The Call Gathering: A Christian Prayer Movement

You may not be aware of it, but there is a growing Christian movement today. The Call, founded by Christian leader, Lou Engle, is a prayer movement that is sweeping the nation by storm. With a focus on following Jesus Christ, devotion to the Bible as the Word of God, and living a life of purity, you may be surprised to learn that the largest responders to the Call movement are college students. Yes, college students across the country are pledging to give their lives to fervent Christianity and live a life devoted to holiness. However two things characterize the emphasis of the Call movement: prayer and fasting.

If you aren't sure what prayer and fasting is, that's ok, you're not alone. However, prayer and fasting are Christian principles that date back to the Old Testament, or Judaism. It is also commonly seen in other world religions. Fasting is believed to help humble the human spirit and increase the ability to commune with God. When combined with prayer, it is believed that communication with God is enhanced. This is seen in Christianity, Judaism, and Muslim faiths.

The Call focuses on prayer and fasting in a movement that aims to see Christianity restored in America. It is a non-violent movement; the battle is only fought through the heart cries and anguished prayers of a young generation. It is amazing to realize that after so many years of young generations fighting against authority, and seeking freedom from society's rules and culture, that there is a movement of youth who seek to restore Christian values in America again.

If you think that this movement is small in numbers, think again. The Call booked their 07-07-07-prayer gathering in Nashville Tennessee, and over 100,000 worshippers and prayer warriors filled the stadium. The leaders of the Charismatic/Prophetic movement hosted the event and musicians such as Michael W. Smith and Misty Edwards were part of the many musicians who provided worship.

The Call Gathering is hosting a number of events, and one is likely to be in your neck of the woods. The largest Call Gathering to date was held in Washington, D.C in 2000; over 400, 000 people attended.

Currently, the next Call Gathering will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada on September 1, and there will be another official gathering in Washington, DC on 08-08-08. It is expected that the attendance at the D.C. gathering will be huge.

Amazingly, the Call Gatherings are free events; you don't need to pay to attend. It is a time of intense devotion, worship, repentance, and prayer. This past event was aired live on the new Christian broadcasting channel, God TV. God TV is actually a United Kingdom based Christian network that has just made its way to America. Its broadcasting is shown exclusively on Direct TV, as well as streaming media from their website.