How to Hear God: A Simple Guide for Normal People
How to Hear God: A Simple Guide for Normal People book cover

How to Hear God: A Simple Guide for Normal People

Paperback – March 1, 2022

Price
$13.03
Format
Paperback
Pages
288
Publisher
Zondervan
Publication Date
ISBN-13
978-0310114604
Dimensions
6 x 1 x 8.5 inches
Weight
9.6 ounces

Description

'A lot of people say God has told them something, but then you hear what it is, and it sounds more like a message from the devil. Other folks who don't even believe in God seem to have a word of truth for today. Well, here is a book by someone you can trust. Pete Greig has been a friend for years, and he is one of the wisest people I know when it comes to prayer. This book draws from the well of wisdom that has nourished the faithful for centuries. It is filled with voices of saints who have been not only people of prayer but people who get up off their knees and put feet on those prayers. This incredible book is a call to prayer and a call to action . . . which is exactly what our world needs right now.' -- Shane Claiborne, author, activist, and cofounder of Red Letter Christians 'Among the many church leaders I have known, Pete Greig stands out for his humility, openness to learning, and love for the whole of the body of Christ. I wholeheartedly join him in affirming that there is no greater adventure than intimate, ongoing conversation with God. Whoever you are, this is a wonder to which you are personally invited. Join Pete in this exploration of what it means to seek God's voice with all that you are--in Scripture, in tradition, in solitude, and in the precious communion of saints who stand with you throughout the whole of the earth.' -- Heidi G. Baker, PhD, cofounder and executive chairman of the board of Iris Global 'Don't we all want to hear from God? How much easier our lives would be if we could hear his voice and follow his direction. I love Pete's writing because it is easy to understand. The simple way he handles difficult subjects in How to Hear God makes this book compelling. If you really want to grow on this journey of hearing God, here is the book that will help you grow immensely.' -- Agu Irukwu, senior pastor of Jesus House London 'Everything Pete Greig writes lights a fire in me. This book gripped me and awakened something in me. I found myself praying differently and listening to God differently, with more expectation and the willingness to step out in faith and risk feeling foolish. Pete takes what could be a daunting or confusing subject and disarms our defenses and dismantles our excuses with hilarious stories, down-to-earth examples, and simple practices. Every page will inspire your imagination, inviting you to believe that hearing from God truly is for everyone.' -- Glenn Packiam, associate senior pastor of New Life Church and author of The Resilient Pastor 'God is not silent. However, often we are too busy to hear his voice. How to Hear God is a biblically based, historically illustrated look at the various ways in which God speaks. In reading and reflecting on its message, I have become a better listener. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants a more intimate relationship with God.' -- Gary D. Chapman, PhD, author of The 5 Love Languages 'Hearing the voice of God is essential to all our lives--and Pete Greig is an ideal guide. As the founder of 24-7 Prayer, Pete is a legend in the world of prayer. He also writes beautifully. I am so excited he has written this book.' -- Nicky Gumbel, author, pastor, and pioneer of Alpha 'I love the subtitle of this book: a simple guide for normal people. That's what Pete Greig is always good at--taking a deeply profound and mysterious subject like prayer and inviting us into it in such a beautifully ordinary way. His teaching here is a wonderful mix of the everyday and the eternal--and therefore such a powerful and helpful read. So good!' -- Matt Redman, worship leader and songwriter 'In a world of noise and distraction, the people of God have an urgent need to learn to hear and be attentive to the voice of God. In this brilliant book, Pete unpacks the different ways we can grow in listening to God. If, like us, you long to better hear God speak in your everyday living, this is the book for you!' -- Tim and Rachel Hughes, lead pastors of Gas Street Church, Birmingham 'Pete Greig has given us another masterpiece. Wise and winsome, profound yet playful, How to Hear God is the book we need. From the wild charismatics to the monkish contemplatives, there is a feast here for all. A hundred years from now, this book will remain a crucial resource on the journey of faith.' -- Daniel Grothe, associate senior pastor of New Life Church and author of The Power of Place 'Pete Greig has given us both a practical and profound book on how to connect more deeply with God. I believe it will enrich the lives of many people. I highly commend it to you.' -- Jon Tyson, lead pastor of Church of the City New York 'Pete never fails to make my soul tremble with the good news of God's presence and guidance and invitation to pray. This book is sweet and salty--a perfect spiritual snack of deep spiritual truths with real-life wisdom and brevity. It's made me thirsty for living water, which is exactly the intent. I pray you will get this book, read it, and then get ten more to give to your friends. It will change lives.' -- Danielle Strickland, speaker, author, and advocate 'The most common question I am asked as a pastor is 'How do I hear God?' I'm so thankful that my friend Pete Grieg has tackled this important topic. All of us have been designed to hear and discern the whispers of God, and when we do, our lives are forever richer.' -- Brady Boyd, author and pastor of New Life Church 'Trying to hear God can seem like a mysterious quest, and we can feel a bit lost and discouraged. At those times, we need some help, and Pete has given us some great guidance. Rooted in Scripture and filled with the experiences of many who have gone before us, this book shows that God really does speak to us and gives us some clear paths to hear him when he does.' -- Dr. Henry Cloud, psychologist and New York Times bestselling author 'We have spent over twenty years teaching young people how to hear the voice of God. We wish we would have had this book the whole time--it would have made our jobs much easier! This is the most inspiring, empowering, and exhaustive book we have read on hearing God's voice. This book doesn't just fill your head with information but also will cause your heart to burn with inspiration. You could give this book to a brand-new believer, and they would be immediately empowered to hear God's voice. Or you could give it to a believer who has walked with God for many years, and they would be inspired and challenged to hear him in an even deeper way. The body of Christ has needed this book for very long time.' -- Jonathan and Melissa Helser, recording artists 'When generals speak, soldiers listen! While Pete won't like me saying this about him (humility will cause him to recoil), every generation has generals of the faith that command the church's attention. Not necessarily because they shout and orate with passion and skill but because the fruit of their lives and ministries demands that we listen. Pete is such a leader, and the truth contained in his book answers one of the most common questions: How do you hear God? Pete has the answer.' -- Glyn Barrett, senior pastor of Audacious Church, UK, and national leader of Assemblies of God in Great Britain Pete Greig cofounded and champions the 24-7 Prayer movement, which has reached more than half the nations on earth. He is a pastor at Emmaus Rd. in Guildford, England, and has written a number of bestselling books, including Red Moon Rising, Dirty Glory , and How to Pray.

