National Christian leaders from a wide range of ministries joined with the Awakening America Alliance—an alliance formed six years ago from a broad coalition of evangelical, Pentecostal and charismatic ministries—at an historic leadership summit in Jacksonville, FL, April 9–11, 2013. With a growing sense of urgency about prayer for national spiritual awakening, the leaders at the summit focused on American history while evaluating and engaging the future with regard to awakening. The group agreed to develop clear strategies to pursue awakening Christ’s Church throughout the nation in the three main arenas of cities, campuses, and churches. Billy Wilson, outgoing executive director of Awakening America Alliance, said, “As we become engaged in Kingdom opportunities, embrace fresh strategies within the church, and experience a personal urgency to pray and act, we will see a difference. One thing is certain: our best hope toward witnessing a dramatic spiritual shift in the United States is for us to stand together in unity.” As a backdrop for the Leadership Summit, the participants visited Mayport, FL, where in 1562 (near the mouth of the St. Johns River) Jean Ribault and the Huguenot believers prayed the first known Protestant prayer on America’s shores. The Leadership Summit was a time of sober evaluation of today’s American Church, the escalating cultural pressure it is enduring, and potential ways to turn the spiritual tide. Jarvis Ward with Mission America Coalition, expressed his excitement about the summit this way: “Wow! God powerfully spoke to me . . . with a gentle and clear reminder (and rebuke) that I and other servants of Jesus Christ must walk, must live before Him and each other in ever-increasing humility, purity, faith, and love with our eyes fixed on Jesus. . . . Do I live a life of humility and purity? Let the awakening start with me!” Jeremy Story with Campus Renewal Ministries observed, “College campuses have historically been at the heart of revival and awakening in our nation—revival in our nation’s history has found its roots among college students. The entire foreign missions effort from North America can be traced back to five students praying at Williams College in 1806 and through the sending out of 20,000 missionaries through the student volunteer movement starting in the late 1800s. Where college campuses go today, our nation will go tomorrow.” The Awakening America Alliance, with strong conviction that America is experiencing devastating spiritual decline, calls for every county in the nation to unite in prayer on September 11, 2013. Cry Out America will feature sacred assemblies across denominational lines and every political persuasion to stand in the public square and say that Jesus is the only answer for America. Dave Butts, chairman of the National Prayer Committee, said, “In the midst of our crises as a nation, there is one voice beginning to rise up: ‘We must have another great spiritual awakening as a nation.’ The Awakening America Alliance is being used by God to help issue that cry.” To learn more about the nationwide 9/11 prayer movement, Cry Out America, go to awakeningamerica.us. (C) 2013 Prayer Connect magazine. Click for information on Prayer Connect.