R.T. Kendall’s book, The Lord's Prayer, invites its readers to not only learn more about the Lord's Prayer with the aim of understanding it better, but also to recognise its transformative power in believers' lives.
R.T. Kendall shows a meticulous attention to detail and also a profound respect for the significance of the Lord's Prayer, while unpacking what makes it so profound to those of us who follow Jesus.
The book is written over 228 pages and is split into five separate parts which mirror the structure of the Lord's Prayer itself. Starting with focusing on God and ending with a chapter on the forgiveness that is asked for within the Lord's Prayer. Each chapter within the parts can be read individually, out of order, if you wish to read around a certain aspect of the Prayer, or can also be read back to back concurrently, as you would usually read a book.
R.T. Kendall packs a huge amount of theological depth into this book, more than I expected if I were to be honest. However, this is the book's main strength. In spite of the vast amount of theological depth, quotes, and use of Bible verses, the book is incredibly accessible and simple to read. Unlike a lot of books where you feel that the author may have said all they needed to by the third chapter, this book does not feel that way, and even by the last chapter I felt that Kendall had a lot to say. At no point did the book feel like it was waffling to fill out its page requirement or repeating itself needlessly.
Throughout the book, Kendall keeps the emphasis on the transformative power of the Lord's Prayer and its importance in our understanding of God's will. But also, and arguably more importantly, the emphasis is placed on the prayer having the ability to shape our relationship with God. This is particularly true in the first part of the book, where the chapters focus solely on our focus on God. My favourite chapter in the book is, in fact, the second chapter, titled The Fatherhood of God. I would not wish to ruin anything for you, but for me, this chapter has opened my eyes to several aspects of the Lord's Prayer and in particular the use of “Our Father” as the starting sentence for the prayer.
Because Kendall goes into so much depth by giving a chapter to each part of the prayer, he is able to show that it still has deep relevance to our day-to-day life and is not only some words that we should recite. The Lord's Prayer is more than this; it is a blueprint for everything we do as followers of Jesus.
One thing that surprised me, is that the book actually ends with a two-page invitation and guided prayer for the reader to join the Family of God, subtitled “Nobody needs to be left out.” Which, I feel, shows the heart behind this book and Kendall's genuine care for his readers. I have not seen this too often in Christian books, and I would love to see more of it.
While I am a huge fan of the written version of the book, I have also checked out a couple of the audiobook versions and I can recommend them highly. Although I would play them at 1.5x, as the narrator feels a little slowed down for my liking.
In conclusion, this has become my new favourite read from R.T Kendall. It has been a blessing for me to have read it, and it will be a book that I recommend to others frequently. The book is a captivating, yet accessible exploration of one of Christianity's most revered prayers. With theological depth, practical instruction, and a genuinely heartfelt devotion to helping its readers journey with God in a deeper way.
Date - 01.05.24 | Author - Kyle France | Book Review | Series - Your Kingdom Come