Extreme Prayer?

Bryn Independent Methodist Church

The following is a transcription of a prayer by Pastor Joe Wright (Central Christian Church) at the opening of a new session of the Kansas House of Representatives on 23rd January 1996.

It has been criticised by some as extreme and radical, but what do you think?


"Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance.

We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good" but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We confess:

  • We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it Pluralism.
  • We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
  • We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.
  • We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
  • We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
  • We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
  • We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
  • We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
  • We have abused power and called it politics.
  • We have coveted our neighbour's possessions and called it ambition.
  • We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
  • We have ridiculed the time-honoured values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the centre of your will. I ask it in the Name of Your Son, the living Saviour, Jesus Christ."

Amen.