40,000 Steps of Prayer in NYC

We knew we loved our city and walking its streets. We knew we wanted to practice abiding more together as a team. We knew how to pray, how to walk. Then we thought, how can we do something that’s a little crazy—something no one ever does in New York City? (And it can be challenging to out-crazy the crazy in NYC!)

​​So, every autumn for several years now, our ministry leaders and everyday disciplemakers from the greater New York City area embark on a prayer walk the entire length of the island of Manhattan, from its northernmost tip to the southernmost point.

With side trips along the way, the walk clocks in at 19 miles and 40,000 steps, from morning to night. Only a few intrepid souls can walk that far, so the majority of people join us only for the middle third of the walk, from the Soul Saving Station in Harlem—the church that hosts our I:58 work—to Saint Patrick’s Cathedral in Midtown.

We stop at curated locations throughout the city where Navigator Ministry coordinators lead us in prayer for the eight unique Ministries in NYC (Life-to-Life® discipleship among public schools, churches, first responders, college students, young professionals, housing projects, at-risk youth in Harlem, and international students). We also make it a tour, exploring hidden gems of New York City’s political, cultural, and spiritual history. 

We’ve found it to be an epic way to experience the city, bond as a team, and bring extraordinary prayer to the needs around us. In this way, we “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” (Jeremiah 29:7 NIV), while growing in our fifth core value of expectant faith and persevering prayer rooted in the promises of God. We also pray through Twelve City Ministry Memory Verses I’ve selected that include some of those promises and trace God’s heart for the city.

Perhaps the Holy Spirit will prompt you to lead a group of friends or your whole team to do an extraordinary prayer walk of your city or town—maybe from one end to the other, around the circumference, over all the bridges, or to the next town over. Just make it a little crazy!

At our April All-Hands Gathering, U.S. Director Marvin Campbell interviewed our new international president, Joe Maschhoff, and Joe focused on one verse: Isaiah 62:10. This also happens to be a promise verse that was given to our NYC team ten years ago, and it’s a perfect theme verse to guide a prayer walk through your area: 

“Pass through, pass through the gates!
Prepare the way for the people.
Build up, build up the highway!
Remove the stones.
Raise a banner for the nations.”
Isaiah 62:10 NIV

Our team likes to pray, “Lord, make New York City a place where it’s easy for people to find Jesus!” May you and your team “prepare the way for the people” to find Jesus right where God has placed you, through expectant faith and persevering prayer!