Love Elk River also heads Pray Elk River’s efforts to see the fifth paradigm – the elimination of systemic poverty – modeled in the city and the surrounding area. The statement concerning this effort, which was drafted by Love Elk River and adopted by Pray Elk River, is:

Elimination of Systemic Poverty

City transformation has been ongoing in the Elk River area since 1996. Pray Elk River, a prayer movement involving both marketplace and pulpit ministers, leads these city transformation efforts, which generally follow the guidelines for nation transformation set out by Ed Silvoso, head of Harvest Evangelism, in his book Anointed for Business.

The five pivotal paradigms evident in a city, region or nation transformed into the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, identified in Silvoso’s book, are:

1. We are called to disciple nations, not just individuals. (Matt. 28:18-20)

2. The Marketplace, which is the heart of the nation, has been redeemed and now needs to be reclaimed. (Luke 19:10)

3. Every Christian is a minister, and labor is worship. (1 Tim. 2:1-8; Acts 20:34-35)

4. We are called to take the kingdom of God to where the gates of hell are for Jesus to build His Church. (Matt. 16:18)

5. Nation transformation must be tangible and the premier social indicator is the elimination of systemic poverty. (Gal. 2:10)

Much of Pray Elk River city transformation efforts center on building kingdom-minded businesses and churches according to these five paradigms. However, the evidence of a city transformed is found almost entirely in the fifth paradigm, i.e. the elimination of systemic poverty. In fact, the efforts of establishing kingdom-minded businesses and churches must result in a positive effect on the lives of the poor in the city or, it can be said, that transformation is not complete.

The relation between the establishment of kingdom-minded businesses and churches and the elimination of systemic poverty has to do with the building up of the Body of Christ within the city. It is through the knowledge and acceptance, by all Christians in the city, that they are “salt and light to a dark and hurting world,” that systemic poverty will be eliminated. When all believers in Jesus Christ living and working in the city act as salt and light in their everyday lives – at home, at work, in the neighborhoods, in churches, in schools – the needs of the poor will be seen and met in such a way that the system of poverty will be broken and ended.

Pray Elk River and Love Elk River fully embrace this Holy Spirit-inspired method of eliminating systemic poverty and commit their efforts to elimination of systemic poverty by supporting ministries which embrace the same belief and principles.