About Us
National Call to Prayer was founded in 1979 by Dr. B. J. Willhite in response to a direct word for the Lord Jesus. In Dr. Willhite’s own words this is how it all began: “I was in my study on a Saturday Morning in the month of January 1979 when I heard the Lord say, I want you to call the nation to prayer. My first response was, ‘Lord you need to be talking to Oral Roberts or Billy Graham.’ I was pastor of a church of some three or four hundred members in East Texas. I was not known much beyond my local church and God was calling me to call the nation to prayer. I knew I was to use radio because I heard a radio program, the intro and outro, music and message was clear as a bell. The broadcast came on with a tiffany roll of drums and a deep male voice singing ‘Faith of our Fathers.’ The announcer would say, ‘If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray….I will hear from heaven and heal their land.’
I went that very day to search for the music I had heard, but didn’t find it, however, I had a brother ministering for me the next day, I told him what had happened and about the music to which he responded, ‘I know John W. Peterson personally, he will know if there is anything out like that.’ The next day we called John W. Peterson who, at the time was a song writer and producer, to ask him if he knew if this music was available. His response was that he didn’t know, but that he was going to London, England the next day and would have some of the best musicians in London together and that he would produce it for me. In two weeks I had the music on my desk. It was beautiful, perfect, exactly what I had heard. I knew the announcers voice was that of Bob Moore, a long time friend and radio announcer. Now, all I needed was that voice I heard singing “God of our Fathers.”
As I ponder about this I read in the paper that Big John Hall was singing at a church in Longview, TX.,I knew his was the voice I had heard. I went to the church that night, introduced myself to Big John, told him my story and ask him to sing. He said he had a recording studio in Dallas and would be glad to record the intro for me. He did and I was ready to produce a 15 minute radio program called National Call to Prayer. It was soon on several stations across the country and on short wave radio to other nations. This was the beginning of this ministry.
I shared the vision with Larry Lea to whom God would soon call to go to Rockwall, TX and gather His people there. He obeyed the Lord and Church on the Rock was birth, and quickly came to be one of the largest and fastest growing churches in America. He had the prayer vision from the beginning and with his help many thousands of pray-ers were raised up and in America and through his book, “Could You Not Tarry One Hour,” and my book “Why Pray?” the prayer message was advanced all over the World.
I am glad to report that Larry and I are together again with a new vision. We have been commissioned by God to enlist, equip and train ‘One Million Men’ to pray for revival, spiritual renewing, moral transformation and a spiritual awakening in this country.”
Women are and have been praying, but for the most part men have been passive where prayer is concerned.
This call is to the Christian Men of America. We believe that God ordered,
One Million Men Mission to pray for America, and will with His power and
authority, turn this nation back to God.
I am delighted to still be part of a local church in Fort Worth, Texas called The Capstone Church www.thecapstone.org and involved with a group of local pastors that meet once a month called TarrantNet www.tarrantnet.org