Comments on: Offer to Pray OA

By: Friday’s Collection . . . .

Friday’s Collection . . . . — Sat, 13 Nov 2010 12:37:17 +0000

[...] with Me My little article on Offering to Pray was posted on Ordinary Attempts. That got a good conversation going between Helen and I on both blogs in the comments section. I [...]

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 22:42:39 +0000

Chris, thanks for reading the comments on the IIDB board. Not all Christians are willing to go there. I appreciate those who are.

I’m glad this has turned out to be a good source of conversation for you.

By: Pastor Chris

Pastor Chris — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:42:05 +0000

Jim:

Even though you don’t agree with my paradigm, thanks for posting the story. It’s created quite a discussion. I use alot of your stuff.

Helen:

I’ve spent some time reading over at the Internet Infidels board and commented at my blog article on what i observe.

I have also spent the last few days talking with people in person (of various faith or non-faith backgrounds) about the whole idea of offering to pray. It’s been a good source of conversation in my little corner of the world.

Pastor Chris

EvangelismCoach.org

By: Helen

Helen — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 11:26:56 +0000

Benjamin, yes, I think that response would be a great way of showing how weird the request “May I pray with you?” can seem – although I’m not sure the person it’s said to would ‘get it’.

I think it’s neat you actually went over to IIDB to read what people said.

I’ve been posting on IIDB for six years now (although I rarely post there now – I’m too busy with other things). The people on IIDB didn’t change my beliefs but they did significantly help me feel ok that they were changing. (Even though I didn’t tell them my beliefs had changed until a year ago)

By: April Terry

April Terry — Thu, 05 Apr 2007 04:58:57 +0000

I think offering to pray with people is a wonderful idea though my natural inclination is to offer to pray for someone.

Lindsay, I pray with people all the time in my ministry because it is the right time and place. But I was just wondering how you would feel about it if that person were not a Christian and were offended by your use of the name of Jesus in your prayer? Would you use Jesus’ name?

Turning that around, how would you feel if someone who was polytheistic were to offer to pray with you to any or several of their deities? Would you pray with them, but only with the stipulation that they prayed using the name of Jesus?

By: benjamin ady

benjamin ady — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 20:48:10 +0000

Helen,

I’m afraid I rather loved the “ok, but first let’s sacrifice a goat or a chicken together” response over at IIDB.

Is it possible to be *too* empathetic? Agreeing to pray with someone and then gently probing about what happened or was supposed to happen is pretty freaking intense/cross cultural.

I really resonate with the quotes from Elizabeth Edwards.

By: Helen

Helen — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:33:53 +0000

For research purposes I'm going to ask some people who aren't Christians how they feel about Christians offering to pray with them: "May I pray with you?"

By: Lindsay

Lindsay — Wed, 04 Apr 2007 00:46:02 +0000

I think offering to pray with people is a wonderful idea though my natural inclination is to offer to pray for someone. More often than not, I forget. Offering to pray with rather than for someone might catch them off guard but I believe it demonstrates genuine caring and compassion in meeting them where they are with their need.

By: Helen

Helen — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:56:05 +0000

By the way, Chris has posted about this on his own blog: Take the Risk, Offer to Pray

By: Jim Henderson

Jim Henderson — Mon, 02 Apr 2007 07:27:27 +0000

Our original explainer for OTM was

We help Christians learn how to not be jerks