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Monday, December 7, 2009

Prayerwalking and Church Planting

Since coming to Northampton to help plant imagine/Northampton I have grown to see the value of prayerwalking on the streets of this city. I am finding there is a clear correlation between how connected I am (both in feeling and action) to this city, and how much I prayerwalk. Here is what I have discovered so far:

1. By walking around the city as I pray and observing its people, rhythms, visual artifacts (signs, grafitti, etc.), and eccentricities, I am able to better understand how Northampton sees itself and then pray with alacrity and wisdom.

2. As I walk, God talks to me about how to pray for a certain neighborhood, business or person I walk by. Sometimes he is very specific; always he desires to be "found. "It is for freedom" that he desires to free Northampton.

3. As I take more prayerwalks, I better sense how God wants to transform this city and its diverse people through the Kingdom and its redemptive values. I understand how much he loves Northampton and longs to see it "open the eyes of its heart."

4. As I walk, I become more and more aware of the hard spiritual darkness that subtly enshrouds the city in oppression, and blindness. I notice the cruel effects of sin, addiction, mental illness and spiritual depression in the eyes of people I look at. Many are trapped and have given up. They have a liberator or champion, but don't know it at all.

5. As I walk, I feel less distant from the people around me-less disconnected from my neighbors and the people I walk by and live amongst, less afraid of them. They have become more human, less a face and more a person with a heart and soul like me - with dreams and hopes, pain and promise.

6. Through my prayerwalks I am changing: I long more and more to make a real difference here. I want people to know and surrender to this God who is immeasurably more than their deepest hopes and strongest longings. I want to know how near he is to them, how forgiven they are, and how much he treasures them. I want them to see Jesus and be captivated.

7. As I pray and walk my love for God grows because I see the goodness of his heart and the greatness of his promise. I see the grandeur of his Kingdom where the lost are found, the broken are healed, and the forgotten ones are given a true place of belonging.

8. My prayerwalks are where I feel the most hope that real Kingdom change can happen in Northampton in my lifetime. Praying keeps me focused on the mission and the potential. It makes the "not-yet," feel "but soon, maybe even today."

Anyway, I hope you who read this blogpost will be inspired to get out and prayerwalk your own neighborhoods, towns and cities. Maybe commit to once a week for 6 months and get others in your family, small group or church to do the same. You will not regret it.

Then let me know how things are going. I really want to hear from you about this. It always encourages me when you respond:

Call or text: 860.729.2549.
E-mail: kit@imaginenorthampton.org
Make a comment on the blog.

8 comments:

Nathan said...

Kit- great post my friend. Your blog is really one of the only ways I can stay current on the day to day happenings in Northampton. Hearing about your prayer walks makes me wish I could be up there doing the same; growing close to the people and the city. I'm looking forward to hearing about your next several posts- your writing is always fresh. Peace brother, we'll be in touch.ect

Kit said...

You will be with us soon, my friend. You are now a part in spirit and will be in just a few months in the flesh. Hang on and press forward!It's gonna good...

Anonymous said...

Excellent post Kit.....As i have mentioned before to you, I used to do the same thing when I lived in Northampton back in the '80's, and I also felt the Love of God for the people in that town. I also would encourage you that He has promised specifically to pour out His Spirit in that town.... I and many others have heard that from Him. True revival is in it's destiny, probably it's near destiny, so I am excited to see you standing in the gap, and standing on the wall in Northampton.
God Bless you and grant to you the wisdom and zeal to see the purpose of God through to it's completion!

Dick Sterling said...

Thanks Kit,

My wife, Susan and I, have prayer walked our neighborhood in the past but have not in the past 6 months ... for various reasons. I sense God calling us back to this simple 'connection' once again.

Thanks for seeking Him and sharing His insights.

Dick

Andrew Springman said...

The image reminds me of Zechariah 14:20-21:

On that day "HOLY TO THE LORD" will be inscribed on the bells of the horses, and the cooking pots in the LORD's house will be like the sacred bowls in front of the altar. Every pot in Jerusalem and Judah will be holy to the LORD Almighty, and all who come to sacrifice will take some of the pots and cook in them. And on that day there will no longer be a Canaanite in the house of the LORD Almighty.

Prayed through that for Northampton...and for New Britain!

Kit said...

Thanks you for the encouragement Bruce. It is comforting and bracing to know of the countless prayers that have been prayed for this city. Mine mingles with yours and theirs'. May they move God's heart to visit this place with Kingdom fire!

Kit said...

Thank you, Andrew, for praying the Scripture over Northampton and New Britain. Maranatha!

Margie said...

I loved reading this post. I'm a missionary in Kenya (East Africa) and the sidewalks/streets where I live are always very crowded. I do a lot of walking in town and the Lord often reminds me that everyone I see has an eternal destination and so I pray as I walk. When I first came here I was a little intimidated by all the people around me, but I soon realized they are going about their daily business just as I am. Now I love being a part of the crowd of people....many have become good friends.
Margie