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The Illegal Name of Jesus, Part 2: Ready for the Bottom of the List

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I’m ready to be demoted.

The lady who schedules the invocations for the City of Torrance told my administrative assistant that I would not be able to pray in the name of Jesus, and that if I did, I would not be asked back again. She scheduled my invocation slot for this evening.

I thought back to my conversation with the very friendly City Clerk last year before I was to pray: “We ask that the prayer be non-sectarian” she said. (Read part 1 here).

“I’m sorry; I can’t do that,” I replied. “I will be praying in the name of Jesus.”

“That’s okay, but we’ll probably not be able to ask you back. We don’t want people to sue the Mayor.”

Despite assurances from the Mayor (pictured) a few months ago that I could pray in the Name of Jesus, the iron-clad, politically-correct posture of the city was still in place. Again, I remembered the solemn warning from last year’s pre-prayer chat with the City Clerk after telling her that I had to pray in The Name: “It’s okay,” she said calmly. “We’ll just put your name on the bottom of the prayer-person list from now on.”

No problem. I won’t pray in His name. Really. I won’t pray in Jesus’ name.

Here’s what I plan on saying after considering some sage advice given by Greg Koukl, President of Stand to Reason, a wonderful apologetics ministry.

“Thank you for the honor of being able to give the invocation at this Council meeting. I understand that I am not allowed to pray in the name of Jesus. I will honor that request, but want to let everyone know that I will be praying to my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, who saved me from Hell by dying for my sins on a cross. I don’t want anyone to be confused on whose God I’m praying to.”

I will offer my prayer, then close with something like, “And I pray this in the Name that is above all names, the King of King’s and Lord of Lords, Amen.”

I emailed Ray Comfort to solicit his advice on the matter; this is how he suggested I close the prayer: “And I pray this in the name of the One who rose from the dead on the third day. Amen.”

So, that’s what I’ll do!

What do you think will happen? Click here to find out….

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