‘God is not done with America yet’: Mike Johnson calls for national rededication to faith
WASHINGTON, DC: Speaker of the House Mike Johnson opened the 'America Reads the Bible' event on Saturday, April 18, declaring that “God is not done with America yet” as he called for a national rededication to the country’s founding values.
The weeklong initiative features hundreds of participants reading the entire Bible, highlighted by a special scheduled reading from the Oval Office by President Donald Trump.
Mike Johnson highlights faith as the nation’s foundation
During his remarks at the opening celebration on Saturday, Speaker Johnson emphasized the unique role of religious conviction in the shaping of the US.
He argued that the country’s core principles are grounded in the specific belief that human rights are granted by a higher power rather than by government authorities.
“We’re the first nation in the history of the world that boldly proclaimed that,” Johnson said. “That is the foundation of what made us the greatest nation in the history of the world.”
He explained that the public reading of Scripture serves as a vital opportunity for citizens to “defend and restore the foundations” of the country.
Johnson insisted that the gathering held deep spiritual weight beyond mere ceremony, stating, “This is more than symbolism. It’s a rededication.”
Mike Johnson recalls how answered prayer cemented his faith
Johnson also shared a story about his father, a firefighter who was critically injured in a massive explosion.
Doctors gave his father very little chance of survival, a crisis that drove a young Johnson to seek divine intervention.
“I got down on my face before the Lord and pleaded for the life of my father,” Johnson recalled. “God answered our prayers.”
This event served as a definitive turning point in his life, solidifying his trust in the Bible, he said.
“From that moment, I knew that God’s word is flawless and true,” he said. He concluded his speech by encouraging the audience to stay anchored in their beliefs, telling attendees that “God is not done with America yet.”
Trump to read historic 2 Chronicles passage from Oval Office
The event organizers carefully planned the schedule to include a specific reading by President Donald Trump.
He is set to read from 2 Chronicles 7, a passage that has served as a cornerstone for American prayer for decades.
Organizer Bunni Pounds explained that the passage, particularly verse 14, was reserved specifically for the president because of its weight.
The verse says, “If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”
