Christian religious leaders to hold ‘prayer for the nation’ after New Orleans terror attack

Christian religious leaders will hold a “prayer for the nation” on Sunday following the horrific terrorist attack in New Orleans early in the New Year.

The show will take place Sunday at 6 p.m. and will feature Family Research Council President Tony Perkins and Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry (R).

“America must pray!” Perkins said in a statement. “We need God’s protecting hand on our cities and our nation. Having worked in law enforcement and counterterrorism, I know the difficulty of confronting an ideology bent on killing and destruction.

“As the Psalmist wrote in Psalm 127, which Benjamin Franklin quoted at the Constitutional Convention: “Except the LORD build the house, those who build it labor in vain; Unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman watches in vain. Pray that our nation will turn to the Lord so that He can keep our cities and our country,” he added.

Other leaders participating in the prayer event include Pastor Carter Conlon of Times Square Church, Pastor Jack Hibbs of Calvary Chapel Chino Hills, Michele Bachmann of Regent University School of Government, Dr. David Goza of Jefferson Baptist Church, Troy Miller of the National Religious Broadcasters, Pastor Art Reyes of Calvary Chapel Downey, as well as “Mike Clark, chaplain of the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association,” according to a press release detailing the event.

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Landry said in a statement that the terrorist attack is a “tragic reminder of the evil in this world that seeks to steal, kill and destroy.”

“We are grateful to the men and women in uniform who protect us; please join us in praying for their safety and their ability to thwart these heinous acts of terror. We also lift up the victims of this attack and their families,” added the governor.

At least 14 people were killed and more than two dozen others injured after the suspect, Shamsud Din Jabbar, drove through New Year’s revelers in a truck, then left the vehicle and opened fire. Authorities said Jabbar had posted videos supporting ISIS before the attack. He also had an ISIS flag on the truck.

FBI Assistant Director Christopher Raia of the Counterterrorism Division said Jabbar “explains that he initially planned to harm his family and friends, but he was concerned that headlines would not focus on the quote “War between the believers and the unbelievers”. End of quote.