Six Ways to Pray for Missionaries
By Pastor Josh Wamble
Throughout the Bible, we are encouraged to approach God with confidence knowing that He will receive us and that He wants to hear from us. Philippians 4:6-7 say, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”
Over the next few weeks, we will be posting specific ways you can be praying for different groups of people inside and outside of the church. This week, we want to think about missionaries. We do not want to just be sending out missionaries from our church, we want to be supporting them and their work as well. We want to join them in their work. One of the best ways we can do that is by regularly praying for them and their families. Below, we offer six specific ways that you can do so.
1. Pray for Their Personal Holiness
The nature of mission work means that often God calls missionaries to go where there are few if any believers. It can be difficult and isolating work. They do not have a local church near them to worship with, sing with, pray with, study the Bible with. They often do not have opportunities to hear the Bible preached. It is easy for them to get discouraged.
Pray that God would be near to them and that they would feel His presence. Pray that God would keep them faithful. Pray that even in their busyness to spread the word that they would be faithful to study His word and to read it devotionally. Pray that their hearts and souls would remain warm toward Christ and the gospel.
Pray that God would protect them from temptation and sin. Pray that they would be quick to repent and confess their sins to God. Pray that they would rest in His forgiveness and provision for their souls.
2. Pray for Them to Get Acclimated to their New Culture
Serving in another context can be very lonely. The people are different, the food is different, the customs are different, the language is different—everything is different. They are separated from their families and friends and church in the US, and they often feel disconnected from the people they are serving. Differences in culture can cause misunderstandings or miscommunications. They can make missionaries feel like they stick out and don’t fit in or lead to unintentional offenses (sometimes without even knowing that they are being offensive).
Pray that God would bridge this gap. Pray that they would quickly learn the cultural norms of their new home. Pray that they would make genuine friendships in their new setting. Pray for their marriages and their children.
3. Pray for Gospel Opportunities
People serving as missionaries want to befriend their neighbors and others around them. They want to build relationships with people in their new cultures. But, ultimately, they want these friendships and relationships and positions of influence to be used for the spreading of the gospel. They want to meet the most important need their new friends and neighbors have.
Pray that God would provide opportunities for them to share the gospel with the people around them. Pray that God would help them to do so in ways that are understandable and clear. Pray that God would work in the hearts of their hearers that they would respond to the gospel message.
4. Pray for Their Physical Needs
It is not uncommon for missionaries to suffer from sicknesses or other physical needs. Eating different foods, coming in contact with different germs or allergens can cause problems. Often missionaries serve in areas where they are not as familiar with the medical procedures or where access to specific medical care is not available. Often visits to a doctor or obtaining certain medications can require significant travel. On top of this, concerns about physical wellbeing (for himself or his family) can take a missionary’s attention away from the work the Lord has called him to
Pray that God would keep them healthy and free from injury. Pray for the health of their families. Pray that God would remove these distractions so that they can focus on gospel ministry in their place of service.
5. Pray for Their Financial Needs
Through the Cooperative Program of the SBC, our church supports more than 3500 missionaries serving with the SBC’s International Missions Board. Each of these missionaries is fully funded through the financial gifts of churches like ours throughout the US. We also support missionaries who serve with other agencies and are required to raise some or all of their financial support.
Pray for their support team to grow and that God would provide the finances they need to meet their needs and the needs of their families. Pray that they would not be worried or anxious over their finances and that they could focus on the work that is before them.
6. Pray that God Would Call More Missionaries
There is an immense need for missionaries around the world. There are still many people groups who have not yet heard the word of the gospel. There are languages and cultures that do not have a single follower of Jesus. There are others who only have a handful of believers or perhaps even have some churches but still need someone to help them grow to maturity or help them disciple and prepare the men God has called to lead their churches and serve as pastors.
Pray that God would call other individuals and families to go and teach His word. Pray that God would call individuals and families from our church. Pray that God would help us to be a good sending church that prepares and supports our missionaries well.
