Practical guide for family prayer and encouragement

Missions is a family affair. In Acts 2, the Bible records Peter’s powerful sermon on the day of Pentecost. As Peter was preaching, the Holy Spirt moved in the hearts of those who were listening. They pleaded with Peter, “What must we do to be saved?” Peter answered them and said, “Repent and be baptized!” 

As the people confessed their sins and became believers under the new covenant, Peter continued to explain that salvation was not only for them. As Peter explained in Acts 2:39, “For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself.” 

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As a parent, I am always seeking to equip and encourage my family to live a life on mission. My wife and I pray and ask the Lord to teach us new ways to be intentional in fulfilling the Great Commission at home and in our community.

One simple way to be intentional in fulfilling the Great Commission is to pray for and encourage the Body of Christ. In the book of Acts, The Bible teaches us the importance of encouragement as it relates to the fulfillment of Great Commission. In Acts 14:21-23, the Bible says that “after they (Paul and Barnabas) had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith, and say, “Through many tribulations we enter the Kingdom of God.” 

In the midst of this global trail and displacement from the coronavirus, here are some practical ways (or a practical way) you and your family can pray and encourage others in the Body of Christ:

Gather your family, read Acts 1:8, Acts 2:39, and Acts 14:21-23. Following the Acts 1:8 paradigm, let Jerusalem represent your local church and community, Judea (Kentucky), Samaria (North America), and Ends of the Earth (the world).

• Jerusalem (Your Church and Community):
  1.  Pray, write a thank you card, short letter or email to your Pastor
  2. For younger kids, ask them, “Who is our pastor?” “How can we pray for him?” and have them write out or record their answers. Pray for your pastor and then let him know.

• Judea (Your State: Kentucky):
  1. Teach your children to pray for a Kentucky Missionary.
  2. We have over 100 Kentucky Missionaries who need prayer and encouragement
  3. Go to the InterSeed website and download the monthly prayer calendar to pray for the missionaries across the state
  4. Email [email protected] to get a missionary contact info for encouragement

• Samaria (North America):
  1. Teach your children to pray for our NAMB (North American Mission Board) missionaries.
  2. Share with them how our Baptist churches work together to fulfill the Great Commission through the cooperative program.
  3. Pray for these NAMB missionaries and Kentucky Baptist partners.
     1. Salt Lake City Bobby Wood
     2. Chicago: John Yi
     3. New York: Won Kwak (NAMB); George Russ (Metro NY Baptist Association)
     4. Cincinnati: Travis Smalley
  4. Email [email protected] to get a missionary contact for encouragement.

• World (International Missions):
  1. Teach your children to pray for IMB Missionaries
  2. Go to the IMB website, click on one of the 9 Affinity groups around the world, watch the video, and use the pray guide as a family
  3. Pray for these IMB missionaries that the Kentucky Baptist are currently partnering with
     1. Sao Paulo: Aaron and Melissa Stormer; Scott and Joyce Pittman
     2. Zimbabwe: Nick and Kyndra Moore
     3. Central Asia: _____ (can’t give names, as you know, but the Lord knows)
  4. Email [email protected] to get a missionary contact for encouragement.

The key is to model for your children that our Faith and Hope is Christ, and that he will never live us or forsake us in the midst of trial. By taking time to pray and encourage your Pastor, Church leaders, or a missionary family today, you and your family will be participating in fulfilling the Great Commission! Perhaps, the Lord may open a new door for a Kingdom Partnership! 

You can download the Prayerwalking Guide and the Neughbor Survey from the Kentucky Baptist convention coronavirus resource page. 

JOHN BARNETT is a Kentucky Baptist Convention Missions Strategist. Reach him at [email protected]