answered. What a difficult position to be in, where each side is praying against the other to the same God.”
Barton noted that Lincoln frequently called for periods of prayer, especially during the turmoil and violence of the Civil War. From the 1770s to 1850, Barton said, U.S. government officials issued over 1,400 prayer proclamations. “So prayer was a very significant part of who we were and what we did,” he summarized.
Garlow picked up the thread and said, “If believers in America could see where our nation is spiritually, we would have had to have rented Northwest Stadium, which seats 91,000, for this prayer meeting. This is a time where a remnant has gathered here to intercede on behalf of our nation.” He added, “This is not a hood ornament that’s on the car that looks nice but does nothing. Prayer is the guiding force.”
Perkins led those gathered in praying for God’s presence in Washington, D.C. and for elected leaders to be guided by courage and virtue. He began, “We want to right now welcome the presence of the Lord into this city. Jesus is Lord over this nation. Welcome his presence into Washington, D.C. He’s been driven out. Welcome him back. Lord, we welcome you.” He continued, “We invite your presence into every building, every agency. We invite you, Lord. You’ve been driven out. We welcome you, Lord Jesus. We welcome the presence of the Holy Spirit. We welcome you, Lord. This is your city. This is your nation. We open the door.”
“For America to be great again, it must first be moral again, it must first be good again,” Perkins prayed. He concluded, “Lord, may this not be the end. But may this be the beginning, this convocation, this gathering. And may we commit to pray and to seek you and to walk in your word and in your ways.”
Topics:Public Prayer, Federal Government, Biblical Worldview, Trump Administration
S.A. McCarthy serves as a news writer at The Washington Stand.