Greg Laurie shares details about his White House tour before National Day of Prayer
Evangelist Greg Laurie has revealed that President Donald Trump gave him and other evangelical leaders a tour of the White House after they gathered for dinner last Wednesday just before the signing of an executive order on religious freedom on the National Day of Prayer.
Laurie, senior pastor at Harvest Christian Fellowship in Riverside, California, was among the dozens of faith leaders who were invited to a private dinner with Trump and his cabinet members at the White House the night before the signing of the executive order promoting free speech and religious liberty.
Other evangelical leaders who were at the dinner party include Franklin Graham, James Dobson, Robert Jeffress, Jack Graham and Richard Land, according to The Christian Post.
Laurie shared his White House experience on social media, and he also created a slideshow for his congregation at Harvest Christian Fellowship.
The evangelist noted that the National Day of Prayer has not been observed in the White House for eight years, so he grabbed the opportunity to go there after he got an invitation to have dinner with the president.
He explained that he went through various forms of security just to enter the White House complex on Wednesday, but when he and the other faith leaders got inside, they were led to a small dining room.
Laurie said that he sat on a table with Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, while Jack and Franklin Graham sat with the president.
He recounted that Trump addressed the religious leaders, followed by Pence and other members of the administration. Christian singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman performed after the remarks from the president and his cabinet members.
As the dinner began wrapping up, Laurie said that the faith leaders were told that Trump might need to leave, but the president ended up staying.
"He ends up hanging out with us for like three hours. It just went on and on. I think he was having a good time," Laurie noted.
The evangelist recounted that Trump invited people to see the Lincoln Bedroom on the second floor.
"So I think this is outside of protocol because normally, people are not taken up to the second floor, where the family has their private quarters," Laurie stated.
"All of us were excited, of course. We are walking down the hallways and there are portraits of presidents and first ladies. Then, we go into the Lincoln Bedroom and there is this large bed. I am not sure if the president (Lincoln) ever slept there," he continued.
After going to the Lincoln bedroom, Laurie and 39 other faith leaders were taken to the Truman Balcony. The evangelist said that the trip through the second floor of the White House was even exciting for Dobson, who has previously visited the White House several times.
After the night ended, Laurie and the other religious leaders came back to the White House the next day to witness the signing of the executive order on religious liberty in the Rose Garden.
Laurie further noted that he was surprised by how many members of Trump's cabinet were overt Christians who meet for Bible study every week.
"I don't want to say who and what, but I met people and was surprised to find that they were a believer and very encouraged by that as well," he said.