NATCHEZ — The Mississippi Baptist Convention looked no further than the home of the first Baptist church in the state to start its 2011 prayer drive.

Convention Board Executive Director Jim Futral said seven people gathered at Coles Creek in approximately 1800 to pray to seek God’s guidance before founding the first Baptist church in the state. Prayer is something Futral said Mississippi needs today.

In his fourth stop of the day, and his fourth stop of 90 throughout the state in the upcoming weeks, Futral challenged people of all denominations to pray before the start of each day of this new year for self, servants and souls.

“For self, because if you want God to change everyone else but not you, then you can forget it,” Futral said. “He will reward us if we let Him, and show us some wrong actions we may be taking, or a bad attitude we may have.”

Futral challenged people to pray for servants, those men and women who are in leadership roles in the nation and Mississippi.

“It may be the President of the United States, or it may be the coach of a high school team,” Futral said. “The coach has authority to affect the lives of our young people — you may have hollered at him from the stands, but have you thought to pray for him?”

Third, Futral challenged people to pray for the souls who do not have a relationship with Jesus.

“Pray for the folks that need the Lord,” Futral said. “And pray to be available to God, so that He may use you.”

Before Futral spoke, the Rev. Dale Little, associational missions director of the Adams and Union Baptist Association of Adams, Jefferson and Claiborne counties, led a group of a approximately 70 locals in the prayer rally, which featured gospel music and prayers on self, servants and souls led by three local pastors.

“The basic emotion behind the convention’s theme of covering Mississippi in prayer is that it can’t be done in an hour here in one day, or in the rallies in every county across the state,” Little said. “But we can cover Mississippi in prayer if we all bring it back to our churches this year.”

Natchez resident Michelle Williams said she would take up the challenge to cover Mississippi in prayers, like many who gathered at the steps of the Adams County Courthouse.

“I want community awareness for Natchez,” Williams said. “I intend to pray that we help one another and ask for God’s help.”

Renae Loy, Natchez resident, said she believes in prayer, and that Mississippi needs prayer, so she too will take the challenge.

“I think sometimes our faith is weak, and we don’t realize how powerful our prayers are,” Loy said. “God is listening, and if we ask not, we will have not.”

Futral closed in prayer.

“We want to make a difference in Your world,” Futral said. “But we want You to make a difference in us, to lead us to make a difference. For this we pray.”