How important is prayer in the Christian life?

[Bruce.Leiter]

In our action and achievement-oriented cultures, it's my impression that we think prayer is optional instead of essential. How much is that so?

 

[Hopeful 2]

In our action and achievement-oriented cultures, it's my impression that we think prayer is optional instead of essential. How much is that so?

A Christian life without prayer, is a dead faith.

 

[WIP]

In our action and achievement-oriented cultures, it's my impression that we think prayer is optional instead of essential. How much is that so?

If we look to our Lord as an example, it is very important.

 

[JLB]

In our action and achievement-oriented cultures, it's my impression that we think prayer is optional instead of essential. How much is that so?

It’s a priory if you want to walk according to the Spirit.

 

[Free]

In our action and achievement-oriented cultures, it's my impression that we think prayer is optional instead of essential. How much is that so?

Agreed. Most professing Christians live as practical atheists and pray only when troubles arise or to get something they want. But prayer is to the spiritual life as breathing is to the physical.

 

[WIP]

Agreed. Most professing Christians live as practical atheists and pray only when troubles arise or to get something they want. But prayer is to the spiritual life as breathing is to the physical.

Yes, and without ceasing.

Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ESV

 

[Hidden In Him]

In our action and achievement-oriented cultures, it's my impression that we think prayer is optional instead of essential. How much is that so?

I once found myself going through the phone book calling some of our local churches in the area, asking at what time they held prayer services. I was currently without a church and wanting to know if there might be something close by I could go to on a particular night that might work for me.

The answers I got were a little frightening. One told me they had no formal prayer services, but I was welcome to come pray at the church any time I wanted. Another told me something similar, but was even more vague. A third acted like she didn't even know what a prayer service was.

The church where my wife goes certainly has them, so it's not as if the city is without churches that pray, but I found the answers I was getting so troubling that I gave up the search. And while I fully agree that prayer needs to be an integral part of the believer's personal life, it is much easier to engage in it when the entire church is praying, as was recorded in Acts 12.

As for the rest, I agree with nearly every reply.

 

[Niblo]

Most professing Christians live as practical atheists and pray only when troubles arise or to get something they want.

Evidence?

 

[Free]

Evidence?

Talking to, listening to, and watching professing Christians. Reading books from the last few centuries on prayer and the Christian life. What I said is actually paraphrased from someone else, I just can't remember who. The entire Word of Faith movement is one of pursuing material things, ignoring the gospel, and praying to get whatever one wants, all in contradiction to Scripture.

 

[Niblo]

Talking to, listening to, and watching professing Christians. Reading books from the last few centuries on prayer and the Christian life. What I said is actually paraphrased from someone else, I just can't remember who. The entire Word of Faith movement is one of pursuing material things, ignoring the gospel, and praying to get whatever one wants, all in contradiction to Scripture.

Please accept my apology for this delayed reply.

My experience is very different. I was a Christian for over sixty years, and have no reason to believe – as you do – that: ‘Most professing Christians live as practical atheists and pray only when troubles arise or to get something they want.’ (Post 5; my emphasis).

In 2020, the Pew Research Centre estimated the number of Christians worldwide to be around 2.38 billion (approximately 31.2% of the global population). To obtain a representative sample, one would need to interview some 280 million Christians (check this figure, since I’m lousy at math).

I wonder if the author you refer did this – or whether this was carried out by his sources.

As for the Word of Faith movement…couldn’t agree more!

Blessings.

 

[Free]

Please accept my apology for this delayed reply.

No worries at all.

My experience is very different. I was a Christian for over sixty years, and have no reason to believe – as you do – that: ‘Most professing Christians live as practical atheists and pray only when troubles arise or to get something they want.’ (Post 5; my emphasis).

It is a phenomenon that has been noted throughout the centuries. Many claim to be Christian, but are in fact not.

In 2020, the Pew Research Centre estimated the number of Christians worldwide to be around 2.38 billion (approximately 31.2% of the global population). To obtain a representative sample, one would need to interview some 280 million Christians (check this figure, since I’m lousy at math).

I wonder if the author you refer did this – or whether this was carried out by his sources.

