In the Bible, Nehemiah was inspired by God to rebuild the ruined city of Jerusalem. Known as a man of action and prayer, Nehemiah successfully reclaimed the land for the Lord. 

Last year a local group followed in the footsteps of their Biblical hero. Members of The Nehemiah Initiative were led by God to reclaim and rebuild an area on San Antonio’s Westside through prayer and action.

A steering committee of 6 members of a Southside pastors and leaders fellowship led by Berta and Rune Brannstrom was inspired by the effectiveness of prayer on the crime rate in Newark, N.J. 

After a group of Christians began to adopt the streets of Newark for prayer, they saw a miraculous decrease in crime and 44 days free from homicide, Berta said.

Rune felt God leading him to duplicate this effort in a specific section of West San Antonio.   “He was to go into enemy territory, possess the land and reclaim a ‘beachhead’ area for the Lord,” he said.

The committee determined to win the battle in the heavenlies first, Berta said.  As Nehemiah started his rebuilding project with prayer and fasting, so too did the Nehemiah Initiative. 
Christians from all over San Antonio were enlisted to cover the territory streets with prayer; and soon all 162 streets were adopted.

On Sept. 1, 2009, the Nehemiah Initiative established a physical presence in the area with a ceremony at West End Park, where a stake inscribed with scripture was pounded in the ground with prayer and praise, symbolically reclaiming the land.

Subsequently, each corner of the “beachhead” was staked with prayer, scripture and praise in the target area, which spreads from the park to W. Woodlawn to the North, W. Commerce to the South, N. Colorado to the East and General McMullen Dr. to the West.

Since then, prayer warriors have gathered at area churches or ministry offices to pray corporately from noon to 1 p.m. every weekday.

The Nehemiah Initiative reports remarkable changes in the area in the past year.  The atmosphere of West End Park has drastically improved, as the city removed a concrete slab that had been a gathering place for gangs and replaced it with a brand new playground and pavilion.

Additionally, a bakery in the territory was exposed as a front for a drug and prostitution ring.  The bakery was demolished and the corner of N. Zarzamora and Lombrano where it stood is now clean, with plans in place to build a youth center.

“Christians in the target area are beginning to have hope that God is coming to turn things around. There is hope in the hearts of pastors there,” said Berta. “They have linked and have a new desire to work together as a body and focus on the needs of the people.”

Other results include more than 100 children giving their lives to the Lord, with many being discipled by a youth ministry team.  That team now includes one former gang member, who has been saved and baptized.  Crime is decreasing with 2 new SAPD divisions created for the neighborhood, vice is being eradicated and The West End Neighborhood even won the National Night Out Award for the city. 

The Nehemiah Initiative continues to serve the area, with plans underway for a weeklong outreach this summer, beginning Aug. 7. The outreach, titled SA2:10Call, begins and ends with public festivals in West End Park. 

Activities will include Christian musicians, speakers, food, games, free kids’ haircuts and vaccinations, medical testing, a job fair, a talent show, drama, dance and exercise worship.  During the week, groups will be providing a VBS for children, soccer and basketball camps, and area renovation including painting, yard work and graffiti abatement.  Intercessors will be praying for the week round the clock at Greater Mt. Zion Baptist Church. 

“Our purpose is to demonstrate the love of God to people through practical service and sharing the Gospel,” Berta said.

Many groups will staff the outreach, including 120 children’s workers from Oak Hills Church, but more volunteers are needed.  Register to help at www.Nehemiahinitiative.org.