Stories of survival and redemption aren’t just works of fiction.
At the International House of Prayer (IHOPKC), by the grace of God, tales of recovery, hope, and restoration are part of our story every single day.
Through prayer and works of justice, one of our ministries is seeking to establish social justice in the inner city community of Kansas City.
The result?
Lives are being changed daily.
Started as a food pantry to serve the community, Hope City operates and maintains a house of prayer, a community center, and a soup kitchen, and offers training and resources for addicts, gang members, homeless individuals, and youth outreach, all from the place of prayer.
Central to this ministry is the prayer room, because we know our words to God matter and that prayer to a God who hears us is the answer to every need. Regardless of the circumstances or situation, we believe God’s truth and declare it back to Him: God will “bring about justice for His chosen ones, who cry out to Him day and night . . . I tell you He will see that they get justice, and quickly” (Lk. 18:7–8).
And we have seen God perform His word.
In a neighborhood known for high gang activity, violence, murder, and poverty, Hope City encounters real-life scenarios, serving and helping those who have been marginalized by society and have used desperate means in order to survive. But through the hands of willing servants, we have seen the life-changing power of God at work in people’s lives, transforming hardship into hope.
Marsha, 54, said that in 2006 she was walking down the street, hungry, with $2 in her pocket, on her way to buy alcohol.
“A man stuck his head out of a building doorway and yelled, ‘Hey, you hungry? They’re feeding us in here.’ I went to the door, and there were all these people serving food. I got a plate of food and sat down. As I sat there, the feeling of wanting to drink left me. Peace came over me. I was taken aback a bit and told the lady standing behind the table what had just happened. She had some folks pray for me, and I gave my life to Jesus. That was over a year ago and I haven’t struggled with addiction to drugs or alcohol since. I’m now a part of Hope City’s team and am serving three to four days a week in the ministry.”
For those seeking healing from addiction, Hope City has the Trade-Off Program (TOP), a 90-day program for individuals who are coming out of drug addiction, prostitution, and other destructive lifestyles into the new life that Jesus gives.
At Hope City, they encounter a safe, structured environment in which to learn and take healthy, life-changing steps toward freedom from addictions and damaging choices. Critical to the recovery process is Bible-based teaching that helps people believe for lasting change in their lives.
In addition to the program, Hope City has a daytime shelter with a soup kitchen, serving hundreds of plates of hot food to the surrounding community. The shelter offers a food pantry, fresh coffee, showers, Wi-Fi, and clothing, alongside teaching and training in life skills, recovery classes, and biblical teaching.
To operate any ministry requires more than a few people. Hope City is no exception. Many believers have been connected to this ministry through the Hope City Internship, which is offered four times a year. Through the internship, believers receive the necessary skills to effectively minister as intercessory missionaries in an inner-city context. They are given opportunities such as leading in the Hope City prayer room, serving in the soup kitchen, and ministering to drug addicts and gang members.
As God works through each Hope City intern to transform the lives of those in the community, He also works in the lives of the interns, bringing about greater freedom, healing, and revelation, as they give their lives to Him.
IHOPKC’s Hope City is a ministry of transformation, of hope and restoration. Through prayer, obedience to the Lord’s word to care for the poor and oppressed, and the power of the Holy Spirit, many lives are being touched and transformed in Kansas City’s inner city.
