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Prayer: The Cry for the Kingdom
Foreword by Eugene H. Peterson / Bringing our needs and desires to God has always stood at the heart of Christian prayer. But why is petitioning God so important? In Prayer: The Cry for the Kingdom noted theologian Stanley Grenz points to petitionary prayer as a crucial way for us to be involved with God's work in history. At the center of such prayer, Grenz argues, is the cry to God that his kingdom might come into the world. / Grenz explores key questions that many Christians ask: What does it mean to pray "according to God's will"? Should we persist in petitioning God for our needs? Does prayer really influence God? In the process of addressing these questions, Grenz offers practical guidance on praying effectively and challenges the contemporary church to recapture what it means to be a church that prays. / Revised and completely rewritten, with the inclusion of additional material, and now featuring an insightful foreword by Eugene Peterson, Grenz's Prayer: The Cry for the Kingdom will help readers from every Christian tradition to foster a richer personal and communal life of prayer.
144 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 31, 1988
12 people are currently reading
40 people want to read
About the author
Stanley J. Grenz
54 books33 followersStanley James Grenz was born in Alpena, Michigan on January 7, 1950. He was the youngest of three children born to Richard and Clara Grenz, a brother to Lyle and Jan. His dad was a Baptist pastor for 30 years before he passed away in 1971. Growing up as a “pastor’s kid” meant that he moved several times in his life, from Michigan, to South Dakota, North Dakota, Montana and Colorado.
After high school Stan began his undergraduate studies in 1968 with the idea that he would become a nuclear physicist. But God had other plans for him, and in 1971, while driving home to Colorado after a visit with his parents in Oklahoma, he received a definite call into full time Christian ministry.
In 1970-1971 Stan traveled in an evangelistic youth team where he met Edna Sturhahn (from Vancouver, BC), who then became his wife in December, 1971. Both Stan and Edna completed their undergraduate degrees at the University of Colorado and Stan went on to receive his M. Div from Denver Seminary in 1976, the same year in which he was ordained into the gospel ministry. During the years of study in Colorado he served as a youth pastor and an assistant pastor. From Denver, Stan and Edna moved to Munich, Germany where Stan completed his Doctor of Theology under the mentorship of Wolfhart Pannenberg. Their son, Joel was born in Munich in 1978.
During a two-year pastorate (1979-1981) in Winnipeg, MB, where daughter Corina was born, Stan also taught courses at the University of Winnipeg and at Winnipeg Theological Seminary (now Providence Seminary). His full time teaching career began at the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD (1981-1990). Those years were followed by a twelve-year (1990-2002) position as Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology and Ethics at Carey Theological College and at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. From 1996 to 1999 he carried an additional appointment as Professor of Theology and Ethics (Affiliate) at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard IL. After a one-year sojourn as Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University and Truett Seminary in Waco, TX (2002-2003), he returned to Carey in August 2003. In fall 2004, he assumed an additional appointment as Professor of Theological Studies at Mars Hill Graduate School, Seattle WA.
Stan has authored or co-authored twenty-five books, served as editor or co-editor for two Festschriften, contributed articles to more than two dozen other volumes, and has seen to print more than a hundred essays and an additional eighty book reviews. He had plans to write many more books. Two more of his books will appear in print within the next year.
In addition to writing and lecturing all around the world, Stan loved preaching. He admitted to “breaking into preaching” in some of his lectures. He served as interim pastor of several congregations and as guest preacher in many churches. He loved the Church, both locally and worldwide.
Stan wholeheartedly supported and encouraged his wife Edna in her pastoral ministry, her studies and in the enlargement of her ministry gifts. At First Baptist Church, he played the guitar and trumpet in the worship team and sang in the choir. He was proud of his children and their spouses, Joel and Jennifer and Corina and Chris, and delighted in his new granddaughter, Anika. Stan was a friend and mentor to many, always encouraging people to strive to new heights.
As a theologian for the Church Stan wrote from the deep, interior vision of the sure hope that we would enter into the community of God in the renewed creation. He articulated the reality of this new community as the compass for Christian theology: 'Now the dwelling of God is with human beings, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' (Rev. 21:3
After high school Stan began his undergraduate studies in 1968 with the idea that he would become a nuclear physicist. But God had other plans for him, and in 1971, while driving home to Colorado after a visit with his parents in Oklahoma, he received a definite call into full time Christian ministry.
