Joel Hunter – prayer at DNC
There was lots of talk of Donald Miller’s prayer last week at the Democratic National Convention but thanks to Mark Waltz (the guru of First Impressions at Granger Community Church) I found out that Joel Hunter closed one of the sessions in prayer in a fairly unique way.
Check this video -
So what do you think? Did he increase or decrease the “value” of the prayer by doing that? Thoughts?
Decrease the value probably doesn’t do it justice. Interfaith prayer is cacophonous and empty. Cacophonous because those other people aren’t praying to the same God. Empty because you’ve asked those worshiping idols to join you in your worship of Jesus as if it’s all the same. It couldn’t be more different, and we do them a disservice by pretending it’s the same. Anywho, that kind of stuff bothers me. Would have been much better if he ended with “in Jesus name, Amen” because that’s the only name with power.
Why can’t Christians, when asked to pray, just pray? Who are we trying to please?
I enjoyed Miller’s prayer and I really enjoyed this one…until…
Why didn’t he just end it? It’s like the church community, in trying to “bridge the gap”, is just watering it all down.
Then, in my opinion, yes, he did devalue Christian prayer.
I’m not sure if ‘devalued’ is the right word; it was just weird. I agree with Brent that in trying to be inclusive, he ended up creating something awkward instead.
Just weird. And not very prayerful.
Hmmmm… For me, that was…not so much. Even up until he did that, I kind of felt like it was less a prayer than a subtle directive or a correction to the Democratic Party’s agenda.
Isn’t prayer apart from Christ just sound? But I guess, REALLY, he didn’t devalue it all that much because only the prayer of those who know Christ is falling on the ears of One who can hear.
But even if that’s true, that whole bit was distracting and seemed to be in the name of tolerance rather than in the name of Jesus.
I think it was an excellent way to end! I don’t see how it watered it down. His flexibility there in making it participatory invited all people to feel like they could take ownership of the prayer. There are Christian faith traditions, I’m sure, that don’t end their prayers with “in Jesus name” as well. People of different tongues and traditions… The days of pretending our nations are “mono-faith” are long gone. Of all places, it was appropriate this was done at a political rally. Separation of church and state, remember? It maybe wasn’t necessary of him, but it was generous, and it was a good idea.
Wow! It is really encouraging to read most of your responses- I have been a little disillusioned by the lack of response or the weak responses that have been coming from Christians regarding this… prayer is worship- giving glory to God- the most intimacy we can have with Him this side of heaven- and God will not share His glory with another!
I attended Joel’s church for 20 years (left it 10 years ago)- it was different then, but this new path he is walking is scary to me. I am praying for him and that congregation.