Pope Francis Joins Lecrae, Hillsong at Historic 1 Million-Strong 'Together 2016' DC Event

Pope Francis Joins Lecrae, Hillsong at Historic 1 Million-Strong 'Together 2016' DC Event [Excerpts]

Evangelical leaders are calling on 1 million Christians to gather together in the nation's capital for prayer and worship at a historic event called "Together 2016."

Inspired by Nick Hall, the founder of PULSE, a prayer and evangelism movement to empower the church and awaken the culture to Jesus, Americans are being urged to unite on the National Mall on July 16 to offer prayer that God will change the hearts of a divided America.

Adding his name to the lineup of prominent guest speakers and musicians is Pope Francis, who will deliver a video message addressing the crowd.

"We are humbled and honored by his involvement and are eager to share his message with the crowd that gathers at Together 2016," Hall said in a statement to The Christian Post, reacting to the announcement that the pope has added his name to the list of speakers. "That His Holiness would choose to speak into this historic day is a testament to the urgency and the need for followers of Jesus to unite in prayer for our nation and our world."

Hall, a college pastor, came up with the radical idea of uniting pastors and Christian leaders from all denominational backgrounds to join 1 million people at the free event in hopes of inspiring true revival in the America.

Over 40 well-known speakers, recording artists, authors and leaders from various backgrounds will be featured at Together 2016, unified in prayer and worship.

"The times call for this moment," Hall said. "It is time to gather on a large scale and draw our attention back to where it really matters. Our hope and our help are found in Jesus, not in political leaders. We are going to come together, seek God, pray for our nation and pray for unity. Our goal is to gather as a unified front, seeking Jesus and change for our nation through prayer and worship."

Confirmed guest speakers and artists include: Hillsong United, Kari Jobe, Francis Chan, Lecrae, Nick Hall, Passion, Crowder, Kirk Franklin, Ravi Zacharias, Jeremy Camp, Andy Mineo, Michael W. Smith, Lauren Daigle, Christine Caine, Mark Batterson, Matthew West,Jo Saxton, Mike Kelsey, Casting Crowns, John K. Jenkins Sr., Josh McDowell, Laurel Bunker, Luis Palau, Tedashii, Tasha Cobbs, Lacey Sturm, York Moore, Trip Lee, Samuel Rodriguez, Ronnie Floyd, Reid Saunders, Bob Lenz, Jose Zayas, Jennie Allen, Nabeel Qureshi, Ann Voskamp, KB, Christine D'Clario, Matt Maher, Sammy Wanyonyi, Lindsey Nobles, Amena Brown, and Josh Brewer.

Together 2016 will be on July 16 at the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

(Jeannie Law, "Evangelical leaders are calling on 1 million Christians to gather together in the nation's capital for prayer and worship at a historic event called' Together 2016'," Christian Post Online, 6/7/16).

[TBC: Pastor Hall’s desire for “a prayer and evangelism movement to empower the church and awaken the culture to Jesus,” can be easily seen to parallel previous events. In September 1990, writing of the ecumenical efforts of the then pope John Paul II, Dave Hunt’s commentary applies equally well to 2016’s gathering of ‘"Christians": “Even the prayer breakfasts bringing political and religious leaders together across America and patterned after the one which began in Washington, D.C.—originally conceived by evangelicals as opportunities for a clear witness to Jesus Christ—have largely deteriorated into ecumenical platforms for the acceptance of all religions. ‘Participating groups’ at Los Angeles's annual Interfaith Prayer Breakfast, for example, ‘range from the Board of Rabbis and the Buddhist Sangha Council to...the Bahai faith.’

“An entire volume could be filled with similar examples. The pope's gathering of leaders from 12 world religions at Assisi in 1986 to pray for peace inspired similar efforts worldwide. Typical is the North American Assisi: A Multi-Religious Meeting, sponsored by the North American Interfaith Network, started by The Temple of Understanding. North American Assisi's promotional material boasts of bringing together on an equal footing ‘Bahais, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jains, Jews, Muslims, Native North Americans, Shintoists, Sikhs, Unitarian Universalists, and Zoroastrians’."]