Campus Prayer Walk Leader's Guide

Campus Prayer Walk Leader’s Guide

Campus Prayer Walk: Leader’s Guide

If you have never led a prayer walk before, this Leader’s Guide provides a grab-n-go template for those who desire one. There is not only one way to do a prayer walk, but this guide will lead you through a prayer experience on campus that will last around 30-60 minutes. Feel free to customize it to match your own style. In it, you will find:

a basic framework divided into sections.
sample scripts to use, as needed.

Welcome The Team: (1-3 minutes)

Gather everyone at the meeting spot and welcome them.

LEADER: Hello, everyone! My name is__________. Thank you so much for coming today to prayer walk the campus together!

Orient the Team: (2-3 minutes)

It is important to let people know what to expect. Here are some ideas of things you may want to communicate:

Explain “campus prayer walking.” (It is simply praying for a campus while you walk around it.)
Provide an overview of your plan.
Include the time/place you will regroup to process/close in prayer.

Specify what time the event will end.

Open in Prayer Together - (5-7 minutes) (optional)

If you want everyone to open in prayer all together at the meeting point before you all begin walking around the campus in smaller groups to pray, you will want to read on. If not, stop now and jump directly to the next section labeled Begin Prayer Walk.

The basic format you will see in this Open in Prayer section includes:

read pre-selected scripture passages.
thank God for who He is.
pause to reflect and confess silently.
ask God to guide, unify, and protect you as you prayer walk.

SAMPLE FORMAT with SCRIPTS:

LEADER : Jesus, today we remember the promise You made to us in Matthew 18:19-20 that says: “When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” Wow, thank you, Lord, for being here with us today.

We THANK you for Who You are… Right now, we take a few minutes to remember some of the attributes we appreciate about You.

[Invite people to think of an attribute of God for which they are thankful and then in a single word or short phrase, say it out loud. As the leader, you may need to go first. For example, you might say something like, “God, you are abounding in love.” Allow two minutes for others to participate, then continue.]

Now, Lord, before we begin this walk, we invite You in the words of Psalm 139: 23-24 to “Search me, oh God, and know my heart…Point out anything in me that offends you, and lead me along the path of everlasting life.” We PAUSE now to allow the Holy Spirit to point out anything inside us that offends Him.

[Allow one to two minutes to listen. Then say…]

Take a moment to silently CONFESS those things to Him. [Allow one to two minutes of silence. Then proceed.]

Now, Holy Spirit, we ASK you to guide our prayers today. Help us see the things about which You want us to pray. We ask You to unify us and protect us as we walk. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Begin Prayer Walk (suggested 20-40 minutes)

Before you send people out to walk, here is a list of basic things you may want to consider doing:

Select a prayer walking guide. Provide digital or printed versions. We recommend:
If using a guide above, you may want to go over it. Ask if anyone has any questions.
If desired, organize people into groups now. Usually this means breaking up into groups of two or three. Helpful Tip: Try to make sure there is at least one person in each group who is comfortable praying out loud.

LEADER: It is time to WALK the campus and PRAY. Allow the Holy Spirit to prompt your prayers.

You will have until [insert number of minutes] to pray. Please return to [insert meeting spot] by [insert specific time]. At that time, we will briefly share anything that felt significant to us and close in prayer by [insert time].

God often meets with us as we pray. Taking time to regroup and debrief what happened after a prayer walk creates an opportunity for everyone to hear what happened/ways God moved.

Regroup & Debrief (5-10 minutes)

This section helps you as the leader bring closure to the prayer walking experience. God often meets with us as we pray. Taking time to regroup and debrief what happened creates an opportunity for everyone to:

hear what happened/ways God moved.
be encouraged and strengthened.
express gratitude.
close in prayer.

SAMPLE SCRIPT:

LEADER : It brings me great joy to think of our Father in heaven moving into action as He heard our prayers today. It brings me joy to think of Jesus being right here with us the whole time.

Before we close, we are going to take a 5-10 minutes together to share anything you experienced today during the walk that felt significant or meaningful. This is an invitation, not an obligation. So no pressure. But we take time to share these kinds of stories to strengthen and encourage each other in our faith.

