Prayer: The Church’s Great Need (Jesse Hamilton)

Prayer, The Church’s Great Need

Foreword by Steven J. Lawson

Many books have been written on prayer – probably as many as on any aspect of Christian living. So, why should you read this one? Because it will challenge you to higher aspirations in prayer in practical and achievable ways. Some books make prayer far too complex and elevate the practice to nearly unachievable standards that even the most saintly believer could scarcely reach. Others claim that prayer is so simple, one would wonder why any of us find it difficult at all or even need to be taught a thing about it. Just go to God and talk, right? This book falls for neither of these nonsensical approaches. Author Jesse Hamilton writes as a modern-day E. M. Bounds, whose many books on prayer compelled a generation of nineteenth-century Christians around the world to their knees. Any new believer can here learn the basics of how to pray, while even the most aged and mature Christian will find his soul again challenged in these words to seek the face of God with new fervor.

Endorsements:

“This is an excellent and concise call to the people of God to engage in one of our greatest privileges and duties – biblical prayer. Few Christians pray as much or as well as they can or should. Family prayer is often ignored or reduced to a few short sentences. Very few churches still have a weekly prayer meeting. Our prayers tend to concentrate on physical needs more than spiritual needs. They usually omit two necessary ingredients: confession and worship. This little book can help us set the right balance. May the Lord bless all who read it so that they respond from the heart, ‘Let us pray.’”

— Curt Daniel, Pastor, Faith Bible Church, Springfield, IL; Author, The History and Theology of Calvinism and Basic Christian Doctrines

“As a student of prayer, I appreciate the author building on the giants of the past, like E. M. Bounds and A. W. Tozer, among others. This is a serious book about the intense work biblical praying calls for. This book is directed to the body of Christ, the church, as opposed to just individual believers. The questions at the end of each chapter provide helpful reflection and opportunities of meaningful discussion with others in the local church. Hamilton’s writing style is direct and honest. He is easy to read and keeps the reader’s interest. This will be a valuable work for the church. May it lead us to the work of prayer.”
— Larry White, Pastor, Woodland Heights Baptist Church, Conway, AR; President, Arkansas State Baptist Convention

About the Author:

Jesse Hamilton has over twenty years of experience in missions, including seven-plus years on the field in Asia. He holds an MA with distinction in systematic and philosophical theology from the University of Nottingham, where he studied under Simon Oliver, now Van Mildert Professor of Divinity at the University of Durham. He was enrolled in PhD studies in analytic philosophy at the University of Aberdeen, writing his thesis on free will and the problem of evil, before God led him to withdraw and refocus on ministry. He is also the author of Discipleship and the Evangelical Church: A Critical Assessment (Wipf and Stock). He is married to Ana, an award-winning classical pianist, and father to Lizzy, an aspiring neuroscientist and mathematician. In his spare time, he enjoys writing poetry.