by Jon Konnerup
Our missionaries are dealing with conditions on the field that could hinder their ability to stay and minister. Also, our churches at home are dealing with the economy and paradigm shifts that could hinder keeping our missionaries on the field. In times like these, we must step back and consider our commitment to the Great Commission — the heart of God. Do our hearts line up with His?
Reaching our world has never been easy. However, today we are experiencing various uncertain circumstances across the globe all at the same time. Consider the following:
- Political unrest – anti-Americanism, coup attempts, civil wars
- Natural disasters such as earthquakes in Haiti, Chile, New Zealand, and Japan
- Major crime areas and threats to safety as seen in Mexico
- Foreign governmental roadblocks – red tape, visa denials, BBFI registration, taxes
- Increased cost of living in most countries – in parts of Europe gas prices are over $9 a gallon
- Religious antagonism in the Middle East and parts of Asia
- Economic situation in the States – loss of jobs, income, and support (giving through the Mission Office has decreased by more than $1 million compared to last year’s giving)
Our missionaries are on the front lines in dangerous areas faithfully serving the Lord and laboring on behalf of our churches back home. They rely on our prayers! These prayers keep God’s power active, His protection sure, and His provisions certain.
Are these worldwide circumstances causing our efforts to wane? Has the lifeline gone flat? Well, not quite, but the devil is trying to pull the plug. He would like to cancel the covenant of God to bless the nations and evangelize and make disciples of all peoples. God’s mandate to our churches is still the same and still alive because He has not yet returned. So we must engage in fervent, intense, persistent prayer for our missionaries and their needs — “The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.” (James 5:16)
We may not all be called to go to the ends of the earth and preach, but every one of us has been called to pray. Prayer is not optional, it is operational. It makes things happen.
We must also lift up our churches and their leaders before God that He would give them wisdom to meet the multiple challenges that are facing them in their ministries at this time in history.
God gave us prayer because Jesus gave us a mission. To accept Christ is to enlist under a missionary banner. So it would seem impossible to be “in Christ” and not participate in Christ’s mission in the world. As in everything God requires, prayer must be done with all our heart, all our soul, and with all our strength. Could this really be said of each one of us? Perhaps it’s time to step back and assess.