Billy Graham may come out of retirement to give one more sermon.

The famed evangelist is dealing with a number of health woes but his spokesman said he wants to preach again.

"At 91 years of age, he realizes that he's quite possibly in the sunset years of his life," A. Larry Ross told Asheville Citizen-Times. "He's trying to make every day count, knowing that one day he will join his wife, Ruth, in Heaven." more >>

Despite a few jokes by speakers to lighten the mood, the National Day of Prayer event at Capitol Hill on Thursday was solemn.

Both speakers and the audience seemed acutely aware of the pushback to the prayer day that was officially established in 1952. Though NDOP was created nearly 60 years ago, speakers repeatedly pointed out the long tradition of prayer in the country’s history dating back to the founding fathers.

“America was birthed in prayer and founded on the Bible,” said Shirley Dobson, chair of the National Day of Prayer Task Force, on Thursday. more >>

Billboards challenging the National Day of Prayer are erected in Colorado Springs, the home of the prayer day’s task force and other evangelical organizations.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation – the same group that filed a lawsuit resulting in the ruling that NDOP is unconstitutional – is behind the three billboards purposely scheduled to run during the National Day of Prayer on May 6. The signs went up last Thursday and will run through May 13.

On the billboards is the message, "God & Government a Dangerous Mix: Keep State & Church Separate." more >>

Ahead of the National Day of Prayer, Franklin Graham expressed dismay at how Islam is receiving preferential treatment by the Obama administration.

The evangelist, who was recently disinvited from a Pentagon prayer event over past comments he made about Islam, pointed to the violence against Muslim women.

“It’s just horrific,” Graham said to Newsmax.TV this week. “If you just take women alone … I just don’t understand why the president would be giving Islam a pass.” more >>

President Obama has issued a proclamation declaring this Thursday as National Day of Prayer.

In his proclamation, he states that prayer has long been an important part of U.S. history. The nation upholds as fundamental principles the exercise of religion and freedom of conscience, he said. Thus Americans have long considered it “fitting and proper” to publicly observe the importance of prayer on May 6.

“On this day, let us give thanks for the many blessings God has bestowed upon our Nation,” said Obama in the proclamation. “Let us rejoice for the blessing of freedom both to believe and to live our beliefs, and for the many other freedoms and opportunities that bring us together as one Nation.” more >>

The granddaughter of a mullah weighed in on the Franklin Graham controversy this week, contending that there is a difference between criticizing Islam and Muslims.

Graham and others like him who criticize Islam are not saying they hate Muslims, said Sabatina James, a well-known Paskistani convert to Christianity who lives in Europe, in an interview with The Christian Post on Wednesday.

“Make the difference between sin and sinner,” said James, "between Islam and Muslims. Don’t say that every Muslim is a terrorist and every Muslim is bad because that is just not true. But there are definitely things that need to be changed in Islam or else you can’t live in a democracy.” more >>