Learning to Pray

Begin with a conversation about prayer

Use this with someone beginning to follow Jesus, someone who feels unsure about prayer, or a small group that wants a simple way to begin. Set aside thirty minutes, bring a Bible, and offer to read aloud. The purpose is to help the person speak honestly to God and understand Jesus’ instruction. There is no need to measure the session by the number of words spoken.

Ask what the person associates with prayer. They may think that they need a special voice, an advanced vocabulary, or a long public speech. Read Matthew 6:5 to 8 together. Jesus directs attention away from performance and from assuming that many words make the prayer effective. ¹ Explain that an ordinary, sincere sentence can be a beginning.

Follow the prayer Jesus taught

Read Matthew 6:9 to 13 slowly. The address to the Father combines relationship with reverence. The prayer gives priority to God’s name, kingdom, and will before turning to the disciples’ needs. This order provides a helpful guide for prayer without making personal need unimportant. ^{1 2}

Use the following prompts as plain English aids beside the KJV wording. They are not a replacement translation. Read each line of Scripture first, then invite the person to speak to God in their own words about that part.

1. Our Father: come to God through faith in Christ, with trust and respect.
2. Hallowed be thy name: honour God and ask that your conduct honours him.
3. Thy kingdom come: pray for God’s reign and purposes, beyond personal success.
4. Thy will be done: ask for willingness to obey God.
5. Our daily bread: bring ordinary needs before the Father.
6. Forgive us: seek God’s forgiveness and take the call to forgive seriously.
7. Deliver us from evil: ask for God’s help in facing temptation and evil.

A thirty minute first prayer conversation

Adjust the pace to the person. Someone who wants to ask a question should not feel hurried because the schedule has moved to the next item. A person who prefers to pray silently can do so.

1. First five minutes: listen to the person’s questions or concerns about prayer.
2. Next five minutes: read Matthew 6:5 to 13 and explain the purpose of Jesus’ model.
3. Next ten minutes: choose two parts of the prayer and speak to God about them in ordinary words.
4. Next five minutes: ask what was helpful or difficult, without grading the prayer.
5. Final five minutes: agree on a simple place and opportunity to continue, and offer support if wanted.

A short prayer to adapt

You might say: “Father, thank you that I can come to you through Jesus. Help me honour you in the way I live. Guide my decisions today. Please provide what is needed in my home. Forgive my sin and help me deal honestly with others. Strengthen me when I am tempted. I trust you with what I do not yet understand. Amen.”

This is an IndiaPCG original sample prayer. The person does not have to repeat it. Invite them to name a real concern or a reason for thanks. Leave silence if they need time. Never claim that a certain wording guarantees a particular result or proves that the person has become spiritually mature.

Bring needs without turning prayer into a demand

Jesus includes daily provision in the prayer. Ordinary needs have a place before God. ¹ Help the person be specific enough to pray honestly while remembering that God’s will is central. “Please give wisdom about this decision” can be more truthful than announcing that God must approve the preferred choice.

Prayer can accompany appropriate action. A request about a relationship may also require a respectful conversation. A request about health may also require qualified healthcare. Do not instruct a person to abandon suitable help as evidence of faith. When the need is beyond your role, involve someone properly qualified to assist.

Speak carefully about forgiveness

Matthew 6:12 and 14 to 15 connect receiving forgiveness with forgiving others. ¹ Take that teaching seriously without forcing the person to describe a painful event in a group. You can invite a private conversation with a trusted pastor when there is something difficult to work through.

Forgiveness should not be used to demand that a person conceal harm or return to an unsafe situation. This tool is a beginning prayer aid, not a process for resolving every pastoral or safeguarding concern. Where those concerns arise, follow the congregation’s proper care and reporting arrangements.

Pray with expectation and care

Luke 11:9 to 13 encourages asking the Father, ending with his giving the Holy Spirit. ¹ PCG affirms the work of the Holy Ghost and prayer for divine healing. ³ Bring needs to God with expectation while leaving room for questions and continued pastoral care.

A beginner should be able to pray without being pushed to copy another person’s manner, volume, or experience. If questions arise about the baptism of the Holy Ghost, arrange careful teaching with the local pastor. Keep the first conversation centred on Christ, the Father’s welcome, and Jesus’ instruction.

A private prayer card to copy

This card is optional. It is a reminder for the person’s use, not something they must submit to a leader. Private concerns can be kept private. The person can also remember the prompts without writing them.

1. A reason I want to thank God: ____________________.
2. A part of Jesus’ prayer I want to reflect on: ____________________.
3. A need I want to bring before the Father: ____________________.
4. A decision for which I need wisdom: ____________________.
5. A step of obedience I should take: ____________________.
6. Someone I want to remember in prayer: ____________________.
7. A question I want to discuss with a trusted believer: ____________________.

Help prayer become part of ordinary life

Agree on a realistic beginning, such as praying after a short Scripture reading or before a usual daily task. Avoid a rigid target that turns the practice into a burden. When meeting again, ask what the person is learning and what questions remain.

Do not grade faith by the speed at which a request is answered. Continue giving thanks, bringing needs, seeking God’s will, and caring for the person. Learning to pray is part of following Jesus in real circumstances, with the support of a congregation that will listen and pray alongside them.