IBSA @ Prayer ~ Pastors Prayer Group HIts the Streets

Franklin Association pastors walk the walk

By David Belcher in Illinois Baptist

Franklin Baptist Association Director of Missions Matt Frizzell (far left) leads the association's pastors in prayer prior to prayer walking the community of Ina, Ill.

INA, Ill. | Walk the walk and talk the talk is taken literally in Franklin Baptist Association.

Every Thursday morning, a group of association pastors and church members conduct a prayer walk though an association community.

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An association delegation demonstrated how a prayer walk works recently when they congregated at Ina Missionary Baptist Church.

After prayer, they walked through the streets of Ina in pairs, praying for the southern Illinois village and its residents.

When seeing a community member on the streets, the pastors stopped walking and praying, told them what they were doing and asked if they had any needs in their life for which they wanted prayer for.

Walkers also had copies of a pamphlet outlining the plan of salvation for distribution to those they saw on the walk.

Matt Frizzell, Franklin Baptist Association director of missions, explained that for several years the ministers met each Wednesday morning at the association office in Benton for prayer.

However, he said, the group decided in April "to go beyond these walls" and begin praying for the communities they serve while walking through their communities. The meeting time was shifted to Thursday.

"We have had good success," Frizzell said. "God has blessed it. The Lord has done a lot of things that we can't see this side of heaven."

During one walk a man in Valier was led to Jesus as Lord and Savior.

"This is what it's all about, the Great Commission - go into all the world telling them about the Savior," Bert Mitchell, pastor of First Baptist Church of West City, said.

Most of those on the prayer walk are association pastors. However, Frizzell said the walk is not limited to pastors - anyone who is willing to walk through a community and pray is welcome.

Roland Fisher of Christopher is a layman who has been a regular on the walks.

"It's a way of reaching the lost," Fisher said.

The prayer walk has blessed an entire congregation. Frizzell said First Baptist Church of Sesser had a difficult time in calling a pastor. However, during a prayer walk some church members came to ask for prayer in finding the right man for their congregation. The next Sunday, they called their new pastor on a 76-0 vote.

"We should not be surprised when God answers prayer," Frizzell said.

Dale Burzynski, pastor of Ina Missionary Baptist Church, said the walk gives pastors "an opportunity to meet people they've never met before."

"I believe it pleases God," is why Ron Knox, pastor of Royalton First Baptist Church, said he participates in the walk. "God says you don't have because you don't ask and He tells us we are to pray without ceasing."

He said the prayer walkers are planting seeds and may never see the fruit of their prayers in this life. "We're obedient and God takes over."

"I enjoy the expectation that God is going to honor these prayers and souls are going to be saved," Jim Ebbs, a retired minster from Royalton, said.

Ebbs pointed out another benefit of the prayer walk is that it helps encourage those praying to be "in unity in the Holy Spirit. We need unity as much as we need souls to be saved. These churches have a real unity of purpose."

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