Features & Highlights

  • You were created to enjoy a real, conversational relationship with God.
  • The Bible says that hearing the voice of our Creator is both central and natural to our existence as humans.
  • When life falls apart, we need God's comfort.
  • When life falls apart, we need God's comfort.
  • In moments of cultural turmoil, we need his clarity.
  • In moments of cultural turmoil, we need his clarity.
  • Facing difficult decisions, we need his guidance.
  • Facing difficult decisions, we need his guidance.
  • Desiring a deeper faith, we need God to say something, anything, to turn the monologue we call prayer into a genuine conversation.
  • Desiring a deeper faith, we need God to say something, anything, to turn the monologue we call prayer into a genuine conversation.
  • But how do we really hear God?
  • Nothing could possibly matter more than learning to discern his authentic voice, and yet few things in life are more susceptible to delusion, deception, and downright abuse.
  • Having addressed God's silence in
  • God on Mute
  • , and then
  • How to Pray
  • in his previous bestseller, Pete Greig is back to bring wisdom and guidance to one of the most pressing and perplexing aspects of universal Christian experience—
  • How to Hear God
  • .
  • Exploring the story of Christ's playful, poignant conversation on the road to Emmaus after his resurrection, Pete draws deeply from the insights of a wide range of Christian traditions; weaving together the evangelical emphasis on hearing God in the Bible, and the charismatic commitment to hearing God in the prophetic, with the contemplative understanding of God's "still, small voice" within.
  • "Pete transcends the Christian tribalism of our day… rooting us in something far more ancient, unchanging, timeless. What the early Christians called the Way. This ancient form of Christianity is the antidote to much of the modern church's pain. The cure for our ills."
  • —John Mark Comer

Customer Reviews

Rating Breakdown

★★★★★
60%
(404)
★★★★
25%
(168)
★★★
15%
(101)
★★
7%
(47)
-7%
(-47)

Most Helpful Reviews

✓ Verified Purchase

Another Great Resource

I’ve read several books by this author and am always surprised by new revelations, perspectives and practices that help grow and strengthen my faith; enabling me to follow and reflect Jesus more in my every day life and interactions with others. This is a wonderful resource that I will be recommending highly to others.
5 people found this helpful
✓ Verified Purchase

Hearing [God’s] voice is therefore the most natural thing in the world.

This is a review of How to Hear God, a simple guide for normal people, by Pete Greig. Published by Zondervan in 2022, this book carries praise from John Mark Comer, Matt Redman, Nicky Gumbel, Jon Tyson, Heidi Baker and other notable names. Through this book, Greig explores how to hear God and Pete carefully “explores the story of Christ’s playful, poignant conversation on the road to Emmaus and champions the ancient practice of Lectio Divina.”

