Boogity, Boogity, Boogity….Amen.
Yesterday I was listening to a recent episode of The Allen Hunt Show where he asked the question of whether a prayer like the one above is appropriate. Allen is clearly a fan of NASCAR and shares his experiences of leading the prayer before races in Atlanta and Talladega. He is also clearly a fan of the movie Talladega Nights, the source for much of the more humorous parts of Pastor Joe Nelms’ prayer. The deeper question that Allen asks is one that many Christians seem to often miss and that is the question, To whom do we pray? Pastor Nelms’ prayer is certainly funny and it shows that he has an excellent understanding of his audience. It also shows that, at least in this particular occasion, he missed the fact that our prayers are supposed to be addressed to God the Father in heaven. One of the things that makes the Dear Baby Jesus Prayer in the movie so funny is that everyone knows this is not the way we typically pray. I am pretty sure that Pastor Nelms knows this too and that his intent was to show NASCAR fans that Christianity is meant for everyday people who can follow Christ while still having some fun. That being said, I’m not sure if I would follow suit when asked to give a prayer, even at a NASCAR race.
What are your thoughts? How should we pray? Are there things that are off limits when addressing God? If so, what are they?
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