ATLANTA — Faith leaders representing multiple denominations and religious traditions gathered Monday evening for the ‘Faith in Freedom’ Interfaith Prayer Night, hosted by First Grace Baptist Church in Atlanta, Georgia. The gathering brought together congregation members and leaders from various religions — both in person and online — to pray for individuals and communities facing religious persecution and injustice worldwide.
Hosted by Pastor William Welch, the event featured opening remarks by Pastor Adam, who welcomed attendees and outlined the evening’s purpose. Organizers described the gathering as more than a single prayer meeting — the beginning of a broader coalition of faith leaders committed to advancing freedom through peace, dialogue, and collaboration.
Pastor Adam highlighted three current cases of religious persecution that shaped the evening’s prayers: ongoing violence and displacement affecting Christian and Muslim minority communities in parts of Nigeria; rising anti-Semitism and Islamophobia within the United States, including vandalism of houses of worship; and the imprisonment in South Korea of 95-year-old faith leader Chairman Lee, head pastor of Shincheonji Church of Jesus, whom organizers say is being wrongfully detained despite his age and health needs, in violation of the United Nations Standard Minimum Rules for the Treatment of Prisoners.
The evening was structured around three prayer requests, each led by a different faith leader: unity among faiths and freedom of religion, led by Bishop Kenneth Nelson of Faith Temple Missionary Baptist Church; strength and support for faith leaders facing hardship, persecution, and judgment, led by Pastor Kiesha Nelson; and prayer for members within the faith and beyond, and for forgiveness, led by Dr. Sudershan Mathavan, Co-Founder and Prayer Leader of Gurudwara Treasure Coast.
‘We pray that there be no discrimination among the nations, among the people, related to their faith — whether they are Christian, Sikh, Muslim, Hindu, or any other,’ Dr. Mathavan said. ‘Help us work together to get rid of this evil from our hearts and from our society.’
The gathering closed with a shared Faith and Freedom Joint Declaration and a spoken pledge, in which leaders committed to choose peace, respect every person’s dignity, defend the freedom of others to live and worship without fear, and stand against hatred and division.
Organizers indicated the prayer event marks the start of an ongoing coalition of faith leaders intended to continue advancing religious freedom through prayer, dialogue, and collaboration.
