PRAYER UNION – JOHANNESBURG (RSA)
LAUNCH VISION & MANDATE
RECOVERING THE ALTAR. BUILDING THE WATCH. CARRYING THE BURDEN.
PRAY • WATCH • PREVAIL • SEND
1. THE LAUNCH VISION
To see Johannesburg become a city of worshipping watchmen—united in prevailing prayer, awakened to God’s purposes, mobilized for mission, and committed to carrying the Gospel from Johannesburg to South Africa, Africa and the nations.
Prayer Union – Johannesburg is being established as a local expression of the global Prayer Union movement.
We believe God is calling the Church in Johannesburg back to the altar—not merely to hold more prayer meetings, but to become a praying, watchful, prevailing and missional people.
Our desire is to see ordinary believers become watchmen; watchmen become intercessors; intercessors become mobilizers; and mobilizers become senders.
We therefore launch with a simple conviction:
A city can be transformed when God’s people recover the altar and take their place upon the watch.
2. THE JOHANNESBURG BURDEN
Johannesburg is more than a city.
It is a strategic gateway into South Africa, a meeting place of peoples, cultures, languages, churches, businesses, communities and nations.
It carries both extraordinary opportunity and extraordinary need.
Therefore, Prayer Union – Johannesburg will carry a particular burden:
TO PRAY FOR THE CITY.
For its families, churches, communities, schools, institutions, leaders and neighborhoods.
TO PRAY FOR THE CHURCH.
That the Church in Johannesburg would experience spiritual renewal, unity, holiness, courage and a renewed commitment to the Great Commission.
TO PRAY FOR SOUTH AFRICA.
Standing in the gap for the nation and believing God for righteousness, reconciliation, justice, peace, revival and Gospel witness.
TO PRAY FOR AFRICA.
Recognizing Johannesburg as one of Africa’s significant urban gateways and praying for the advancement of God’s mission throughout the continent.
TO PRAY FOR THE NATIONS.
Because Johannesburg is connected to the nations, our prayer burden must extend beyond the city.
We will pray for missionaries, unreached peoples, nations in crisis, Christian workers and the advancement of the Gospel throughout the world.
3. OUR MANDATE
Prayer Union – Johannesburg exists to:
1. RECOVER THE ALTAR
Call believers back to a life of worship, prayer, surrender and dependence upon God.
Prayer must become more than an occasional activity.
It must become a way of life.
2. BUILD THE WATCH
Raise and equip worshipping watchmen who will stand before God on behalf of families, churches, communities, cities, nations and the nations.
We seek to develop believers who know how to:
WATCH.
WORSHIP.
INTERCEDE.
DISCERN.
RESPOND.
3. CARRY THE BURDEN
Teach believers to recognize, receive and faithfully carry God-given burdens in prayer.
We will not merely pray according to personal preference.
We will seek to discover:
What is God asking us to carry?
4. PREVAIL IN PRAYER
Develop a culture of united, persistent and prevailing prayer.
We will teach people not simply to begin praying, but to continue praying.
We will learn to pray:
with faith,
with Scripture,
with unity,
with discernment,
with perseverance,
and with obedience.
5. MOBILIZE THE CHURCH
Help churches and Christian communities rediscover their calling as praying and sending communities.
Prayer Union does not exist to replace the local church.
It exists to serve, strengthen, connect and mobilize the Church.
Our posture is:
WITH THE CHURCH — NOT AROUND THE CHURCH.
This reflects the wider Prayer Union commitment to partnership and cooperation with local churches rather than competition with them.
6. CONNECT PRAYER WITH MISSION
We believe prayer must eventually become obedience.
Therefore:
PRAYER → DISCERNMENT → OBEDIENCE → MISSION → MULTIPLICATION
We will pray for the harvest.
We will pray for laborers.
We will prepare laborers.
We will mobilize laborers.
We will send laborers.
And we will continue praying for those who go.
7. RAISE THE NEXT GENERATION
We will intentionally equip children, young people, emerging leaders and families to inherit the altar.
