Customer Reviews

Leading in Prayer: A Workbook for Ministers

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From the cover photo of Calvin's St. Peter's, Geneva to the order for prayer on the last (370th) page, this is pure liturgical gold.

Hughes O. Old is THE leading liturgist and authority on historical worship in the English-speaking Reformed world. The essays on prayer in worship, the sample prayers, the liturgies -- it is all priceless. This is a MUST HAVE for any pastor.

The weaknesses of the book are minor.
1. No index, though the prayers are arranged well topically.
2. The binding by Eerdmans is slightly below their usually high standards. One copy (I have bought three) had some pages fall out within a few uses. It is glued (not sown) softcover with large 8.5 x 11 pages, so its not built for constant use. Given that this is a reference book, this can be a problem.

Some other good resources for sample prayers I have used recently: Stanley Hauerwas, Prayers Plainly Spoken (quirky, but often beautiful); The Worship Sourcebook (2005 by CRC).

Old's book is great for pastors as well as lay persons. It shows great examples of prayers that are composed through the study of the scriptures. It helps equip the reader to pray more authentically and to be aware of theology of praying. It can be a great text to use in a class to teach about how to pray publicly and especially using corporate prayers in worship.

I had the privilege of taking a doctoral seminar at Erskine Seminary under Dr. Old and became familiar with his work. His book on Leading in Prayer is not only valuable in helping construct prayers for worship, but they are wonderful helps in my daily devotions. You will do well to purchase and use this book by this great man of prayer who is an authority on public worship.

The prayers of the Lord's Day in the Reformed tradition have been shaped by a number of writers since the 16th century. Hughes Oliphant Old's Leading in Prayer has drawn together the principles and content of these prayers in a way that can be adapted to the modern worship service. See my article on how Old's prayers compare to other Reformed writers such as John Calvin, William Perkins, the authors of The Westminster Directory, Matthew Henry, Samuel Miller and B. M. Palmer at
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Book was received within the specified time and its condition was as advertised.

Thanks

Purchased the book for a newly ordained minister who will become an Army Chaplain. He rates the book very highly, as do I. Gives the minister an invaluable assistance in what often is a neglected area of worship! Too many public prayers are haphazard, poorly done, and prefunctory. This book assists the minister and others leading in prayer to be thoughtful, intentional, and focused! A great book by an authority on worship.