There's a prayer that most of us haven't prayed yet. Not because we don't know the words-but because we're not sure we're ready for what God might say back.
Jon Davis calls it Dangerous Prayer. It's the prayer of surrender, of open-handed willingness, of saying to God not just "Here is my request" but "Here is my life." These are the prayers that catalyze transformation. They are also the prayers that demand something of us.
In this deeply personal and theologically rich book, Davis-pastor, priest, retreat director, and lifelong student of the contemplative life-weaves together Scripture, patristic wisdom, Celtic spirituality, and the honest account of his own journey to chart the interior landscape of dangerous praying. The book unfolds across three movements: Revelation (what God shows us), Encounter (where we meet him), and Transformation (what we become). Along the way, Davis visits the lives of Moses and Jacob, reflects on sacred "thin places" where the distance between heaven and earth grows thin, and draws from the deep wells of the Book of Common Prayer and the Celtic tradition to show how ancient practices still form disciples today.
This is not a book about prayer techniques or spiritual productivity. It is a book about the kind of faith that risks something-and discovers, in the risking, that God was already there, waiting. Dangerous Prayer is for the person who senses that their faith has grown comfortable, who longs for more but doesn't know quite how to ask.
It is an invitation back to the God who answers, and forward into the life you were made for.
Prayer doesn't have to be complicated. But honest prayer-the kind that opens you fully to God's will-has a way of rearranging your life.
About the Author :
The Rev. Canon Jon Davis, PhD. coordinates major Fresh Expression events, training and resources for the Dinner Church Collective. He is a mission strategist and trainer on the Fresh Expressions team. He is an Episcopal priest serving as the part-time rector of historic St. Mark's Episcopal Church in Palatka, Florida
Review :
Be careful-this book could change your life. Dangerous Prayer is an invitation into a real encounter with the living God. Jon Davis challenges readers to move beyond comfortable religion into a deeper life of surrender, revelation, and transformation. Read it with an open heart-and expect God to meet you there.
- The Rev. Charlie Holt, Rector, St. Mark's Episcopal Church, Jacksonville, Florida
We are living in a moment of increasing hunger for meaningful prayer. Dangerous Prayer is an important addition to this poignant moment as it makes accessible to today's Jesus-follower the practices of prayer that have guided the church throughout the ages.
- Chris Backert, Sr. Director, Ascent
Dangerous Prayer is a gentle yet resolute reminder that the Christian life is not a rigid program or a series of religious obligations, but rather a profound companionship, an interactive and transformative friendship, where God's genuine presence and response are palpable. This is the great recovery our generation needs. It is the very heart of the Gospel. Read this book slowly. Pray as you go. And do not be surprised when something in you quietly begins to change.
- The Rev. Dr. Rob Lord, Rector, All Saints Church, Winter Park, Florida, and spiritual formation guide
