“And when you pray, do not babble on like pagans, for they think that by their many words they will be heard. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask Him.” – Matthew 6:7–8 (BSB)
“And I will do whatever you ask in My name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me for anything in My name, I will do it.” – John 14:13–14 (BSB)
“In the same way, the Spirit helps us in our weakness. For we do not know how we ought to pray, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groans too deep for words.” – Romans 8:26 (BSB)
“This is the confidence that we have before Him: If we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” – 1 John 5:14 (BSB)
Many Anglicans follow a simple pattern such as ACTS: Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication. John Yates III (ACNA, Diocese of the Mid-Atlantic) encourages this model because “it helps keep prayer God-centered rather than self-centered. We begin not with our needs, but with who God is.” (Sermon Series on Spiritual Habits, 2021)
Ben Kwashi (GAFCON, Jos Province of Nigeria) emphasizes prayer as warfare and intimacy: “When I pray, I am not just speaking into the air. I am in the presence of the King of Kings. My prayers matter. They are heard.” (GAFCON Devotional, 2018) Personal prayer, when practiced consistently, transforms the Christian into someone attuned to the will of God and reliant on His power.
Gerald Bray (Anglican theologian, ACNA-affiliated, Beeson Divinity School) notes that “personal prayer is where theology becomes life. The truths we affirm on Sunday become the words we wrestle with on Monday.” (God Has Spoken, 2014) Thus, personal prayer should often include meditating on Scripture, praying God’s promises back to Him.
Stephen Andrews (Principal, Wycliffe College, Toronto) reminds believers that “silence is often as powerful in prayer as speech. In stillness, the Spirit teaches, convicts, and comforts. A mature prayer life has room for both lament and silence.” (Lecture on the Psalms, 2022)
“Prayer is the key of the morning and the bolt of the evening. Let your chamber become a sanctuary; let the first act of the day be to lift up your hands to God.” – Ambrose of Milan, On the Duties of the Clergy, c. 390 AD
“If you begin to pray, be not careless; do not hurry. God is not to be approached with noise, but with awe. Let your soul be calm, and God will listen.” – John Chrysostom, Homily on Prayer, c. 400 AD
“He who prays with fasting and tears, with patience and humility, will find mercy. Let your prayer arise like incense before God.” – Cyprian of Carthage, Treatise on the Lord’s Prayer, c. 250 AD
An Anglican Catechism (Expanded) offers over 350+ Scripture-based answers to the core truths of the Christian faith. Each entry includes biblical texts, theological insight, and reflections from historic and contemporary Anglican voices. Rooted in the classical tradition, it is designed for teaching, discipleship, and spiritual formation.
An Ancient Worship Movement invites readers into the rich, historic worship of the early Church rediscovered through the Anglican tradition. This book calls believers into a deeper, Spirit-filled encounter with Christ through timeless practices.
St. Thomas Church
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St. Thomas Church is a Church planting movement in ancient tradition.
