America's Spiritual Leaders Cry Out to God at 'The Gathering'

Bishop Harry Jackson explains the purpose and the importance of this prayer event.

Top Christian leaders from across the country are joining together in prayer Wednesday to fervently pray for America to return to God.

The Gathering is billed as a national solemn assembly to pray for change in American's lives in four areas: personal, families, communities, and the nation.

Watch the event LIVE at 7:30 p.m. ET.

"The Bible often calls for a solemn assembly with fasting and prayer when God's people have grown away from him and want to renew their relationship," organizers said in a statement announcing the event.

Thousands are expected to take part in the live prayer event, including nationally renowned Christian leaders and pastors from across denominational lines.

Speakers include Pastor Tony Evans of Oak Cliff Bible Fellowship in Dallas, Pastors Greg Laurie and Ronnie Flyod, along with James Robison, Bishop Harry Jackson, Anne Graham Lotz, and the Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.

CBN News spoke with Bishop Harry Jackson, chairman of the High Impact Leadership Coalition about his participation and the importance of prayer at this critical time in America.

"We felt that there would be a need for God to visit America again," Jackson said.

"The biblical pattern is to call the elders and the people to repentence according to that Joel 2 chapter, and so that's really what we're doing," he added.

Jackson also said that unless the Church comes together we will not heal the racial divide in the country.

"Only the church has the ability to come together," Jackson said.

"America desperately needs church leaders and everyday Christians to come together in a bond of unity. We therefore can be salt to this culture and we can kind of bring America back from the precipice over which she is beginning to move and to fall."

Jackson also talked about the recent terror attacks on U.S. soil, commenting that God's intervention has prevented mass casualties like those that happened in places like France and Belgium.

"America's not faced that level of carnage I believe all because Almighty God has mediated these attacks in our country. But unless we return now, unless we really cry out to God now, we are on the verge of seeing all those same kinds of things happen and worse," Jackson said. "Nothing but awakening will do."

The Gathering will take place on Sept. 21 at Gateway Church in Southlake, Texas.