Spur Yourself On

Get Ongoing Prayer Support

By Lisa Bartelt

Not long ago, my husband and I received a letter from a friend’s son. This teenager, about to go on his first mission trip, was asking for prayer and financial support. In our years of working with youth at various churches, we’ve received numerous letters like this as young people step out in faith to follow God’s leading on a particular path.

Such letters remind me of the first time I wrote one. In college, and a new Christian at the time, I desperately wanted to join my peers on a spring break mission trip to a children’s home in Oklahoma. The pastor of my home church encouraged me to write a letter to the congregation, asking for prayer and for help to pay the costs of the trip. I did so reluctantly, wondering if anyone would respond.

The result? Their support overwhelmed me.

Prayer Teams: Not Just for Missionaries

In the years I’ve been a Christian I’ve noticed this theme: missionaries, long- and short-term ones, routinely ask for prayer support. They mobilize a group of people who commit to pray for them regularly or for the duration of the trip. Rarely, though, have I seen it outside the context of missions.

A writer friend pointed this out recently. No matter our gifts or vocation, we’re all called to be missionaries. Shouldn’t we, then, ask for prayer support for the mission God has given us? Her questions prompted us to form a small group of writers who pray for each other in the trials and triumphs of pursuing the call to write. It is a reminder that we are not alone in our mission.

The writer of Hebrews says, “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Heb. 10:24–25).

Before my friend’s plea for support from other writers, I had come to a similar conclusion: Even though I was not a missionary in the traditional sense of the word, writing was my mission, and I needed the support of a team. So nine months ago, I rallied an “inner circle” of ten friends to pray for my writing. And knowing I have their support keeps me going. They have made Paul’s words to the Galatians a reality: “Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up” (Gal. 6:9).

Whether you’re serving in full-time ministry, in full-time employment, in all-the-time parenting, or in a volunteer position in the church, it might be time to think like a missionary and assemble a prayer team.

1. Identify your mission. What is the ministry or work you’re most passionate about or most involved in? For me, it’s writing. I’ve been a full-time journalist, part-time freelancer, and unpaid blogger. I’m currently working on my first novel, and I know that moving ahead with the calling God has for me will require much prayer and reliance on His Spirit.

Are you in leadership at your job? Does your heart thrill to work with children’s ministry? Is your job stressful or unpredictable? Do you struggle with parenting your kids? In whatever you spend the bulk of your time doing or want to do better, partnering with people who will support you in prayer can be a first step toward growth.

2. Make a list. Who are the people in your life who know your heart for this work and are committed to prayer? I asked ten trustworthy friends if they would consider praying for me on a monthly basis. I’ve known some of these people for a lifetime; others I’ve only recently met. I wasn’t sure they would all say yes, but they did. Maybe you don’t need ten people. Maybe you need one or two. Try to think of individuals you can regularly connect with either in person or through email. My team is a mix of both.

3. Make a plan. When asking these friends to pray, I proposed sending an email near the beginning of the month, listing specific ways they could pray for my writing. And I pledged to pray for them one day a week throughout the month. Occasionally, if an urgent need comes up, I’ll send an additional email or message. Though they have committed to this, I don’t want to be a nuisance, so I aim for fewer messages. Your plan might be a weekly email or text message or phone call to check in about the week ahead and the week that passed. Figure out what works for you and your prayer-support partner(s), but don’t be afraid to change if it’s not working.

4. Give grace. Allow for people to tell you no or to withdraw if the commitment becomes too great. Circumstances change and a commitment in one season of life might last only during that season. Trust that God will give you the right person or people for your team, and trust that He will work regardless of the number.

Unexpected Results

When I enacted this plan, I wasn’t sure what to expect. I had no grand ideas that God would automatically open wide the publishing doors because I’d enlisted a prayer team. I just needed the support. But I’ve found that having a prayer team offers benefits I didn’t imagine.

First, there’s accountability. Every month when I send the email about my opportunities in writing, I follow up on the items from the previous month. Sometimes I’ve completed them.

Sometimes I haven’t. Either way, I’m putting my goals in writing for other people to see. It’s much harder to continue procrastinating when I know I have a report to give each month. And my reports encourage people to ask me how my writing is coming along. In the past, when I’ve kept my writing to myself, it was much easier to get discouraged.

This leads to the second benefit of having a prayer team: encouragement. We all need it. Even if we’re working at something we love, whether paid or not, we can feel discouraged or drained from time to time. When I’ve been honest about my struggles to write during a particular month, a short “Keep up the good work” note from one of my prayer team members reminds me that I’m not in it alone.

And that fosters community, the third benefit of a prayer team. Sometimes I’m reluctant to talk about my writing, but my husband will tell everyone what I’m working on. During a recent small group gathering from our church, he talked about my current project. I don’t always expect to be taken seriously as a writer because it’s not a full-time job yet. But our small group members encouraged me and prayed for my creativity and success as a writer. Having a prayer team invites people into my life and reminds me that I can’t do this alone.

Near the end of his letter to the Romans, Paul, in essence, sends a prayer request to the church: “Strive together with me in your prayers to God . . . that my service for Jerusalem may prove acceptable to the saints” (Rom. 15:30–31, NASB).

God expects us to “work for the Kingdom” in relationship with others. Having a prayer team can remind us of the importance of our work and the need for togetherness.

LISA BARTELT is a freelance writer and frequent blogger (lmbartelt.wordpress.com). Her work has also appeared in curriculum for Group Publishing.