Southern Baptist Convention President Clint Pressley is urging pastors to lead their congregations in prayer for the nation May 17 in concert with a religious outreach in Washington celebrating the semiquincentennial.
“Rededicate 250: A National Jubilee of Prayer, Praise & Thanksgiving” 9 a.m.-6 p.m. Sunday on the National Mall, includes Southern Baptists Jack Graham, senior pastor of Prestonwood Baptist Church in Plano, Texas; Robert Jeffress, senior pastor of First Baptist Dallas; and Jonathan ”J.P.” Pokluda, lead pastor of Harris Creek Baptist Church in McGregor, Texas.
“What I want to do is encourage you and your church to join that group praying for our nation, praying for our leaders,” Pressley, senior pastor of Hickory Grove Baptist Church in Hickory Grove, N.C., said in a video released May 13. “Here at Hickory Grove, we’ll be praying that God would bring great blessings to the country and to our leaders. Praying for wisdom, praying for His protection. Giving thanks to God for His providence and asking Him to continue to hold us, to bless us, and to use the United States of America.
“I hope that you will join us as we lead our churches praying for our country on this Sunday.”
Rededicate 250 includes Catholics, Jewish leaders and Protestants among nearly 20 faith leaders on program, and also presents government leaders including Southern Baptist Mike Johnson (R-LA), Speaker of the House of Representatives; U.S. Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC); and neurosurgeon Ben Carson, former U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development. Influencers and performers on program include Sadie Robertson Huff, Abigail Robertson and Chris Tomlin.
Graham is featured on Rededicate’s promotional video.
“Our nation was conceived by men and women who believed in the power of God, who believed in the provinces of God, and in prayer,” Graham said. “We are celebrating what God has done in this great nation called America.”
Freedom250, a public-private organization President Donald Trump launched to lead the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations in 2026, is sponsoring the event. Freedom250 is separate from the bipartisan U.S. Semiquincentennial Commission, known as America250, Congress created in 2016.
Rededicate 250 is open to the public, with registration available here.
— Diana Chandler is Baptist Press’ senior writer.