"Growing in Prayer" by Mike Bickle – Book Review

At the heart of all relationships is communication. Speaking with another person is an investment in that relationship. The same is true in our Christian walk, and that is why “speaking with God” must be a core activity we engage in. We call this “speaking with God” prayer. Prayer is often a guilt-inducing topic for Christians, like evangelism and missions. Believers know that they should be doing it, but often need help to see it modeled.

That is why as a staff member at the International House of Prayer of Kansas City (IHOPKC) I so appreciate Mike Bickle. He doesn’t just preach about prayer—he actually prays. Those who are on staff at the International House of Prayer know where they will find Mike for much of the week—in the prayer room, connecting with God and modeling the way for others. That is why I am genuinely excited about Mike’s new book, Growing in Prayer, a book of wisdom about prayer from a man who has given himself to prayer and leading prayer meetings for most of his life and ministry.

I hope this isn’t taken as hyperbole, but I do believe this is Mike’s most important book so far. As I was gathering endorsements for the book from Christian leaders around the world, a common sentiment came up: “This book will become a classic.” I am sure that this helpful book will find its way into many of the streams and traditions of the global Church. If I am asked to recommend a book on prayer, many come to mind, depending on whether you want to focus on devotional prayer, intercession, revival, or other forms of spiritual discipline. But Growing in Prayer will now be my go-to guide to prayer, and I have already started recommending it to people.

In his book Mike deals with many different types of prayer and principles of prayer. Condensing much of the wisdom he has gained over the years, he starts with the importance of prayer in an individual believer’s life and deals with fundamentals, like scheduling and creating prayer lists. He then discusses a variety of practical tools and principles for intercessory prayer, focusing on the importance of praying the prayers of the Bible. Praying the Word is a critical component of intercessory prayer—providing a unifying focus for prayer meetings, centered on the truth and promises of God—as well as a valuable devotional practice for individual believers.

Growing in Prayer is informative, examining historical and biblical models of prayer and looking at what God is doing around the world today with a converging prayer and missions movement. But at its heart this is a book for the practitioner. If you want to pray more, if you desire a deeper relationship with God, I encourage you to read a chapter, stop reading, and try out what you just read. It works.

If you are interested in getting this book I encourage you to buy it from Forerunner Bookstore, the IHOPKC bookstore. Not only is it less expensive than anywhere else, but by buying a copy here you will be supporting a prayer ministry.