Churches – Prayer Letters
Every missionary that you support has heard from many “We will be praying for you and your ministry”. Churches and members mean to pray, and many are praying fervently and consistently for each missionary family. Keeping missionaries and their needs before your people is so important for your church’s mission program. Reading the prayer letters in church is a great way to keep them specifically and consistently before your congregation and the Lord. You never know what that family is going through, and the power of prayer can be what keeps that family on the mission field!
Churches – Praying Effectively for Missionaries
In the Bible we see one of the greatest missionaries the Apostle Paul asking many times for prayers specifically for a particular thing. Here in the Bible we see several ways as a church that you can pray specifically for your missionaries that your church supports:
- Pray purposefully for your missionaries.
Simply just pray for your missionaries. In I Thessalonians 5:25 Paul asks the believers to “pray for us”. Each of your missionaries appreciates and covets your prayers on their behalf.
- Pray for the gospel to spread.
2 Thessalonians 3:1 Paul asks for the prayer for the gospel to have a “free course” wherever your missionaries are ministering. The Gospel can be hindered in many ways. Pray for it to spread freely to all that has not heard.
- Pray for an open door.
In Colossians 4:3 Paul asks for prayer for opportunities to share the gospel. Pray for God to open opportunities to preach and teach the Gospel.
- Pray for fruit in your and their ministry.
Here in Colossians 1:9-10 Paul is praying for the Colossian church. It is important for your local church to be reaching the lost. If your church is not growing it hinders the spread of the Gospel. Pray for fruit in your ministry and for your missionaries as well to reach the lost.
- Pray for boldness.
In Ephesian 6:19 Paul asks for boldness. Fear can sometimes hinder us from sharing the gospel. Pray that your missionaries will boldly proclaim the truth of salvation.
As a church that supports missionaries worldwide the importance of prayer needs to be a vital part of your mission’s program. Prayer partners with missionary families, a digital display with urgent and ongoing prayer requests, prayer bulletins, and dedicated prayer time for missionaries are all great ways you can constantly and effectively pray. On Missions21 one of our newest features allows missionaries to download their prayer letters so you can see their needs and requests frequently. That is just one more way you can keep your missionaries before the Lord in prayer. The Apostle Paul shows us how we can effectively and consistently pray for each of the missionaries that your church supports.
