As Liz Truss takes up the reins during a period predicted to be beset with crises and complaints, Christians should start as we mean to go on - by praying for our leaders - says Christians in Politics’ Andy Flannagan

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!' worship leader and songwriter Matt Redman Each session has been designed for small groups to watch together and discuss. Each session comes with a discussion guide and practical activities to help you go deeper in your own relationship with God.

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Christin Thieme: And you write that it can all be condensed into four words, listen and follow Jesus. So, finally, question for you, what happens when we learn to live in this way? The Bible is the language of God’s heart, and therefore if we wish to hear what he is saying, we have to be immersed in the Scriptures. You may remember Pete from Episode 71 of this podcast, when we talked with him about a simple guide for how to pray.

Pete Greig: Well, that’s a great question, because it is. That’s right. It’s the most astonishing superpower any of us have, the ability to hear God. Just stop and think about the fact that, if you believe that he made the universe with a few words, what might happen if you hear him say something to you? So this is the key to guidance. This is the key to growing spiritually. Jesus says, “Man should not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Father.” 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 He is also the Senior Pastor of Emmaus Rd, Guildford, Ambassador for the NGO Tearfund, and an Associate Tutor at St Mellitus Theological College, London. One of my main takeaways is this: if I were stranded on a deserted island and all I had was a Bible, that really would be sufficient. However, there are so many other ways that God can speak to us, and I want to grow in my desire for those. I don’t want to miss out on all the creative ways God talks to me.Christin Thieme: Yeah, exactly. We’re following up our last episode with you where we talked about how to pray, with now how to hear God. So just a small question to start for you: Why is hearing God’s voice so natural and so hard?

Nothing could possibly matter more than learning to discern the authentic voice of God, but few things in life are more susceptible to delusion and deception. When life falls apart and we need God's comfort; in moments of cultural turmoil when we need God's clarity; facing formidable decisions when we need God's guidance; desiring a deeper faith when we need God to say something, anything, to turn the monologue we call prayer into a genuine conversation. The Bible says that hearing the voice of our Creator is both central and natural to our existence as humans.

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I believe in general revelation - through the world around us, and common grace. Also the once for all sufficient Word in the old and new testaments. If you or the group you’re doing the Lectio Course with are hungry to learn more about other ways that God speaks, this book is an amazing place to start. 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.' psychologist and New York Times bestselling author Dr. Henry Cloud Greig has once again produced an engaging book on an important element of Christian discipleship, drawing on sources from across the denominational/theological/historical spectrum. The section on Lectio was particularly helpful, indeed I started to read this because of the parallel "Lectio Course" which we studied as a church group throughout Lent.