Joel Hunter's Ecumenical Convention Closing Benediction

This is one liberal Democrat and devoted church goer that is very pleased with the way the 2008 Democratic National Convention was celebrated this year! Just the use of the phrase "God bless you and the United States of America," was pleasing.

It is my hope that we all use and live those words as a permanent part of our lives. That is to say we should act in a way that is a blessing to ourselves, our God, and our neighbor.

I enjoyed listening to Rev. Joel Hunter's benediction as well. It has been years since I was chair of my church interreligious and ecumenical concerns committee, but Rev. Hunter's prayer was a good summary of an ecumenical service. For a moment he was a cross between the pastor at the Thomas Jefferson Unitarian Church and the dean of the Washington National Cathedral at the annual ecumenical service.

I can understand now, why his church has grown to have so many sites in Florida and around the world. It is a cross between the great commission and the greatest commandment. May God bless him and his work!

If you attend Joel's church it is a totally Jesus sermon. He is our pastor and speaks the truth well. However, when he was asked to pray at the DNC it was his responsibility to render unto our government what was required of him, not to act as the Dem's fold keeper. Freedom of religion is part of who we are as Americans. I am a Jesus Freak and would love to change my country and the world with just words but that is not exactly how it works. God changes hearts and how people end prayers 'not people". Not even Joel. Giving people the right to do what they want to do is called "free will". America did not 'coin land of the free'. We were free to make choices upon creation.
God gives us freedom of choice in everything. Who we choose as our god is a personal choice? For some people it is the mighty dollar, for some fame, for some drugs and alcohol. Sometimes God allows us to choose our god so we can find out just what a loser every god is except for Him. Joel's job was to lead a large group of people with different beliefs in a politic setting in prayer. And he did just that. However, I believe that the only prayers heard were those of the people that prayed in Jesus' name.
Why?
Because Jesus came here and left this statement behind... that no one comes to the Father except through him.
However, the choice is an individuals and not something that should be shoved down someone's throat.
Thought: You first teach a child to walk and then to walk correctly and then to walk the right way (as in a moral and upright life). However when he grows up and goes into the world the decision is his.
If you can teach someone to pray and to praise God you can then explain
how to get those prayers to the God of the universe, and that it is only through His Son Jesus Christ. Although this is not the "common" way people witness to people I would have to say that Joel began step-one at DNC. Let's wait and see who God sends in for step two and three. Our nation is famous for false gods these days. It will take pastors like Joel Hunter to lead us out of the lies and into truth. Boring, narrow minded people never attract people who think different than them. Christians should be interesting, intelligent risk takers, that light up the room and fire up peoples thoughts.
Blessings from God in Jesus' name Amen.