So I think this is outside of protocol because normally, people are not taken up to the second floor, where the family has their private quarters
Pastor Greg Laurie was one of the prominent Christian leaders invited to the White House for the National Day of Prayer proceedings at the White House last Thursday. He detailed his experiences in depth on social media, including a photo-bomb from Franklin Graham in the Rose Garden.
But on a more serious not, Laurie described the respect President Trump showed to the Christian guests. He even got to dine with the President and VP! “Now, Jack Graham and Franklin Graham, they got the president. But I didn’t do too bad. I sat with the vice president (Mike Pence) and his wife (Karen),” Laurie said.
Then, singer-songwriter and worship leader Steven Curtis Chapman performed for them. “He sang and [I had] the best seat. He literally was right in front of me. So I just turned my seat around and pulled my iPhone out and filmed it,” Laurie said. The group was warned that Trump might have to leave to deal with some things. But he ended up staying put!
“He ends up hanging out with us for like three hours. It just went on and on. I think he was having a good time,” Laurie explained. Then, after dinner something extraordinary happened. The President invivted the guests to go and see the Lincoln Bedroom on the second floor – a place that is rarely shown.
“So I think this is outside of protocol because normally, people are not taken up to the second floor, where the family has their private quarters,” Laurie stated.
“All of us were excited, of course. We are walking down the hallways and there are portraits of presidents and first ladies. Then, we go into the Lincoln Bedroom and there is this large bed. I am not sure if the president (Lincoln) ever slept there,” Laurie said. “And there is a portrait of [Lincoln] on the wall and President Trump said that was President Lincoln’sfavorite portrait of himself. We are just standing there taking it in and [Trump] says, ‘It’s cool, huh?’ We are all like, ‘Yeah, it’s totally cool.'”
Then, the group headed to the Truman balcony. Laurie remembers what James Dobson said at this point, even though he had been to the White House numerous times. “He said, ‘I have never seen anything like this before,'” Laurie quoted Dobson as telling him. “Even he was amazed. That was just a fantastic night.”
Laurie believes this was an excellent opportunity for faith leaders and is encouraged by the new administration’s comitment to the faith.
“Christians need to be involved in everything today in our country, including politics. Christians need to register, they need to vote, they need to run for office, they need to be in every place in our society,” Laurie asserted. “I was really surprised to find how many members of this administration were overt Christians and many of them meet for Bible study every week. I don’t want to say who and what, but I met people and was surprised to find that they were a believer and very encouraged by that as well.”
“I was really surprised to find how many members of this administration were overt Christians and many of them meet for Bible study every week. I don’t want to say who and what, but I met people and was surprised to find that they were a believer and very encouraged by that as well.”
