Lausanne World Pulse – Themed Articles – Joining Together Across Church Divides: The Growth of Prayer Week in the UK

By Steve and Gill Houghton
May 2006

In May 1999, like many others seeking to increase the prayer life of the Church, I suggested a week of prayer for our church, Prince’s Drive Baptist Church in Colwyn Bay, North Wales. One of the suggested events during the week was a prayerwalk. I was disappointed to find only one woman who had shown up to walk our town and pray for it.

Beginnings of Prayer Week
As I walked the town, God began to speak to me about standing in “Agreement in Prayer.” It was almost as though I heard him say, “Stand with another church and I will expand it.” Later, I suggested this idea to our church leadership, who in turn encouraged me to approach a church nearby, Bethel Christian Fellowship in Old Colwyn. In May 2000 we shared a week of prayer together. A team from Covenant Centre International in Florida, USA, taught us about prayer during this time.

Other churches soon heard about what we were doing and asked if we could join together in prayer the following year. In May 2001 more than twelve churches and prayer groups stood together for our nation. In addition to having our central venue in Colwyn Bay, we sent out teachers, intercessors and worship groups to towns where churches wanted to hold a meeting of their own.

Soon after this week of prayer, ministers from other towns and villages across North Wales asked if they could join for 2002.

We contacted other network leaders and were soon sharing what God was doing with prayer leaders across the nation. After one particularly significant meeting in Cardiff, most of the recognised prayer ministries across Wales supported this weeklong gathering of unified prayer.

We invited speakers from around the nation to come, share and teach about prayer. Much of our vision is to see the nation pray for the light of the gospel to shine brightly again in our land. Denomination heads have been supportive and eager to offer help wherever needed.

In May 2002 Prayer Week grew into the “National Week of Prayer” for Wales. Between two hundred and four hundred churches participated. In May 2003 over 1,400 churches across the British Isles, Ireland and seventeen other nations stood together in prayer for our nations. Participants understood the importance of joining in one accord for the purpose of seeing the lost reached, the gospel shared and the harvest of souls.

In May 2004 we prayed for ten thousand churches. We saw over four hundred villages, towns and cities across Britain commit to join together in prayer. Churches in over fifty different nations worldwide registered as well.

In May 2005 we ceased counting and simply trusted God to enlarge the place of our tent accordingly. With the inclusion of a Global Day of Prayer we can see that what God has orchestrated is coming to pass before our eyes. And it is awesome.

We look forward to May 2006 in anticipation of what God will do. Prayer Week continues to be a tool to gather people in prayer across denominations, cultural barriers and national barriers.

Steve and Gill Houghton are organizers of Prayer Week 2006.