Joe Wright, Pastor of Central Christian Church in Wichita, Kansas, delivered this prayer before the House of Representatives of the Kansas Legislature on January 23, 1996. It garnered nationwide attention when the Democrat leaders in the legislature condemned the prayer. Later, when it was read by Paul Harvey on his radio program, it prompted the largest response in the history of the program as thousands wrote in requesting copies of the prayer.

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and seek your direction and guidance. We know your Word says, Woe to those who call evil good, but thats exactly what weve done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.

We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it moral pluralism.

We have worshiped other gods and called it multi-

culturalism.

We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative

lifestyle.

We have exploited the poor and called it the

lottery.

We have neglected the needy and called it self-

preservation.

We have rewarded laziness and called it

welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it

choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it

justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it

building esteem.

We have abused power and called it

political savvy.

We have coveted our neighbors possessions and called it

ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and

called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and

called it "enlightenment."

Search us, O God, and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of Kansas and who have been ordained by You to govern this great state. Grant them your wisdom to rule, and may their decisions direct us to the center of your will.

I ask this in the name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.