Ex-Church of Christ Support Board

I always felt that prayers given in the CofC were more in alignment with "wishes" than requests for the active intervention of God in changing circumstances, other people's minds/hearts, etc.

One example (perhaps you all can think of others) is the prayer which in effect requests that so and so "will come to his or her senses" and recognize the importance and value of the five steps, scripture, etc.....What is that?? It's really just a "wish" one makes to God about a potential happening....

But since their view is that the HS is either gone or restricted to impotence and there is no healing today, obviously you won't hear prayers that the Holy Spirit move in the hearts/minds of others, or that God heals....which in the final analysis dilutes God and, resulting really in a non-Sovereign, disabled being with few alternatives to do anything...and I think it goes back to the transfer of the power and authority of God to the NT itself....

The underlying irony being that they will at the same time admit that God is changeless.....

I always laugh (internally) when they pray, "Give Brother so-and-so a ready recollection of what he's about to preach today." They have notes and Powerpoint slides. Are they really going to forget what they were going to preach?

It is not just the c of C that has their own unique language. Other religious groups have their own language & phrases that are routinely recited in public forums. It's part of each groups idenity. If you listen closely you can identify what denomination or religious sect a person belongs too.

Guide, guard & direct was one of my favorites.

In the Lutheran church, it was, "Did you bring the beer?"

Ok, I'm kidding. But they did celebrate Oktoberfest... with the beer.