'We Have a Soul Problem': Prayer Rally at Ohio Capitol to Focus on Forgiveness, Mercy for America

As the country's political divide grows wider by the day, spiritual leaders in Ohio believe prayer can turn the tide.  

A team of volunteers is planning to hold a statewide prayer event in Columbus on the western side of the statehouse to pray for spiritual renewal and God's will for the state and the nation ahead of the November elections.

"We're calling on the church," Brian Hanson of Capitol Ministries told CBN News. The ministry is known for its outreach to lawmakers in Washington DC.

Hanson says turning to God in prayer is the only answer for what is ailing a divided America. 

"We're looking to our politicians, our political leaders for all the answers to what's going on," he explained. "This policy, or that policy or we've done this right or we've done that. The fact of the matter is this, we don't have a policy problem, we have a soul problem."

That's why Hanson believes the church must stand in the gap like never before.

"We're coming to the Creator of universe and saying, 'Lord we don't know where we go from here but we do know this. We stand before an almighty God whom we are inferior to. Would you heal our land?'"

For one hour on Friday, Sept. 25, churches across Ohio will also gather to seek forgiveness, mercy and favor upon America and our political leaders. 

"We are putting together what we call prayer pods and we're just asking people if they would join together," said Hanson. "We're going to livestream it so that they can follow along and there is going to be worship, but the meat of the whole thing is going to be the prayer."

And organizers want all to know the rally will be non-partisan and non-denominational.

"I want it to be perfectly clear, we are bi-partisan," said Hanson. "I don't care if you're Republican, Democrat, in the middle somewhere. It doesn't matter."
  
He added, "What you're not going to find is 'God please help President Trump get re-elected' or 'God please help Vice President Biden get elected.' It's not going to be that."

Also in the 40 days leading up to the presidential election, Hanson and his team are encouraging people to set aside time to pray and fast each day that God's will would be done.

"He already tells us, he said he sets in authority whom he wants so we're just praying in line with what God has pre-determined."

At the end of the day Hanson says he wants the focus to be more about Americans' hearts than their politics.

He's encouraging people to pray like this: "'Lord convict me where I need to need to see You more in my life. Convict me of my sin.' Because if we truly want to see our world, our nation have a right standing before an almighty God, it does start with me."