14-Week Study & Discussion Guide

Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home

by Richard Foster·112 discussion questions

Lead your group with the discussion already prepared: a reading plan, thoughtful questions, and printable handouts for everyone.

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Week 1 — FreeRead the Introduction of Prayer by Richard Foster.

Discussion question your group will work through:

1.Foster famously begins by confessing that he did not feel worthy to write a book on prayer and that his own prayer life was often 'thin and anemic.' Why do you think he chose to open with this confession rather than with credentials or enthusiasm? What effect did it have on you as a reader?

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About This Study Guide

At a glance: this is a 14-week study and discussion guide for Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home by Richard Foster, with 112 questions organized by reading assignment. Week 1 is free to read, with no card required.

Richard Foster's Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home (1992, reissued 2012) is one of the most beloved and comprehensive guides to the life of prayer ever written. Foster's central thesis is deceptively simple: prayer is not a technique to be mastered but a relationship to be entered — specifically, the relationship of a beloved child speaking to a loving Father. Drawing on the great classics of Christian spirituality (from Teresa of Ávila and John of the Cross to the Desert Fathers and Julian of Norwich) as well as his own honest personal experience, Foster maps twenty-one distinct forms of prayer, organizing them into three broad movements: Moving Inward (prayers that deepen our inner life), Moving Upward (prayers that adore and commune with God), and Moving Outward (prayers that intercede for and serve the world). The result is not a how-to manual but an invitation into the full, rich terrain of Christian prayer.

This study guide is designed for small groups or individual study over fourteen weeks — one week for the Introduction, one week per section and its chapters grouped thematically, and a final week of review and reflection. The recommended pattern is: read the assigned chapter(s) before your group meets, journal your responses to a few of the questions beforehand, and then discuss and pray together. Don't rush. Foster's book rewards slow, meditative reading, and the best discussions will be the ones where a single question opens up a longer, more honest conversation than you expected.

By the end of this guide, you will have surveyed the full landscape of Christian prayer — from the stumbling, unpolished "Simple Prayer" of beginners to the silent wonder of "Contemplative Prayer," from the bold audacity of "Authoritative Prayer" to the tender vulnerability of "Healing Prayer." More than information, you should expect formation: a deeper hunger for God, a more honest self-knowledge, and — above all — the settled confidence that God genuinely delights to hear your voice.

Week 1: Introduction — Heartfelt Longing

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Read the Introduction of Prayer by Richard Foster.

Foster opens by naming the longing that drives us to prayer in the first place — and honestly admitting how hard it is to actually do. Let these questions help you locate yourself honestly at the starting line.

1.Foster famously begins by confessing that he did not feel worthy to write a book on prayer and that his own prayer life was often 'thin and anemic.' Why do you think he chose to open with this confession rather than with credentials or enthusiasm? What effect did it have on you as a reader?

2.How would you honestly describe your own prayer life right now — not as you wish it were, but as it actually is? What words come to mind?

3.Foster describes prayer as 'the central avenue God uses to transform us.' What does it mean to you that prayer is not primarily about changing God's mind or getting things from God, but about being changed ourselves?

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All 14 weeks, 112 questions, closing prayers, and printable weekly handouts — plus the full PDF — so your prep is reading it over, not writing it from scratch.

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Week 1 sample · first 3 questions

Group handout: Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home

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14-Week Schedule

  1. Week 1Introduction — Heartfelt Longing8 questions
  2. Week 2Moving Inward — Simple Prayer & Prayer of the Forsaken8 questions
  3. Week 3Moving Inward — Prayer of Examen & Prayer of Relinquishment8 questions
  4. Week 4Moving Inward — Formation Prayer & Covenant Prayer8 questions
  5. Week 5Moving Upward — Adoration & Meditation8 questions
  6. Week 6Moving Upward — Contemplative Prayer & Prayer of Tears8 questions
  7. Week 7Moving Upward — Sacramental Prayer & Unceasing Prayer8 questions
  8. Week 8Moving Outward — Intercessory Prayer8 questions
  9. Week 9Moving Outward — Healing Prayer & The Prayer of Suffering8 questions
  10. Week 10Moving Outward — Authoritative Prayer & Radical Prayer8 questions
  11. Week 11Moving Outward — Confessional Prayer & Praying with the Body8 questions
  12. Week 12Moving Outward — Meditative Prayer & Praying Together8 questions
  13. Week 13Conclusion — A Call to a Life of Prayer8 questions
  14. Week 14Review & Reflection — The Whole Journey8 questions

Week 2: Moving Inward — Simple Prayer & Prayer of the Forsaken

All 8 questions →

Read Chapters 1–2 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Simple Prayer" and "Prayer of the Forsaken").

1.Foster describes 'Simple Prayer' as prayer in which we come to God just as we are — with our self-centered wishes, mixed motives, and cluttered hearts — rather than waiting until we feel spiritually ready. Does this give you permission or make you uncomfortable? Why?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 3: Moving Inward — Prayer of Examen & Prayer of Relinquishment

All 8 questions →

Read Chapters 3–4 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Prayer of Examen" and "Prayer of Relinquishment").

