Faith in Action: Ashland Churches Unite to Bring Down Spiritual Walls

Read Aloud

A small Illinois town puts faith on its feet — turning prayer into movement and unity into action.

In the quiet town of Ashland, Illinois, faith recently took to the streets — literally. Earlier this month, believers from eight different churches came together for what they called a Jericho Walk — a week-long event inspired by the Old Testament story of Joshua and the walls of Jericho.

Each evening, residents gathered outside St. Augustine Catholic Church at 6 p.m. and walked a 2.5-mile loop around town, praying as they went. On the seventh day, they circled the route seven times, just as the Israelites did before the walls of Jericho fell. But this time, the “walls” weren’t made of stone — they were the invisible barriers dividing their community: unbelief, addiction, fear, and spiritual apathy.

“When you feel helpless in dark times, it helps to do something,” said organizer Alaina Griffin. “And one of the most powerful things any of us can do is pray.”

The event began with just 29 walkers on day one, but the crowd nearly doubled by the end of the week — families, pastors, children, and seniors joining side by side. Together, they represented nearly every local congregation: Catholic, Methodist, Baptist, and nondenominational churches all united under one mission — to walk, pray, and believe for change.

Griffin said she got the idea after seeing a similar prayer walk online. “I tried it on my own first and felt peace and renewal I hadn’t felt in years,” she said. “Then I thought — if one walk can change me, what could happen if a whole town walked together?”

By day six, the “Jericho Walk” had become a local movement. Businesses waved as the group passed. Neighbors who hadn’t attended church in years came outside to join the final lap. One participant said she hadn’t prayed aloud in public before but felt compelled to do so: “It was like God was reminding me that walls don’t come down in silence.”

Faith That Moves

The Ashland Jericho Walk is a living picture of what happens when faith steps out of the sanctuary and onto the streets. Each mile covered was a statement: that prayer still changes things, that unity still matters, and that small towns can still make a big noise for heaven.

“We want this to be more than a one-time event,” Griffin added. “We’re hoping this sparks new ways for people to serve, volunteer, and reach out. The walk may be over, but the movement isn’t.”

Reflection

Faith in action doesn’t always look like a miracle — sometimes it looks like persistence. It’s walking when you don’t yet see results, believing that God can do what people can’t, and doing it together.Ashland’s streets echoed with prayer for a week, but its real impact may last for generations.

📖 Scripture to Share

“By faith the walls of Jericho fell, after the army had marched around them for seven days.” — Hebrews 11:30“Let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth.” — 1 John 3:18

💬 Call to Action

Every community has its own “walls. ”What could happen if your church — or even a few friends — decided to walk and pray for yours? Start with one step, one prayer, one act of faith. The walls may not fall overnight, but they always start to crack when people move in love.