Prayer/Angelology

by W.A. Criswell

144 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1987

About the author

W. A. Criswell was born December 19, 1909 in Eldorado, Oklahoma. He received his B.A. from Baylor University, and his Th.M. and Ph.D. degrees from Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He served as pastor of First Baptist Church Chickasha, Oklahoma and First Baptist Church Muskogee, Oklahoma prior to being called as pastor of First Baptist Church Dallas in October of 1944. He served for fifty years as senior pastor of First Baptist Church, for many years the largest church in the Southern Baptist Convention, preaching more than five thousand sermons from its pulpit. He became the historic church's first Pastor Emeritus in 1995.

Dr. Criswell published fifty-four books and was awarded eight honorary doctorates. The Criswell College, First Baptist Academy, and KCBI Radio were started under his leadership. He served on the board of trustees of Baylor University, Baylor Health Care System, Dallas Baptist University, and The Baptist Standard. He also served as a member of the Annuity Board and as Chairman of the Trustees of the Baptist Sunday School Board (now LifeWay Christian Resources). The Baptist Banner characterized his contribution to the Southern Baptist Convention as "historic":

He is known as the patriarch of the "conservative resurgence," returning the SBC to its Bible-believing roots. Twice elected president of the SBC, in 1968 and 1969, during the 20 years that followed he was perhaps the most popular preacher at evangelism and pastors' conferences in America, while also preaching extensively to mission fields worldwide.

As founder and chancellor of the Criswell College, Dr. Criswell gave his later years to preparing young preachers to preach the Word of God. He emphasized that a sermon should take God's truth and "make it flame, make it live!" "The word we preach from our pulpits," he declared, "ought to be like the Word of God itself--like a fire and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces (Jer 23:29)."

W. A. Criswell went to be with the Lord January 10, 2002. His ministry continues through the messages he preached and the lives he touched during his seventy-five years of pastoral service.

Reviews

[Patrick Berthalon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Great Doctrines of the Bible, Volume 7: Prayer/Angelology (W.A. Criswell, 1987) is a pastoral and devotional exploration of two themes often overlooked in systematic theology: the practice of prayer and the biblical doctrine of angels. From a Pentecostal perspective, it is a valuable resource that affirms the reality of spiritual beings and the centrality of prayer, though Pentecostals would expand the discussion by emphasizing the Spirit’s role in empowering prayer and the ongoing reality of spiritual warfare.

Prayer
Nature of prayer: Communion with God, rooted in Scripture.
Power of prayer: God responds to the prayers of His people.
Discipline of prayer: Encouragement to daily, consistent prayer life.
Biblical examples: Draws from Old and New Testament figures of prayer.

Angelology
Angels as messengers: Servants of God who carry out His will.
Guardian angels: Criswell affirms their biblical presence and protective role.
Angels in worship: Their role in glorifying God and ministering to believers.
Satan and fallen angels: Acknowledges the reality of demonic opposition.

- Strengths:
Prayer as central: Pentecostals resonate with Criswell’s insistence that prayer is vital for Christian life and ministry.
Angels as real spiritual beings: Pentecostals affirm the reality of angels and demons, often connecting this with lived experiences of deliverance and spiritual warfare.
Biblical grounding: Heavy reliance on Scripture, which Pentecostals share.
- Points Pentecostals Would Expand:
Spirit-empowered prayer: Pentecostals emphasize praying in the Spirit (Eph. 6:18; Jude 20), including glossolalia as a dimension of Spirit-led intercession.
Spiritual warfare: While Criswell acknowledges fallen angels, Pentecostals would stress the believer’s authority in Christ and the Spirit’s power in resisting demonic forces.
Charismatic experiences: Pentecostals often testify to angelic encounters, prophetic visions, and Spirit-led discernment, which go beyond Criswell’s more cautious Baptist framing.
Corporate prayer: Pentecostals highlight revival prayer meetings, prayer chains, and intercessory gatherings as Spirit-driven engines of mission.

Prayer/Angelology is a *elpful and biblically faithful resource that affirms the reality of prayer and angels. It provides a solid Baptist foundation, but Pentecostals would enrich it with their distinctive emphases on Spirit-baptism, praying in tongues, spiritual warfare, and experiential encounters with the supernatural. It calls believers to prayer and acknowledges the unseen spiritual realm, while Pentecostals would add the Spirit’s empowering presence and the ongoing reality of charismatic experiences.