1.Foster describes the Prayer of Examen as a daily practice of reviewing the day with God — noticing moments of consolation (when we felt drawn toward God) and desolation (when we felt pulled away). Have you ever tried anything like this? What happened?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 4: Moving Inward — Formation Prayer & Covenant Prayer

All 8 questions →

Read Chapters 5–6 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Formation Prayer" and "Covenant Prayer").

1.Foster describes 'Formation Prayer' as prayer that is specifically oriented toward character transformation — praying not just about our circumstances but for the renovation of our inner life. How does this differ from how you most commonly pray?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 5: Moving Upward — Adoration & Meditation

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Read Chapters 7–8 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Adoration" and "Meditation").

1.Foster describes adoration as the 'noblest activity' a human being can engage in — pure, undiluted praise that seeks nothing from God but God himself. Is this kind of prayer natural to you, or does it feel forced? What makes pure adoration difficult?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 6: Moving Upward — Contemplative Prayer & Prayer of Tears

All 8 questions →

Read Chapters 9–10 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Contemplative Prayer" and "Prayer of Tears").

1.Foster describes Contemplative Prayer as a form of resting in God — moving beyond words, thoughts, and even images into a loving, attentive silence. How does this form of prayer strike you? Does it feel accessible, suspicious, or simply foreign?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 7: Moving Upward — Sacramental Prayer & Unceasing Prayer

All 8 questions →

Read Chapters 11–12 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Sacramental Prayer" and "Unceasing Prayer").

1.Foster describes Sacramental Prayer as prayer that is anchored in and flows from the physical sacraments of the church — baptism and communion in particular. How does your church background shape your understanding of the sacraments? Do you experience them as encounters with God, or more as symbolic ordinances?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 8: Moving Outward — Intercessory Prayer

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Read Chapter 13 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Intercessory Prayer"). Key Scripture: Romans 8:26–27; 1 Timothy 2:1–4.

1.Foster describes intercessory prayer as 'the most altruistic activity' we can engage in — a form of love that is both deeply personal and profoundly costly. Does intercession feel like love to you, or more like an obligation? What has shaped your answer?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 9: Moving Outward — Healing Prayer & The Prayer of Suffering

All 8 questions →

Read Chapters 14–15 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Healing Prayer" and "The Prayer of Suffering"). Key Scripture: James 5:13–16; 2 Corinthians 12:7–10.

1.Foster affirms that praying for physical healing is a normal, expected part of Christian community — not a special gift for a few, but a practice for all who follow Jesus. How does your church background shape your comfort (or discomfort) with this claim?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 10: Moving Outward — Authoritative Prayer & Radical Prayer

All 8 questions →

Read Chapters 16–17 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Authoritative Prayer" and "Radical Prayer"). Key Scripture: Matthew 18:18–20; Luke 18:1–8.

1.Foster describes 'Authoritative Prayer' as prayer that speaks directly to situations, circumstances, and spiritual forces — not just asking God to act, but praying as one who has been given authority to act in Jesus's name. How does this feel different from typical petition? Does it feel presumptuous or faithful?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 11: Moving Outward — Confessional Prayer & Praying with the Body

All 8 questions →

Read Chapters 18–19 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Confessional Prayer" and "Praying with the Body"). Key Scripture: Psalm 32; James 5:16.

1.Foster describes confessional prayer as one of the most liberating and healing forms of prayer. He draws on Psalm 32 — David's experience of concealing sin and the physical toll it took — as a picture of what unconfessed sin does to us. Does that resonate with your experience? What has it felt like to carry unconfessed sin?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 12: Moving Outward — Meditative Prayer & Praying Together

All 8 questions →

Read Chapters 20–21 of Prayer by Richard Foster ("Meditative Prayer" and "Corporate Prayer" / Praying with Others). Key Scripture: Acts 2:42; Matthew 18:19–20.

1.Foster returns to meditative prayer in a deeper form in these later chapters — prayer that involves imaginative engagement with Scripture, especially the Gospel narratives. He draws on Ignatius's practice of placing oneself within a Gospel scene. Have you ever tried this? What happened?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 13: Conclusion — A Call to a Life of Prayer

All 8 questions →

Read the Conclusion of Prayer by Richard Foster.

1.Foster closes by returning to his opening theme: prayer as the heart's true home. Having journeyed through twenty-one forms of prayer, does that image feel more real to you now than when you began? In what ways?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide

Week 14: Review & Reflection — The Whole Journey

All 8 questions →

Review your notes and journal entries from the entire study of Prayer by Richard Foster.

1.Foster organized the book around three movements: Moving Inward, Moving Upward, and Moving Outward. Looking back, which movement received the most attention in your prayer life before this study? Which received the least? Has that begun to change?

+ 7 more questions in the full guide
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About the Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home guide

How many weeks is the Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home study guide?

This study guide covers Prayer: Finding the Heart's True Home in 14 weeks, with week-by-week discussion questions, reading references, and closing prayers for each session.

How many discussion questions are included?

The complete guide includes 112 discussion questions across 14 weeks — an average of 8 questions per week, designed for group conversation.

Can I use this guide for a book club?

Yes — the questions are written for group discussion and work well for small groups, book clubs, church studies, and couples reading together.

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