Father and son Bob and Rusty Russell team up in this three-part text that explores the foundations of biblical prayer and offers biblical examples of answered prayer. The Russells also brave the more thorny "unanswered prayer" realm that can ensnare even the most devout Christian believer. Bob Russell (When God Builds a Church), pastor of a 17,000-attendee church, describes himself as a "prayer plodder" and candidly shares that prayer doesn't come easily to him. Yet both Russells explore the theological mysteries of prayer—even its power to change God's mind—while circumspectly admitting that there is much believers cannot understand about this side of heaven. Sadly, much here is all too familiar: the customary stories of answered/unanswered prayers from biblical characters like David, Moses and Paul as well as contemporary individuals are trotted out in rather ho-hum fashion. With hundreds of similar books available on prayer, the stories don't do enough to justify another treatment of the topic. One section more original and worthy of attention appears near the book's end, where the Russells speculate about the possible reasons why some prayers are unanswered. A Christian may harbor some secret sins, an unforgiving spirit or selfishness, they say. Or, on a more positive note, God might simply use unanswered prayer to effect internal changes in a believer's life, resulting in a more Christlike character. While the Russells' message is certainly a worthy one, it is unlikely that seasoned Christians will find much here to sustain their interest. (Aug.)
