How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People

by Pete Greig

Everyone prays.
But no one finds it easy.
We all need a little help. Pete Greig has been teaching on prayer - and leading a non-stop prayer movement - for twenty years. Now, for the first time, he puts his life's work into a response to the question everybody ultimately asks: how do I pray? This down-to-earth introduction to life's greatest adventure will guide you deeper in your relationship with God, helping you to become more centred and still, clearer in discerning God's voice, more able to make sense of your disappointments and more expectant for miraculous breakthroughs too. It's full of honest, hard-won wisdom interspersed with real-life stories - some humorous, others moving - to equip and inspire your prayer life. Journeying through the Lord's Prayer, and accompanied by online videos from The Prayer Course, which has been used by more than a million people, it unpacks nine essential aspects of prayer: stillness, adoration, petition, intercession, perseverance, contemplation, listening, confession and spiritual authority. From one of today's most visionary communicators, for those who've been praying for years as well as those who want to pray but don't know where to begin, How to Pray is the simple, life-changing guide you've been waiting for.

Genres: Christian, Prayer, Nonfiction, Faith, Christianity, Religion, Theology

240 pages, Paperback

First published April 4, 2019

About the author

Pete Greig is the bewildered founder of the 24-7 Prayer movement which has spread into more than half the nations on earth.

He is also the Senior Pastor of Emmaus Rd, Guildford, Ambassador for the NGO Tearfund, and an Associate Tutor at St Mellitus Theological College, London.

His latest book, ‘How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People’ is a companion volume to The Prayer Course (www.prayercourse.org), which has been downloaded more than a million times. His previous title, ‘Dirty Glory’, was UK Christian Book of the year in 2017.

He preaches and teaches around the world and co-hosts two British festivals: Wildfires and the Big Church Day Out which attracts 30,000 people each year.

Pete’s passions include T.S. Eliot, Portsmouth F.C. and ‘Little Mo’, a 1964 Morris Minor convertible which he has lovingly restored by hand.

Reviews

[Scott Burns · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful. Just wonderful.

I love the simplicity of this book; the stories; and the resources.

The simplicity:
Pete encourages us to embrace the acronym P.R.A.Y
Pause
Rejoice
Ask
Yield
The book is in one sense, this simple. It’s an easy formula to follow.

The book expounds on this concept by walking through the Lord’s Prayer phrase by phrase, and linking it to nine kinds of prayer:
1. Centering
2. Adoration
3. Petition
4. Intercession
5. Unanswered
6. Contemplation
7. Listening
8. Confession
9. Spiritual Warfare

The Stories:
Each chapter is threaded with poignant stories, metaphors, and personal examples. Pete Grieg is a master at weaving these things together. The content leaves you hungering to pray.

The Resources:
One of the aspects of the book I love it’s the additional resources. Most chapters correspond with a video from The Prayer Course (PrayerCourse.org), and throughout the book are references to the Tool Shed, a list of short articles found on that website, that give practical insight into a number of aspects of prayer, from lectio divina, to tongues, to parenting as prayer, to Warfare Prayer. I appreciate the thoroughness of this approach without making the book too long and complicated. One or two great books are recommended at the end of each chapter for further exploration.

I really appreciate what Pete Grieg has put together. I admire the humility, candor, and humor with which he writes. And I appreciate his balanced encouragements and exhortations to the various theological “camps”. He’s declaring the necessity of Scripture in one sentence, rebuking an overly academic approach to the Bible in the next; exhorting is to move beyond “passive openness” to God speaking today, but rebuking those who obsess over miraculous manifestations without appropriate Biblical grounding or to the exclusion of valuing God’s guidance through (eg) common sense.

To the open heart, this book will leave you desiring to live a more prayerful life.

[morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

one of the best books on prayer.

[Eileen · Rating 5 out of 5]

In 1978, the Lord Jesus became real to me which lead me on a pursuit to know Him more. In this journey, I have read more than 50 books just on prayer. They were all very meaningful at each segment of my walk with Christ. But this specific book, lays down the large variety of ways that we can have a deeper walk with Christ, along with personal stories of God’s movement in response to those prayers. Relating those stories brings validity to the reality of connecting with God or rather God connecting with us. It is encouraging to people of faith to feel connected with the many answers to prayer. There is even a chapter on unanswered prayer and how to deal with disappointment. Whether you are a new Christian or seasoned Christian, you can expect there is definitely something for you in it to bring more centrality to experiencing God in your life.
This book includes using https://prayercourse.org along with these various chapters. I especially like the ”toolshed” on this site. Extremely helpful and understandable!!

[Katherine Wathen · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Keep it simple, keep it real, and keep it up." Best piece of advice on prayer I've ever received.

Pete Greig walks readers through PRAY (praise, rejoice, ask, yield) and how it relates to how Jesus tells His disciples to prayer in the Lord's Prayer. This book is straight forward and FILLED with stories that will grow your desire to pray boldly and develop true intimacy with God. Would recommend to anyone wanting to develop a conversational prayer life!

