Are All Public Prayers Equal?

Once in a lively discussion, a man asked twice, in a room full of people who should have known better, whether he should be allowed to pray publicly, and was very clear that he expected a “yes” or “no” answer.  This blog post examines that question and then suggests a different way of looking at the issue.  Along the way, we will also consider how to deal with questions like this one.

We are all familiar with “trick” questions.  The Pharisees were always trying out to outsmart Jesus by asking him what they thought were “trick” questions.  At least these Jewish religious leaders were smart enough to avoid asking “trick” questions and expecting a “yes” or “no” answer.  “Yes” or “no” questions can certainly be legitimate, but they can also be illegitimate.   The classic example is the question “have you stopped beating your wife yet, yes or no?”  

Clearly in this example, if a person answers “yes,” it means they used to beat her but stopped.  If a person says “no” it means they are beating her and do not intend to stop.  The problem in this example is with the assumption of the question itself: that the person has beaten his wife in the first place.  A natural reaction is that this example is just specious and extreme.  Maybe that is true, but this happens a lot more common approach than we care to admit.

The example we started with a man asking a question: “should I be allowed to pray publicly,” “yes” or “no.” This question also makes an illogical and invalid assumption.  It assumes all public prayers are equal.  That is clearly not the case.  There are many different kinds of public prayers, for example there are opening prayers, prayers offered before communion, prayers for contribution, closing prayers, prayers for the sick, prayers before a meal, prayers at events like weddings and funerals, and a lot more.

Not everyone should lead some types of public prayers.  In fact, we personally know someone who will only lead the prayer before the offering (this person declines to do anything else).  Most places I know have a list of people that can perform certain responsibilities (a lot of places even automate this now) and so they are “slated in” for tasks they have agreed to do. 

The “right” way to look at leading public prayer is not to assume that just because one is good at one or more of these different types of public prayer, that they are necessarily good at all of them.  God has given each person certain gifts and aptitudes, and He expects us to use them accordingly.  To pretend to apply talents God has not given us is mocking God.