Clergy, followers pray for Texarkana

At the downtown courthouse and post office, Christian pastors and congregants gathered to thank God for his blessings and pray for healing hearts.

“This is a community prayer meeting,” said Pastor John Miller, senior pastor at Church on the Rock. He made no bones about the current times the nation is enduring and that hearts were hurting.

“America is in trouble and we need God’s help. That is why we pray and why we are praying tonight,” he said. “This event is pastor-led, pastors leading in prayer for humility, repentance and community unity.”

Miller said this series of extraordinary happenings has Americans riddled with anxiety, bouncing from COVID to strife born from race and police abuse issues. One Bible verse that presented itself to him was Galatians 3:28, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor are there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”

Miller said that beyond ethnic, socioeconomic, and other issues, we are “all are unified at Christ’s cross.”

The various pastors represented about 25 different churches in the city. They spoke in various styles to all the different attendees who had come together. They called to the broken and spoke of healing and spiritual revival.

“This is a conflict not of skin, but of sin,” one pastor said.

Zach Yeldell, pastor and worship leader at Church on the Rock said, “This is a big thing coming down. We stand in the gap with one heart, united, one Jesus, Bible-believing people. This is really cool.”

We have come as individuals, but are united in God’s Army, said Pastor John Riley of Mt. Orange Baptist Church. “We have come to pray, to bind powers and principalities and unleashing our full potential. We are praying over the Texarkana community and the entire nation. We are called to pray for perfect peace and healing of those most hurt.”

After the succession of pastors gave their messages, Kevin Schutte, Chief of the Texarkana Texas Police Department and an associate pastor himself, along with Mayor Bob Bruggeman of Texarkana, Texas, addressed the crowd.

“I can’t stay silent or the rocks will cry out,” said Schutte. “Thank you, Texarkana, for being different and standing as one. As for me and my city, we will serve the Lord.”

Bruggeman expressed a spirit of gratitude on the behalf of the city.

“We will continue in our prayers,” he said, “and ask all of you to keep up your prayers for us.”

Staff photo by Sara Vaughn ■ Adewale Olosunde raises his hands in prayer during an evening prayer meeting held by local churches. Citizens unified to pray for love and justice over the city.

Staff photo by Sara Vaughn right Samantha Knox and Darlene Cheatham hold encouraging signs Wednesday in downtown Texarkana. Different congregations met at the courthouse to pray for the country and for justice.