Purpose: To describe biblical teaching about prayer, to encourage individuals to invite God’s guidance of their habits and discipline of prayer, and to provide opportunity to try additional methods of prayer.

Foundational Principles: We believe the Bible teaches that mature prayer includes five elements of content—Praise, Repentance, Appreciation, Yieldedness, and Entreaty—to which God Responds. Each element is essential at least through the course of a day, though each element need not be in each prayer. Their emphasis depends upon a person’s needs and spiritual calling. The prayer life of many Christians is lopsided, and thereby weak. For example, people may give thanks well, but neglect praise (which God values even more). Frequent, effective prayer is commanded, but often seen as a chore. It can become a joyful part of life for every believer.

Outcomes: The workshop seeks to engender these outcomes in its active participants: · praying with greater balance, confidence, and enthusiasm · better understanding of biblical principles about prayer  · listening to God more readily · growing desire to serve God more fully · deepening gratitude for God’s mercy and grace · praying with fewer self-centered distortions · praying more frequently

Rationale: Even mature Christians may fall into habits that distort and weaken their praying. Some are misled by bogus teaching about prayer. Other persons have never learned biblical principles about prayer. Some need practical assistance and encouragement to help them get started.

Methods: Prayer is communicating with God, and the heart of such a relational activity is experience, guided by understanding. The workshop mixes instruction by mini-lecture and discussion with prayer in small groups, using methods that help participants put principles into practice. A short inventory taken at the beginning introduces the five elements and aids examination of one’s own practices.

Length: Four hours.

Audience: High school age and older

Follow-up: The books are designed for continuing group or individual study. An instructor guide with exercises and time lines is available. This enables anyone with aptitude for teaching to lead a group in weekly one-hour sessions for eight to ten weeks or longer.

Presenters: Rich and Diana Walters. Throughout the years since 1974 when Dr. Walters became a licensed counseling psychologist, prayer has been an important part of treatment processes.  He has served as Minister of Counseling in an evangelical church and taught in two Christian colleges.  He has spoken and held training widely on issues of Christian living, written 15 books, and is now Dean of Oxford Graduate School.  Mrs. Walters, Activity Director at Manor House Assisted Living, is a doctoral student in gerontology and is doing research that will improve worship experiences for persons who have Alzheimers disease.

Cost: The workshop uses the books (Strong Prayer, Strong Man and Strong Prayer, Strong Woman). A book is given to each person at the workshop and the sponsoring church is responsible to pay for them at $10. per copy, based on the number distributed. Beyond that, a congregation’s custom of remuneration is respected, without need for explanation to us. All funds received are used to support the ministry.

For more information or to schedule a workshop: You are invited to phone or use the email hyperlink.

The books develop biblical principles of prayer, using the acrostic P-R-A-Y-E-R as an easy means of identifying the essential elements that God wants to hear throughout the course of our praying. The books teach those elements and provide tools that help readers learn and improve. The books include:

· 40 methods that help a person get started

· 15 ways to pray during a busy day

· Model prayers that show the way

· Scripture and hymns that aid personal worship

· Space for prayer lists; full year daily checklist

In short, the books put everything needed in a reader’s hands to enable powerful, balanced prayer. The discussion and examples are tailored to the gender, but the books are identical in page-by-page outline. This makes them suitable for use in groups of mixed gender, and ideal for use by couples.

The books are 5 ½ x 8 ½ inches, 103 pages, and wire bound so they lie flat for convenience in writing prayer lists.

This short inventory helps people assess the extent to which their prayers include each of the elements that belong in a balanced prayer life. Printed on a two-part set of carbonless paper, respondents check mark 30 items, then score their responses. It stimulates thoughtful, prayerful attention to one’s habits in prayer. This process is used in the workshop, and has been found frequently to motivate people to learn more about biblical teaching about praying.

We are determined to assess what we do so that ministry can improve. The opinions of participants at recent workshops are summarized below.

1. New Horizons Community Church, 2 hrs., 5/03, Calhoun, TN

2. First Baptist Church, 3 hrs., 9/10-11/03, Bellevue, MI

3. First Baptist Church, 3½ hrs., 10/03, Red Bud, IL

4. Lakes Chapel Community Church, 4 hrs., 11/03, Medford, NJ