An estimated 30,000 people poured into Reliant stadium for Rick Perry’s call to pray and fast for the nation, known as The Response. Actual attendance was far higher than what was previously forecast. Prayer-goers briefly encountered various protesters, most of whom advocated for the separation of church and state in regards to Perry attending the rally.
Perry addressed and prayed with the crowd for about 10 minutes with Rev. C.L. Jackson and Alice Patterson, an organizer for The Response, standing beside him. Later, between “rapid fire prayers” and worship songs, Florida governor, Rick Scott, spoke via recorded video and Kansas governor, Sam Brownback, addressed and prayed with the crowd briefly. Throughout the nine-hour-long day emotions ran high as the thousands of Christians prayed for America and a third Great Awakening.
