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LIBERTY UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF DIVINITY
Book Critique of
Fresh Encounters: Experiencing Transformation Through United Worship-Based Prayer
Submitted to Dr. Kimberly Martin
in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the completion of
WRSP 530 – B01 LUO
Principles of Leadership for the Worship Leader
by
Yolanda King
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Table of Contents
Summary……………………………………………………………………………...2
Strengths and Weaknesses ……………………………………………………….…..2
Intended Audience …………………………………………………………………...4
Comparison…………...………………………………………………………………5
Recommendation……………………………………………………………………..5
Bibliography………………………………………………………………………….7
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Summary
Fresh Encounters: Experiencing Transformation Through United Worship-Based Prayer
is a powerful tool that is noteworthy of any born again believer. Believers who have both walked
with the Lord for many years as well as those that are babies in Christ can benefit from this book.
Fresh Encounters takes the reader on a personal journey of prayer with the encounters that were
experienced by the author. Some of the stories are very personal and others are from his account
of how he has seen prayer personally affect the lives of others around him. Prayer has many
facets and is not just about making ones petitions unto the Father filled with requests for fame
and riches. Prayer is a lifestyle that should be lived out daily. Living out prayer would
incorporate allowing prayer to change you from the inside out. It is imperative that we spend
time with the Father in prayer and this book encourages such a relationship between individuals
and the Father but also gives actual accounts of how prayer changed the authors’ life one
moment after another, one day after the other, which has ultimately become an explosion of
believers praying as we ought.
Strengths and Weaknesses
This book has impacted my life for the better. Although there are challenges that one may
face in their prayer life, this book encourages all to formulate a relationship with the Father
through prayer. One of the greatest strengths of this book is the constant reminder that prayer is
needed and can be accomplished to become second nature to every believer’s life just as he or
she breathes with no actual thought of how to do so. I found it rather refreshing for the author to
not only discuss prayer as a need tool for every believer but to also note that prayer is the most-
talked about action in a Christians life but the least practiced (Henderson, Fresh Encounters, 24).
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The author gave a list of things that he is praying will happen in the lives of everyone that reads
the book. This in and of itself is refreshing to say the least. This gives the reader something to not
only expect but to look out for, be cognizant of for the word says that the prayers of the righteous
availeth much. The author says that he is praying such things as individuals: “becoming
impassioned with a vision for a true spiritual awakening in your life, church, family, and society.
Learning both the biblical and practical approaches to corporate prayer will enable you to be
more influential in prayer while identifying a broad range of corporate prayer opportunities, and
be encouraged to commit to lead the way” (Henderson, Fresh Encounters, 29). Daniel
Henderson speaks boldly of the need of a pastor to have prayer as a priority in his or her life. He
has likened the prayer life of the church to that of the pastor’s personal example and his
individual commitment. This lays a great deal of pressure at the feet of the pastor which is, in my
opinion not completely true. There have been instances in my personal walk with the Lord that
the pastor was a prayer menace to the enemy but the people would not submit (Henderson, Fresh
Encounters, 59). It is not always the pastor that has not prayed nor does not have an effective
prayer life. Sometimes, the people do not want to submit no matter what. Maybe their hearts
have become hardened by the hand of God or they are just in pure rebellion against God. Either
way, yes I agree the pastor has some responsibility but not all as it relates to corporate prayer. We
have been taught by the scriptures that we are to submit our prayers unto God. This means every
detail of what it is we are looking for and even some that we are not. I was always taught to pray
the will of the Father. Pray that God grant me the courage to accept His will over my own and to
know that no matter what happens it is for my good. If I had to choose a weakness for this book
as a whole it would be the portion of the book Lack of Faith written in the Hindrances to Avoid
section. Please do not misunderstand what I am about to say as I say it humbly and with the
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greatest respect for the author. I believe that the author means to encourage the reader however, it
appears that even in an attempt to encourage; there is a hint of discouragement. Yes, Hebrews
11:6 does say that without faith it is impossible to please God. All of this is very true however;
the word of God also says that every man has been given a measure of faith (Romans 12:3)
which covers there being a lack of faith in any man. The word goes on to further give an
allowance for such lack in faith over in Mark 9:24 where the father of the child made the
proclamation that he did in fact believe but asked that God help his unbelief. Is there such a lack
of faith? I personally believe that we allow situations to cause us to doubt not so much as to not
have faith. It is almost like driving a car daily, we do not know for such when we get on the
roadway to go anywhere that the brakes in the vehicle are going to perform as they ought. We
believe they will thus we have faith that the brakes are going to work when they are depressed.