[Allow time for people to share. Remember, a little silence is ok. Some people need a minute to gather their thoughts or courage before they speak. You may need to share something first or ask someone else ahead of time to go first to get the ball rolling.]

Close in Prayer (1 minute)

SAMPLE CLOSING PRAYER

LEADER: Holy Spirit, thank You for being our guide today and our constant companion every day. Jesus, thank You for being right here with us. And Heavenly Father, thank You for listening to our prayers and for moving into action on our behalf. We trust You wholeheartedly to answer our prayers in Your perfect way and in Your perfect time, for Your glory and our good. Would You please bless us and protect us now as we return home? In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.

Don’t Forget to Thank Everyone for Coming!

Next Step

Gather some students and caring adults in the community and set up an informal prayer walk for next week. It does not have to be perfect, just get to praying!

1. Do Your Own Thing

If you’d like to gather some friends, share your faith, and build something without any formal ties, just start with the playbook. The Reach Your School Playbook gives you everything you need to get started today.

2. Call Yourself Cru

If you’d like to use the Cru name and logos, and be part of a wider movement beyond just your campus, here’s what that looks like:

	Doing Your Own Thing	Being Called Cru
Use the Cru name and logos	No	Yes
Need a coach to get started	No	Yes
Part of the wider Cru movement	No	Yes
Get ongoing support from Cru staff	No	Yes
Can start today, no waiting	Yes	Still fast — just a call first

"Whichever path you choose, you don’t have to figure it out alone."

How to Get Started

If you want to call yourself Cru, the way to get started is to connect with a coach, that’s how you register your movement. This is separate from anything your own school requires; if your campus has its own club registration process, you’ll still want to check with your school on that too.

A coach is a Cru staff member whose job is to walk alongside you as you get started. Here’s what working with a coach actually looks like from there:

It’s free. No cost involved, no catch.
No pressure. You reach out, someone gets back to you with information and answers your questions, and there’s no commitment required just to ask.
Go at your own pace. You and your coach agree on a rhythm together, whether that’s weekly, every other week, or monthly, usually in calls of about 20 to 30 minutes.
The calls are practical. Your coach checks in on how things are going, helps you work through whatever challenges you’re facing, brainstorms ideas with you, and prays for you.
Real experience backs it up. Coaches have spent years working directly with students, teachers, and other volunteers on campuses like yours.
You get resources. Training and tools to help you lead with confidence, even if this is your first time.
It fits around your life. Coaches build their availability around your schedule.

Through it all, you’re helping students hear about Jesus, grow in their faith, and go on to reach others too. And whether you’re the student or the adult in this story, you stay the one leading it. Your coach walks alongside you; the coach doesn’t take it over.

Check Out the Playbook

Whichever path you choose, the Reach Your School Playbook is worth having in hand. It walks you through four simple steps — DREAM, PRAY, GO, GROW — for building something that reaches your school.

Download the Reach Your School Playbook

Whichever path you choose, don’t wait until everything feels figured out. Gather a few friends, open the Playbook, or send that first email to a coach. The important thing is that you start. Somewhere out there, a student at your school is waiting for someone to notice them, and that someone could be you.

Next Step

Ready to call yourself Cru? Reach out to the Coaching Center today: Email coachingcenter@cru.org and say, “I’d like to have a coach please!” Or call 1-877-GO-CAMPUS

Campus Ministry Toolkit: Skills and Tools to Reach your School

As you learn to reach your school, there are some key ministry skills that will make a big difference. These are things every Christian student can grow in and you don’t have to be perfect to get started. We also have some great tools to help you take your next step. With a little courage and the right resources, you’ll be amazed how God can use you in your school.

Starting Spiritual Conversations

Bringing up spiritual topics can be hard, but it’s one of the most important steps in reaching your friends. If no one starts the conversation, most students will never talk about their faith.

Preparing Yourself for Spiritual Conversations (article): A short guide to help you get ready to talk about your faith with friends.
Solarium: A deck of picture cards to help you start conversations about life and God.

Sharing Your Testimony

Your story matters. Sharing what God has done in your life can open hearts and help others realize that faith is personal and real.

