Introduction
Dave Earley claims, “[T]o lead effectively by influencing others for God,
Christian leaders must pray. If leaders want to lead well, they must pray
well.”[1]
In one way or another, nearly everyone is a leader, whether in their
profession, at home, or a place where they volunteer. It is nearly impossible
to find someone who does not lead in some capacity, so if prayer is indeed the
secret of effective and persuasive leadership, then Earley’s book cannot be
ignored. The following review of Earley’s book Prayer: The Timeless Secret
of High-Impact Leaders, is an attempt to summarize and critique the book,
with a particular focus on whether or not Earley wins the case for his thesis:
“’Prayer influences men by influencing God to influence them.’”[2]
Additionally, insight is offered into possible personal applications of
Earley’s book.
Summary
Earley
begins his book with an invocation, hoping to draw in readers with his stirring
questions, whetting their appetite for what is to come and the benefit it could
be to them. He then reveals what began his journey toward writing this book,
the chance to hear J. Oswald Sanders speak. What stuck with Earley was what
Sanders had to say concerning prayer and leadership. Earley writes, “Then
[Sanders] reached a crescendo with his main point: ‘Prayer influences men by
influencing God to influence them.’”[3] As
previously mentioned, this is Earley’s thesis, or as he calls it “the essence
of this book.”[4]
His purpose in writing this book is not simply to relate his research on prayer
to his audience, but to persuade them that he is correct and, in doing so,
“motivate Christian leaders to pray more fervently, more frequently, more
effectively, and more contagiously than ever before.”[5] In
his following nine chapters, he lays out “nine prayer disciplines seen in the
lives of those who have most effectively led others for God.”[6]
These chapters are followed by a tenth chapter that encourages marrying these
prayer disciplines.
The
first chapter of Prayer focuses on the principle that the power of
prayer must be valued, and prayer itself must be valued. It must take priority
and not be taken for granted. If a person does not understand its value and
power, that person will put it on the back burner, or think that he can do more
without prayer than with prayer, which is the opposite of what Earley has found
to be true. Earley reveals some alarming figures concerning prayer, with
surveys showing that on average, pastors pray between seven and fifteen minutes
a day.[7]
This figure is in stark contrast to Martin Luther’s prayer rituals. Luther
prayed fervently, and even saw that his prayer time should be increased the
busier he got. Earley notes, “Luther mentioned that he generally spent two
hours a day in prayer, but the coming week was extra busy. Therefore, he said, ‘Work,
work from early till late. In fact I have so much to do that I shall spend the
first three hours in prayer.’”[8] In
addition to the time saving factor of prayer, Earley says prayer is amazing
because “it is unlimited by day and time, location, or distance,” [9] he
continues in this vein, writing about how a person cannot be everywhere he
needs to be, “but God can.”[10]
After
working to show how powerful prayer is, Earley shows further reason why prayer must
be prioritized in Chapter 2. He begins with Jesus, pointing out that Jesus did
not neglect His prayer life, indeed, “[p]rayer was the first of Jesus’ daily
activities and appointments, the number one item on his calendar each day. If
nothing else would get done that day, prayer would get done.”[11]
He then continues to relay to his audience a number of spiritual leaders who
also started their day with prayer. Some of these leaders include: Martin
Luther, John Wesley, and Hudson Taylor. These men followed Jesus’ example of
morning prayer, and their lives still have great impact today. Morning prayer
is not the focus of this chapter, however, the focus is on that of prioritizing
prayer. With this in mind, Earley argues for the importance of establishing a
daily prayer time, whatever that time may be, that is set aside for the sole
purpose of time spent with God.[12]
Again, this is not enough, Earley suggests prayer throughout the day, and for
his audience to consider how long they ought to pray and where they should
pray. There is a great deal that he lays on his audience in this chapter, and
it is almost entirely immediately applicable to their daily lives. Encouragingly,
he ends the chapter with a checklist entitled, “How to Make Time to Pray.”[13]
Chapter 3 focuses on the need for leaders to pray for those
they serve. This may seem like an obvious aspect of prayer for a leader, but
Earley does well to point out that this prayer is done out of “genuine love.”[14]
This genuine love is shown when a person puts others before himself, such as is
seen with Moses, who was willing to give up his life (Ex 32:31) and Jesus who
did surrender His life in the ultimate sacrifice (Jn 19:28–30). Earley then visits
narratives, both from the Bible and from modern-day, which appeal to the
difference intercession can make. Earley again closes with lists that may help
his readers apply this principle to their lives, this time offering breakdowns
of suggestions depending on the subject for the intercessory prayer.[15] After the focus on praying for others, in
Chapter 4 Earley moves to the importance of his audience having others pray for
them.
