They would ask God to do it.

“Our pockets are empty, but we’re going to hold on to God!” Twyman, a community organiser said as he and seven other people formed a semicircle, held hands and sang, pleading for divine intervention to lower fuel prices.

It was the latest demonstration by Twyman’s movement, Pray at the Pump, which began in April. Since then, he has held group prayers at gas stations, garnering international media attention and even claiming success in at least a couple of cases.

Some would say the proof of whether Twyman has the ear of the Almighty is in the result. On the first day of the movement, April 23, the national average price of a gallon of unleaded was $3.53, according to AAA. As of Friday, it was $3.96.

But Twyman said true faith does not demand instant gratification, and he plans to keep his pump-side prayers going “until God tells us to stop.” “This whole thing is a wake-up call from God to Americans, because we idolise men so much,” said Twyman, 59, a public relations consultant and Seventh-day Adventist who believes that high gas prices are a sign of the apocalypse drawing nigh. “I think through this crisis, God is trying to call us back to depend on Him more.”

Reactions, and results, have been mixed.

After he gave an interview to a Tampa radio station, the station received calls from listeners saying the price at their pumps had dropped. (According to AAA’s Fuel Price Finder, regular gas at Tampa area stations averaged $3.89 a gallon Friday, up from $3.59 a month ago).

Last week, as one of the demonstrations was winding down, an angry gas station manager in Petworth chased them from the property, Twyman said, annoyed that the activists were hampering business.

Sylvester Shorter, 61, of Southeast Washington was pumping $20 worth of regular as the group sang.

“They’re praying,” he said dismissively. “Do I still have to pay $20?”

A public relations consultant, Twyman is experienced at garnering publicity and has staged campaigns over the years for various causes, from tsunami relief to bone marrow donations for minorities.

In 2005, he began a movement to get Oprah Winfrey the Nobel Peace Prize. (She did not win.) Last year, he led prayers for rain in drought-afflicted Georgia. (Rain did eventually fall.)

“I think it’s a wonderful thing,” said Mirrine Thorne of Northwest Washington, who pulled in to gas up her Chevy Impala as Twyman’s group prayed. Thorne, a mother of four, said gas prices have limited the activities she can do with her kids on the weekends.

“Nobody else is doing anything,” she said. “God is going to do something.”

After a few minutes of song and appeals to customers to join the movement, Twyman and his group began their departure, their hope and faith replenished.

The price of regular? $3.91.