How to Share Your Story (article): A step-by-step guide to help you talk about how Jesus has changed your life.

Sharing Your Faith

The gospel is powerful and your friends need to hear it. Learning how to clearly explain the message of Jesus is a huge step in making your faith your own and helping others follow Him.

How to Share the Gospel (article): a step-by-step guide to help you share the gospel with a friend.
Connecting with God Booklet: A short, simple booklet you can read through with a friend to explain how they can know Christ.
The Four Wristband: A wearable tool with four simple symbols to help you talk about God’s love and how to receive Christ.
GodTools App: A free app with interactive ways to share your faith in different languages and styles.

“Your story could be the reason someone takes a step toward Jesus.”

Following Up a New Believer

When someone accepts Christ, they need help knowing what to do next. Helping a new believer grow in their faith is one of the most rewarding things you can do.

How to Follow up a New Christian (article): Simple steps to help you know what to say and do after someone decides to follow Jesus.
Thrive Studies App: Includes the START series—four Bible studies for new believers.

Leading a Small Group

Small groups are a powerful way to build community and help students grow. If you can lead a good conversation, you can lead a small group.

Thrive Studies App: Includes dozens of studies on real-life topics and built-in leader training.

Campus Ministry Training

Reaching students on your campus is one of the most strategic ways to share your faith. Learning a few simple principles can help you start conversations, gather students, and take steps toward building a movement at your school.

Campus Training Videos – Short, practical videos to help you learn how to reach students on your high school campus. These eight trainings cover key topics like meeting students, starting conversations, sharing your faith, and taking simple steps to build a movement.

Other Helpful Tools

Comment Cards
- PDF
- Editable Version
Meeting Schedule Planner
- PDF
- Editable Version
Who’s In Your World?
- PDF
- Editable Version
Outreach Resources
- Team Outreach Sample Schedule
- Other Outreach tools
Cru Logos, fonts, and Colors

Some Great Websites You Don't Want To Miss

Everystudent.com: articles to help students learn about faith
Gotothecampus.com: ministry training and tools to help you grow your ministry

Next Step

Pick one tool and take a step this week to start a conversation or gather a few friends.

The Reach Your School Playbook

You can reach your school. We can help.

You’ve probably looked around your campus and thought, someone should do something. What if that someone is you?

The Reach Your School Playbook is a simple, practical guide that helps you make the first move. It’s short, clear, and built to move you forward, not a long manual you’ll never finish. Whether you’re a student ready to lead or an adult wanting to come alongside one, this is your starting point.

Download the Playbook PDF for free
Playbook Appendix Content (our toolkit)

You can actually do this

Most people never start, not because they don’t care, but because they feel stuck. Where do I even begin? What if no one shows up?

The Playbook clears that away. It gives you a path so you can stop overthinking and start doing. You don’t need a perfect plan or all the answers. You don’t have to be the popular kid or have it all together. You just need a first step, and a little courage.

And the friends you’re thinking about right now matter. You might be the one who helps them find Jesus.

Start where you are. Use what you have. Take the first step.

A simple path to follow

The Playbook walks you through four clear steps, each one designed to help you take action:

Dream — Start with a vision for your school and what God could do there.
Pray — Learn to pray for your campus in real, meaningful ways.
Go — Take action, gather a team, and begin reaching people.
Grow — Build a group that develops leaders and multiplies.

It might start with a single conversation at lunch, or a few friends praying before class. You don’t have to guess what comes next. It’s right there in front of you.

Made for students, helpful for adults

The Playbook is written first for students, because we believe teenagers can lead and make a real impact at their school. But if you’re a parent, teacher, youth leader, or volunteer, you’re not on the sidelines. There’s a whole section just for you, whether you’re supporting a student who’s leading or stepping out to start something yourself.

Students lead. Adults support. Everyone moves forward together.

"Students lead. Adults support. Everyone moves forward together."

You’re not on your own

Starting something can feel intimidating. But you don’t have to figure it out alone. The Playbook connects you to tools, coaching, and a bigger movement of people doing the same thing. Take one step, and you’ll find support along the way.