Understanding God In Prayer ("We Believe" Resources)

We Believe: Back To Basics - A series about our common faith. | Week 2 resources.

Learn what it means that we can meet the one unique God, who is Father, Son, & Holy Spirit, in prayer.

“O LORD, hear my prayer, listen to my cry for mercy; in your faithfulness and righteousness come to my relief.” -Psalm 143:1 (NIV)

For a printable [.PDF] version of the Prayer Resources to follow, download below:

Week 2 - Prayer Resources.pdf

Download PDF • 212KB

Click the arrow to expand and see more information on each resource.

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Prayer is something like a heartbeat of the Christian life. Scripture tells believers to “in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6b, NIV).

But, many Christians confess they find it difficult to pray. Or the sorts of prayers they do pray are short, anxious, and leave little time to listen. Perhaps they’re in the car on the way to an appointment or in the shower – life simply feels too busy.

It’s true we’ll never have a perfect time to pray. Distractions are inevitable. And yet, it is possible to make prayer a part of our lives and even to (as Scripture says): “Rejoice always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18, NIV).

There are many different ways to pray. Because we hope to be a praying church, we hope to equip all our members to pray individually, as families, and as a church body.

Whether you have prayed for years, are new to prayer, we wanted to provide you with resources to help you along the way.

Book Recommendations & Descriptions

While no resource is perfect, these are generally helpful and recent books that may aid you in prayer. Some are meditations on prayer. Others are guides to prayer. Some are even written prayers you can pray yourself. These resources come from a diversity of contemporary Christian traditions and denominations. Expand to see the publisher's description. You can find podcasts / interviews, and other resources with the author about the subject in the last section (linked, put at the end because it takes up quite a bit of room). These may give you insights about the book to help you decide if it may be a resource helpful to your prayer life.

Prayer in the Night: For Those Who Work or Watch or Weep by Tish Harrison Warren.

Hearing God Throughout the Year: A 365-Day Devotional by Dallas Willard (edited by Jan Johnson).

Answering God: The Psalms as Tools for Prayer by Eugene Peterson.

The Lord’s Prayer: A Guide to Praying to Our Father by Wesley Hill.

Be Thou My Vision: A Liturgy for Daily Worship by Jonathan Gibson.

The Deeply Formed Life: Five Transformative Values to Root Us in the Way of Jesus by Rich Villodas.

Children’s Book: The Lord’s Prayer: For All God’s Children by Harold L. Senkbeil and Natasha Kennedy.

App Recommendations

Every Moment Holy

Lectio for Families

Aid for Prayer - "Scripture Prayer Weaving"

What is "Scripture Prayer Weaving?"

What Are The Steps?

Give Me An Example

Recommended Scriptural Passages

Aid for Prayer - Praying with Children

When Praying with children it helps to be...

Consistent

Creative

Approachable

Open

Example Prayers and Activities To Use with Children

Use these prayers as templates and patterns to pray with children.

1. Sing songs, like "The Doxology"

2. Create a Prayer Journal

3. Help children follow printed prayers found in books

4. Combine #2 (Prayer Journals) and #3 (Printed Prayers)

5. Memorize Common Prayers

6. Fill in the Blank Prayer

7. Pray while reading through a family Bible or Devotional app

8. Pray in Movement

9. Seek out reminders to Pray

10. Five Finger Prayer

Podcasts and Other Resources with the Authors

Podcasts and other resources with the authors in our first section.

Tish Harrison Warren — Prayer in the Night on the Renovare Podcast

Dallas Willard — Hearing God Throughout the Year (Bible App Reading Plan)

Eugene Peterson — "On Being" Interview, Section: On Praying the Psalms

Wesley Hill — The Lord's Prayer on Mere Fidelity podcast

Jonathan Gibson — Be Thou My Vision book preview on Crossway (publisher) podcast.

Rich Villodas — The Deeply Formed Life on Public Worship & Public Life Podcast (Calvin Institute of Christian Worship)

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We pray these resources will lead you into prayer and deeper knowledge and love of God.

Pax Christi*

*The Peace of Christ

- Pastors Kendall and Jonathan