People go to church each Sunday seeking to experience God's presence or gain a better understanding of how to live as a Christian. However, less than a third feel they accomplish this and eventually stop expecting to encounter God, settling for just a pleasant experience instead. Prayer gives peace, wisdom, strength, forgiveness and help that nothing else can provide, with the primary purpose of prayer being an expression of love for God, who is love, as well as sharing one's needs.

2. Chapter 1
Foreword
Armchair
Mystic
Foreword

3. Why do people go to church every Sunday?
1. Seeking a personal experience of God’s
presence
2. Seeking a better understanding of how to live
the Christian life
Armchair
Mystic
Foreword
Why people go to church

4. Why people go to church
The amazing thing is….they keep
coming back to church Sunday
after Sunday despite the fact that…
Fewer than 1/3 feel they accomplish their main
reason for coming: “to connect with God.”
Eventually, these people “cease to expect a
real encounter with God and simply
settle for a pleasant experience.”
Armchair
Mystic
Foreword

5. Prayer gives me…
• Peace that the world can’t give
• Wisdom that no education can give
• Strength to live as I ought
• Forgiveness for something I did
• Help that only God can give
Armchair
Mystic
Foreword

6. What is the primary reason
for praying?
Prayer is an expression of love for God,
who is love.
The ideal prayer is an expression
of both (1) my love and
(2) my needs.
Armchair
Mystic
Foreword