Dino Rizzo’s Fresh Perspective on Creative Prayer Practices
By Space Coast Daily // August 16, 2023
Prayer can be daunting to even the most dedicated Christians. Dino Rizzo, a 35-year veteran of ministry and executive director of ARC (Association of Related Churches), says this doesn’t have to be the case, though.
By breaking down the stigma that can sometimes be associated with prayer and approaching it from a fresh perspective, everyone can find new ways to connect with God.
Many people understand that prayer is a necessary part of Christian life, but they don’t know how to incorporate it into their own lives as something they look forward to rather than must do. Here are some ways to break down those barriers associated with prayer.
Pray First
A lot of people approach prayer as something they do after an action. They turn to God to ask forgiveness and seek a “bailout” or help.
Dino Rizzo says that we should all flip that script and use prayer not as a last resort but as a first response.
Speak to God and ask Him for guidance. Thank Him for all the wonderful things you have in your life, and reassure Him that you will do your best to live as He teaches.
When you establish a relationship with God in this way, you start to realize the immense benefits of prayer and the vision and perspective it can give you.
Pray Often
Along the same lines, Dino Rizzo says that prayer should be incorporated as a part of your daily life. After all, it’s one of the most important things we should do every day, if not the most important.
At first, you may need to be intentional about how you work prayer into your daily routine. This could mean setting aside time to pray before meals, before bed, and/or when you wake up.
Over time, as prayer becomes a regular part of your day, you won’t need to be as intentional about setting time aside to do it. In other words, prayer will feel more natural.
Learn How to Pray
Another big obstacle to prayer is that people have never really been taught how to pray properly. Indeed, prayer is a very individual experience, but Dino Rizzo says there are many resources you can rely on for guidance.
Prayer is hammered home as an important part of being a Christian, but many people aren’t given the proper guidance as to how they can pray. The Bible has several different prayer models you can follow and then adapt to be your own.
Many other prayer resources are available, including from life-giving churches such as Church of the Highlands in Birmingham, Alabama, which hosts 21 Days of Prayer twice a year.
Dino Rizzo suggests that everyone keep a prayer journal, as it can help you apply and personalize the principles you’ve learned from the various resources. In this way, you’ll likely feel more comfortable with prayer itself, which will allow you to connect with God in new and rewarding ways.
About Dino Rizzo
Dino Rizzo, a 35-year ministry veteran, serves as Executive Director of ARC (Association of Related Churches), overseeing the planting of over 1,000 churches worldwide, and is on the Senior Leadership Team at Church of the Highlands. Rizzo and his wife, DeLynn, co-founded Healing Place Church, where he served as senior pastor for two decades. Through his passion for inspiring believers to serve their communities, Dino Rizzo founded Servolution and authored “Serve Your City.”
