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Would you still speak?

Discussion in 'General Baptist Discussions' started by Salty, Feb 6, 2013.

  1. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Suppose you were asked (as a pastor) to say a few words and give the invocation at a secular meeting (for example dinner for police officers or a dedication at a supermarket). However, you informed you are not to prostelise nor may you use the name of Jesus in your prayer.

    What would you do?
     
  2. Bronconagurski

    Bronconagurski New Member

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    I would tell them I could not agree to that. If they said I could not speak, then so be it.
     
  3. go2church

    go2church Active Member
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    Would have to politely decline. Hard to be avoid Christ you know being a Christian and all.
     
  4. preachinjesus

    preachinjesus Well-Known Member
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    I'm always happy to pray at secular events...with the stipulation that they neither dictate my prayer nor guide my parameters.

    I don't plan my prayers. So anyone attempting to plan them for me will not get too far with me.

    If we cannot agree here, then I would respectfully turn down such an invitation.
     
  5. Tom Butler

    Tom Butler New Member

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    Good answers so far. The proselytizing thing is not a big deal for me, but I still don't want them censoring my prayer. They must understand that asking a Christian not to pray in Jesus name is asking us to be disobedient to our Savior.

    And besides, I'm not talking to them.

    That said, I do believe some prudence is warranted. There's no point in being "in your face" about it.
     
  6. annsni

    annsni Well-Known Member
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    It's funny because my husband has been asked to do just that for our yacht club twice a year. We have both Jewish and "Christian" people in the club and possibly some atheists. I think the majority are Catholic, though.

    So the first year, he prayed in the name of the Father. The second time that year, he "slipped" and closed "in Jesus' name" and no one said anything. He didn't purposely say it but it is habit. Since then he has prayed in Jesus' name and never had anyone say anything. It's been probably 8 years now!
     
  7. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    I would say ," See you later".....and walk away.......I love Jesus Christ too much, and He has done way too much for me to not use His name in my prayer(s).
     
  8. Crabtownboy

    Crabtownboy Well-Known Member
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    Seems to me it is always better to pray than not to pray. People will know you believe and that is important. It may well open dialogue with someone to whom you can speak of Christ.

    Don't slam a door shut even if it is opened only an inch or two.
     
  9. Bronconagurski

    Bronconagurski New Member

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    I respectfully disagree. That would be like Jesus telling the Pharisees they were all right with the Father even though the rejected Him. I think if we would honestly tell people how much Jesus means to us and that we could never deny Him in that way, they would understand. If not, then we have confessed Him before men.

    Matthew 10:32-36 (HCSB)
    32 “Therefore, everyone who will acknowledge Me before men, I will also acknowledge him before My Father in heaven.
    33 But whoever denies Me before men, I will also deny him before My Father in heaven.
    34 Don’t assume that I came to bring peace on the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
    35 For I came to turn a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law;
    36 and a man’s enemies will be the members of his household.

    The Gospel of Jesus Christ divides. That is a fact. It's time we quit cowering in the corner for who we are and stand up and declare unashamedly the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Daniel did not buckle under just because his prayers offended people.
     
  10. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    How about if you ended your prayer with "in the name of my Lord and Saviour" ????
     
  11. HAMel

    HAMel Well-Known Member
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    I'm far from being the pastor of a church but have been asked in the past to lead in prayer at various gatherings. I've always closed said prayers in Jesus's Name.

    ...if someone were to become offended they would just have to get over it.

    Too many thin skinned people running loose to begin with.
     
  12. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    I would do this.....and add in "Jesus Christ, amen.".....
     
  13. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    But what if the organizer said you could not use the name of Jesus?
     
  14. convicted1

    convicted1 Guest

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    "Good bye Mr. Chips"......
     
  15. salzer mtn

    salzer mtn Well-Known Member

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    I would find it very hard to call God's blessings down on worldly gatherings or worldly intertainment. Just imagine if you did bless them and stayed around long enough to listen to their evil conversations or witness their wicked intertainment they might partake in you could only say to yourself, i am apart of this, because i blessed them.
     
    #15 salzer mtn, Feb 7, 2013
    Last edited by a moderator: Feb 7, 2013
  16. Salty

    Salty 20,000 Posts Club
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    Then you would not have gone with Jesus during John 8:3-11 ?
     
  17. salzer mtn

    salzer mtn Well-Known Member

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    I beg your pardon, He went to the temple to teach, the Pharisees came to him, and it must have been on the outside of the temple because he stooped and wrote on the ground with his finger but where in these verses did he bless the Pharisees in a prayer?
     
  18. MNJacob

    MNJacob Member

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    Folks, my job is writing contracts, I can parse the language in such a way that I would not have to use His Greek name to refer to Him.

    That's not a hard one.

    They might not invite me back. :)
     
  19. Jerome

    Jerome Well-Known Member
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    Yeah, after being stung by criticism that his Kentucky Senate prayers were just lectures to legislators, SBTS professor Hershael York resorted to praying before them in a tongue that, as he put it, "probably only God can understand".

    Video here:

    http://vimeo.com/37382824
     
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