Public prayer is a hot button issue. Louie Giglio, a US pastor, was asked to pray at Obama’s second inauguration, then found himself in a firestorm of accusations based on things he’d said years ago, until he eventually declined the president’s offer. Clearly praying in public has power in the eyes of religious and non-religious people alike! Earlier this year, it was reported in the news that The Saskatchewan Human Rights Commission will investigate a complaint from a man who says he was offended when a Christian prayer was read during a volunteer appreciation banquet in Saskatoon. He felt prayer had no place in public, civic meetings. You might say it’s just a sign of the times, and fondly remember when the Lord’s Prayer was said in schools, civic events and more, without anyone complaining, at least not complaining out loud. I knew some people much older than I, who got so angry when the topic of the Lord’s Prayer in schools came up. They saw it as a sign that they had once lived in a Christian society, and its loss felt like they had lost a sense of power and influence over society. If you grew up in that kind of society, you might think concerns about public prayer are unfounded, and some new innovation. You might not give public prayer, and the reasons for it, much thought at all. But this week we’re going to explore when Jesus questioned the way people prayed in public. Question: What experiences of public prayer have you experienced? Were they good or bad experiences? Why?

From Series: Sermon on the Mount | More Messages from Ryan Sim | Download Audio

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