LIBERTY UNIVERSITY
BOOK CRITIQUE: PRAYER: THE TIMELESS SECRETE OF HIGH-IMPACT LEADERS
BY DAVE EARLEY
A PAPER SUBMITTED TO DR. Kennedy Adarkwa
IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR
THE COURSE EVAN 670 – B02 LUO
BY
EVOLA DAWSON
Earley, Dave. Prayer: The Timeless Secret of High-Impact Leaders. Chattanooga, Tenn:
Living Ink Books, 2008
Author
Dr. Dave Earley was the Chairman of the Department of Pastoral Ministries and
Director of the Center for Pastoral Leadership for Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary
and Liberty University. He is also the Director of the Lovett Center for Ministry Training
and the Liberty Center for Church Planting of Liberty University.
He is the author of several books, including The 21 Most Effective Prayers of the
Bible and The Eight Habits of Effective Small Group Leaders. Earley Founded New Life
Church of Columbus, Ohio, in his basement with 12 people in 1985. The church grew to
nearly 2, 000 weekly attendee with 125 small groups.
Introduction
This paper provides a review of the book, Prayer: The Timeless Secret of High-
Impact Leaders, by Dave Earley. Prayer is the means to the answer for those that have an
intimate relationship with Christ. Throughout this book, the author provides a clear view
of the significance and power of prayer. He uses surveys of seventy-seven high-impact
spiritual leaders from the Bible and church history as a means to reveal its results. 1The
book is filled with prayers and the results of prayer to inspire leaders of all genres. The
author presents the study and importance of prayer along with great insight on how to
pray. Dave Earley says, “The more precise the prayer, the more faith it takes. If you want
1 The specific names are listed in Dave Earley, Prayer: The Timeless Secret of High-
Impact Leaders (Chattanooga, TN: Living Ink Books, 2008), 180-182.
specific answers to prayer, you need to make specific request. If you offer only general
request, how will you know if they are answered?2 It is a practical book on prayer and
how it relates to spiritual leadership. The author utilizes nine separate principles as means
of organizing this information for the reader. This book is design to help guide, challenge,
and change the prayer life of the reader. The chapters of the book draw attention to
various aspects of prayer. This paper will provide the summary, critique, and personal
application of Dave Earley’s efforts.
Summary
In Dave Earley book, Prayer: The Timeless Secret of High-Impact Leaders, he
performs a survey on seventy-seven high-impact spiritual leaders, to empower Christian
leaders on how, when, where and what to pray. Earley says it best, “To motivate Christian
leaders to pray more frequently, more effectively, and more contagiously that every
before” (Earley 2008, xii). While utilizing nine separate principles as means of
organizing information for the reader separate principles of a high-impact prayer life are
described in one of the corresponding nine chapters of the book. The most intriguing
facets of the book are its call and challenge to prayer.
Dr. Earley focuses on the value and power of prayer. The author indicates that the
majority of pastors and church leaders do not pray as much as necessary. (1) He
mentioned notable men that towered as a giant in church history such as Martin Luther
and Billy Graham to describe the tremendous power of prayer.3 He provides the first and
2 Ibid.,
3 Ibid., 5, 10
second principles of prayer as the need to prioritize prayer and the importance of making
time to pray. The author speaks about the benefits of prayer time, its frequency and how
“God Dose Nothing in Ministry Apart from Prayer”.4
In Chapter Three, the author described the benefits and effectiveness of praying
for those you serve by highlighting intercessory prayer. He provides at the end of the
chapter a list of suggested guidelines that leaders can benefit from to commence
intercessory prayer in their lives when praying for others. 5 The author move to the next
chapter by describing the balance of praying for others is to have others pray for you. He
provided them with examples of pastors that taught others to pray for them like Charles
Finney and Charles Spurgeon. 6 Earley concludes chapter four with support on finding
regular prayer partners and mounting a prayer group, people who will consign to
upholding the pastor or leader in prayer. 7
Dr. Earley now focuses on the importance of surrendering problems to the Lord
and turning them into prayers by practicing stewardship. 8 This chapter provides many
examples of how turning your problems into prayers have helped strengthened spiritual
leaders everywhere. Jesus is our prime example, during the Passion Week; he did not
hesitate to pray to the Heavenly Father in prayer. 9
Earley transitions to the importance of fasting with prayer. Chapter six, the author
4 Ibid., 10
5 Ibid., 48 and 50
6 Ibid., 63
7 Ibid., 67
8 Ibid., 71
9 Ibid., 75-77
analyzes this topic by unfolding the diverse structures of biblical fasting.10 It is the intent
of the author to motivate those who have never fasted to ask “Why Not Fast?” At the end
of the chapter are great instructions for fasting. The author moves on to the importance of
bold faith
Chapter seven brings to focus the need for bold faith in high-impact leaders.
God’s promises and response to specific request is due to bold faith prayers. Earley gives
several suggestions for becoming more definite, bold and effective in prayer: Pray about
what to pray, pray about what you really desire, Search your heart to make sure your
motives are pure and go on record.11 The author encourages the reader by providing them
examples of how promises were fulfilled in the lives of Gideon, Nehemiah, and John R.
Rice.12 Then the author leaves the level of being specific in prayer to being flexible in
prayer.
Chapter eight gives great ways to build upon the acrostic A.C.T.S. (Adoration,
Confession, Thanksgiving, and Supplication) of prayer.13 He goes on to analyze the four
areas of prayer with a conclusion of eight prayer “secrets” that can be utilized by
everyone, especially spiritual leaders. Dr. Earley provides one more chapter helping the
reader enhance their prayer life by adopting the best practices in prayer.