In 1970-1971 Stan traveled in an evangelistic youth team where he met Edna Sturhahn (from Vancouver, BC), who then became his wife in December, 1971. Both Stan and Edna completed their undergraduate degrees at the University of Colorado and Stan went on to receive his M. Div from Denver Seminary in 1976, the same year in which he was ordained into the gospel ministry. During the years of study in Colorado he served as a youth pastor and an assistant pastor. From Denver, Stan and Edna moved to Munich, Germany where Stan completed his Doctor of Theology under the mentorship of Wolfhart Pannenberg. Their son, Joel was born in Munich in 1978.
During a two-year pastorate (1979-1981) in Winnipeg, MB, where daughter Corina was born, Stan also taught courses at the University of Winnipeg and at Winnipeg Theological Seminary (now Providence Seminary). His full time teaching career began at the North American Baptist Seminary in Sioux Falls, SD (1981-1990). Those years were followed by a twelve-year (1990-2002) position as Pioneer McDonald Professor of Baptist Heritage, Theology and Ethics at Carey Theological College and at Regent College in Vancouver, BC. From 1996 to 1999 he carried an additional appointment as Professor of Theology and Ethics (Affiliate) at Northern Baptist Theological Seminary, Lombard IL. After a one-year sojourn as Distinguished Professor of Theology at Baylor University and Truett Seminary in Waco, TX (2002-2003), he returned to Carey in August 2003. In fall 2004, he assumed an additional appointment as Professor of Theological Studies at Mars Hill Graduate School, Seattle WA.
Stan has authored or co-authored twenty-five books, served as editor or co-editor for two Festschriften, contributed articles to more than two dozen other volumes, and has seen to print more than a hundred essays and an additional eighty book reviews. He had plans to write many more books. Two more of his books will appear in print within the next year.
In addition to writing and lecturing all around the world, Stan loved preaching. He admitted to “breaking into preaching” in some of his lectures. He served as interim pastor of several congregations and as guest preacher in many churches. He loved the Church, both locally and worldwide.
Stan wholeheartedly supported and encouraged his wife Edna in her pastoral ministry, her studies and in the enlargement of her ministry gifts. At First Baptist Church, he played the guitar and trumpet in the worship team and sang in the choir. He was proud of his children and their spouses, Joel and Jennifer and Corina and Chris, and delighted in his new granddaughter, Anika. Stan was a friend and mentor to many, always encouraging people to strive to new heights.
As a theologian for the Church Stan wrote from the deep, interior vision of the sure hope that we would enter into the community of God in the renewed creation. He articulated the reality of this new community as the compass for Christian theology: 'Now the dwelling of God is with human beings, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.' (Rev. 21:3
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 27, 2023
In this revised 2005 edition Grenz offers one of the more wide ranging and practical books about prayer based on the familiar ACTS form: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication.
The Nature of Christian Prayer
How Petitionary Prayer Works
What Praying According to God's Will Means
How to Pray According to God's Will
Persisting in Prayer
Practicing Effective Prayer
The Life of Prayer
The Nature of Christian Prayer
How Petitionary Prayer Works
What Praying According to God's Will Means
How to Pray According to God's Will
Persisting in Prayer
Practicing Effective Prayer
The Life of Prayer
August 29, 2020
Insightful and helpful short little book on prayer
February 26, 2011
I gained a respect for Grenz after reading some of his later works on theology and postmodernism, and I set off to explore more of what he is about. Prayer is his first book, and I have to say it disappointed me.
The book focused on supplicational prayer. His main premise is that prayer is necessary to release God's willingness to act in the world. I'll admit that prayer for me is a sticky problem. I try to be open to all approaches, but to claim that prayer is necessary to bend God's will to move is a little hard to accept. Grenz also spent a fair amount of time giving instructions on how to pray. He even talked about ACTS. (To be fair, the book was written in 1988, so even though it's annoying to still be hearing about ACTS, I'll give him some freedom here.) Considering that Grenz grew to embrace more of the postmodern mindset, it was funny to read all his rules for correct prayer, down to the necessary grammar to use.
The subtitle expresses another premise of the book: prayer should be used to bring the kingdom. This to me conflicts with one of Grenz's rules. He states that prayer should be specific, so that you know for sure when it has been answered. It is hard to be specific when praying for the world to be fixed and the kingdom of God to come. How are we supposed to know everything that needs to happen? This makes us the people utimately responsible for redeeming the world, and while I don't have any problem doing all I can to try, Christians believe that the end rests on God.
