Echoes of Ezra: ‘America reads the Bible’ event to gather leaders to rededicate nation to God
“Then Ezra the priest brought the Law before the assembly of men, women, and all who could listen with understanding, on the first day of the seventh month. And he read from it before the public square … ” (Nehemiah 8:2-3)
Of the many activities planned in conjunction with America’s 250th birthday, none can be expected to be as powerful, as impactful, as rich as what is set to take place April 18-25 along the National Mall in Washington, D.C.
Over 480 national leaders from politics, entertainment, ministry, and industry will be gathering at the Museum of the Bible for “America Reads the Bible,” a complete reading of Scripture from Genesis to Revelation.
We Really Need an Ezra Moment
Creator and organizer Bunni Pounds, who worked as a political consultant for years before founding the nonpartisan political activism organization Christians Engaged, was touring the museum when struck with inspiration for “America Reads the Bible.”
There, Pounds tells The Daily Signal, she had an “encounter with the Lord, about Ezra.”
“It hit me in that moment, looking at Ezra at the Museum of the Bible, that we really need an Ezra moment in our nation. We need Americans to realize who we are, just like Ezra stood up with a scroll and he read the Books of Moses to the Israelites. We have, in a lot of ways, forgotten who we are as Christians and as Americans, because the foundation of Scripture is absent from our life.
“And so I thought, man, it would be awesome if we had national leaders from all spheres of influence, all demographics and denominations, if they would stand up humbly in front of the American people and tell us that this is where they get their life and their peace and their wisdom is in Scripture every day as individuals. And then what if we read the Bible all the way through as Americans for the 250th birthday?”
“Write the Vision; Make It Plain on Tablets, So He May Run Who Reads It”
For a year-and-a-half, Pounds could not shake the vision, writing it down in a secret memo to herself. She then set out to make it a reality.
Pounds partnered with Great American Pure Flix to stream and broadcast “America Reads the Bible” to the nation and thousands of churches.
However, she really wants people to attend in person.
The reading will take place 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. each day, with tickets available in three-hour blocks. The price includes admission to the Museum of the Bible, special access to the Dead Sea Scrolls exhibit, plus an exclusive look at artist Mindi Oaten’s 66 paintings depicting where the Messiah appears in each of the books of the Bible.
Our Modern-Day Ezras
Among those set to read from those 66 books:
From the political world, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, Secretary of Transportation Sean Duffy, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott, plus a whole caucus of House members, including Reps. Michael Cloud and Keith Self.
Some are making it a family affair: Sen. Ted Cruz and his father, Rafael Cruz. U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee and his daughter, Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders. Actor Kevin Sorbo and his wife, Sam.
Other media and entertainment figures include Great American Family’s Candace Cameron Bure, Jen Lilley of Hallmark movie fame, Patricia Heaton, Steve Deace, comedian Chonda Pierce, and “Chosen” creator Dallas Jenkins.
A who’s who of American faith leaders will be on hand, including Franklin Graham of Samaritan’s Purse, who fittingly enough will be reading the parable of the Good Samaritan, Lucas Miles of TPUSA Faith, and authors John Bevere and Jonathan Cahn.
Tim Goeglein, who is slated to read Joshua 17-19:23 on April 20, says he’s “deeply honored” by the opportunity.
“The foundational importance of the Bible in American history has become less well known as levels of cultural amnesia have grown,” he tells The Daily Signal. “The Bible was crucially important and impactful on the Founders and plays a central role in America’s birth. In this 250th year of America’s founding, I am deeply honored to be part of the reading at the Museum of the Bible.”
Goeglein calls America Reads the Bible a “perfect complement” to America 250.
Not Just Another America 250 Event
Pounds sees “America Reads the Bible” as more than just another event marking America’s 250th birthday.
“When we proclaim the word of God, the Bible says that faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word, faith actually rises in people’s hearts. And so, when we’re proclaiming the word of God, and it being livestreamed to the nation, by our national leaders, from all these spheres of influence, there’s actually something spiritually that happens in the atmosphere. But it also awakens people, there is wisdom that is outside of what they see in their own life right now.”
Her ultimate goal? Propelling the nation forward into an even brighter future.
“Our hope is that the next 250 years or till Jesus comes back is even brighter for our nation than we’ve seen in our past. No. 1, we need to be thankful that our Constitution has outlasted every Constitution or world history because of the foundation of law, liberty, and justice found in scripture and our founding documents. So, being thankful for where we’ve come from, but also looking to the future and believing God for the leaders that we need in every sphere of influence for our future. And we need leaders who are firmly grounded in God’s word, and that’s what we’re hoping this event does.”
With “America Reads the Bible,” Pounds and her partners “believe God can spark revival in individual hearts and inspire Americans to carry the Word forward in their lives and communities into the next 250 years of our national story.”
Click here for more information about “America Reads the Bible.”
[Editor’s note: This story originally was published by The Daily Signal.]