(RE)Understanding Prayer: A Fresh Approach to Conversation With God

by Kyle Lake

What if, after having logged countless hours within the walls of the Church, you woke up one day feeling completely brain-dead about prayer? What’s the purpose? How does it work? Why even do it? A few years ago, Kyle Lake—a pastor—found himself in this very predicament. Tired of the clichés. Annoyed with the vacant banter. And suspecting that a simple word like prayer failed to express the fullness of our interaction with God. So he set out to "reunderstand" prayer. Here, Lake deconstructs the wrong ideas of prayer that handicap our conversations with God, including Prayer as Drama, Prayer as Social Dance, and the All-Too Hip and Relevant Prayer (just to name a few). He seeks answers to a few of faith’s most pressing * How do you hear God? * How do you know God’s voice from your own? * How do you deal with seemingly unanswered prayers? (re)Understanding Prayer is the first step on a journey toward a more authentic, personal, and powerful prayer life. God’s ready. Are you?

Genres: Christianity, Christian

181 pages, Paperback

First published October 11, 2005

Reviews

[John Goebel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Don’t expect a text book on prayer which is the point. Thanks to Isaac P for recommending and changing my view of prayer.

[Mel · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm re-reading "(re)understanding prayer" as part of my study of the 3 acts of justice for Lent.
The first time I read this book, it blew me away. I was part of PD and though we were buddy buddy with David Crowder, we knew virtually nothing about the way that UBC was run on a weekly basis and frankly wouldn't have been able to fathom it had we tried. But now that I'm distanced from PD and am part of my own small, tight knit college community ministry, Kyle Lake doesn't seem so earth shatteringly new, which I'm thankful for.
I still cry a little when I read any of Kyle's books, since he tragically died while I was reading one of them for the first time. But it is a peaceful sorrow, and a good lead in to prayer.

[Jessicasherrell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really made me look at the way I was praying...which I feel like is something I need to examine every once in awhile

[katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

Definitely some good points and quotes, and I found myself agreeing with his thoughts on prayer, but a lot of trailing stories & hard to keep my attention...

[Aaron Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very good book. If you have read "Practicing the Presence of God", then you will recognize a lot of this book, but it is much more fun to read and up to date.