How to Pray for MissionariesSýnishorn

THE PARTNERSHIP OF PRAYER (1 John 1:3) 

In 1982, Neil and Joy Milne, Australian missionaries to India, lost their ten-year-old son Judson in a freak accident. Later Joy recalled how when she was still deeply pained with grief, it was a letter from a praying friend that helped her to cope. 

The partnership of prayer is a powerful thing.  

To us, the words ‘fellowship’ and ‘partnership’ appear quite dissimilar. For a start, they look different. Moreover ‘fellowship’ is sometimes seen as sentimental, warm and fuzzy, while ‘partnership’ is more business-like, involving duty and commitment. Not so in the original New Testament text. They are both translations of the one Greek word koinonia which along with its overall word group, has a strong focus on cooperation and working together. See how similar the Greek terms appear.

• Koinos = common, shared  

• Koinonia = partnership, fellowship

• Koinoneo = to share or have in common

• Koinonos = partner

• Sugkoinonos = fellow-partaker 

The word koinonos, is used in Luke 5:7-10 to describe co-workers in the fishing industry and koinoneo describes giving aid to those in need (Rom 12:13; Gal 6:6).  Thus, koinonia means more than just friendly companionship. It involves active participation with others.

Prayer is partnership with God. In one sense, he doesn’t need our prayers. In another, prayer is a tool God uses to invite us to share in his work. It means teaming up with the Father in bringing about his purposes. We are God’s fellow workers (1 Cor 3:9) committed to partnership with him (1 John 1:3). 

Through prayer we are also in partnership with one another. Paul links prayer and partnership together in his letter to the Philippians (1:3-7; 4:15). Elsewhere he urges the Roman believers to join with him in his ministry by praying for him (Rom 15:30). Even though they were far removed from each other, they were partners, in koinonia. 

At the very least, praying regularly for missionary friends ensures that we don’t forget them; on the contrary, it brings us closer together and reminds us that our fellowship is not contingent on proximity. We may see them only rarely, but we feel close to them because we not just praying words, we are building a partnership of prayer. 

James Fraser, pioneer missionary to China, wrote, ‘Christians at home can do as much for foreign missions as those actually on the field.   I believe it will only be known on the Last Day how much has been accomplished in missionary work by the prayers of earnest believers at home... Solid, lasting missionary work is done on our knees!’

What next?

• Begin compiling a list of missionaries for whom you could pray regularly. 

• Include marriage partners, fellow workers and especially their children.