How God Moved at One City Prayer

For the past eleven years, believers across Columbus have gathered annually to humble ourselves before God and cry out for our city. What began as the Concert of Prayer is now known as One City Prayer—a name that reflects both our unity as the Church and our shared longing for transformation in every corner of Central Ohio. This year, our theme was drawn from Isaiah 44:3: “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour My Spirit upon your offspring, and My blessing on your descendants.” With the simple prayer, “Lord, pour out Your Spirit,” we stood together in faith that God’s promises are as true for Columbus today as they were for His people long ago.

This verse has been at the heart of great revivals in history, including the Hebrides revival of the 1950s, when ordinary believers clung to its promise until God swept through their islands with extraordinary power. We remember those stories not as relics of the past, but as invitations for the present. Our cry is the same: that God would move in Columbus with convicting, saving, healing power. We long to see the lost found, families restored, violence cease, students flourishing, and the most vulnerable lifted up. We believe our prayers matter—not only for the unity of the Church, but also for the renewal of our city in ways that touch every life and neighborhood.

That longing shaped every part of our gathering on September 20. What was once a two-hour service has now grown into a full-day movement of prayer and worship, with believers lifting up worship and intercession from morning until evening. Hosted by The Church Next Door and led by the For Columbus team with the support of dozens of volunteers, One City Prayer carried a holy expectancy—that our united prayers would invite God’s Spirit to bring measurable change in our city.

The day began at 8am as worshipers gathered on the church’s prayer trail, interceding for salvation for the lost, for peace to replace violence, and for students to thrive—especially in the crucial area of third-grade literacy. Songs of praise and intercession filled the air as worship teams from across the city led us in lifting Jesus’ name high. By evening, the sanctuary was full as pastors, leaders, and congregants from well over 100 congregations joined in fervent prayer. The One City Worship Band and Dance Collective—together representing more than a dozen congregations—embodied the beauty of Christ’s Church moving together in harmony.

The evening ended with a powerful expression of unity as younger pastors prayedover the older and the older pastors prayed over the younger, blessing one another across generations. Rabbi Silverman of Beth Messiah Congregation then sang the Aaronic blessing in Hebrew as pastors stood beneath outstretched prayer shawls—a vivid symbol of the Lord’s protection and covering. Many remained afterwards for personal ministry, unwilling to rush away from God’s presence. It was a day that reminded us that revival begins on our knees—and that the Spirit of God is stirring His people in Columbus in fresh ways.

We are already looking ahead with expectation to next year’s gathering, trusting that the seeds sown in prayer will continue to bear fruit in our city.