[T]he greatest challenge facing the church of Jesus Christ today, and therefore every local congregation, is motivating the people of God to engage in sincere, honest, fervent prayer. . . . we must not only pray. We must also reflect on the nature and the working of prayer. As we do so, we discover that ultimately all prayer is a cry for the kingdom. When we come to comprehend this basic truth regarding prayer, we are better equipped to become effective pray-ers for the sake of the kingdom of God.
— Stanley J. Grenz. Prayer: The Cry For The Kingdom. Revised Edition. Grand Rapids, MI: Eerdmans: 2005, 1, 7. Agree/disagree? How does this apply to your walk with God personally and corporately (as part of a campus fellowship, a local congregation, the kingdom of God)? Note: first post in a quote series based on readings for Theology & The Practice of Prayer — 2012 summer class taught by Laurie Mellinger, PhD, at Evangelical Seminary (Myerstown, PA). Personally, I am very much interested in your responses as they’ll not only provide helpful material for my contribution to classroom discussion as a student, but also as a Culture Maker with the Emerging Scholars Network and the Penn State Hershey Christian Medical Society (CMS)/CMDA.About the author:
Tom enjoys daily conversations regarding living out the Biblical Story with his wife Theresa and their four girls, around the block, at Elizabethtown Brethren in Christ Church (where he teaches adult electives and co-leads a small group), among healthcare professionals as the Northeast Regional Director for the Christian Medical & Dental Associations (CMDA), and in higher ed as a volunteer with the Emerging Scholars Network (ESN). For a number of years, the Christian Medical Society / CMDA at Penn State College of Medicine was the hub of his ministry with CMDA. Note: Tom served with InterVarsity Christian Fellowship / USA for 20+ years, including 6+ years as the Associate Director of ESN. He has written for the ESN blog from its launch in August 2008. He has studied Biology (B.S.), Higher Education (M.A.), Spiritual Direction (Certificate), Spiritual Formation (M.A.R.), Ministry to Emerging Generations (D.Min.). To God be the glory!