John Mark Comer points out in the forward of this book, that Pete and the book have been able to bridge, or gone beyond the boundaries of the “Christian tribalism of our day – charismatic/noncharismatic/Reformed/Weslyan/Angelican/Anabaptist/conservative/progressive/etc, etc.” I’d agree with that comment from Comer, and I agree with Comer that Pete – through this book - is deeply rooting us in “something far more ancient.” This book certainly covers the need for deepened spiritual formation, how to hear God, and it empowers the reader with practices and disciplines that will create a “real, conversational relationship with God.”

As Pete points out, for followers of Jesus, “hearing [God’s] voice is therefore the most natural thing in the world…but whenever God’s word is confused, abused, or ignored, it can become one of the most perplexing and painful things too.” For many, hearing God’s voice has become confused, abused, and at times even ignored. For this reason, far too often, we assume it is impossible for us to accomplish. This book reminds us that it is essential that we develop and commit to intentional practices and disciplines that help us to rediscover our connection to God the Father, the Creator and sustaining life-force of all of Creation. These practices and disciplines – as well as this book – are good reminders that God’s voice is often missed because it comes different than we want to expect; rather “when it comes, as it mostly does, [it is] in a voice hushed to a “gentle whisper.” Far too many followers of Jesus have never been discipled on or encouraged around how to discern the distinctive voice of God, and this book helps them commit intentionally to spiritual practices and disciplines to discern and respond to the voice of God. Sadly, as Pete points out, even those of us who these practices are not new for, can at times, too easily become “distracted psychologically, emotionally, intellectually, or spiritually” to hear “the voice of God.” For us, the realignment of our spiritual lives is essential, through committing intentionally to spiritual disciplines and practices. This book is certainly an encouragement towards realignment.

As a book, this is a simple read, but this is not a negative on the book, but rather it corresponds well to readers who may be new to the faith, new to spiritual disciplines – or are emerging form foundational programs such as Alpha. In many ways, this book is an authoritative collective of the wisdom and works of some of the greats of the faith but it includes the insight, commentary and stories from Pete’s experiences and life. Fellow Author, Shane Claiborne, comments similarly, saying that “this book draws from the well of wisdom that has nourished the faithful for centuries.” Though this is not some new deep academic and intellectual read on the desert fathers or the spiritual disciplines, it certainly could be seen as one of the best introductory looks at spiritual disciplines – and it’s well done. For this reason, I see it as a Spirit-focused and spirit-renewed version of Richard Foster’s classic, Celebration of Discipline. I suspect Pete Greig’s work in How to Hear God will now be the book I refer others to first in conversations around spiritual disciplines.
The book is broken up into two testaments, God’s Word and God’s Whisper. As Pete looks at God’s Word, he covers God’s Word in the Bible, in prayer and in prophecy. He includes stories from Augustine of Hippo, Ignatius of Loyola, and Heidi Baker. The second part, God’s Whisper, looking at God’s whispers, including in dreams and visions, community, creation and culture – and more. In this second half of the book, Greig explores stories of Nicolas Herman, Julian of Norwich, George Washington Carver and more. Though I stated it is not an academic or intellectual read, this is essential for an introductory guide, but I will say it is not without its theological and academic research and findings. There are resources to explore at the end of every chapter, discussion/reflection points, and over fourteen pages of citations in the back. Simply put, Pete has done his homework – a characteristic missing from many authors today.

Author Peter Greig is perhaps best known his work in forming the 24-7 Prayer Movement. As a movement, they have developed many resources for prayer and started a wave of people who are increasingly committed to intercessory prayer. Additionally, Pete Grieg serves as the Senior Pastor of Emmaus Road Church in Guildford England. As an author, Greig has written several bestselling books – including God on Mute - and he cowrites for the Lectio 365 Daily Devotional. This book, How to Hear God, is meant to follow How to Pray: A Simple Guide for Normal People, but I will say that it also stands well unconnected and on its own.

I have recommended this book to several individuals and have already given quite a few copies away to those I meet with. Just this week, I ordered eight more copies to hand out. This is a book I will continue to recommend as I work with coaching individuals around spiritual disciplines and as I help them to discover practices to hear and know God’s voice. Each year, I host a few small groups in our homeless shelter, utilizing the Prayer Course and Unanswered Prayer Course video series put together by Pete Greig and 24-7 Prayer Movement. I have found this book to be resourceful – especially as a follow up for many individuals who are new to the faith and want to develop a more intimate walk with God – after completing the Prayer Course. In fact, the reason that I first read this book was because I committed to reading it alongside two other individuals that I am walking in a coaching relationship with. In closing, let me say that the question that I continue to find myself wrestling with, and repeating to others, after reading this book is “What if the thing you want God to say is not the thing you need God to say? Will you still hear and obey?” Thanks for that challenge Pete.
1 people found this helpful