This past Saturday was our monthly prayer walk. It didn’t sound like many people were coming. Some months we’ve had twelve, other months just two. We’ve had everyone—mums with prams, primary-school kids, teenagers, adults—all walking with one simple desire: to see God change our community.
This month it ended up being just my wife and me. And because Chris had foot trouble, we didn’t walk—we simply sat and prayed from one spot. And you know what? It still worked beautifully. As we prayed, someone Chris knew walked by, giving her the opportunity to ask how we could pray for her specifically.
In our neighbourhood it’s easy to walk from the school… to the Hindu temple… past the apartment buildings… to the shops… the train station… the post office… and back. Each stop naturally suggests what to pray for.
I watched a primary-schooler pray in front of the school—she prayed for her friends and teachers. At other stops she used our prayer sheet. Simple and natural.
Prayer walks also build community. When people come together, they realise, “I’m not the only one who cares about this neighbourhood.” We usually walk in teams of two or three. Between locations we talk about our week, share needs, and pray for each other. The relationships formed can be surprisingly deep.
Prayer walks also help me see my neighbourhood more clearly. Standing at the Hindu temple reminds me of the spiritual needs around us. The train station brings commuters and transport workers to mind. The shops remind me to pray for business owners—their stress, paperwork, and finances. The prayer guide helps, but God often adds things to my mind as I stand there.
And prayer walks are a simple way to teach others how to pray. Think of our scaffolding:
Model → Enable → Watch → Leave
- Model: Let people see how you pray.
- Enable: Give them the prayer sheet when they need ideas.
- Watch: Walk with them—not to judge, but to encourage.
- Leave: When they move, encourage them to start prayer walks where they live.
Why Prayer Walking Matters
Many of us want to pray for our communities—but we get stuck. We’re not sure what to pray. We’re not sure where to begin. And our prayer life often gets squeezed by everything else.
Prayer walking solves that. It focuses your heart. It slows you down. It places you among the very people you’re praying for. And it often leads to unexpected conversations with neighbours.
The High Vision: Prayer → Movements → Changed Communities
If we want to see movements of the gospel take root across our nation, the work starts long before a conversation. It begins with prayer—prayer on the ground, prayer where people live, prayer that says, “Lord, let Your kingdom come here.”
Every movement story starts with prayer. Prayer softens hearts. Prepares homes. Prepares streets. Clears the way for receptive people. Builds unity. Gives God room to act.
And while the work belongs to God, He invites us to join Him—by praying and by speaking the greatest news ever shared.
My Invitation to You
Between now and Christmas, why not try a prayer walk in your own neighbourhood? Here are two guides you can use: Australian Version | Generic Version
And maybe—just maybe—next year you could host a regular monthly prayer walk. It would be worth it even if only two people show up.
P.S. Who do you think would be encouraged by this email? Forward it to them and let them know they can walk alongside experienced cross-cultural evangelists by visiting: https://hereslife.com/encouragement