They raise their hands and are effusive with their praise.
They know every word to every verse of every song.
And if you look close enough, you’ll find grown men and women tearing up—but not for what you may think.
In Boston, if you want to find true worship, you can try your luck at one of the area churches, or you could simply take “The T” (Boston’s subway) to Fenway Park.
“For a lot of people in Boston, sports is their religion,” said Ben Harris, 24, a lifelong Massachusetts resident who traveled an hour to hear Franklin Graham speak at the 39th Decision America Tour stop on Tuesday in Boston.
“Tom Brady and David Ortiz are sacred cows. They’re treated like idols.”
Harris was one of an estimated 3,400 people to pack the Boston Common lawn on a sunny, 77-degree day in perhaps the most picturesque capital in America.
Wearing a classic Red Sox T-shirt with blue and white lettering, he could talk Red Sox and Patriots with the best of them.
“We take our sports seriously,” he said. “If only we took bigger things seriously.”
“Bigger” would be the reason thousands spent their lunch hour with Franklin Graham and like-minded believers to pray desperately for their state and their country.
“Our church agrees with Franklin that Jesus Christ should permeate every aspect of your life,” Harris said. “It’s time to wake from our slumber.”
Speaking in front of the golden-domed Massachusetts State House that dates back to 1798, Franklin Graham took the opportunity to speak on the history of religious freedom.
“Freedom of religion means I can live my faith out on the streets and into the statehouse,” he said, expounding on the abuse of the term “separation of church and state.”
“Our forefathers didn’t want us to have one state religion,” he said. “But they expected us to take our faith into the courthouse with us.”
Standing less than five miles from the country’s first public elementary school—the Mather School in Dorchester, which opened in 1639—Franklin Graham reminded those listening just how far—and how quickly—our country has taken God out of the classroom.
Ten Commandments? Gone.
Lord’s Prayer? Gone.
Pledge of Allegiance? Shrinking.
“And are our schools better for this?” Franklin Graham asked the crowd.
Denny and Sherry Vogel can answer that in no time.
The first words out of their mouths to explain why they traveled three hours by car and train from Cape Cod: “We need to pray for this nation.”
The couple is currently enjoying early retirement but couldn’t pass up a chance to pray with fellow Christians—especially at a time like this.
“We’re so far from where God has called us to be,” Sandy said. “Our hope is in prayer. We will go to the voting booth, yes, but our hope is in prayer.”
After meeting in Boston, the pair got married and soon moved to Upstate New York, serving as counselors at the 1988 Billy Graham Crusade in Rochester. A few years ago, the Vogels returned to New England not knowing if they would be able to find a solid evangelical church.
“When we first moved to Cape Cod, I didn’t know if there would be many other Christians there,” Denny said.
But, they found 12 evangelical families to worship with and quickly their congregation has grown to 150 people—and even more in the summer. Many from their church joined in prayer from Cape Cod on Tuesday and will attend Wednesday’s Decision America Tour prayer rally in Providence, Rhode Island.
“There’s a bit of a revival in Cape Cod,” Denny said.
As for Boston and around New England?
“I think everyone is hungry to remind themselves that God is with us,” said Osa Adoghe, 23, of Lowell, Massachusetts, who was invited the same day by her pastor and Bible study leader to attend the prayer rally. “I’m just glad they can still come out here and pray.”
Harris agrees. Looking around at the thousands of Christians who gathered for Tuesday’s prayer rally, he senses a move of the Holy Spirit.
“I tell ya, seeing this many people praying together really encourages me.”