In Chapter 5, Earley stresses that God will bear burdens if
only these burdens are taken to Him in prayer. Thus, rather than trying to do
things alone, Earley tells his audience to turn their problems into prayer. He
writes, “Effective spiritual leaders turn their problems into prayer. They also
turn their pressures into prayer.”[16]
Earley also draws attention to Luther again, he writes that “Luther summarized
the key to overcoming anxiety in five powerful words — ‘Pray and let God worry.’”[17]
Earley then turns to fasting in Chapter 6. He writes about
the use of fasting in the Bible, as well as the early church. For the most
part, Earley’s focus is on fasting food, as that is the most common type of
fast, yet he also shows it can refer to a “self-denial”[18] of
other sorts, thus there is no requirement that it be abstaining from the
consumption of food. In addition to biblical and early church examples of
fasting, Earley shares stories of modern leaders, such as a successful fast
that Jerry Falwell experienced, as well as a personal experience he had with
his own “first serious fast.”[19]
Chapter 7 is about boldly coming to God in prayer and
claiming biblical promises. He does offer cautions or conditions to claiming
these promises, which first and foremost require careful study of Scripture.[20]
Moving to Chapter 8, Earley discusses the Lord’s Prayer as a model for prayer,
drawing attention to the “elements” rather than the specific words.[21]
He follows this discussion with an acronym that is frequently used as a model
in how to pray, A.C.T.S. (adoration, confession, thanksgiving, supplication),
though he says he generally reorders it to T.A.C.S.[22]
As readers near the end of the book, Earley takes Chapter 9
to review what he considers the “best practices of some of the best leaders and
prayer warriors.”[23]
In these best practices, Earley discusses praying without ceasing,[24]
prayer retreats,[25]
and prayers he refers to as “arrow prayers.”[26]
Of these he writes, “Arrow prayers are short, direct sentences directed like
arrows toward the heart of God.”[27] Earley
then closes out his book by giving his readers practical applications for
marrying these lessons he has learned from studying influential spiritual
leaders. The tenth chapter of the book reads more like a study guide than a
chapter, with the inclusion of a “Prayer Life Inventory”[28]
and other items that require a response from readers.
Critique
Throughout his book, Earley has many successes, but he also
falls short in areas. Earley successfully argues that prayer has had a major
role in the success of many spiritual giants. He has recounted numerous stories
for his audience that leaves them with the distinct insight that if prayer does
not have the power to influence God to influence men,[29]
then these spiritual leaders’ lives and their use of prayer are the greatest
set of coincidences known to man. For certainly there cannot be this much
coincidence. So, for any Christians reading his book who have doubted prayer,
doubt they shall no more.
Another success of his book is Earley’s use of quotations.
This is particularly successful because he quotes from a wide variety of
leaders, so it is exceedingly likely that every reader of this book (with at
least sparing knowledge of great spiritual leaders) will find someone to
connect with, thus making the readers more emotionally attached to the
material. For this writer, Luther stood out. Growing up Lutheran has stirred
great admiration for the Father of the Reformation, so when Earley quotes
Luther, his words stick to this author’s heart.
The greatest weakness of this book lies in not cautioning
readers enough when it comes to boldly claiming biblical promises. Although
Earley includes a list from Wesley Duewel to help “claim the promises given to
others in the Scriptures,”[30]
it does not balance with the intensity given to boldly claiming. In
particular, Earley’s discussion of Charles Spurgeon’s book God’s Checkbook:
Daily Drawing on God’s Treasury, helps to sway the pendulum toward bold,
arrogant claims and away from reverence for God’s will and proper biblical
interpretation. Of particular note is the following passage:
In his book,
Spurgeon implores us to accept the [biblical] promise personally ‘as one’s
own.’ After doing so, the believer must pray. ‘He must believingly present the
promise to the Lord, as a man presents a check at the counter of the bank. He
must plead it by prayer, expecting to have it fulfilled.[31]
Now it is possible to be humble and reverent, yet at the
same time bold in faith when approaching God, but the passage above does not
lend itself to humility and reverence. The picture painted by Spurgeon’s words
is more apt to bring to mind an impatient bank customer who rushed out of work
after payday in an attempt to make it to the bank before closing so that he
could cash his check. No reverence is shown to the teller, he is expected to do
his job, and likely, the customer will complain and make a scene if the
transaction does not go as expected. There is no hint in Spurgeon’s imagery of
a careful study of Scripture[32]
and the context of the promise prior to trying to “cash the check;” no
insinuation that motives must be pure,[33]
or any other of the briefly mentioned ways to claim biblical promises.
This uneven weighting in boldness and claiming promises can easily lead
Earley’s audience down an arrogant path that will likely end in heartache and
what they may believe to be broken promises. Whether Earley’s underlying
theology is weighted this way, or he assumes too much of his audience’s ability
to apply his short how-to section to the entire chapter is unclear.
Nonetheless, it would be wise to more regularly direct readers back to original
intent of the promises, pure motives, and all the things that are necessary to
maintain honor and reverence for God while boldly claiming these promises.
