SCOTTSDALE, AZ (ANS) -- A national organization promoting prayer for our nation's leaders has revealed the locations across the United States which pray the most for those in authority over us -- and the results are quite surprising.

Presidential Prayer Team logo

The Presidential Prayer Team (www.PresidentialPrayerTeam.org  ), the nation’s leading ministry encouraging prayer for the President and leaders of America, today in a media advisory released its 'Top Ten Cities Praying for President Obama' list for 2009.

Over 1.2 million Americans have joined the team since its inception in 2001. The team’s mission is to provide tools that encourage and inspire daily prayer for the President, national leaders, and the armed forces.

Throughout each year, the Presidential Prayer Team monitors interaction among its hundreds of thousands of active members across the nation. From this detailed information, the ministry can identify those cities that are the most active in its prayer activities.

"Of course with all of the challenges our nation faced in 2009, many Americans prayed every day for our President and our country," said Scott Fehrenbacher, President of the Presidential Prayer Team.

Top Ten Cities praying for our leaders

"Our Top Ten Praying Cities list shows that many Americans are praying for the President despite political differences they may have. For example, the top city in America praying for President Obama is also the hometown of former President George H.W. Bush."

The Top Ten Cities Praying for President Obama in 2009:
1. Houston, Texas
2. Los Angeles, California
3. Dallas, Texas
4. Phoenix, Arizona
5. Colorado Springs, Colorado
6. Atlanta, Georgia
7. New York, New York
8. Indianapolis, Indiana
9. Austin, Texas
10. Denver, Colorado

"Some of the results are surprising," added Fehrenbacher.

"Half of the cities that made the list are in blue states and half the cities are in red states. This data encourages me that more Americans realize that our nation and our President need prayer to address our challenges ahead, regardless of their political party, or in some cases, perhaps because of their political party."

The Presidential Prayer Team was born days after the vicious September 11 attacks on America in 2001. Since then over one million people have asked to be members of the national ministry. As a ministry that interacts almost exclusively online with its constituents, PPT interacts with hundreds of thousands around the world each week by web and email to encourage prayer.

Based on the Biblical admonition found in 1 Timothy 2, 1-2, "I urge, then, first of all, that requests, prayers, intercession and thanksgiving be made for everyone for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness," the ministry works to encourage, inspire and promote daily prayer for our nation’s leaders, our President, and our troops.

PPT also launched and hosts a successful military ministry through its website www.AdoptOurTroops.org  which has led to hundreds of thousands of active soldiers being adopted for prayer.

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Media Contacts:
Scott Fehrenbacher, President/CEO
Scott@PresidentialPrayerTeam.org  
719-502-0072

Harriet Al-Najjar, Manager
Harriet@PresidentialPrayerTeam.org  
480-483-7729

7373 East Doubletree Ranch Road
Suite B-180
Scottsdale, AZ 85258

** Michael Ireland, Chief Correspondent of ANS, is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB Europe, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649,at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can donate online to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.'