We began our weekly prayer walks through the neighborhood two days ago. We'll leave the church every Wed at 7pm and pick a street. On that street, we'll knock on doors and ask neighbors if we can lift up a concern they have in prayer. We'll get back to the church by 8pm.
We were set to start last Wed but thunderstorms and rain postponed it. If there is inclement weather, we will not walk and will leave praying to the confines of our respective homes.
So at 7pm on Wed night several Calvary members and I walked down 19th and Colonial Sts. I really hadn't anticipated the reactions we would get--maybe that's a good thing.
Our first four houses didn't seem to have anyone home. I briefly considered that the occupants might have hidden until we left but, with yours truly excepted, we were not a motley looking crew. I don't think we would have scared anyone off. We decided early on to pray for non-responsive homes on porches, knowing that God can fill in the specifics.
Finally we found someone willing to answer the door. When I introduced myself and told her why we had knocked, she was incredulous! I think she did a double take. Her large dog seemed interested in us; he also gave her an excuse to dismiss us without engaging in conversation. We prayed next to her secured door after it was shut upon us.
We next had a young woman answer. She seemed mystified that someone would knock on the door and offer to pray for her too. Her husband/boyfriend/roommate poked his head out too. She did say that they were both BU students taking summer classes and asked us to lift that up in prayer, though once we left--not with her present. We did.
The next responsive house had an older man. He came out and talked with us at length, at least by comparison. But, as he said, his life seemed to be going well and he didn't have any concerns worthy of God's attention. We prayed for him too, after he retired inside.
Finally, and this was probably a God-thing to relieve our discouragement, we found a group of bicyclists at a house and they were very receptive to offer of prayer and joined in. That was very affirming.
All this to say that, even in the bible belt, folks are suspicious and wary. What could be more innocuous than to offer to pray with and for someone. And yet, this doesn't seem to fit the normal idea of discipleship. That being the case, maybe we need to remake and redefine discipleship.
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