Childlike Prayer with Jed Coppenger

God doesn’t need great prayers to do great things. Speaking to him with simple, unwavering faith opens up a new world of possibilities, where you are always blessed and where your challenges become chances to strengthen your connection with Jesus.

In 21 Days to Childlike Prayer by Jed Coppenger, you’ll witness how God responds in power and love to your specific prayers.

Jed Coppenger is the lead pastor of Redemption City Church in Franklin, TN. He earned his PhD in systematic theology from Southeastern Baptist Theological Seminary and lives in Franklin with his wife, Melanie, and their three children.

I enjoyed talking to Jed in this episode of the Gospel for Life podcast.

Key Ideas

We struggle to pray because we have a low view of God and a high view of ourselves.
One of the ways to overcome a high view of ourselves is to embrace childlike prayer.
Desperation is more important than discipline in prayer.
We often learn prayer in the crucible of suffering.
Pray using four prayer prompts. Believe God can do anything, embrace a childlike identity, talk to God about whatever is on your mind, and trust God to do what’s best with your request.
Integrate prayer into every part of your life, because God is present in every part of your life.
There are no easy ministries, but some ministries, like church planting, are even more challenging and call for greater prayer.
Building a culture of prayer begins with the pastor.
Integrate prayer into the rhythms of staff and church life.
It’s important to learn how to pray on the go.
Keep track of answered prayer. It will provide encouragement in your life.

Quotes

“I just never was able to integrate prayer into my prayer life until I went through a really tough time, and it finally clicked.”

“If we really believed He would help us, we would ask Him when it comes to our problems and our plans.”

“It’s in the dark times, it’s in the tough times when God meets us in an unusual way.”

“Your prayer life won’t grow like it could grow unless you get specific with your request.”

“It’s not great prayers that lead to great things happening, it’s just a great God that we bring our imperfect prayers to.”

“God really can do more in a moment than we can do in a lifetime.”

“If I could hear Christ praying for me in the next room, I would not fear a million enemies. Yet distance makes no difference. He is praying for me.” (Robert Murray M’Cheyne)

“A big part of the growth that God wants to give us isn’t in the easy places in our life, but it’s in the painful parts of our life.”