Praying for the Parishes and All Peoples

10 Guides to Help You Get Started

At the Global Mission Center, we have four key values that shape all we do:

1) Prayer 🙏
2) Preparation 🪑
3) Participation 👟
4) Partnership 🤝

This post is one of a four-part series that will describe these values and how they apply to the everyday lives of those seeking to be “Global Christians”.

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Samuel M. Zwemer, missionary to the Muslim World, once wrote,

“The smaller the diameter of our knowledge of human need and human suffering, the smaller will be the circumference of our petitions. The larger the diameter of our knowledge, the larger the area of our intercession” (Taking Hold of God, 91).

Zwemer contends for a greater awareness of the world that will in turn fuel a deep prayer life for the nations. Jesus himself upholds prayer for the harvest as a necessary task for his disciples (Luke 10:2). Most believers would agree that interceding on behalf of the lost and unreached should be a regular rhythm in the Christian life. Yet, this practice is easier said than done. We must work to intentionally “widen the diameter” of our knowledge of the world in order to grow in the discipline of prayer for the nations. Thankfully, many organizations have compiled resources to assist believers in this task. Here are a few of my favorites that cover different focuses in mission.

Prayer Resources for the Unreached

When Paul was forming his travel plans, he desired to “preach the gospel where Christ has not been named” (Rom. 15:20). Still today, many nations and peoples are unreached, meaning they have little to no solid foundation of gospel work or healthy churches. These resources focus on missions among the unreached and where Christ has not been named.

1. Joshua Project Unreached of the Day

The Joshua Project is one of the most recognizable resources in missions. This website contains statistics about lostness and the work of the church among thousands of people groups across the globe. The Joshua Project highlights a people group each day to keep the church focused on the need for pioneer missionary workers. Check out their app, or download prayer cards for use in your local church.

2. IMB Pray

The International Mission Board has over 3,500 cross-cultural workers around the globe, and their prayer team provides regular updates so that Southern Baptist churches can pray for their sent ones. You can work straight through the requests for the day, pick a region (affinity group) of interest, or find an entry that catches your eye. The IMB’s Loving the Lost Through Prayer is another helpful resource that includes information on the unreached along with family-friendly activities.

3. Operation World

Operation World (OW) has a long history of helping believers intercede on behalf of the lost. Rather than Joshua Project’s people group approach, OW organizes their prayer requests by country, detailing both challenges and opportunities for gospel work. If you prefer a print copy, OW has several books of different sizes and target audiences that can stay on your desk or dinner table.

4. Prayercast

If you’re looking for something more visual or interactive to guide your prayers, Prayercast is a great option. The site hosts engaging videos for different nations, religious groups, and global issues. Ideal for a classroom, worship service, or small group setting, these videos help believers “put a face on missions” and visualize the people for whom they’re praying.

Prayer Resources for the Global Church

The biblical command to “pray for one another” (James 5:16) applies not only to local Christians or churches but also extends to our brothers and sisters around the world. While they might have a different language, culture, or ethnicity, believers in other places deserve our prayers because of our shared unity in Christ.

5. Global Christianity

Compiled by missions researcher Gina Zurlo, Global Christianity is a comprehensive work on the state of the Global Church. Zurlo lists each nation, noting relevant statistics, its denominational makeup, and facts to consider when praying.

6. Via Mobilization Index

Via Mobilization reminds Western Christians that they are not alone in their work but partners with the Global Church. The index lists countries with over a million evangelicals along with their “mobilization potential” based on factors like cultural difference, affluence, and number of evangelicals.

Prayer Resources for the Persecuted Church

Peter instructs the church to resist the devil while “knowing that the same kind of sufferings are being experienced by your fellow believers throughout the world” (1 Pet. 5:9). In response, we should pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters, asking God to provide endurance and use these trials for the spread of his name (Phil. 1:14).

7. Voice of the Martyrs

Voice of the Martyrs seeks to tell the stories of those who are facing opposition for their faith. They have a variety of ways to pray for the persecuted church, including an online prayer guide, a personal prayer journal, or regular prayer updates from real stories around the world. Over 500,000 prayers have been posted from over 170 countries.

8. Open Doors

Likewise, Open Doors provides both daily and weekly guides that help Christians intercede on behalf of the persecuted church. Their World Watch List regularly updates the 50 most persecuted countries on earth along with sobering statistics (like 4,476 believers that were killed for their faith last year) that demonstrate the necessity of our prayers.

Prayer Resources for New Orleans

A healthy prayer life for the lost must not only include the unreached around the world but also the unbelievers in our neighborhoods. When Jeremiah was exiled in Babylon, God instructed: “Pursue the well-being of the city I have deported you to. Pray to the Lord on its behalf, for when it thrives, you will thrive” (Jer. 29:7). For those in New Orleans, these resources guide you to pray for the well-being of our city.

9. Pray NOLA

The Pray NOLA guide highlights the work God is doing in different neighborhoods throughout New Orleans. It gives a snapshot of the wide diversity of ministry taking place in the city. Use this guide to pray with the Scriptures for various churches in New Orleans as they pursue gospel work.

10. Pray NOLA: World Religions

As a major trading port, New Orleans has become a melting pot of different peoples, cultures, and worldviews. This guide gives a short description of each major worldview along with some practical ways to pray for these religious groups to know Christ.

With these resources, we can widen the diameter of our knowledge, which will then widen the diameter of our prayers. Each of these supplements Scripture, our ultimate guide, in its exhortations to pray for the spread of the gospel among all peoples: “Let the peoples praise you, God; let all the peoples praise you” (Ps. 67:3)!