God is doing an amazing work in many cities across the world. Churches and Christian leaders across the city realise they can get more done by working together. Deeper than that they recognise that Jesus is seen when the body of Christ is together –“ as one in complete unity”. As Jesus prays to his Father – “Then the world will know you sent me.” Jn. 17:23. Their experience is that God releases synergy, fresh ideas, and fresh energy as His people work together. Let us look at some examples

• Mumbai – the churches prayed for access to the giant local prison for many years, when it was finally granted they shared the responsibility of sending teams in to minister to the prisoners.
• Towoomba in Australia where the churches work together to minister to thousands of women who have been hurt, undermined and intimidated by men.
• In Croydon, London the churches joined together to serve refugee children from France in the summer of 2016. Each day as the coach arrived, the Croydon Church welcomed these refugee children with banners, balloons, cheering and applause. The Croydon Church acted as responsible adults for the children as they were interviewed by Home Office staff. Some of the kids described their time in the Jungle as a ‘living hell’, but then described the welcome they received by the Croydon Church that week as “the first time they’d felt loved in ages”.
• South Bronx where churches prayer walked week after week and turned this area that was notorious for drugs, gangs and murders into neighbourhood with no murders in eleven years

God loves our cities. He reaches out to the pain across our cities and he places Christians in its neighbourhood, schools, workplaces, streets and churches to be a blessing.

Many Christians recognise the importance of changing the spiritual climate. They pray for God’s sovereign hand and blessing on the key aspects of the city – its politics, business, health, media and arts, families and education and its law and protection. They pray for the presence of God across the city, and often walk the streets in prayer to proclaim God’s goodness, love and his faithfulness.

Many cities have wonderful testimonies of moves of God in the past. We believe he is an everlasting God, prayer prayed for blessing in previous generations will bear fruit in the future. We encourage people to pray for restoration – restoration of the church at the centre of the City’s life and culture, restoration of God’s blessing on the city, restoration of a passion for Jesus. They repent for the times the city, the church and God’s people have gone away from Him and ask for him to bless the City.

Things to pray for
• For peace in our streets
• For healing and hope for broken families
• For wisdom and integrity for local government and the public services
• To bless our schools and make them places of hope and support
• For Jesus to be present in every church and for his people to be united
• For prosperity for her people
“Pray for the peace of Jerusalem: may those who love you be secure. May there be peace within your walls and security within your citadels. For the sake of my family and friends I will say “Peace be within you.”. For the sake of the House of the Lord our God, I will seek your prosperity.” Ps. 122: 6 - 9

Resources to try

City changing prayer
For testimonies of God moving in cities www.gatherglobal.co.uk