Are you concerned to pray for the world? World Prayer News features 31 prayer points for people around the world and is a great resource for supporting an active daily prayer ministry. The following information is taken from the latest issue of World Prayer News. Click on the links below to read prayer requests for a particular area of the world. Alternatively, download a printable version of World Prayer News or download an order form to receive quarterly hard copies of the publication.
The God of Mission
As a church leader committed to reaching and discipling the nations through the planting and building of strong local churches, I was recently challenged afresh by two statements in Chris Wright’s excellent new book, ’The Mission of God: Unlocking the Bible’s Grand Narrative’.
Chris Wright states: “Mission was not made for the church, the church was made for mission – the mission of God.”
And again: “It is not so much that God has a mission for his church in the world, as that God has a church for his mission in the world.”
How vital then, that in all our activity, and particularly in our praying, we constantly return our focus and attention to God’s mission. For the Father has purposed to make the nations Christ’s inheritance and the ends of the earth His possession. (Psalm 2v8)
Scripture testifies to the fact that it is the Sovereign Lord who will make righteousness and praise spring up before all nations, while reminding us that heaven sings of one who purchased men for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. (Isaiah 61v11; Revelation 5v9-10)
It is encouraging to know that the Father has included us in His great plans and that the Church has been commissioned to work alongside Him in bringing the Gospel to our own areas and to the ends of the earth. We may at times appear to face an impossible task, but we are co-workers with the God of the impossible! (Luke 1v37; Jeremiah 32v17)
As we have seen in recent history, iron and bamboo curtains appear to mean nothing to our God! We need, like Jeremiah, to see that all the nations are as clay in a potter’s hand as far as God is concerned, and He can transform them according to His good pleasure. (Jeremiah 18 v 1-10)
It is important that both in our churches and mission agencies that our worship and Bible teaching reflect this God of mission. While expressions of our own walk with God are valid, we need more often to dwell on and express the majesty and character of our awesome God! After all, what we believe about the character of God is probably the main determining factor in our lives with regard to our attitude to His world.
From greater reflection on, and understanding of, the character of this God of mission, our confidence to intercede for the peoples of the earth will grow. Prayer is not only God’s chosen means for the Church to accomplish God’s mission, but it also expresses our dependence upon Him for guidance, provision and enabling in the task set before us. Prayer is the fuel of action, as the early church found out! (Acts 4v23-31)
Prayer maintains and stimulates our world vision and allows us to experience something of God’s heart for the lost. It was the bedrock of Paul’s apostolic mission to the Gentiles and its importance is seen in his numerous requests for prayer support from his partners in the gospel. (Ephesians 6v19-20; Colossians 4v3-4; 2 Thessalonians 3v1-2)
During the past two hundred years there has been a burst of mission activity. The acceleration in technology, communications and transportation means more peoples are now accessible to mission activity. But where are the workers to take the Gospel to them? Jesus indicates that this requires the God of mission to thrust them out into the harvest field and that He will do so in response to our prayers! (Matthew 9v35-38)
Not every Christian can make substantial financial contributions to the extension of God’s kingdom, but there is no limit to what may be accomplished through people’s prayers as they call upon the God of mission. May God grant us to be the kind of church he desires for His mission in our day and generation!
Mike Frisby
City Church Cambridge – Newfrontiers
