RICHMOND, Va. - The name of Jesus was the focus of a prayer rally outside the governor's mansion in Richmond, Virginia over the weekend.

More than a thousand people gathered to show their support for six Virginia state police chaplains, who were forced to resign for praying in Jesus' name.

Click play to hear Pat Robertson's comments following CBN News Reporter Wendy Griffith's report.

The Governor's Uninvited Guests

Although Virginia Governor Tim Kaine banned the name of Jesus from public prayers, hundreds of Believers gathered on the lawn outside the governor's mansion to stand up for Jesus and for the rights of chaplains to pray in Jesus' name.

When the state policy was handed down this summer prohibiting chaplains from praying publicly in Jesus' name - State Trooper Mike Honaker knew what he had to do.

"I said, if Jesus is out of the program, than I'm going to have to get out of the program too," Honaker said.

Former chaplain Rex Carter said, "John 14: 13 and 14 where Jesus says, 'If you ask anything in my name' - it doesn't say in a generic name, it says, 'if you ask anything in my name, I will do it.'"

The rally drew young and old - and even a group of bikers - to support the chaplains.

Gordon Klingenschmitt, former chaplain and rally organizer said, "Every time the name of Jesus is stamped out, it spreads like wildfire everywhere else."

Some of the chaplains say this is bigger than a state agency or even the commonwealth of Virginia.

Carter explained, "This is an issue dealing with our religious and our constitutional freedoms."

Honaker added, "This is about the existence and the direction of a nation."

Legislation Pending

The troopers still have their jobs - they're just no longer serving as chaplains.

There is legislation pending in the Virginia House and Senate that would allow chaplains to pray in Jesus' name.