The Missouri Synod Prays in Public
A Call for Sample Prayers

By Rev. Bruce A. Cameron  

Many of us, as Missouri Synod Lutherans, are going to be speaking at public events in the near future. This came home to me when I was asked to offer prayers of invocation and benediction at a ceremony deploying the Sparta Illinois National Guard unit. In the coming days we have the prospect of other public events occasioned by the war in Iraq. Certainly Memorial Day may also be a particularly important community occasion this year.

Let’s help each other in this task by gathering examples of public prayers that can give to each other guidance and support.

Paul’s sermon in Athens (Acts 17) provides a basic model—respectful, in some ways subtle and tactful, in other respects bold and clear. Pastor David Benke’s much-discussed prayer can be a model as well for following in Paul’s footsteps: Reach out to every person present, making contact with them just as they are; at the same time speak a message familiar to “those of us who bear the Name of Christ”—a message of God sending His Son ”through death and life, to bring us back together,” a message spoken “in the precious Name of Jesus.”

For all the quibbles about Dr. Benke’s Yankee Stadium prayer, his strategy was a good one, well suited for the terrible moment he was praying about:

• Speak to everyone present, Christian and non-Christian alike

• Speak the message the Christians present are longing to hear—the message of Jesus Christ as divine Lord and historic human Savior, Conqueror over all enemies in life and death, the Lord who brings promise of hope, blessing and peace

• Speak the Gospel of Jesus in such a way that those who don’t yet know the message may be invited to realize that the Gospel is also for them

For a year and a half The Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod has been held us to public scorn because of the intemperate criticism of Dr. Benke’s prayer. Let’s turn this ridicule into something good! Send examples of your prayers and the public events for which they are intended to the Jesus First website by clicking here.

Occasions when pastors and other believers will be invited faithfully to speak God’s message in public are not new, nor have we seen the end of them. Civic events, tornadoes, school shootings and (it may be) terrorist bombings can happen in your town. There will be wars, rumors of wars, and memorials of war. A blanket “No” to all invitations to speak in public is neither helpful nor necessary. As the Central District of the Missouri Synod unanimously went on record in its 1870 convention: “It would be a sin [!] to reject offhand an offer that we preach the gospel also to others.”

Let us help those who will be called upon to speak, first with our support instead of our criticism, and secondly with examples of our prayers. In times like these Christians and non-Christians alike need to hear the voice of our compassionate and victorious Redeemer!