In the ninth chapter, Earley provides many prayer practices for high-impact
leaders encouraging them to apply these best practices. He provides a variety of choices
for the reader as it meets their needs. Then Earley concludes the book with a very helpful
10 Ibid., 94-95
11 Ibid., 121
12 Ibid., 118-120
13 Ibid., 129
chapter called “Putting It All Together”. 14 He provides the reader with questions that will
help with self-reflections as a high-impact prayer leader.
Critique
Without exaggeration the book Prayer: The Timeless Secrete of High-Impact
Leaders, Dr. Dave Earley is one of the most preferred books to rely on for guidance as it
relates to prayer. The author by all means wrote one of the most incredible studies on the
importance and impact of prayer while utilizing examples form biblical and historical
spiritual leaders. His book inspires the reader to sincerely pray regularly and passionately.
In each chapter the reader is challenge by the end of the chapter to examine his/her
personal prayer life. The author is consistent with providing a personal application
question before the reader transitions to the next chapter. The book and information is
very helpful to the reader and can be utilized in small group studies.
The most thrilling aspect of the book is how the author edifies the reader with
biblical scriptures. In addition, this book provides insights of scriptures that can easily be
overlooked. In this book, Dr. Earley brought to focus how Jesus woke up early to pray,
despite what his previous experience the day before according to Mark 1:21-35.
The author highlights the prayer life of giants in scripture, that ordinary people
can have the same experience simply by having a relationship with God. The intent of the
author is to motivate the reader to improve and increase their personal life by the reality
of others who have done the same. Dr. Earley book provides an easy to read,
explanatory, resourceful book that can be a part of the reader’s library. The discussion on
the subject of “fasting”, Dr. Earley provides tips and series of information to help the
reader develop a desire to fast properly and consistently.
14 Ibid., 173
There are several weaknesses that are in Earley’s work in his attempt to motivate
the reader to develop and maintain a successful prayer life. Earley mentioned that,
“Taking the time to pray makes a difference! Success here will make success in other
areas much easier. Failure here will make success in the other areas nearly impossible”.
The tone indicates that if prayer is not being rendered or practice in a successful way,
failure is filter through every area of one’s life. The author also says, “If I start my day in
prayer, the rest of the day always goes better”. This indicates a definite reaction that does
not always happens. The reality of routinely praying is that it can also become a ritual or
a religion instead of a means to stay in connection with God. The need to emphasize
relationship, passion and commitment could be helpful to the reader.
Personal Application
Reading Dave Earley’s book has ignited a desire within me to discipline my
prayer life. I have always had a passion to pray; however I struggle with being discipline
in prayer. This book has cause tremendous movement in my actions toward the discipline
of prayer, I press toward a successful discipline life of prayer. I have placed a reminder
on my cell phone as it relates to times schedule to pray. On my computer and cell phone I
have placed a sticky note that says “Inspiration and information without application leads
to frustration.” 15 My goal is to implement two particular principles in ministry as it
relates to prayer: Pray for Those Your Serve and Train Others to Pray for You. (Chapters
3 and 4)
First, praying for those I serve is a norm however I can do more. I am currently
15 Ibid., 173
operating in the role of an associate Pastor. The question comes to mind; how I can
provide the best service to the people I am responsible for leading? Dave Earley says,
“One of the purest and most powerful ways for a leader to express and exercise love is in
intercessory prayer.” 16 I totally agree. I have divided the members of our church family
in groups on my calendar in alphabetical order throughout the entire year to pray for them
during my time of prayer.
Secondly, training other’s to pray for me is my struggle. I tend to overlook the
need and importance to solicit prayers until it’s too late. Reading this book helped me to
reflect on the need to surround myself with prayer warriors that will intercede for me.
The apostle Paul was a great influential leader, yet he asked for prayer.
Brothers, pray for us ( I Thessalonians 5:25)
Finally, brothers, pray for us that the message of the Lord may spread
rapidly and be honored, just as it was with you (2 Thessalonians 3:1)
I urge you, brothers, by our Lord Jesus Christ and by the love of the Spirit,
to join me in my struggle by praying to God for me (Romans 15:30)
Pray also for me, that whenever I open my mouth, words may be given me
so that I will fearlessly make know the mystery of the gospel. (Ephesians
6:19)
Therefore, I will implement a prayer conference call for my leadership team with specific
needs that include what Paul prayed for during his ministry.
Conclusion
Prayer: The Timeless Secret of High-Impact Leaders is a great read. It educates,
motivates, challenges and enlightens the reader of the nine principles of prayer. The book
16 Ibid., 33
provides information on how prayer can be implementing into the readers daily
discipline.
Additionally, many of these disciplines are not new to the majority of Christian’s
readers, nevertheless, it provokes more prayer, regularly, and spiritually. The author did a
great job in providing biblical scriptures as it relates to prayers that were insightful. The
author also provided historical examples that illustrate people who are witnesses to this
type of prayer life.
Additionally, with its encouraging questions at the end of each chapter, this book
could be used to organize small-group studies on the necessity of prayer and how to
improve personal prayer. Therefore, as a valuable resource, Prayer: The Timeless Secret
of High-Impact Leaders should be kept in every Christian’s personal library, and on every
Pastor’s ministry shelf. It is crystal clear that this book will provide a summery of prayer;
it will critique your prayer life and provide simple application to a successful prayer life.
Powered by TCPDF (www.tcpdf.org)
