How to Mobilize Your Church to Pray for the Nations — Here and There

This week’s guest post comes to us from Terry Sharp for ncbaptist.org. 

Prayer isn’t just an essential key in the life of the church — it’s also a huge part of the mission of God. It changes our hearts and helps us to accomplish His mission. It’s also a tool that can initiate spiritual awakening in our lives, individually and collectively.

Perhaps the most encouraging thing about prayer, is knowing it can do the same in the lives of unbelievers when we pray for them.

In 1 Timothy 2:1-6, Scripture teaches us that we are to pray for all peoples.

Never has that passage been more relevant to the church than it is today. Even though it’s been more than 2000 years since Jesus came, lived, died and rose again, the sad reality remains that 2.8 billion people still have little or no access to the gospel. There has never been a more urgent time to pray for peoples around the world.

In the article, “When We Pray, God Works” that International Mission Board President David Platt wrote for the 2017 week of prayer for international missions, he advises that prayer isn’t just a rushed or mechanical exercise.

“God has ordained our prayer as a means to accomplish His purpose in the world,” Platt wrote. “We’ve got to be aware that our praying for boldness for missionaries is actually going to affect whether or not they have boldness. God ordained it that way. When we pray, God works.”

When we pray, God does indeed work. Praying is a way that every single Christian can be involved in missions. Here are a few ways your church can pray for the nations right here in North America and around the world.

1. Discover people groups. 

There are many resources available to help you not just learn about people groups, but offer brief overviews and the progress of the gospel among their people. People Groups, People Groups Info, Operation World and the Peoples Next Door N.C. Prayer Map are among the helpful websites that provide information on people groups and prayer points to help you pray specifically for each group.

2. Discern how to pray with focus.

Your whole church can become involved in praying for the nations. Promote a prayer emphasis through small groups, Sunday School classes and members in corporate worship. You can even ask families to become involved by praying at home for people groups.

Here is a list of prayer requests that can be used with any people group.

  • Pray that unreached peoples will hear and accept the gospel.
  • Pray for protection for those who accept Christ.
  • Pray for freedom from persecution.
  • Pray for Scriptures to be translated into their heart language.
  • Pray for their physical and spiritual needs.
  • Pray for new ways to see and hear the gospel .
  • Pray for government leaders involved with your people group.

While it’s great to have as many church members involved in praying for the nations as possible, you can help them pray by providing specific requests.

Click here to read the rest of the original article. 

Your partner in ministry,

Nelson

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About Nelson Searcy

Nelson Searcy is an experienced church growth strategist, pastor, church planter and coach, consulting with churches around the world. As founder of Church Leader Insights and the Renegade Pastors Network, he has personally trained more than 3,500 church leaders in over 45 denominations through live events, seminars and monthly coaching. Nelson is also the Founding and Lead Pastor of The Journey Church, with locations across New York City and in Boca Raton, FL. Nelson and his church routinely appear on lists such as “The 50 Most Influential Churches” and “The 25 Most Innovative Leaders.” He is the author of over 100 church growth resources and 18+ books, including The Renegade Pastor: Abandoning Average in Your Life, Ministry and The Difference Maker: Using Your Everyday Life for Eternal Impact, and At the Cross with the People Who Were There. He and his wife, Kelley, have one son, Alexander.

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