The Barber Who Wanted to Pray by R. C. Sproul

A young girl asks her father how she should pray and he answers with a story about Martin Luther and his barber, Master Peter. (Based on actual events) Master Peter asked Martin Luther how he should pray and Luther answered him by writing a book, A Simple Way to Pray. This small book encourages believers to memorize the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, and the Apostles’ Creed and to pray through them back to God.

This beautifully illustrated picture book is lovely, encouraging, and practical prayer advice for not only young minds but their parents too! Luther’s method of prayer was not one of which I was aware, but if a child is old enough to memorize the Lord’s Prayer, the Ten Commandments, or the Apostles’ Creed, this could be a very helpful tool to aid in their prayer life. I also appreciate how Sproul highlights that Luther was an outlaw because he was willing to stand up for the truth of scripture. I recommend this title for your family!

There is one sentence that might disturb sensitive readers, “All Peter had to do was to press hard on the razor and we would cut the man’s throat, killing him instantly.”

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1. Why did Master Peter not turn in the outlaw to the police?
2. Why was Martin Luther the barber’s hero?
3. Can you recite either the Lord’s Prayer, The Apostles’ Creed, or the Ten Commandments?