To become a Prayer Pastor an applicant must have been a committed Christian for at least a year, undertake a day of training, be a member of a local church, be able to provide a positive reference from his/her minister, be at least age 18 (with no upper limit!), undergo a DBS (formerly CRB) check and be prepared to make a small contribution towards their training if at all possible (although we encourage the Prayer Pastors fellowship to be involved in this).

Once the initial training has been completed a Prayer Pastor usually commits to at least one monthly patrols in the night-time/community or if they favour the work of the School Pastors then once a week. If you want to get a flavour of what a Prayer Pastors role is like and how prayer is answered please click on this link for an authentic experience – What is it really like to be a Prayer Pastor at Southampton Street Pastors.What-is-it-really-like-to-be-a-Prayer-Pastor-at-Southampton-Street-Pastors

If you would like to know more, or if you are not sure if you fit the criteria, please get in touch via our Contact page.

Every Street Pastor team is supported by a team of Prayer Pastors whilst on patrol, with whom the St Pastors are in regular contact, so that they can pray “informed” prayers. We have seen many examples of directly answered prayer, a few of which are listed below:

Small selection of answered prayer

• The Prayer Pastors had been given a vision of ‘hands’ prior to a patrol. As the team went out on a cold winters evening, they met a male (late 30s) who stopped to ask for a plaster. He showed us his hands and wrists – very dirty and with deep lacerations. He said the doctor had told him it was frostbite but he had left before wounds could be treated. Held his hand, cleaned the wounds and dressed them as best we could. As we did this he began to talk about God. Very keen on finding out more about God – gave bible (which he treated like a bar of gold) and he asked where he could go on Alpha a thing he’d heard about. Also asked how to read the bible could we help as he didn’t know where to start. Beautiful moment. A few months later at Easter he was spotted again at a Passion re-enactment being held in the city centre. A call was given for people who would like to come forward and make a commitment, his hand went up and he gave his life to the Lord.

• The Community Patrol observed about eight men shouting and arguing outside a pub which needed the intervention of the Door Staff. The team observed and requested immediate prayer from the Prayer Pastors. A few minutes later the situation diffused. SPs spoke with one of the men involved who was celebrating his 28th birthday. He said he had had a disagreement with people in the pub but had decided to walk away and was pleased he had done so. He had been animated and angry but the team had calmed him and kept him away from the door staff. He was asked as to why he had calmed down and mentioned he had realised he had too much to lose (this was at the same time he was being prayed for by the Prayer Pastors!) He praised the Street Pastors.

• Upper Shirley High School Pastors advised by their Prayer Pastors of the following scripture Ps 57:9. Which they had been reading earlier in the afternoon – I will praise you O Lord among the nations, I will sing of you among the peoples. A short time later they spoke with a group of five pupils who included a Syrian refugee, a Somali refugee, a Romanian and a Polish boy. Shortly afterwards the SPs spoke with a Swedish homeless woman.

• Male on electric scooter went past the team in Palmerston Park. About 100 yards he came back to talk to the team. He stated that SPs do wonderful work and that sometime ago he had been in a really bad place, wife having an affair with his brother, he had lost his job and was drinking heavily. During his darkest time he met up with some SPs and spoke to them and told them his story which was of course prayed for. He was amazed that there were people who genuinely cared about him. From that night his meeting with the SPs acted as a catalyst and he became more positive and since then he is reconciled with his wife, his family are back together, and he has a new job with promotion. He described his earlier conversation with SPs as “Like being wrapped in a warm blanket.”

• During prayer a Prayer Pastor had a vision of a lone female who was vulnerable and needing to be found. The picture was shared with the team during their break. Fourteen minutes later after recommencing their patrol SPs ‘discovered’ a lone female the other side of a nearby park who was intoxicated (drink, drugs or possibly both) and unable to fend for herself. SPs helped her home to her flat and ensured she got inside safely.