The Shield a Badge prayer ministry has been successful in many parts of the nation, primarily praying for police officers. The goal of this ministry is to involve church members in a commitment to pray daily for public servants, such as law enforcement officers and firefighters in the community. Anyone who wears a badge could be included, from FBI to school crossing guards. Shield a Badge is an opportunity to express support and concern for public service officials and their families. 

Prayer could be for such things as safety, good judgment, and a safe return home each day. If you would like to make a commitment to pray daily for a police officer, firefighter, or other person in the community who wears a badge, discuss your interest with your pastor, or talk to the prayer ministry coordinator, if your church has one. God may be calling you to take the lead in getting such a ministry started in your church. 

Some Guidelines to Consider:

• Determine the length of time for a commitment. Some churches have said, "This is a one-year commitment by the prayer partner (citizen) to pray daily for the safety and well being of an assigned public servant and his or her family."
  
  

• Decide how much information will be shared. Many churches have found that limited information is best. Typically, a fictitious badge number is given for the officer or firefighter so he or she can be anonymously assigned to his or her prayer partners. Basic information would include if the public servant is a man or woman, married or single, if he or she has children, the type of work he or she does, and if it is known that he or she is a Christian.
  
  

• Determine how correspondence will be handled. For example, the church Shield a Badge chairman could be responsible for collecting notes of encouragement to deliver to his or her contact at the police precinct or fire station. If the public servant has a specific prayer request, it can be given to the contact person at the precinct or station to pass on to the Shield a Badge chairman to get to the appropriate intercessor. Birthdays could be listed, or other greetings could be sent to let the public servant know he or she is being prayed for regularly.
  
  

• Establish a "no personal contact" policy to protect both parties. The goal is to pray for the public servants. Cards and notes to the officer or firefighter via his or her agency will be sufficient. Gifts should be discouraged.
  
  

• Make provision for interruptions in the relationship. If the officer leaves his or her agency, the prayer partner can be notified and another officer assigned. If for some reason the prayer partner cannot fulfill the commitment, he or she should notify the Prayer Coordinator in charge.
  
  

• Keep motives pure. The prayer partner should enter into this ministry with no ulterior motives. No expectations should be placed on the officers and firefighters. The prayer partner should expect nothing from the officer or the agency in return for prayers rendered.
  
  

• Share the blessing and answered prayer stories. Depending on your situation, you may invite the person in charge or the contact person at the agency to speak at your church about how God is using the prayer support in the lives of those in your community who wear a badge. At least annually, the intercessors participating in the ministry could come together to share how God is using the ministry in their lives, too.
  
  

• Host a service or dinner in honor of the public servants in the community to show appreciation and to reaffirm that they are being prayed for by your church intercessors.