The book itself is a normal evangelical argument for why people pray and what they pray for, but it does not deal seriously with some of the philosophical challenges that accompnay prayer. In practice, the book ignores much of historical Christian thought which makes prayer a much more free-er event and much more personal.
I will still be learning more about Grenz and his books, but I may weigh them more carefully before I commit.
The book focused on supplicational prayer. His main premise is that prayer is necessary to release God's willingness to act in the world. I'll admit that prayer for me is a sticky problem. I try to be open to all approaches, but to claim that prayer is necessary to bend God's will to move is a little hard to accept. Grenz also spent a fair amount of time giving instructions on how to pray. He even talked about ACTS. (To be fair, the book was written in 1988, so even though it's annoying to still be hearing about ACTS, I'll give him some freedom here.) Considering that Grenz grew to embrace more of the postmodern mindset, it was funny to read all his rules for correct prayer, down to the necessary grammar to use.
The subtitle expresses another premise of the book: prayer should be used to bring the kingdom. This to me conflicts with one of Grenz's rules. He states that prayer should be specific, so that you know for sure when it has been answered. It is hard to be specific when praying for the world to be fixed and the kingdom of God to come. How are we supposed to know everything that needs to happen? This makes us the people utimately responsible for redeeming the world, and while I don't have any problem doing all I can to try, Christians believe that the end rests on God.
The book itself is a normal evangelical argument for why people pray and what they pray for, but it does not deal seriously with some of the philosophical challenges that accompnay prayer. In practice, the book ignores much of historical Christian thought which makes prayer a much more free-er event and much more personal.
I will still be learning more about Grenz and his books, but I may weigh them more carefully before I commit.
May 27, 2009
The late Stan Grenz was one of my favorite authors. I found this book very helpful. This was the last book Grenz worked on before he passed away in 2005 (it is a revised edition of an earlier book).
Grenz takes the ACTS acronym (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication) as descriptive of the appropriate movement in Christian prayer, and focuses most of his book on petitionary prayer (supplication). This form of prayer, Grenz argues is most representative form of prayer in the New Testament.
In focusing on petitionary prayer, Grenz argues for specific, biblically informed prayers, which are true cries for the Kingdom of God to be fully embodied in our midst.
The value of this book is in Grenz's clear and pastoral presentation of prayer and his willingness to wrestle honestly with people's difficulties with prayer. He addresses modern difficulties and psychological understanding of prayer, answers what it means to pray in God's will, and gives concrete examples of prayer.
This would be a helpful book to work through in growing in and understanding the petitionary dimension to our prayer life.
Grenz takes the ACTS acronym (Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication) as descriptive of the appropriate movement in Christian prayer, and focuses most of his book on petitionary prayer (supplication). This form of prayer, Grenz argues is most representative form of prayer in the New Testament.
In focusing on petitionary prayer, Grenz argues for specific, biblically informed prayers, which are true cries for the Kingdom of God to be fully embodied in our midst.
The value of this book is in Grenz's clear and pastoral presentation of prayer and his willingness to wrestle honestly with people's difficulties with prayer. He addresses modern difficulties and psychological understanding of prayer, answers what it means to pray in God's will, and gives concrete examples of prayer.
This would be a helpful book to work through in growing in and understanding the petitionary dimension to our prayer life.
January 12, 2011
The book begins looking at the prayer acrostic of A-C-T-S and then focuses chiefly on Supplication. The author’s point is this: “Like Jesus’ own prayer, Christian prayer is ultimately a cry for the kingdom” (23). The rest of the book unpacks what that means for the Christian and for the church. The final chapter includes practical suggestions and encouragements to those praying in public, praying alone, and praying together as Christians. The one weakness of the book: it's a bit philosophical in places, and it doesn't provide convincing answers in attempting to reconcile prayer with God’s sovereignty.
August 24, 2007
If you are wrestling with the purpose and the how of prayer. This is a good book. It incorporates all disciplines of thought in a short book. It is easy to read as well. There are some very practical tips toward the back but little mind-blowing stuff. The theme is central and very important - prayer should be a cry for the kingdom.
October 29, 2014
I absolutely loved this book! One of the most enlightening and yet practical books on prayer that I've ever read. It doesn't hurt that it's less than 150 pages in length as well!
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews