Resources

Prayer Walking/Driving Guide

“Unless the Lord stands watch over the city, the watchmen stand guard in vain” (Psalms 127:1b NIV).  We are all well aware that no outreach campaign or strategy succeeds when the Lord is not at work in the hearts of those we are trying to reach.  Prayer walking is vital to the success of community outreach.  Those churches who strategically prayer walk/drive their communities see greater harvests than those who do not.

 

Prayer Walking/Driving Considerations

 

Thank you for desiring to lead your congregation to prayer walk.  The goal is to intercede for the residents in every home in your community.  Before you begin, you may ask the question, “What is prayer walking and how do I do it?”  Here are some thoughts as you prepare your people:

 

  1. Place prayer walking date(s) on your church calendar.  In an effort to make this a church-wide emphasis, ask those in your church not to schedule events that would compete with the prayer walking schedule.  You may wish to schedule alternate dates in case of inclement weather.
  2. Create prayer walking routes.  Break the community down into several areas.
  3. Enlist prayer walkers within your church.  Encourage participation from the pulpit.  Have a sign-up sheet or bulletin insert for people to commit to prayer walk on the scheduled date(s).  Encourage members of all ages and life-stages to participate.  Ask for the following information:
    • Name and contact information.
    • Do they plan to walk alone or would they like to be part of a group?
    • Do they prefer to walk or drive?
  4. Organize prayer walking teams.  Teams should be small—two to four people.  Give each team a map or description of the area they are to prayer walk.
  5. Provide brief training to prepare participants for prayer walking.
    • How to prayer walk
      • Walk down the streets you were assigned praying as you go.
      • Walk slowly to allow time to pray for each residence.
      • Pray out loud, taking turns among group members.
      • If a street has several houses on each side of it, the team may wish to walk down it praying for the homes on one side and then walk back praying for the homes on the other side.
    • How to prayer drive
      • Drive down the streets or roads you were assigned.
      • Stop and pray for each home you drive by (you may wish to pull off at a place where you can see several homes at the same time).
      • Pray out loud, taking turns among group members.
    • What to pray:
      • Pray based on what you know about the residents of that home.
      • Pray based on observation (what do you see in the yard that gives you clues about the residents?).
      • Pray for God to be at work in their lives and that they will be receptive to God’s work.
      • You may wish to use the H.E.A.R.T. acrostic as you pray
        • Pray for their Transformation (Romans 12:1-2).
        • Pray for them to be Released to believe (2 Tim. 2:25-26).
        • Pray for their Attitude to be changed (John 16:8).
        • Pray that their Eyes will be opened (Matt. 13:15).
        • Pray for receptive Hearts (Luke 8:5,12).

 

Powerpoint to download 

View Resource