But Pastor Jentezen Franklin of Free Chapel Worship Center is hopeful that prayer can help heal the divide. He believes today's hostile climate provides a real opportunity for Christians to lead the way.

On this week's "Prayer Link," Franklin shares his prayer for the nation and its leaders on both sides of the political spectrum.

"I'm praying for unity," he said. "I'm praying for middle ground. I'm praying for our Republicans and our Democrats and our president and our Congress to come together.  There's a scripture in Genesis that said when the people were in one mind, when they were all thinking the same, they built a tower. We only hear the negative side of that and God had to tear the Tower of Babel down. But there's a verse in there that said when they were one, there was nothing that was restrained from them to dream or do that they could not do."