Based on and adapted from The Plain Man’s Book of Prayers by William Barclay. We don't have to agree with Barclay on everything but I think he made some good points in the introductory essay on prayer in this small book. I am certainly not liberal in theology or universalist in soteriology; which Barclay seems to have been. The following is an adaptation.
1. Start with invocation. Though invocation means to call or to invite; yet, for Christians invocation is the part of the prayer that acknowledges the presence of God. We sometimes invite God to this or that place as if He is not already sovereign over these places. When we do this we unknowingly practice a heresy that we do not believe. Rather, in invocation, we ask God to help us become aware of His presence.
2. Confession: Confession involves meditating upon the Gospel and Cross of Jesus Christ, self-searching, telling God our sins, telling Him even our mistakes, asking for forgiveness and telling God of our willingness to make any necessary amends.
"Confession without amendment is a sadly truncated thing. We must use the forgiving love of God not as a comfortable excuse for sinning, but as an inescapable challenge and obligation to goodness." pg 17
3. Thanksgiving. Thank God for the Gospel and Cross of Jesus Christ, by which we are forgiven, blessed and given new life. Thank God for all the spiritual blessings that God has given so that we can live this life for His glory and honour. Thank God for all the things and people in our lives that we sometimes take for granted.
4. Petition. Petition involves a realisation of our insufficiencies and God's all-sufficiency. It is the practice of depending on God and asking Him for our daily needs.
5. Intercession. We pray for the needs of our family members, our church, our locality, our city, our district, our state (province), our country, and our world. We pray for people to come to the saving knowledge of the Gospel of God.
6. Gospel prayer: Pray for ourselves to become everyday evangelists not only through our lives but through our humble but clear words, as we speak to people we meet in our lives; whether they be friends or not.
I have turned this into a short prayer meeting guide (parts of a prayer meeting guide):
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