Praying Forward Together Resources

Prayer Walking
Praying On-site with Insight

“The harvest is abundant, but the workers are few. Therefore, pray to the Lord of the harvest to send out workers into His harvest.” (Luke 10:2) Oswald Chambers states it another way, “Prayer does not fit us for the greater work; prayer is the greater work.”

God in His sovereignty has chosen to partner with us through prayer. As we ask Him to give us laborers for the Harvest, He will respond by gripping the hearts of people in unprecedented numbers and we will see another “Haystack Missions Movement” shake our church, our nation, and the world.

Dr. Bill Bright wrote, "History records no significant movement of the Spirit of God that has not been preceded by a very strong prayer emphasis." When we gather together to pray and praise God, great things happen.

The following are tips and ways to engage in prayer as a church. So, let’s GET GOING.

Prayer Walking: Why?

• Praying together is powerful.

• Prayer walking stirs your heart to see people, places and needs through God’s eyes.

• Prayer strengthens Christians and it brings missionaries to a neighborhood as we pray for the Lord to send “laborers into his harvest.”

• Prayer walking changes:

  • Neighborhoods into a mission field

  • Believers into missionaries

  • Homes into ministry centers

  • Churches into the central place of kingdom renewal

How to Prayer Walk

1. Plan a Time – You’ll want to set aside approximately 30-60 minutes.

2. Form a Team – You’ll be most effective in groups of two or three. It often helps for a carload of five or six people to form two groups that work their way along particular streets.

3. Find a Territory – Aim to cover a small part of a specific neighborhood. As you approach this area with sensitivity and discernment, you’ll discover the best way to cover it with prayer.

4. Pray on-site with insight – Prayer walking is usually a low-profile affair. It doesn’t have to be out loud. Once in a while, the prayers can be demonstrative, but usually prayer walking is being on the scene without making one.

What to Pray

• Follow a Topic – Get your prayers rolling by praying along with scripture. Begin with the truths of 1 Timothy 2:1-7 and/or Psalm 23. Any biblical promise will help you pray with hope and blessing.

• Pray for God to give you harvest eyes and a spirit of grace and supplication. Ask for boldness and open doors to this city, community. Confess fears, weaknesses, lack of concern for those “outside.”

• Pray for God to give insight into his specific kingdom plans and purposes for this community/city. Ask to fit into his plan. Rejoice in the opportunity.

• Pray for the Christians and churches in the community/area you are walking in. Pray that our homes/church would be “ministry centers” of the church in our community.

• Pray for the critical needs in the neighborhood you are walking — social, economic, spiritual...

• Pray for specific streets/houses/people you meet. Hit the critical intersections and nerve centers with specific prayer.

What to Say to those who ask what you are doing...

- “We're praying God's blessing on this neighborhood, for people living/working near here. Is there any special way we can pray for you?”