How did you arrive, or intend to arrive, at 280 million being a representative sample? Representative samples are often significantly smaller then the populations and there are many ways of going about figuring out an appropriate sample size, usually through calculations or software, and depend on a few factors (HERE, for example). While 10% can be used as a rule of thumb for smaller populations, it gets more complicated with large populations, especially in the billions. Even 1 million would likely be enough or more than enough for a population of 2.38 billion. You can actually get to a point where adding more to the sample will not change anything and it becomes a waste of time and money.

Of course, the actual number of Christians is likely significantly lower than 2.38 billion. I think the best anyone could hope for would be 30% of that, or 714 million. I suspect it is less than that, but all of that is, of course, simply my opinion.

The author I referred to was a very well known pastor in his time--could have been Spurgeon or J.C. Ryle; I can't remember.

As for the Word of Faith movement…couldn’t agree more!

Blessings.

 

[Niblo]

No worries at all.


It is a phenomenon that has been noted throughout the centuries. Many claim to be Christian, but are in fact not.


How did you arrive, or intend to arrive, at 280 million being a representative sample? Representative samples are often significantly smaller then the populations and there are many ways of going about figuring out an appropriate sample size, usually through calculations or software, and depend on a few factors (HERE, for example). While 10% can be used as a rule of thumb for smaller populations, it gets more complicated with large populations, especially in the billions. Even 1 million would likely be enough or more than enough for a population of 2.38 billion. You can actually get to a point where adding more to the sample will not change anything and it becomes a waste of time and money.

Of course, the actual number of Christians is likely significantly lower than 2.38 billion. I think the best anyone could hope for would be 30% of that, or 714 million. I suspect it is less than that, but all of that is, of course, simply my opinion.

The author I referred to was a very well known pastor in his time--could have been Spurgeon or J.C. Ryle; I can't remember.

'Seek, and ye shall find':

John Charles Ryle, DD – Late Lord Bishop of Liverpool – writes:

‘In the third place, there is no duty in religion so neglected as private prayer.

'We live in days of abounding religious profession. There are more places of public worship now than there ever were before. There are more persons attending them than there ever have been since England was a nation. And yet in spite of all this public religion, I believe there is a vast neglect of private prayer.

‘I should not have said so a few years ago. I once thought, in my ignorance, that most people said their prayers, and many people prayed. I have lived to think differently. I have come to the conclusion that the great majority of professing Christians do not pray at all.

‘I believe that thousands never say a word of prayer at all. They eat; they drink; they sleep; they rise; they go forth to their labour; they return to their homes; they breathe God's air; they see God's sun; they walk on God's earth; they enjoy God's mercies; they have dying bodies; they have judgment and eternity before them. But they never speak to God! They live like the beasts that perish; they behave like creatures without souls; they have not a word to say to Him in whose hand are their life, and breath, and all things, and from whose mouth they must one day receive their everlasting sentence. How dreadful this seems! But if the secrets of men were only known, how common!

‘Listen to me and I will show you that I am not speaking as I do without reason. Do you think that my assertions are extravagant and unwarrantable? Give me your attention, and I will soon show you that I am only telling you the truth.

‘Have you forgotten that it is not natural to any one to pray? The carnal mind is enmity against God. The desire of man's heart is to get far away from God, and to have nothing to do with Him. His feeling toward Him is not love but fear. Why then should a man pray when he has no real sense of sin, no real feeling of spiritual wants, — no thorough belief in unseen things, — no desire after holiness and heaven? Of all these things the vast majority of men know and feel nothing. The multitude walk in the broad way. I cannot forget this. Therefore, I say boldly, I believe that few pray.

‘Have you forgotten that it is not fashionable to pray? It is just one of the things that many would be rather ashamed to own. There are hundreds who would sooner storm a breach, or lead a forlorn hope, than confess publicly that they make a habit of prayer.

‘There are thousands who, if obliged by chance to sleep in the same room with a stranger, would lie down in bed without a prayer. To ride well, to shoot well, to dress well, to go to balls, and concerts, and theatres, to be thought clever and agreeable, — all this is fashionable, but not to pray. I cannot forget this. I cannot think a habit is common which so many seem ashamed to own. I believe that few pray.’ (‘Practical Religion; Being Plain Papers on the Daily Duties, Experience, Dangers, and Privileges of Professing Christians’).

I have this book!

Blessings.