However, when we are driving and the brakes begin to go completely to the floor doubt sets in
which causes our faith not to just stop but we second guess the power of the braking system.
When we pray, I believe we pray in faith but when the very thing we have prayed for is delayed
or does not come to pass when we think it should we are then subjected to the wiles of the
wicked one and suffer a lack of faith as the author stated or in my opinion a slight hick-up in our
thinking.
Intended Audience
The author wrote this book with the hopes of reaching those that are in the church, that
are in a position of leadership. The pastors, church leaders, prayer leaders, and lay members
alike; from the front to the back door, everyone in the building. I believe that author wrote this
book with the sole intention of bringing the church back to a lifestyle of prayer. Prayer is the
foundation for which we, the church was built. Prayer is the gateway to authentic worship of Our
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Lord and Savior and we should not hesitate to give Him what is due His Holy Name. The stories
in the introduction cover an array of possible scenarios that could play out within any community
of people or any church. The stories that the author used to illustrate his points are common
amongst society today and are very believable. The stories have some form of commonality
within them with those that would read this book on one level or another. The author did a
magnificent job getting the attention of those that are living similar if not identical lives as those
that are used within the forward. Yes, I believe the author did reach his intended audience and
then some. Everyone who decided to read this book be it as an assignment or on their own will
be impacted by the content.
Comparison
In comparison of this particular work with other authors such as John C. Maxwell, Gary
L. McIntosh, and Samuel D. Rima the work is comparable. It may appear that upon the surface
Daniel Henderson is strictly talking about prayer however, he is speaking about leadership as
well. All of these authors have the same leadership motif that is required of those that are in a
position of authority. Fresh Encounters allows the reader to walk away with a new outlook on
their short comings with an approach of being an overcomer by way of prayer which is not only
foundational but also a requirement of daily living. When making the comparison these pieces of
literature are all within the same context of one another. The development of Godly leadership as
well as the development of a prayer based lifestyle goes together.
Recommendations
It is my recommendation that everyone that is part of the body of Christ read the book
Fresh Encounters: Experiencing Transformation Through United Worship-Based Prayer. You do
not necessarily have to be the pastor to begin a prayer life that is worship based. It is our worship
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of the Father that I believe He wants from us and the reason for our creation. If the prayer
meeting that a person is currently attending resembles something that is dead, depressing,
disjointed or just seems like it is out of order please waste no time seeking the Lord on starting
your own prayer group. When we pray, we should be praying the will of God for not only our
lives but the lives of those that are around us. “The will of God is the Word of God and the best
way to talk to God about His purposes is in His own words” (Henderson, Fresh Encounters,
133). I would also like to recommend that those who are interested in fresh encounters with the
Lord pay close attention to the possible pitfalls that await them. Be not surprised at the
hindrances that may come to stop one from praying effective effectual prayers. It is the
responsibility of the enemy to distract us and waste our time so that we are not in prayer as often
as we should be. If we are taught to pray the scriptures then we should have no problem
throughout the day reciting such scriptures thus praying without ceasing.
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Bibliography
Henderson, Daniel. Fresh Encounters: Experiencing Transformation Through Untied Worship-
Based Prayer. NavPress, 2008.
Maxwell, John C. The 360˚ Leader: Developing Your Influence from Anywhere in the
Organization. Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2011.
McIntosh, Gary L. and Samuel D. Rima. Overcoming the Dark Side of Leadership. Grand
Rapids: Baker Books, 2007.
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