Prayer Leader OnLine interviews Pastor Van W. Brooks of New Hope Church Effingham, IL

Q. Pastor Van, you have a extraordinary commitment to prayerwalking ... How did that develop in your life and ministry?

As a child I saw the power of simple prayer demonstrated by my parents. My parents moved often and often ended up in some ruff neighborhoods. Often from our living room they would stretch out their hands and pray specifically for our neighbors. I saw it happen and learned to do the same.

I love to walk, time is limited, I combined my prayer time & exercise together.

Q. Your goal is to prayerwalk every community in a 20 mile radius of your church facility ... Why such an extended area? How will that be possible?

Pray works; it is a priority investment. Prayer walks give a definite focus. When I first came to New Hope we had no members from the neighborhood behind our church, so on Sunday mornings I would stretch my hands out and pray for those households and their relationships with the Lord. Today we have over 20 households attending from that subdivision. Two years back I made a commitment to walk the streets and pray in all the surrounding towns in our county, so every Thursday at lunch I would fast, pray and walk. Again I have seen many people show up from these towns that are within driving distance of our church.

Q. The youth are also involved?

Through observation and results our youth have made some strong commitments to pray often by-passing their adult leaders. Often they will set aside days to fast and pray and once a month they gather for a youth prayer night at the church. Their youth ministry reaches up to 350 teens on a weekend.

Q. The men of your congregation are leading the way?

From the very start the men have taken the leading role in prayer in our church. It first started on an Easter Sunday when a small group of men gathered an hour before service to pray specifically for that service and nothing else. That prayer gathering still continues every week and has yielded much fruit. We run a regular Monday night prayer meeting where we just pray.

Q. What are the results of a strategic prayerwalk plan?

. . . For the believers in your congregation?

50% of our church volunteers in ministry; 30% tithe and we have great unity

. . . For the evangelistic efforts of the church?

The church has grown by 15% every year for the last 10 plus years

. . . For the communities? Have you seen any change in the culture or a new spiritual receptivity?
Our town too has grown both spiritually and economically bringing in more people to be reached by the gospel. Other churches have grown as well!

Q. What would you say to a pastor who is unsure about prayerwalking? One who thinks it might be unscriptural?

You can pray standing or walking but we are called to pray. Prayerwalking gives me a tangible focus and dedicated time.

Q. Pastor Van, please write a prayer that you might be lifting to the Lord as you prayerwalk one of the streets in your community.

Lord I break the power of darkness over this household that would blind their eyes to the Good News. I pray that you would strengthen their marriage and help them with their parenting skills. Stir up their God given gifts to be used for the Kingdom.