Crime reduced in major cities through prayer-walking

March 13, 10:03 AMDenver Evangelical ExaminerRichard Beattie

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From Jacksonville, Florida to Chico, California and across the Atlantic to the UK, citizens are talking the law into their own hands--well sort of...They are prayer walking through the meanest streets of their cities for the main goal of reducing crime.

At the World Prayer Center in Colorado Springs, a large group of Evangelicals meet in a Tuesday night gathering they call Revival Town. Led by The Desperation Band this band of people are a mix of prayer warriors from small, medium, and mega churches throughout Colorado--who want to see changes in their cities and towns. One of those ways is to be strategically praying for their communities by walking the streets.

In Jacksonville, Florida, churches are aligning themselves to a new movement that they hope and pray will reduce a rising wave of violent crime. At http://www.jacksonvilleprayerwalking.com a blueprint of the specific plan to mobilize over 100 prayer teams in every "sub-sector of the city." There are six zones, according to the website with their primary mission to "Prayer walk the city to confront the current crime and murder rate of Jacksonville." They are organizing training for participants and leaders and are involving all churches in this movement. While the Jacksonville plan is just getting started there are models in other cities that have shown a reduction in crime.

Most notably the city of Chico, California has consistently had teams of prayer-walkers since Halloween 2001. The violent crime rate has been reduced 25 percent since "intercessors began taking it to the streets." (http://cityreaching.pbwiki.com.)

In London the BBC reports that a Metropolitan Police Detective leads 25 officers through the meanest streets of his borough. Detective John Sutherland uses the usual night stick, handcuffs, and police tools yet also uses prayer throughout the community he serves to combat crime. "I believe in the power of prayer," the 33 year old cop says, "and I believe in Jesus." "If you pray for a criminal and he becomes a Christian, one of the impacts is that he may stop criminal behavior." Sutherland compiles crime stats in his borough and makes a prayer list, sends it to 150 prayer warriors in the community. The BBC reports that since Sutherland has done this "street crime and burglary have fallen when prayer is in the mix." Sutherland explains, "I have seen enough answers o prayer  my life to take it beyond the point of coincidence."

Throughout the UK a movement that is growing is the training and mobilization of Street Pastors. In Aberdeen, Scotland, Street Pastors from the Salvation Army are a constant presence of meeting practical needs, getting help for the homeless, the night revelers who have had too much to drink, and to pray for and with these people. There are over 100 teams around the UK and a documentary of the Street Pastors (youtube.com/watch?v=NokodTxj4Ts.) The no-judgmental relational approach is being hailed in reducing crime statistics as well.

in Denver, the Street School and Open Door Fellowship, has been affecting change in the city, by taking back the territory of Colfax and Marion Streets. Believers including prayer-walkers prayed specifically about taking back  a high crime area, partnered with other churches and bought homes and businesses that were known by police to be crack houses, places of prostitution, and where violent crime was high. Today the block is known for ministry, halfway houses, safe homes for abused women, and a street school for the homeless who  can earn a diploma. It is a success story that was birthed out of prayer walking over 20 years ago. For more information please visit http://www.envoytown.com.