Why Prayer Walking is Good

I recently went on a prayer walk with the rector of a local church. Although the weather was cold, the air a bit damp, and the sky its usual January grey, the importance of praying for souls outweighed the weather concerns.

We did nothing extravagant other than walk, talk, and pray. To the casual passer by, it would have looked like we were having a conversation among ourselves. Instead, we were talking to God, praying that the good news of Jesus Christ would have its way in the lives of the locals. That gospel light would shine and cause those living in darkness to see and be set free. Along the way, we stopped to greet some of the locals known to the rector, resulting in brief but important relation building conversations.

The church serves a parish with a small housing estate on its doorstep. The spiritual needs of its parishioners are varied. These include the elderly, sick, immobile, unreached, and unchurched. Its largely Muslim population, mainly from the South Asian diaspora, while deeply religious, is in desperate need of the grace of God. I described it as a mission field to the rector.

So what exactly is prayer walking? Well, it's simply that: the act of praying (with eyes open you'll be pleased to read) while walking. It is the simple act of praying without drawing attention to ourselves. Occasionally, we stopped and chatted about a particular street, house, building, or individual. As we walked, we simply observed with our eyes, picking up visual clues which impressed upon our hearts what to pray for.

In addition to my soul being refreshed, my friend the rector was also encouraged. The Bible reminds us that "Two are better than one..." (Ecclesiastes 4:9). Prayer walking renews not only a sense of fellowship, but reminds us that carrying the burden for the lost is a shared enterprise, and not a lone effort. Soon after parting ways with my friend, I recalled Jesus' commission to 72 of his disciples, sending them out in pairs.

Does the Bible say anything about it?

Although the Bible doesn't explicitly instruct "prayer walking" or provide a specific "walkology," there is an example that might be useful in establishing a Biblical precedent.

In the seventeenth chapter of Acts, we're told that while the apostle Paul was waiting in the city of Athens, he made some astute observations. As he walked around, he noticed the various objects of worship in the city. We're told "his spirit was provoked within him" because "the city was full of idols." Troubled by their spiritual situation, he decided to preach the gospel to the city's inhabitants.

This exploration of the city on foot, created opportunities for Paul to make visual observations that prompted interactions with the locals, culminating in a powerful gospel presentation. This led some individuals to hear and mock the gospel presented to them. But the chapter concludes with the remark, "But some men joined him and believed, among whom also were Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman named Damaris and others with them...." (Acts 17:34).

How prayer walking can help the local church

I think there are good reasons for the local church to add prayer walking to its outreach activities. Here are a few that come to mind:

1. It will deepen your congregation's prayer life, sharpening the church's prayer language.

2. It will develop mission heat, creating an atmosphere of evangelistic urgency.

3. It will draw the church out into the community, sparking connections and conversations.

4. It will demonstrate obedience to the great commission, invigorating the church's mission.

Recommended reading

The C.S. Lewis Institute has written a helpful article titled The Prayer Walk.

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