Laurie, the senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowship, recorded the video for the National Day of Prayer, which fell on May 4 this year and is observed by people of faith nationwide. Laurie made the video while standing on the property of Mount Vernon, George Washington’s home, in Virginia.

“I’m reminded of a quote by General Washington. I will loosely paraphrase it – ‘to the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our glory to add the even more distinguished character of Christian.’ And I think it’s very important to note that Washington had faith in God. He believed it was the Lord Himself who directed him,” Laurie said. “Do you know he was never shot in battle? And he was in the thick of it. Incredible.”

The United States, Laurie said, has fallen far from the times when Washington was president.

“It’s time for us to really pray for our nation that we would return to the Lord again. Second Chronicles 7:14 is the verse that often comes to mind, where God is speaking contextually to the nation Israel, but I think principally what is said there applies to any nation, including the United States. The Lord says, ‘If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways’ – God promises that ‘I will hear from heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land.'”

America “needs to be healed,” Laurie said. First, though, the nation must repent.

Laurie encouraged Christians to “pray that we see another great spiritual awakening, another Jesus movement, another Jesus revolution.

“Our nation needs it desperately,” he said. “But let it start with you and let it start with me as we pray for America.”

Laurie is the author of dozens of books, including Lennon, Dylan, Alice, & Jesus, Billy Graham: The Man I Knew, Johnny Cash: The Redemption of an American Icon and Jesus Revolution.

Photo courtesy: ©Getty Images/Jon Kopaloff/Stringer