Pray for Missionaries

by Linda Cliff

If you have been reading this blog over the past 8 months you know that I promised my friend that I would write a blog for her each month.  Over the past month I have read two articles on missionaries and will try to summarize what I have learned.

An article I read in MSC, which is a Canadian Missions based organization, spoke of how missions have changed over the past two decades.  It used to be that if you worked in the mission field you would go to one place overseas in a foreign culture for a long time, usually until retirement.  Today there is generally much less freedom for a missionary to stay in one place long term.  Now creativity is required to even get access into a country and stay for any period of time.  Hence, mission workers must commit for shorter periods of time to a single place.  They may access a country to run a business, work with NGOs and nonprofits, or teach English.  
Some workers serve multiple nations for example in refugee camps or may work cross-culturally here in Canada. 

What hasn’t changed about missions is that even though the world is ever changing people continue to need the Gospel and the changed lives that the Gospel provides when it is embraced. 

Given that Missions are changing with the times, an article from the House Upon the Rock newsletter seemed very timely.  A quote from “Pray for Missionaries” by Global Operations Team has the following suggestions for what we should pray for missionaries.

• Prayer requests
• Love for God
• Genuine Love for Others
• Deeper relationship with God
• Spirit controlled lives
• Fruit of the spirit
• Wisdom and knowledge
• Courage
• Receptive hearts
• Disciples
• A strong faith
• Steadfastness
• A strong family
• Protection
• Material needs
• Health and strength

When I was typing this list I realized that we should be praying for such support for ourselves as well as the missionaries who serve God in the mission field. I encourage you to include SPPC, our minister and our leaders in your prayers.