NASHVILLE, Tenn. (BP)—Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) President J.D. Greear and the SBC Great Commission Council (GCC) are calling all Southern Baptists throughout more than 47,500 churches “to commit to a dedicated time of prayer this Sunday, March 15, 2020.”

In response to the World Health Organization declaring the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak to be a global pandemic, Greear and the GCC, which is composed of the heads of the convention’s national entities, issued the following:

Day of Prayer for the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Global Pandemic

Sunday, March 15, 2020

In light of the coronavirus (COVID-19) global pandemic, we are asking all Southern Baptists and our 47,500+ churches of the Southern Baptist Convention to commit to a dedicated time of prayer this Sunday, March 15, 2020, to seek the Lord in unity about these matters:

  1. Ask God, in His mercy, to stop this pandemic and save lives—not only in our communities but around the world, particularly in places that are unequipped medically to deal with the virus (Isa. 59:1-2).
  2. Pray for President Donald Trump and other government leaders—international, federal, state, and local—to have the wisdom to direct us in the best courses of action for prevention and care (Rom. 13:1–4).
  3. Scripture says: Teach us to number our days carefully so that we may develop wisdom in our hearts. Pray that the Lord will give us wisdom in this moment of fear as the foundations of what we know are shaken, that others would realize how fragile life is and how real eternity is, and they would see their need to turn to God (Psalm 90:12).
  4. Ask God to protect our missionaries and their families around the globe, using this global crisis to advance His Good News to the whole world (Mark 16:15).

Danny Akin, president, Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary

Jason K. Allen, president, Midwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

Paul Chitwood, president, International Mission Board

Jamie K. Dew, president, New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary

Kevin Ezell, president, North American Mission Board

Ronnie W. Floyd, president and CEO, SBC Executive Committee

J.D. Greear, SBC president

Adam W. Greenway, president The Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary

O.S. Hawkins, president and CEO, GuideStone Financial Resources

Jeff Iorg, president, Gateway Seminary of the Southern Baptist Convention

Ben Mandrell, president and CEO, LifeWay Christian Resources

Albert Mohler, president, The Southern Baptist Theological Seminary

Russell D. Moore, president, the Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission of the Southern Baptist Convention

Sandra Wisdom-Martin, executive director and treasurer, Woman’s Missionary Union