The burden must not die with one generation.
We therefore embrace the Prayer Union principle:
FROM ONE GENERATION TO THE NEXT.
The goal is not simply to preserve a heritage of prayer.
The goal is to reproduce a culture of prevailing prayer.
4. OUR JOHANNESBURG DECLARATION
We believe Johannesburg can become:
A CITY OF WATCHMEN.
Where believers stand together in prayer.
A CITY OF ALTARS.
Where homes, churches and communities become places of worship and intercession.
A CITY OF PREVAILING PRAYER.
Where God’s people refuse spiritual passivity.
A CITY OF MISSION.
Where prayer produces obedience and Gospel action.
A CITY OF SENDERS.
Where missionaries, evangelists, church planters and Christian workers are prayed for, equipped and released.
A CITY THAT BLESSES THE NATIONS.
Where what God does in Johannesburg becomes a blessing beyond Johannesburg.
5. THE JOHANNESBURG PRAYER UNION MODEL
Prayer Union – Johannesburg will develop through a simple multiplying structure:
WATCHMAN
One believer who accepts the call to watch and pray.
↓
PRAYER UNION
A small company of committed believers who pray together regularly.
↓
PRAYER HUB
A local gathering point connecting several Prayer Unions.
↓
PRAYER COMMAND
A coordinating network serving the wider Johannesburg prayer movement.
↓
CITY PRAYER UNION
A connected community of worshipping watchmen across Johannesburg.
↓
SOUTH AFRICAN PRAYER NETWORK
Johannesburg becomes one expression within the wider national Prayer Union family.
↓
AFRICA & THE NATIONS
The burden moves beyond the city.
Johannesburg → South Africa → Africa → The Nations
6. THE FIRST LAUNCH OBJECTIVE
We will not begin by attempting to build a large organization.
We will begin by building an altar.
The first objective is:
TO GATHER A SMALL COMPANY OF FAITHFUL WATCHMEN WHO WILL ESTABLISH A SUSTAINABLE RHYTHM OF UNITED PRAYER.
We will prioritize:
- spiritual depth over numbers;
- faithfulness over visibility;
- prayer over programs;
- relationship over hierarchy;
- Scripture over personality;
- mission over activity;
- multiplication over centralization.
A Prayer Union can begin with only a few committed believers. The global model specifically encourages starting small, establishing a regular prayer rhythm, receiving the burden and multiplying.
7. THE JOHANNESBURG PRAYER RHYTHM
The launch should establish a simple and sustainable rhythm.
WEEKLY
Prayer Union Gathering
A dedicated gathering for worship, Scripture, intercession and discernment.
MONTHLY
Johannesburg Watch
A broader gathering of Prayer Unions, churches, prayer leaders and Watchmen.
QUARTERLY
Prayer & Mission Gathering
A gathering connecting prevailing prayer with mission, evangelism, discipleship and mobilization.
ANNUALLY
Johannesburg Prayer & Mission Summit
A citywide gathering focused on:
PRAYER • REVIVAL • MISSION • MOBILIZATION • SENDING
This follows the broader Prayer Union philosophy that gatherings should ultimately produce equipped, mobilized and multiplying people rather than become activities existing for their own sake.
8. THE JOHANNESBURG PRAYER WATCH
One of the long-term objectives should be to establish:
THE JOHANNESBURG PRAYER WATCH
A coordinated rhythm in which different Prayer Unions and churches take responsibility for specific prayer times and burdens.
The goal is not to create dependence upon a central office.
The goal is to ensure:
THE ALTAR IS NEVER ABANDONED.
Different communities can pray at different times.
Different churches can carry different burdens.
Different Watchmen can take different watches.
Together they form one citywide prayer covering.
9. THE FOURFOLD CALL
Every member of Prayer Union – Johannesburg will be invited into four dimensions:
PRAY
Seek God.
WATCH
Stand spiritually alert.
