Prayer is The Greater Work in Global Christian Missions
What’s the real role of prayer in global missions? In this video, we share stories from places like Haiti, Afghanistan, and Cairo, exploring why prayer isn’t just preparation for the work, it is the greater work.
When we think back on the lessons that shaped our understanding of missions, one theme rises above the rest: prayer. Early on, we believed missions were all about action, doing, building, serving, and helping. But we quickly realized that without first seeking God’s guidance in prayer, we were often operating in our own strength. That was our wake-up call. Prayer isn’t the side work. Prayer is the greater work.
Prayer Aligns Us with God’s Strategy
We serve a strategic God. He has a plan for Afghanistan, for Haiti, for every community on this earth. Our role isn’t to charge in with our own ideas, but to slow down and ask Him, “Lord, what is Your strategy to reach these people with the good news of Jesus?”
This truth takes the pressure off. We don’t have to invent the plan or carry the weight of saving the world. Instead, through prayer, we discern God’s plan. Which is rooted in His Word, revealed through His Spirit, and confirmed in community with one another.
When we skip prayer, we risk leaving God out and putting ourselves at the center. The American church is often tempted to “do, do, do.” But sometimes the holiest thing we can do is stop, be still, and inquire of the Lord.
Prayer Requires Surrender
The hardest part of prayer is that it asks us to let go of control. To pray is to admit, “I don’t know the way, but God does.” It’s humbling. It’s an invitation for Him to lead and for us to follow.
Through prayer, we gain wisdom that we could never manufacture on our own. And as we seek His heart, our desire becomes to glorify the Lord, not ourselves. Because without prayer, it’s too easy to make ourselves the hero. With prayer, God alone gets the glory.
Prayer Leads to Transformation
In broken communities filled with devastation, the entry point for ministry is often prayer walking. As we walk the land, observe what is happening, and invite God’s Kingdom to come, we begin to see His agenda for that place.
That’s essentially the foundation of transformational development. It is a change that goes beyond the physical into the spiritual. True transformation happens when communities are restored not just in body, but in soul and spirit, as God’s Kingdom breaks in.
We’ve seen this firsthand in some of the hardest places on earth, Somaliland, Cairo, and Haiti. Again and again, we’ve said that prayer almost feels like “cheating,” because once we’ve sought the Lord, the work goes smoother. Why? Because now it’s not us striving, but Christ Himself guiding, leading, and propelling the mission forward.
Why We Choose Prayer First
Prayer makes us look good, but only because it’s really God’s glory shining through. The world sees the fruit, but behind it all is the power of God at work in response to prayer. There is nothing sweeter than walking in obedience to what He reveals and seeing Him glorified in the process.
We choose prayer because it keeps God at the center. We choose prayer because it opens the way to wisdom and transformation. And we choose prayer because it ensures that in every story of redemption, the spotlight is on Christ, not us.
How You Can Join Us in the Greater Work
If this conversation about prayer stirs something in you, we invite you to take the next step with us. Our book, Teach a Man to Fish, dives deeper into the principles of prayer, transformational development, and God’s strategy for restoring broken communities.
This isn’t just a book, it’s a call to action. A call to exchange control for surrender, to walk the land in prayer, and to believe that God has a plan for every nation and every neighborhood.
Get your copy of Teach a Man to Fish today and discover how prayer can transform not only communities but your own walk with Christ.
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Together, let’s embrace prayer as the greater work, for His glory.