By Mark H. Hunter, Regional Reporter
BATON ROUGE – Just as dawn was breaking in the middle of Holy Week, more than 1,400 Louisianans filled a large River Center ballroom for the 52nd annual Governor’s Prayer Breakfast.
For more than an hour, public officials, community leaders and clergy prayed for newly-elected Gov. John Bel Edwards, the state, Louisiana families suffering from the recent flooding, the legislature, the military, emergency responders — all concluding “In the name of Jesus, amen.”
In his closing remarks, Edwards quoted I Thessalonians 5:18, “In everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.”
“That is not the only reason they were praying, it is why we are praying as well,” Edwards said. “And while we face challenges in Louisiana, we don’t face anything that our God can’t handle if we will just ask him to help us.”
We certainly have to do our part, he added, asking the audience to “continue to pray” for the people of Louisiana, for one another, for our military, those who risk their lives to protect us, and, “may we pray for guidance and for wisdom for all of our leaders in the nation, our state and certainly myself included.”
Noting the prayer breakfast was held a few days before Resurrection Sunday, Edwards declared, “It is the emptiness of the tomb that gives fullness to our lives. And meaning and purpose to who we are. And may we never forget that. And may we always call upon Him just as we are doing today.”
Prayer Breakfast Steering Committee Chairman Tom Harrison, executive pastor at Broadmoor Baptist in Shreveport, was all smiles after the meeting was closed with a prayer offered by Edwards’ pastor, Rev. Mark Beard of St. Helena Catholic Church of Amite.
“Our goal was to lift high the name of Jesus,” Harrison said. “It is our goal that people might come to a saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The plan of salvation was clearly presented throughout.”
Scripture readings highlighted salvation, videos emphasized the biblical foundations of our government, and the inspirational voices of Veritas, a men’s quintet from Nashville, combined to create an especially worshipful time.
Jay Johnston, executive pastor of First Baptist, Covington, co-chaired the event and will lead next year’s prayer breakfast, which will also be held at the River Center. He said he was pleased with “a great turnout, a great spirit and great encouragement by Jim Dennison (the main speaker) and Gov. Edwards.”
David Hankins, executive director of the Louisiana Baptist Convention, said he appreciated Harrison’s and Johnston’s leadership in the steering committee, the governor’s address and the main speech by Jim Denison, who “reminded us to keep praying.”
Gov. Edwards, “seems to be a very sincere and serious about his faith in Christ and we applaud that and thank him for that,” Hankins added. “I think he intends his faith to inform him in his leadership.”
Sen. Gerald Long and his wife, Rose Long, both longtime committee members and Southern Baptists, read one of the scripture passages.
“I’m grateful that our governor embraces what we believe is the cornerstone of good government and that starts with prayer,” Sen. Long said. “Like most of us he understands he is on a journey and that every day he grows into this role as governor but he’s also growing as an individual who understands the connection between government and prayer and faith. He’s beginning to have a deeper understanding of who we are in Christ and how our church can walk beside our leaders in government to strengthen and build a better state.”
Jeff Ginn, lead pastor at Istrouma Baptist in Baton Rouge, said he was “very impressed” with what he described as a “very gospel centered” event.
Reggie Bridges, senior pastor at Temple Baptist, Ruston, agreed. “I thought Christ was uplifted – it was a tremendous time.”
