The Rev. Amir Khan believes in prayer, especially during troubled times.

"If there ever was a time for Christians to pray, it's now," said Khan, 46.

So, with the possibility of war looming, the pastor of Solid Rock Worship Center in Lindenwold has asked his 1,700-member congregation to fast and pray for 40 days.

There is much disagreement, even within congregations, about whether the push for war is justified. Regardless, religious leaders are counseling the faithful to pray.

President Bush is praying, too, and said he was grateful for the prayers of Americans.

Many are praying now, harder than ever.

Khan has never asked so many to fast this long. But Khan believes the impending war is a pivotal point in the world's history.

"This is more than just a war over the bombing," said Khan, 46. "This is a spiritual war."

Some congregants are skipping one meal a day to pray for the country. Some are eating just once a day. A few are taking only liquids during the fast, which ends on Good Friday.

Each morning at 5 a.m., a couple dozen congregants gather at the altar and pray for the nation.

They ask God to give the president guidance and direction. They pray for soldiers and their families.

The military buildup overseas is hitting families close to home. About 12 of Khan's congregants or their family members are in the service.

Khan advises his church members to have faith in God.

"Let's trust him and not be fearful," he said.

Two young fathers at Hope Church in Voorhees were recently deployed overseas, said the Rev. Jeff Bills, 45.

He talked with them over the phone before they left. They were focused, he said, yet worried about the wives and young children they were leaving behind.

The pastor advised church members to pray for peace, for a quick victory in case of war and for a new Iraqi government that would represent its citizens.

Many congregants at Congregation M'Kor Shalom in Cherry Hill are apprehensive about a possible attack on Iraq, said Rabbi Barry L. Schwartz, 44.

"We certainly have been praying that this conflict can be resolved by peaceful means, short of war," Schwartz said.

His congregation is praying for the quarter-million American soldiers poised in the Gulf region.

Prayers have also focused on wisdom for the nation's leaders, especially for the president, Schwartz said. He referred congregants to the Bible passage in 1 Kings about King Solomon's request for wisdom, as opposed to riches or glory. God rewarded his request.

Regardless of their opinions, Schwartz is also urging congregants to get involved in the national debate, writing to congressional leaders, for example.

"The faith communities have a special responsibility," he said, "because this is an ethical issue of the highest order."