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!

Why Comment Cards Matter

The most important thing you do in ministry isn’t running events, it’s building relationships. Big gatherings are great, but they aren’t personal. Comment cards help you bridge that gap. They give students a simple way to raise their hand and say:

“I’m interested”
“I want to get involved”
“I want to talk”
“I made a decision”

A comment card is more than a form. It’s a filter. The event gathers the crowd, but the comment cards reveal the ones who are ready. Instead of guessing who’s interested, students tell you. And that’s what allows you to follow up personally and meaningfully.

Download Comment Cards

Tip: Start simple. You can always customize later.

Physical vs. Digital Comment Cards

You can collect information digitally, but physical cards still win.

Physical Cards

Higher response rate
Easier to complete in the moment
No distractions
Feels more intentional

Digital Options

Students are less likely to fill them out
Distractions
Technical glitches

Digital can work, but many ministries find they get about half the responses compared to physical cards. Even in a digital world, physical cards often get better results. If you want the most responses, go physical first.

“The card isn’t the win, the conversation is.”

How to Use Comment Cards

1. Pass Them Out at the Right Moment
Usually at the end of a meeting or outreach, when interest is highest.

2. Give Everyone a Pen or Pencil
Don’t assume students have one. They won’t.

3. Walk Through the Card Together
This is huge. Once everyone has a card, read each section out loud and guide them:

“Write your name here”
“Check this if you want to get involved”
“Check this if you prayed to receive Christ”

If you don’t do this, students rush through and check random boxes.

4. Give Them Time to Complete It
Pause. Let them actually fill it out.

5. Collect Them Immediately
Don’t leave it optional or vague.

Use Incentives to Increase Response

Want more cards turned in? Use prizes.

Gift cards
Snacks
Fast food coupons
Free merch

Tell them:
“Turn in your card, we’ll draw for prizes.”

It works. A simple prize can double your response rate.

Best Practices That Make a Big Difference

Use cardstock
Regular paper tears or gets ruined. Cardstock holds up better.

Keep it simple
Too many options overwhelm students.

Look through cards immediately
Scan for:

Students who want to get involved
Spiritual decisions
Urgent needs

If possible, connect with them before they leave the meeting. The best practice is to follow up within 24–48 hours. After that, interest fades fast. So if. you can talk with them before they leave and set up a time to connect again in the next day or so, you will get your best results.

Turning Cards Into Conversations

A comment card is just the beginning. The goal isn’t collecting information. The goal is connection. Use what they checked to guide your follow-up:

Grab lunch
Meet after school
Start a Bible study
Have a gospel conversation

Final Thought

Comment cards can feel like a small detail, but they might be one of the most important things you do at an event. They help you move from a crowd, to a conversation, to a changed life.

Next Step

Download a comment card and use it at your next meeting.

Student Leader Application and Covenant

Strong student leadership doesn’t happen by accident.

Whether you’re a student leading your peers or an adult supporting a movement, clarity around leadership can make a huge difference. These simple documents are designed to help you communicate expectations, invite the right students in, and build a healthy leadership culture.

They’re optional tools for any Cru movement, not requirements, but many teams find them incredibly helpful.

Student Leadership Application

This application is a simple way for students to express interest in leadership and for you to get to know them better. It creates space for students to share their story, their faith, and why they want to lead. It also helps ensure they understand the purpose and message of Cru before stepping into a leadership role.

Leaders often use this as a starting point for conversations, discernment, and development, not just as a form to collect.

Student Leadership (Editable Document)
Student Leadership Application (PDF)

“Great leadership starts with clarity, not assumptions.”

Model Student Covenant

This covenant helps define what it means to be a student leader in your group. It clearly communicates expectations, both in character and commitment, and gives students a chance to step in with understanding and ownership. Because it’s customizable, you can adapt it to fit your local context, adding practical expectations that make sense for your team.

Many leaders use this as part of training or onboarding, helping students not just say “yes” to leadership, but understand what they’re saying yes to.

Model Student Covenant (Editable Document)

Next Step

Review these documents and choose one to use with your leadership team this semester:

The 10-Week Reach Your School Playbook Plan

The 10 Week Reach Your School Playbook Plan

Starting a ministry at your school can feel exciting, overwhelming, inspiring, and scary all at once. That’s why the Reach Your School Playbook exists, to help you take simple, practical steps toward reaching your friends with the gospel. You were never meant to do this alone.