[Morgan McGehee · Rating 5 out of 5]

The most impactful Christian book I’ve ever read. As dramatic as it sounds, I would even call it life changing.

This is more than a book about prayer. It’s about wrestling with doubt, finding meaning/hope in suffering, and seeking your own rhythm of relationship with God.

It wasn’t riddled with cliches of Christian culture that I often find exhausting. It wasn’t overly academic. It didn’t try to sound like a commentary.

It was personal, relatable, simple, realistic, and honest.

I’ve already been changed by Pete Greig’s words and have found the implementation of his advice rewarding!

[Emily Stranks · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was a phenomenal read!! highly recommend!

[Lou Allen · Rating 5 out of 5]

How to Pray by Pete Greig — 9/10

Pete Greig is the founder of the 24-7 Prayer movement. This book is the companion to The Prayer Course.

This guide to prayer goes through the Lord’s Prayer and outlines different types of prayer for Christians to take part in. The nine topics it covers are stillness, adoration, petition, intercession, perseverance, contemplation, listening, confession, and spiritual authority.

I found it very useful as a diagnostic tool to help me figure out why I always feel I’m struggling with prayer. I was able to pinpoint the types of prayer where I need to improve and learn more about. And there were some areas where I was actually doing okay.

So, intellectually, it was a helpful exercise, plus the illustrations that he used also touched my heart and emotions.

He quotes from several people, giving a range of opinions about prayer. I assume he wouldn’t recommend or endorse some of their other beliefs or practices but was using them to illustrate the different views there are about prayer.

[Jan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, deep, well organized, infused with scripture, quotes and stories. Much is made of contemplation and seeking the heart of God.

Read it alongside the prayer course videos for an even richer understanding.

Using the Lord's prayer Pete uses acronyms/ alliteration for remembering. He encourages setting aside moments to reflect and examen.

Pause
Rejoice
Ask
Yield


Replay
Rejoice
Repent
Reboot

Small vignettes of Susanna Wesley, Brother Lawrence, Corrie ten Boom, Blaise Pascal, Amy Carmichel and Bishop Desmond Tutu among others are filled with beautiful words and actions and postures to love by.

[valerie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I highly recommend this book! It’s incredibly wise and practical. I learned a lot of insights and strategies to implement in my prayer life!

[Kelly Corley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I came to the end of this book and felt sad that it was ending. Pete’s descriptions are poetic and quite captivating.

[Bayley Levine · Rating 5 out of 5]

a very helpful instruction manual for new believers as well as ones that have been praying their whole lives. greig breaks prayer down into an acronym based entirely on the Lord’s prayer. examples of Jesus’ own life and prayers helped me grasp how exactly these principles are helpful and honoring to God.
5/5 stars, really has me adjusting my prayer life!

[Robin Hatcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Audiobook (read by the author)
It amazes me that a book can be utterly accessible and easy to understand and yet so deep and profound at the same time. Whether you are a new Christian only beginning your prayer-life or a seasoned believer who has spent many hours on your knees communing with the Father, I believe you will find something personal and powerful in this book. “Every single time we say ‘Amen,’ we pull the Kingdom a little closer.”

Robin’s Ratings
5🌟 = Out of this world. Amazing. Unforgettable. A personal favorite.
4🌟 = Loved/really enjoyed it. Will recommend to others.
3🌟 = Liked it. Glad I read it. Engaging/entertaining/interesting.
2🌟 = The book was okay, but I’ve enjoyed other books so much more.
1🌟 = For whatever reason, I didn’t like it and can’t recommend it.

[Ella Moody · Rating 4 out of 5]

A genuinely simple guide on prayer, but definitely worth the read.


"Prayer is more than a lighted candle, it is the contagion of health. It is the pulse of Life."

"When you pray about the small things in life, you get to live with greater gratitude."

"It's as you spend time focusing on his greatness, remembering his kindness, and rejoicing in his faithfulness that your faith quotient will rise. It's by celebrating the small things that God has already done that you'll find faith for the things he hasn't done yet."

[Barry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Practical, useful, and most importantly, doable.

I’m surely in no position to make a ranking of the best books about prayer, but I can say this is probably the most useful one I have read. A book that actually inspires action, rather than making prayer seem so arduous and complicated that it would be best left to saints and mystics.

Highly recommended!

[Chris Tuttle · Rating 5 out of 5]

After some tough seasons of prayer post vocational ministry, this book was a welcomed, non-judgmental, and enjoyable breath of fresh air. And thankfully the title really is descriptive of the book! Worth the read.

[Madelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the best book I have ever read about prayer. When the title said a simple guide for normal people I knew it was for me. Almost every page has been underlined as Pete Greig talks about pausing, rejoicing, asking and yielding as we pray to and with God. He gives us suggestions for dealing with disappointments, unanswered prayer, how to be still before God, how to deal with spiritual warfare and so much more. All of what he teaches is shared in a way that is easy to understand and to apply. I need to start again from page 1.

