Pause to Think and Pray

Course Description:

While most professing Christians are aware of the importance of prayer, few prioritize prayer at the group level. Bypassing prayer or saying perfunctory prayers is not the same thing as truly praying. This required course is designed to help students develop habits of praying while taking the responsibility to pause and think. We ask ourselves, "What was I thinking?" after doing something regrettable. Thinking is so basic, yet too often we neglect to engage and renew our minds, especially when we assume that we have no other choice but to submit to cultural forces or maintain the status quo. The opportunity cost for failing to think critically and for failing to slow down enough to pause might be the highest price that decisionmakers pay. This course is a practicum; the assignments are all meant to help participants gain skills as well as more understanding and conviction.

Guiding Questions:

• What is the difference between praying and saying prayers?

• Are there right and wrong ways to pray? Should Christians pray imprecatory Psalms?

• What are the risks of running too fast and failing to slow down enough to pause?

• What are the basic elements of logic?

• Why are so many Bible believing Christians anti-intellectual?