Learn About Prayer

What’s on this page?

Explore prayer and related themes by choosing from the podcasts, teaching videos, suggested books, and other links. For resources geared more towards children and young people go back one-step and visit the Children and Young People’s pages

We’ve chosen resources from a range of speakers and organisations including Seedbed, Open Doors Youth, Thy Kingdom Come, The Methodist Church, and The Church of England with the hope that we can encounter different voices and perspectives. You can continue to explore more resources through their individual websites.

How do I start?

By clicking on the image or the link a new window will open in YouTube or another website or window. We’ve tried to arrange the sections by theme, so scroll down to find what you’re interested to explore.

Before you start…

Wherever you are, be still for a moment. Then, pause to pray – even if there are distractions and activity going on around you. Ask God to guide what you choose, ask God to help you to focus and to listen for His voice. Be open to how God might speak to you at this time and illuminate your thinking and actions.

When you’ve finished…

Pause for another moment before you move off to something else. Thank God for the time you’ve spent and ask him to continue to stimulate your thinking and actions in response to what you’ve learned so far. Don’t forget to share with others.

¹⁶I do not cease to give thanks for you as I remember you in my prayers. ¹⁷I pray that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation as you come to know him, ¹⁸so that, with the eyes of your heart enlightened, you may know what is the hope to which he has called you, what are the riches of his glorious inheritance among the saints.
(Ephesians 1:16-18)

Basics

(Where possible, the videos have been grouped thematically but are not arranged in any particular order)

Three tips for prayer – Pete Greig (1 minute 33 seconds)
https://youtu.be/ERa57SkNr-4

What is prayer? – Danielle Strickland (4 minute 23 seconds)
https://youtu.be/ERa57SkNr-4

Why Pray? – 24/7 Prayer (2 minute 18 seconds)
https://youtu.be/ERa57SkNr-4

The Power of Confessing Our Sins – Kevin Watson (7 minutes 20 seconds)
https://youtu.be/2plNDULkwRk

What do we mean by Praise? (testimony/thoughts) – Jasmine Yeboah (2 minutes)
https://youtu.be/d4EV-Iax7zE

Saying sorry – Shane Claiborne (3 minutes 40 seconds)
https://youtu.be/d4EV-Iax7zE

Why We Pray – Pete Greig (6 minutes 34 seconds
https://youtu.be/tIqbRn6dC_Y)

The power of prayer – Revd Dr Kate Coleman (1 minutes 44 seconds)
https://youtu.be/tIqbRn6dC_Y

Silence and prayer – Archbishop John Sentamu (3 minutes 01 seconds)
https://youtu.be/tIqbRn6dC_Y

Starting to pray, ‘Help’ (a testimony) – Lizzie Driver (2 minutes 13)
https://youtu.be/Xfawb4PV5dM

What is Praise in our prayer? – Revd Dr Kate Coleman (3 minutes 51 minutes)
https://youtu.be/-D6II_Nq-tQ

Who is Jesus? – Prof NT Wright
https://youtu.be/-D6II_Nq-tQ

Deeper

(Where possible, the videos have been grouped thematically but are not arranged in any particular order)

Unanswered Prayer – Pete Greig (3 minutes 34 seconds)
https://youtu.be/lTyEo83Y0Fg

Praying for hard situations – Pete Greig
https://youtu.be/mBLfWhSmSnc

Silence – Gavin Calver
https://youtu.be/FloN9OHEMuk

The Fatherhood of God in the Old Testament – Svetlana Khobnya (7 minutes 16 seconds)
https://youtu.be/eV5JtoC28qA

What do we mean when we pray Thy Kingdom Come? – Archbishop Justin Welby and Muyiwa (10 minutes 12 seconds) https://youtu.be/FloN9OHEMuk

What is adoration? – Sheran Harper, Teresa Carvalho, Prof NT Wright (2 minutes 4 seconds) https://youtu.be/FloN9OHEMuk

Answered Prayer – Pete Greig (1 minute 33 seconds))
https://youtu.be/CFJv8QITVt4

The Lord’s Prayer as adoptive father – Krish Kandiah
https://youtu.be/JtJMsEVEIfA

Silence – Members of the Community of St Anselm (3 minutes 33 seconds)
https://youtu.be/T1xfAaGuCTI

What the Psalms teach us about prayer – Ben Wayman (6 minutes 50 seconds)
https://youtu.be/T1xfAaGuCTI

Praying to God as Our Father – Caleb Friedeman
https://youtu.be/s6zdj2p0FKU

Praying for the persecuted – Pete Greig (2 minutes 4 seconds)
https://youtu.be/z1E8HTYeyFo

Suggested reading…

(Where possible, resources have been grouped thematically but are not arranged in any particular order)

Notes on spiritual fasting

Eunice Attwood takes a brief look at Jesus’ words about fasting from the Sermon on the Mount (From the Methodist Church in Britain)

CLICK HERE to read

Prayer as Worship Leading to Sanctification

A short reflection on Prayer as Dialogue with God: Worship Leading to Sanctification by Stéphane Tibi (Regional Education Coordinator, Eurasia, Church of the Nazarene)

CLICK HERE to read

Authentic Christian Worship

Rev. Todd A. Stepp. He approaches Christian worship from a Wesleyan point of view (2009). He delves into the four criteria that John Wesley would use to identify “authentic Christian worship”.

CLICK HERE to read

Prayer through Personal Situations

A short reflection on Prayer as Dialogue with God: Through Personal Situations. Written by Stéphane Tibi (Regional Education Coordinator, Eurasia, Church of the Nazarene)

CLICK HERE to read

Prayer and Fasting Guide

Samantha Chambo explores prayer and fasting as a time to petition God to ignite a hunger and passion for holiness in unprecedented ways within us and throughout the Church of the Nazarene in Africa (2016).

CLICK HERE to read

Prayer through Scripture

A short reflection on Prayer as Dialogue with God: Prayer Through Scripture. Written by Stéphane Tibi (Regional Education Coordinator, Eurasia, Church of the Nazarene)

CLICK HERE to read

The following ‘reads’ are excerpts from the video series Nooma. Nooma is a series of short films (10-15 minutes) written by Rob Bell reflecting on individual life experiences and the Christian faith. You can watch official trailers and buy the films individually via the NOOMAtube webpage or unofficial full versions on YouTube.