[Jeff Winkelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

So simple and well articulated, while displaying depth and complexity. I'll come back to this one over and over for myself and for helping others learn to pray and grow in prayer.

[Hattie Chancy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was the perfect simple reminder that prayer can take on many forms and makes you think about the way that God communicates and how you tune into His voice. Great one to read alongside other books!

[Maggie Griffin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical, useful, thoughtful. I enjoyed that he shares “heroes of prayer” at the end of every chapter. He does a great job tying in the ways people of the early church experienced God through prayer & what that looks like for us now. Would definitely recommend to any follower of Jesus, regardless of how long you’ve known Him.

[Matthew Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was very challenging and helpful! I would recommend it to anyone seeking info on prayer so long as they’re willing to disagree with some of the things they read. I really found it enjoyable and will be using much of what I learned!

[Luke Gossett · Rating 4 out of 5]

The apostles asked Jesus, "Lord, teach us to pray." I enjoyed this book as it walks through the Lord's prayer. Prayer has long been difficult for me and remains that way. This book is practical and encouraging. Lord, teach me to pray and to believe that You work in and through my prayers.

[Sarah Krupp · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, direct, tangible, applicable, and enjoyable to read. Felt my prayer and quiet life actively changing! Please read!!!!

[Grant Klinefelter · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fantastic “how to” on prayer looking at different forms of prayer as modeled by Christ and his followers down through history. Well-written and with beautiful stories. Pete Greig is the real deal.

[Kelsey Woodruff · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pete 🫶🏼🫶🏼 always so good.

[Brooklyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simple, yet theologically profound. I’ll definitely be recommending this one often in my ministry! Super practical and engaging in a way that feels honest and encouraging.

[Dustin Turner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this book with the Renovaré book club. And I’m glad I did. How To Pray was simple, profound, and refreshing. Regardless of where you are at in your prayer life there is something for you. It’s basic enough to help a new believer grow in prayer and at the same time helps older believers develop new prayer tools. Above all, it’s full of faith—a refreshing reminder of why we pray.

[Lauren Golmon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nice and simple as the title boasts. Lovely spotlights on a wide range of prayer warriors. Enjoyed the exploration of a few topics that weren’t so mainstream in my largely Baptist upbringing.

[Nora Granström · Rating 5 out of 5]

Den här boken hit deep!! Har aldrig förr varit så ivrig att läsa om en bok. Det finns så mycket bra i den att det är omöjligt att få med sig allt på bara en genomläsning.

[Brenley · Rating 5 out of 5]

5/5 ⭐️’s

Such a powerful book on prayer full of anecdotes and practical tips for a deeper prayer life. An encouraging and honest read!

[Adam Shields · Rating 4 out of 5]

Summary: Good intro to prayer using the acronym PRAY: Pause, Rejoice, Ask, Yield.

Pete Greig is the founder of the 24/7 prayer movement. As a movement that has been around for over 20 years and replicated all around the world. In an interview with the Renovaré Book Club, Greig said that he finally feels capable of writing this type of book after writing several previous books on disappointment with God, unanswered prayer, and facing his wife's cancer.

I have had both positive and negative interactions with forms of the 24/7 prayer movement. Aspects take God's power seriously, and devotion and parts seem to focus on thinking about prayer in ways that seem more akin to magic. There also elements of the 24/17 movement that dabble in Dominanist theology and are more like Christian Nationalists than I am comfortable with.

That being said, I did not see the negative aspects of 24/7 prayer in this book, although I would not have phrased some parts of prayer as he did. I am a real believer in the importance and power of prayer, even if I am reluctant around many abuses of prayer. The point of prayer for me is a relationship with God. To focus on power of prayer places the result of a relationship before the relationship. It is not the same, but it feels related to sex outside of marriage. Sex is designed for marriage as a bonding agent and procreation. But sex outside of marriage changes the purpose and instrumentalizes sex to distort the relationship over the long term.

In a not dissimilar way, focus on prayer and the use of prayer outside of the relationship with God orients prayer toward what we can get from God. Many talk about the lack of miracles as primarily about a lack of faith or a result of secularism and disbelief of the possibility of miracles. While I don't want to dismiss that concern, I think the more significant problem may be a culture of viewing relationships more through the lens of utility and instrumentality than through the idea of the good of the relationship in and of itself.

All of that to say, the primary purpose presented here is prayer as relationship building. The rest of prayer is an outgrowth of that. Pete Greig tells good stories and creates a sense of possibility with prayer. And for me, the biggest test of the quality of a book about prayer is whether it encourages me actually to pray. This book did.

As part of prayer exploration, he covers nine types of prayer: Centering, Adoration, Petition, Intercession, Listening, Confession, and Spiritual Warfare. I am for exploring prayer and thinking about it well, but prayer will always be more about learning by doing more than learning through theory and academics. How to Pray is practically focused and helpful in ways that I think that prayer books should be. It is easy to read about prayer and not pray. Still, there are many useful suggestions here and many online tools referenced if you want to go into more depth on particular interest topics.