On Sunday August 2nd, the below article was to be published in the Lancaster Sunday News -- the editor informed me it was too long so he would "trim" it down -- this is the entire article......
Setting The Record Straight on My “Prayer at the PA House” Controversy
I have had the privilege to pray in many settings. Business functions; Rotary; Sporting events; dedications of municipal buildings; memorial services commemorating 9-11 and of course your routine religious activities – weddings; baby dedications and funerals. Each time I thoughtfully craft my words to make people consider our requests to God as well as be Biblically accurate so God will listen. Some times people have thanked me and even complimented me on my intercession to the Almighty. But none has invoked such a response (both negative and overwhelming positive) then the prayer I delivered on Wednesday June 10th at the PA House of Representatives. Since that day I have been forced to think - why such the reaction? Was it the content of the prayer? Was it the context of the prayer (The Capitol)? Or maybe it was how I ended the prayer? Many people are talking about the prayer, and even. labeled it a “political prayer” yet that was not my intent. I appreciate the opportunity I have been given to set the record straight. But before I explain, I think it is important for you to actually read the prayer for yourself.
Our gracious Heavenly Father, we come before You today because we have nowhere else to go. For You are the true and living God. You are the Maker of Heaven and Earth. You are the sustainer of man and all that we are or ever will be. You are the only real HOPE for our nation and our commonwealth. We come before You in this grand hall, before the important and the powerful, in complete humility and brokenness because Your holiness consumes our failings, reveals our iniquities and lays bare all of our unrighteousness.
We come to ask Your forgiveness and seek Your help and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that's exactly what we've done. We have ignored Your spiritual compass and have tried to guide our paths with our own values, desires and indulgences.
§ We confess that we have mocked the absolute truth of Your Word and called it relativism.
§ We have worshipped other gods, failing to acknowledge You alone and called it multi-culturalism.
§ We have exploited the poor and naïve; and called it the lottery.
§ We have made excuses for the law breaker and called it tolerance.
§ We have demeaned the law keepers and called it politically correct.
§ We have neglected our neighbor and called it self-preservation.
§ We have rewarded laziness, irresponsibility and called it welfare.
§ We have killed our unborn and called it a choice.
§ We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
§ We have neglected to discipline our children and called it releasing their creativity.
§ We have abused power, been party to back room dealing and even hoped for our colleagues down fall and called it political savvy.
§ We have squandered our resources and paid back favors with taxpayer’s funds and called it a stimulus.
§ We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
Search us O God and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.
Guide and bless these men and women, who have been sent here by the people of Pennsylvania, and who Your Holy Word calls, ordained ministers of peace, to govern this great commonwealth.
Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of your will. May they choose today to be servants of You, Almighty God, and then prosper their steps for their obedience. May we live in reverent fear of your greatness in comparison to our insignificance.
I ask it, in the name of your son, our living Savior and Master, Jesus the Christ. Amen.
First question, how did I get invited to pray in the House? My State Representative, Scott Boyer graciously submitted my name for consideration, as can any House member. The Speaker then formally invites you. It is important for you to know that Scott never saw the prayer and never asked for a copy and never encouraged me to pray in this way. Moments after I said “AMEN” – House members stormed the Speaker’s desk in protest. Scott was not in the hall at the time, but was summoned by the Speaker. I am not sure of all the words spoken, but the tone and exchange was not friendly to say the least. I have not talked with Scott since June 10th but do know that he has unfairly caught flack over it.
Second question, what were you thinking when you crafted the prayer? To be honest, I was not sure what to pray. So I googled – “House of Representative Prayers” – I got thousands of hits. I perused the plethora of prayers getting ideas. I found one in particular that resonated with my musings. Pastor Joe Wright delivered that prayer in the mid 1990’s to the Kansas House. Some have accused me of reciting his prayer. If you read both our prayers, you will see similarities in form but not in wording. My desire was to offer up a Biblically accurate prayer and to stir people’s thinking on moral issues of our day. There are issues in the world that many are concerned about. It seems that God’s ideas on issues are being silenced. I am not trying to make people believe what I believe, however the American way is to provide the freedom where all ideas and beliefs can be stated and each individual sorts out what they believe is the truth.
Third question, did you think anyone would be upset? Stirred, forced to think, uncomfortable for sure, but not upset in the way that a the few House members were that day. Not to cause Keith McCall the Speaker to issue a policy where visiting pastors’ prayers would be reviewed priority to delivery and where the “name of Jesus” would not be allowed to mention. Nevertheless, I have been even more amazed by the positive response I have received. I have emails from State politicians from California, Texas and Connecticut all contacting me and thanking me. I have hostesses in restaurant pat me on the back and affirm what I said. Then I had a woman in the waiting room of Frank’s Garage thank me for saying what she is feeling! I think the backlash has been decidedly more positive then negative. I think I hit a nerve on what the “rank and file” in this country feels. I think its call the silent majority.
Fourth question, are you just another “axe-to-grind, politically-motivated, fighting-fundy, leisure suit wearing preacher” who sees everyone in the government as the devil’s relative? Absolutely not, I stopped wearing leisure suits in the 80’s! The fact is I was so honored to pray at the capitol because I believe our elected officials are what God’s Word calls them - “divinely ordained ministers of God” (see Romans 13). I believe that even though I do not like certain policies and many decisions, God commands us to submit to, encourage and pray for our governmental officials. I also know that everyday they hear from pollsters, pundits and fundraisers on how to shape their decisions -- why not hear from God’s heart? Everything in my prayer has its roots from a precepts or principles of God’s Word. If people are upset with the prayer, then they need to take it up with the Holy Scriptures.
Finally, what was the most surprising aspect of this ordeal? That is easy – how the “Name of Jesus” was the real offence to people. The agitated House members were most upset in my closing. I could hear them say “he had no right to pray that way!” I later found out that it was because I prayed in my Savior and Lord’s Name. What did they think I was going to say? America is a beautiful tapestry of religious freedom. I have no problem with a Catholic invoking Mary’s name; a Rabbi invoking Jehovah’s name; an Imam invoking Allah’s name; a Mormon invoking Moroni’s name and Buddhist invoking Buddha’s name. It is wrong when the Speaker singles out evangelical Christians and tell us that we cannot say the name of the One who gave His life for us! I am thankful that the Speaker saw the unconstitutionality and inappropriate nature of his prayer policy and has gone back to the old policy leaving it up to the pastor to determine what he believes God wants him/her to pray.
Upon reflection, this issue is NOT whether you agree with what I prayed or not. The real issue of this situation is recognizing that at no time should the government ever “silence the clergy” or legislate how someone can pray. We have a long held, rich history of asking the Almighty to bless the affairs of our government. When the clergy’s voice is dictated by the politician whims, we have stepped onto a slippery slope and grievous trouble is ahead. Check your world civilization history on that fact. I am glad that I was used to provoke thinking and cause us to be reminded how easy the freedoms we have enjoyed for centuries could be threatened and equally how it can be rescued - if you are willing to take a stand and say a prayer. At least this time around – “Pastors 1- Politicians 0!”