PREVAIL
Carry the burden until there is breakthrough, direction or release.
SEND
Participate in God’s mission.
Therefore:
PRAY
↓
WATCH
↓
PREVAIL
↓
SEND
↓
MULTIPLY
This is consistent with PrayerUnion.org’s central movement pathway and its emphasis on transforming prayer into mission and multiplication.
10. OUR MISSIONAL MANDATE
Prayer Union – Johannesburg will intentionally pray toward five mission fields:
1. JERUSALEM
Praying for God’s purposes concerning Jerusalem and the Jewish people.
2. JOHANNESBURG
Praying for the city in which God has placed us.
3. SOUTH AFRICA
Praying for the spiritual, social and Gospel transformation of the nation.
4. AFRICA
Praying for revival, discipleship, church strengthening and mission throughout Africa.
5. THE NATIONS
Praying for unreached peoples, missionaries, mission movements and the fulfillment of the Great Commission.
Our geographical movement can therefore be expressed:
JOHANNESBURG → SOUTH AFRICA → AFRICA → THE NATIONS
11. OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHURCHES
Prayer Union – Johannesburg will intentionally work across denominational and organizational boundaries.
We will not seek to absorb churches.
We will not compete with churches.
We will not create another denomination.
We will not seek to replace existing prayer ministries.
Instead:
WE BUILD BRIDGES.
We invite churches to:
- establish Prayer Unions;
- nominate Watchmen;
- participate in prayer watches;
- host prayer gatherings;
- train intercessors;
- mobilize missionaries;
- send workers;
- support mission;
- participate in citywide prayer.
The Prayer Union vision explicitly recognizes the local church as essential to discipleship, evangelism, pastoral care, church planting and long-term ministry.
12. THE JOHANNESBURG WATCHMAN
The Watchman is at the heart of the movement.
A Watchman is not defined by a title.
A Watchman is defined by a posture.
A Watchman:
SEEKS GOD.
WATCHES.
LISTENS.
DISCERNs.
INTERCEDES.
PERSEVERES.
OBEYS.
MOBILIZES.
SERVES.
SENDS.
The Watchman asks:
What is God saying?
What is God showing us?
What burden are we called to carry?
What must we pray?
What must we obey?
13. THE LAUNCH MANDATE FOR THE FIRST 12 MONTHS
YEAR ONE: ESTABLISH THE ALTAR
The first year should focus on foundation rather than expansion.
OBJECTIVE 1 — ESTABLISH
Establish the first Prayer Union community in Johannesburg.
OBJECTIVE 2 — GATHER
Gather committed Watchmen from churches and Christian communities.
OBJECTIVE 3 — TRAIN
Conduct the Prevailing Prayer Seminar.
OBJECTIVE 4 — WATCH
Establish a sustainable prayer-watch rhythm.
OBJECTIVE 5 — CONNECT
Build relationships with churches and prayer leaders across Johannesburg.
OBJECTIVE 6 — MOBILIZE
Introduce prayer for mission and the nations.
OBJECTIVE 7 — MULTIPLY
Help the first generation of Watchmen establish additional Prayer Unions.
OBJECTIVE 8 — SEND
Identify and support people responding to God’s call to mission.
14. THE FIRST 90 DAYS
DAYS 1–30
RECEIVE THE BURDEN
- Gather the founding Watchmen.
- Pray for Johannesburg.
- Establish the weekly prayer rhythm.
- Develop the founding prayer covenant.
- Identify strategic prayer burdens.
- Begin relationship-building with churches.
DAYS 31–60
BUILD THE WATCH
- Conduct Watchman orientation.
- Introduce Prayer Union principles.
- Establish prayer watches.
- Begin documenting prayer burdens and testimonies.
- Identify emerging leaders.
DAYS 61–90
MOBILIZE & MULTIPLY
- Launch the first public Prayer Union gathering.
- Conduct the Prevailing Prayer Seminar.
- Invite churches and prayer leaders.
- Establish additional Prayer Union groups.
