1 h 54 minAudiobook4 minSummaryRead it, hear it, the 15-minute summary, and print and large print at costPaperback · 6 × 9 in · printing soonHardcover · 6 × 9 in · printing soonAbout this book
What words do the first Christians turn to in worship, at meals, and in hard times?
Prayers of the Early Church gathers short, plain Christian prayers from the first centuries of the faith. Edited by J. Manning Potts, the collection brings together voices from early church writers, congregational worship, and teachers of new believers. These are words for shared worship and life at home, long before printed prayer books exist.
The collection opens a way into the Jewish roots of early Christian prayer: the Psalms, thanks at meals, and prayer at set hours. Praise returns as a central theme. As you move among these different voices, you can consider what early believers ask of God and how their words might serve your own prayer today.
What you’ll discover
- The Jewish roots Explore the Psalms, meal blessings, and daily rhythms that shape the first believers’ prayers.
- Voices from early worship Encounter prayers drawn from congregations, early church writers, and teachers who guide new believers.
- Praise at the center Notice how praise returns across prayers from different voices in the early church.
- Words for ordinary life Find short prayers used at home, at meals, in worship, and through hard times.
- A slower devotional rhythm Read one prayer aloud and let each phrase settle before moving to the next.
Who will love it
For readers who seek words for prayer, enjoy short devotional reading, and love hearing the earliest voices of the Christian faith.
What’s inside
The key ideas, in the 15-minute summary
- The first prayers grew from Jewish roots
- Many voices speak across the centuries
- What the early believers asked of God
- How to pray with these words today
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Prières de l’Église primitive
Early Christian prayers give voice to praise, forgiveness, protection and peace in worship and daily life.
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In short
Prayers of the Early Church is a collection of Christian prayers from the first centuries of the faith. It was gathered by J. Manning Potts, an American Methodist editor who led the devotional guide The Upper Room.
From the 15-minute summary · Key idea 1
The first prayers grew from Jewish roots
The first Christians were mostly Jews, and they prayed as Jews had always prayed. They knew the Psalms, they gave thanks to God at meals, and they turned to God at set hours of the day. These habits shaped the earliest Christian prayers.
The New Testament adds its own pattern. Jesus teaches his followers the Lord's Prayer, and the letters of Paul are full of thanks, blessings, and requests. Prayers from the early church often echo that language closely. They are direct, and they address God as Father.
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What is Prayers of the Early Church about?
It is a collection of short Christian prayers from the early centuries of the faith, gathered for personal and group devotion. The prayers deal with praise, forgiveness, protection, peace, and living faithfully in daily life.
Who is J. Manning Potts?
He was an American Methodist minister and the longtime editor of The Upper Room, a daily devotional guide. In this book he acts as the editor, choosing and arranging prayers rather than writing them himself.
Are these prayers really from the first Christians?
The book draws on prayers from the early church, including echoes of the New Testament and of early worship. Like most such collections, it is a selection made for devotion, not a full scholarly edition.
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