This 10 week plan is designed to help you walk through the Playbook with a small group of friends, pray together, dream together, and take action together. Each week includes something to read, questions to discuss, and practical next steps to help you move forward.

Don’t worry about having everything figured out before you begin. God often grows movements one small step of faith at a time.

Week 1 — Dream About Your School

Read

Read the DREAM section through “You can Build a Movement”
Go through the Reach Your Friends Challenge together.

Discuss

What do you think God could do at your school?
Why do you think reaching your school matters?
What are some challenges that students at your school face?
What part of the Reach Your Friends Challenge stood out to you most?
What excites you most about this journey? What makes you nervous?

Action Steps

Complete the Reach Your Friends Challenge if you haven’t
Write down names of friends you want to reach.
Read the rest of the DREAM section before next week.
Begin praying daily for your school.

Pray

Pray together for your school before you dismiss

Week 2 — Gather People Around the Vision

Read

Read the rest of the DREAM section together.

Discuss

What concerns or fears do you have about starting something at school?
Did anything in the legality section surprise you?
Why is it important not to do ministry alone?
What kind of people could help this movement grow?
Who are some students you could invite into leadership?

Action Steps

Make a list of students and adults who could help.
Invite at least 2–3 students into the conversation.
Consider finding a coach or mentor.
Share the vision with another friend this week.

Week 3 — Prepare to Prayer Walk

Read

Read “Start with Prayer”
Read the Prayer Walking Section

Discuss

Why do you think prayer should come before action?
What would it look like for God to move at your school?
What areas of your school need prayer most?
How could prayer change the atmosphere of your campus?

Action Steps

Schedule a prayer walk for next week.
Decide on a time and place to meet. Decide who will lead it.
Invite friends to join.
Brainstorm additional students and adults who may want to Prayer Walk.
Spend time praying specifically for your school each day.

Week 4 — Prayer Walk Your Campus

Focus

Meet together at your school and prayer walk using the “Prayer Walk” pages.

Discuss Afterwards

What stood out to you during the prayer walk?
Did anything surprise or encourage you?
What burdens do you feel for your school now?
What do you think God may be leading your group toward?

Action Steps

Celebrate taking a step of faith. Setting up a prayer walk is a big step of faith.
Write down ideas, observations, and next steps.
Continue inviting others into the vision.

Pray together again before next week.

“You were never meant to reach your school alone.”

Week 5 — Build a Prayer Plan

Read

Read the Remaining PRAY section content.

Discuss

What kind of prayer rhythms could work at your school?
Could students gather weekly to pray?
What obstacles might keep students from praying together?
How could prayer become part of your ministry culture?

Action Steps

Create a simple prayer plan for your school.
Decide how often you want to pray together.
Invite more students to join you.

Write your plan into the Playbook on the last page of the PRAY section.

Week 6 — Gather a Team

Read

Read the first part of the GO section, including “Decide How To Start”

Discuss

What kind of ministry would fit your school best?
What strengths do different students bring?
What would leadership look like on your campus?
What kind of culture do you want your ministry to have?

Action Steps

If you want to start a group on campus, you will need a teacher sponsor. Your next priority is to find one.
Gather students who want to help lead.
Go through the Reach Your Friends Challenge with any new students.
Get Playbooks into the hands of your team.
Begin discussing what ministry might look like at your school.

Week 7 — Decide How to Start

Read

Read the rest of the GO section

Discuss

Should your ministry begin on campus, off campus, or both?
What type of gathering would students actually come to?
How could Thrive Studies help your group?
What practical steps need to happen before launch?

Action Steps

Work through the Cru Planning Sheet together.
Decide on a basic ministry approach.
Set tentative goals and plans.
Decide who is doing what and when.

Week 8 — Learn to Share Your Story

As you begin preparing to reach your school, you’ll learn a lot of new skills along the way. Two of the most important are learning how to share your story and how to clearly share the gospel. As you continue making plans for your launch, take time over the next couple of weeks to practice these skills together and grow in confidence. Learning these skills may take a few weeks, so feel free to stretch each skill over multiple weeks so you can learn and practice well.

Read

Read the article “How to Share Your Testimony” at Gotothecampus.com
Watch a few video stories at cru.org/gotothecampus/stories as inspiration.

