Pray Before You Walk
First Alliance Church in Mansfield, Ohio recently added a unique element to a prayerwalking plan—a twist that bought one more prayer element to a common prayer evangelism technique.
It had scheduled a Saturday morning in September when it would prayerwalk targeted neighborhoods around the church. The specific day preceded an upcoming fall outreach event for kids and families. First, it had located the names of all the people who lived in the homes the prayerwalkers would pass. Next, the family names were placed on sheets of paper—about 20 families per sheet, 18 different sheets. Enough copies of the different sheets were made so every family in the church could have one. A few Sundays before the prayerwalking event, near the close of the service, the sheets were placed on the altar of the church. An elder explained the whole prayerwalking plan that would occur three weeks later. He explained that we want to pray in a more concerted way for the homes we will be passing during the prayerwalk. Then he explained what the sheets were. Finally he asked if families in the church would commit to pray every day for the names on one sheet. Then people were given an opportunity—during the service—to come up and take a sheet.\Many responded.
Besides adding additional concentrated prayer for 400 families, this
activity—perhaps unknowingly—did something else It likely ensured that
many people would come out to the prayerwalk. Though the elder who
explained everything, never said if they got a sheet they were
committing to come to the prayerwalk, here’s what likely will happen.
As people pray, God will infuse His heart for the neighbors into the
intercessors. Once that happens, many will feel compelled by the Holy
Spirit to take their prayer that next step.
CPLN Note:
If you want to find the names of specific people who live in
neighborhoods around your church or home, it is easily done—on the
internet. Simply go to www.anywho.com. There you put in a specific
street address (i.e. 125 Main Street, Anytown, USA). Not only will the
name of the family living in that home pop up, but so will the names at
every home on that street. You simply print it out and your have a
fairly up to date listing of the names you want.
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September 2006 