Personal Application
In spite of Earley’s weaknesses in his book, most of his
book is provocative and inspiring. He has given me great insights which I can
apply to my own prayer life. Luther’s words continue to echo in my mind, “I
have so much to do that I shall spend the first three hours in prayer.”[34] At
first glance this seems like it would be counterproductive, almost like taking
a shower before working out, but in this case, Luther is relaying the truth
that more can be done with God than without Him. If Luther spends an extra hour
in prayer than what he normally would, he is actually allowing God to work
more, which will bring more glory to God while helping Luther to accomplish
more as well. Time in prayer is not wasted. Earley drives this home when he
writes, “I doubt that anyone ever comes to the end of life saying, ‘I prayed
too much.’ But many come to the end of their lives saying, ‘I prayed too
little.’”[35]
When looking back on a month, a week, or even a single day, there is no doubt
that more prayers could have been uttered, more time spent listening to God,
more time just soaking up His presence.
With these things on my mind, I thought to Paul’s
instructions to the Thessalonians. Surely it is impossible to “pray without
ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17)?[36] But
is it really? God is always with us, so why not be conscious of His presence
and be with Him as well. That is not to say that one must constantly speak to
Him, but to be aware. With prayer specifically in mind, this opens up
opportunities to talk with God about all the aspects of the day as they are
happening. At the same time, having a particular time where focus is on prayer
is vital. Perhaps this time is in the morning, as Luther scheduled his prayer
time, perhaps another time. All this to say, it is wise to spend as much time
as possible with God, to also make specific time for prayer, and to pray more
when life is packed or things are beginning to get tough. I certainly am
challenged by this aspect of Earley’s book to prioritize prayer and schedule it
into my day, allowing me the time to cast my cares upon God “and let God
worry.”[37]
Another application for prayer is discovered in Earley’s
insight, “True prayer not only speaks, but also listens.”[38]
If I fail to listen to God, then I am merely talking at Him. This would bring
my prayers down to a filthy level of barking at God rather than conversing with
Him. If I were to pray this way it would lack the humility and love with which
I should approach Him. I am thankful for these reminders which set me back on
track in my prayer life, for I have long understood the importance of listening
to God, yet it remains a difficult thing to have the patience and quietness of
heart to do.
Earley’s chapter on fasting brought me more insight on the
subject and more encouragement to fast in the future due to his selection of
examples of times when fasting has aided prayer. I will now make sure to be
mindful to “set some objectives” while I fast[39]
so that it is a purposeful fast that can allow me to draw closer to God.
Conclusion
Earley achieves his purpose for writing this book, for this
reader is certainly motivated “to pray more fervently, more frequently, more
effectively, and more contagiously than ever before.”[40] Additionally,
he successfully proved his thesis, which had great bearing on then motivating
this change in his audience’s prayer life. His approach and writing style is
easy to read and his words stick in readers’ minds. With only Chapter 7 having
major issues,[41]
Earley did a fantastic job overall to inspire prayer warriors to sprout up and
to help those who have fallen in their prayer habits to pick themselves back
up. In conclusion, this book has great value for spiritual leaders, to assist
them in their prayer life, and it also is valuable for scholarship on prayer
thanks to Earley’s extensive research into the lives of seventy-seven spiritual
leaders.[42]
Bibliography
Earley,
Dave. Prayer: The Timeless Secret of High-Impact Leaders. Chattanooga,
Tennessee: Living Ink Books, 2008. Kindle.
[1] Dave Earley, Prayer:
The Timeless Secret of High-Impact Leaders (Chattanooga, Tennessee: Living
Ink Books, 2008), 83, Kindle.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Ibid.
[4] Ibid.
[5] Ibid., 127.
[6] Ibid., 142.
[7] Ibid., 163.
[8] Ibid., 235.
[9] Ibid., 246.
[10] Ibid., 256.
[11] Ibid., 477.
[12] Ibid., 547–68.
[13] Ibid., 674.
[14] Ibid., 697.
[15] Ibid., 975–1023.
[16] Ibid., 1392.
[17] Ibid., 1558.
[18] Ibid., 1686.
[19] Ibid., 1781.
[20] Ibid., 2045.
[21] Ibid., 2261.
[22] Ibid., 2270–83.
[23] Ibid., 2642.
[24] Ibid., 2648–67.
[25] Ibid., 2709–56.
[26] Ibid., 2756–93.
[27] Ibid., 2793.
[28] Ibid., 2963.
[29] Ibid., 83.
[30] Ibid., 2045.
[31] Ibid., 2003–14.
[33] Ibid.
[34] Ibid., 235.
[35] Ibid., 235.
[36] All Scripture references
are from the English Standard Version (Wheaton: Crossway, 2011) unless
otherwise noted.
[37] Earley, Prayer,
1558.
[38] Ibid., 305.
[39] Ibid., 1919.
[40] Ibid., 127.
[41] Concerning boldly
claiming promises as discussed above.
[42] Ibid., 3063.
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