Discuss

Why are personal stories powerful?
What has Jesus done in your life?
What makes sharing your testimony difficult?
How can authenticity help people trust you?

Action Steps

Write out your testimony.
Practice sharing it with the group.
Pray for opportunities to share it naturally.
Continue refining ministry plans.

Week 9 — Learn to Share the Gospel

If learning to share the gospel feels intimidating, don’t be discouraged, most Christians feel that way at first. We encourage you to ask a youth pastor, or other trusted spiritual leader to help train and encourage your group as you grow in confidence sharing your faith.

Read

Read “How to Share the Gospel” at gotothecampus.com.
Download the God tools app at godtoolsapp.com and open one of the gospel presentations.

Discuss

What makes gospel conversations intimidating?
How can you make conversations natural instead of forced?
Why is listening important in evangelism?

Action Steps

Practice sharing the gospel together

Pray for one person you want to talk with this week.

Week 10 — Prepare for Launch

Read

Read through the GROW content, or at least skim it together.
Explore GoToTheCampus.com

Discuss

What has God taught you since we started the Reach Your School Playbook?
What still needs to happen before launch?
How will you help your movement continue after it begins?
What other ministry skills would you like to learn?

Action Steps

Finalize your first ministry steps.
Set dates for your next gathering or outreach.
Keep meeting regularly as a team.
Explore additional tools and resources on GoToTheCampus.com.

Celebrate what God has already started.

Leader Tips

Keep your meetings conversational, not lecture-heavy.
Celebrate every small step of faith.
Don’t rush the process of building relationships and prayer.
Focus on helping students take ownership.
Expect that plans may change as students learn what works on their campus and what doesn’t
Keep pointing students back to Jesus, prayer, and loving people well.

More Great Lessons for Leaders

These additional lessons are designed to help your leadership team continue growing in ministry skills, leadership, evangelism, discipleship, and teamwork. Some groups may choose to use these lessons during the 10 week journey if they need more time before moving forward. Others may use them afterward as ongoing training for their core leadership team. Most of these lessons work well as 30 to 45 minute discussions or practice sessions.

Learn to Use Solarium

Soularium is a simple and engaging deck of picture cards that helps people start spiritual conversations naturally. Visit MySolarium.com and go through the short training videos together as a group. Spend time practicing conversations with one another so students grow more comfortable using the cards and asking spiritual questions.

Learn to Disciple Others

The Thrive Studies app includes several excellent studies to help students grow as leaders. Check these two out and explore others!

DISCIPLING OTHERS (4 weeks) – how to make disciples and follow up new believers
SOUND BARRIERS (4 weeks) – how to navigate difficult Gospel conversations.

Learn How to Follow Up a New Christian

One of the most important ministry skills is learning how to help someone grow after they begin following Jesus. Read and discuss the “How to Follow Up a New Christian” article at GoToTheCampus.com and talk through what caring for a new believer could look like on your campus.

Practice Leading a Small Group

One of the best ways to learn leadership is simply by practicing. Use the training content from Thrive Studies to help students learn how to lead discussions, ask good questions, listen well, and encourage participation. Consider rotating leadership so different students can practice facilitating the group.

Watch Campus Ministry Training Videos

GoToTheCampus.com contains 8 videos designed to help you reach the campus. While some are designed for adults, most are great for all ages and will help you prepare to reach your school. Watch them and discuss with your friends at cru.org/gotothecampus/campus-training

Use the “Who’s In Your World?” Exercise

In the back of the Reach Your School Playbook, you’ll find the “Who’s In Your World?” exercise. This is a great activity to help students think intentionally about the people God has placed around them. Spend time brainstorming friends, classmates, teammates, clubs, and social circles that students could pray for, invite, and begin building relationships with.

Plan a Team Outreach

Spend a meeting brainstorming ways your group could reach students together. You may want to look through the large group outreach ideas at GoToTheCampus.com and discuss what kinds of events, discussion groups, service projects, or outreaches might fit your school culture best.

Explore More Tools and Resources

There are many additional resources available to help your ministry grow. Visit the article “Tools and Resources to Help You Build and Grow Your Ministry” at GoToTheCampus.com to discover more studies, training tools, outreach ideas, and leadership resources for your team.

Next Step

Download the Reach Your School Playbook and invite a few friends to begin the 10 week journey together.