- Begin planning the Johannesburg Prayer & Mission Gathering.
15. THE JOHANNESBURG LAUNCH STATEMENT
WE ARE HERE TO PRAY.
Not merely to hold another prayer meeting.
We are here to recover the altar.
WE ARE HERE TO WATCH.
To stand spiritually awake over our families, churches, city, nation and nations.
WE ARE HERE TO PREVAIL.
To carry burdens faithfully and persist in prayer.
WE ARE HERE TO MOBILIZE.
To awaken the Church to her responsibility in God’s mission.
WE ARE HERE TO SEND.
To release workers into the harvest.
WE ARE HERE TO MULTIPLY.
To raise another generation of worshipping watchmen.
16. OUR COVENANT OF LAUNCH
As the founding community of Prayer Union – Johannesburg, we commit ourselves:
To seek God before seeking activity.
To honor Scripture.
To cultivate worship.
To pray in unity.
To carry God-given burdens.
To watch and discern.
To persevere in prayer.
To honor the local Church.
To refuse competition and comparison.
To connect prayer with mission.
To raise the next generation.
To serve rather than seek recognition.
To send rather than merely gather.
To multiply rather than centralize.
And by God’s grace:
WE WILL PRAY.
WE WILL WATCH.
WE WILL PREVAIL.
WE WILL SEND.
WE WILL MULTIPLY.
17. THE JOHANNESBURG CRY
LORD, GIVE US JOHANNESBURG.
Give us the city—not for our name, but for Your glory.
Give us the Church—not to control, but to serve.
Give us Watchmen—not for titles, but for the burden.
Give us prayer—not merely as an activity, but as a ministry.
Give us discernment—not merely information, but divine direction.
Give us perseverance—not merely enthusiasm, but endurance.
Give us revival—not merely excitement, but transformation.
Give us workers—not merely crowds, but laborers.
Give us the nations—not merely as a vision, but as a mission.
And begin with us.
18. THE VISION IN ONE SENTENCE
Prayer Union – Johannesburg exists to raise a citywide community of worshipping watchmen who recover the altar of prevailing prayer, stand in the gap for Johannesburg and the nations, mobilize the Church for mission, and multiply praying and sending communities across South Africa, Africa and the nations.
19. THE JOHANNESBURG IDENTITY
PRAYER UNION – JOHANNESBURG
A Citywide Community of Worshipping Watchmen
OUR CALL
RECOVER THE ALTAR.
OUR POSTURE
BUILD THE WATCH.
OUR BURDEN
CARRY THE NATIONS.
OUR MISSION
CONNECT PRAYER TO MISSION.
OUR METHOD
PRAY • WATCH • PREVAIL • SEND.
OUR MULTIPLICATION
ONE WATCHMAN → ONE PRAYER UNION → ONE CITY → THE NATIONS.
20. THE FINAL CALL
Johannesburg does not need another religious program.
It needs a people who will stand.
A people who will pray when others sleep.
A people who will carry burdens others cannot see.
A people who will seek God before seeking solutions.
A people who will stand for the Church.
A people who will pray for the city.
A people who will intercede for South Africa.
A people who will carry Africa before God.
A people who will remember the nations.
A people who will raise another generation.
A people who will turn prayer into mission.
Therefore, we launch Prayer Union – Johannesburg with one cry:
RETURN TO THE ALTAR.
TAKE YOUR PLACE ON THE WATCH.
CARRY THE BURDEN.
PREVAIL IN PRAYER.
GO INTO THE HARVEST.
SEND TO THE NATIONS.
PRAYER UNION – JOHANNESBURG
ONE ALTAR.
MANY WATCHMEN.
ONE BURDEN.
ONE MISSION.
THE NATIONS.
PRAY • WATCH • PREVAIL • SEND
FROM PUNJAB TO JOHANNESBURG.
FROM JOHANNESBURG TO AFRICA.
FROM AFRICA TO THE NATIONS.
THE BURDEN MUST NOT DIE WITH US.