By Heather Bennett Eye
It’s easy to see God’s blessings along the Emerald Coast, and Katie Campbell of 30A Prays has witnessed first-hand the work of God moving in this area. The nonprofit organization’s vision is “to revive the heart of prayer and equip the next generation to passionately pray and boldly share the gospel,” and they’re creating a wave of prayer within our community.
Did you notice the red tents along the beach in Seaside during spring break? Katie and other members of 30A Prays spent hours on the beaches praying and answering questions for interested guests. “God really moved on the beaches during spring break. We prayed for so many young people,” said Katie. “Our tents were never empty the whole entire time. We had a continuous flow of people wanting to be prayed for. There is a generation of young people that are hungry to be prayed for, and to know the truth.”
Katie and her family moved to 30A from Washington State two years ago after she received a calling in her heart to start the prayer movement along the Emerald Coast. Katie and her husband, Branden, were active in their church in Washington where she led a prayer ministry and he assisted in preaching. After making the big move, it didn’t take Katie long to connect with other like-minded individuals through Instagram. Connections that would eventually help form 30A Prays.
The organization is non-denominational. Members don’t have to be affiliated with a particular church. “They attend all different types of churches, all along this area,” Katie stated. It’s the diversity in the members that resonates with interested guests that come to the tents for prayer. “It’s a great bridge builder with people at the beach,” said Katie. “People are so diverse, and most people when they come down to the tents, they ask what denomination are you, and we let them know we’re from different churches and it really disarms people.”
Currently, they are building their prayer team. Katie and her husband host a 2-hour prayer training where team members learn how to write a testimony, practice sharing that testimony with each other, learn how to pray for strangers – to pause and listen for the Holy Spirit, practice praying for each other, and how to share The Gospel. “There are four different ways they get to participate, to equip them to feel like they have the tools and resources to go out and pray with strangers on the breach,” stated Katie. “We’re inspiring people to be bold in their faith and to pray. It’s fun to watch people come alive.”
You can catch Katie every Thursday morning in Seaside for a prayer walk with 30A Prays at 7:15 a.m. There are some regulars that join, and also new faces, people who’ve seen her on Instagram. “I never know who’s coming. It’s a surprise to me so I love that,” stated Katie. “I want people to feel welcomed to join us in prayer.”
You can find 30A Prays on Instagram @30aprays or visit their website at 30aprays.com if you are interested in joining or learning more. They are set to hold another prayer event the week of October 8th. There will be red prayer tents set up on the beach in Seaside every day that week, and at the end of the week there will be an outreach event. Just look for the red tent. You won’t be able to miss them! Be sure to follow them for more information and announcements.
