How To Pray For A Mission Trip

Whether you are going on a mission trip or your fellow brothers and sisters in Christ are, you must pray for missionaries and the mission trip itself. In everything we do, we depend on God alone, just as Christ depended on the Father in the ministry that He did. Relying on God means spending solitude with God to pray to Him and ask for help, grace, strength, and everything we need. We need to remember that everything that happens on a mission is about God and His work. Missionaries can arrive safely at their mission destination because of God’s protection. Missionaries raise funds for their mission trips because of God and His provision. When they do missions in a dangerous nation hostile to Christianity, they remain alive because of God’s mercy and protection for them. Even the lost people who get saved after hearing the Gospel do not do so because of the missionary but because God works on the person’s heart. Every mission trip is all about God and His work. It is never about us, as we are just the instruments that God uses. That is why we always depend on God and pray, whether we are going on a mission trip or other Christians in the church are going.

Matthew 28:19-20

19 Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:

20 Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world. Amen.

How do you pray for someone going on a mission trip?

There are many things that you can pray for someone going on a mission trip, and we will mention them here. Also, if you are going on a mission trip, you can apply these for yourself. The first prayer is for provision. Missionaries usually raise funds for their mission trip; they ask people if they want to be part of the mission and partner with them by financing their mission trip. It is important to note that these are not donations but a partnership. Donations are something you bless, and that’s it, while partnerships are blessing something in the name of wanting to be part of that mission trip. That is why partners get updates from the missionary they partnered with regarding the mission they wanted to take part in. Usually, these partners cannot go on a mission trip for a reason, but still, they want to impact the nations and spread the Gospel. Partnering with missionaries is one way to be part of a mission. Without their partnerships, mission trips wouldn’t be possible since their finances provide everything that missionaries need to carry out the mission. The Philippian church partnered with the apostle Paul, as seen in Philippians 4:14-15. Paul thanks the church in Philippi for partnering with him and, in the end, it has heavenly rewards for the good work it has been doing. So praying for provision is something you can pray for a mission trip and its missionaries. You also can pray that more people will partner with the mission, not as an act of donation but an act of partnering with the missionaries because they also want to be part of the mission trip.

Philippians 4:14-15

14 Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction.

15 Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only.

The second prayer might be for a smooth application process in getting visas or any other documents required for missionaries entering a particular nation. Depending on the country, visas and other documents may be needed, though most countries don’t require visas for US citizens. Praying for these things to go smoothly is essential if missionaries are to be able to enter the nation they are going to reach out to. You can pray for favor and the smooth processing of the missionaries’ visas and other documents.

Another prayer is for the safety and protection of the missionaries. You pray most especially if the missionaries are entering the country where Christianity is prohibited. Pray for the protection of the missionaries from any malicious intention of anyone who intends to harm them because of their work. You can also pray for their protection from sickness and diseases. That is also important because it hinders their work if a missionary is sick and cannot complete a mission.

Psalm 91:1-2

He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.

2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.

2 Thessalonians 3:1-4

Finally, brethren, pray for us, that the word of the Lord may have free course, and be glorified, even as it is with you:

2 And that we may be delivered from unreasonable and wicked men: for all men have not faith.

3 But the Lord is faithful, who shall stablish you, and keep you from evil.

4 And we have confidence in the Lord touching you, that ye both do and will do the things which we command you.

More importantly, pray for the missionaries on the mission trip to be bold, brave, and courageous in preaching the Gospel to the lost, even if they are doing missions in a country hostile to Christianity. Of course, they should also exercise wisdom when preaching the Gospel to the lost. Just as the apostle Paul mentioned in Romans 1:16, pray that the missionaries shall be unashamed when preaching the Gospel to those who don’t know Jesus, knowing that it is God’s power of salvation to anyone who believes. Pray that the missionaries shall be fearless when preaching Christ. Also, while praying for the missionaries to be bold and fearless when preaching the Gospel, pray that there will be open doors for them to reach out to people, most especially key persons who are influential. Open doors are not necessarily only for preaching the Gospel the right way; they can be an opportunity for the missionary to teach English at a specific school, allowing them to reach out to students. We pray for such open doors and opportunities for our missionaries to propagate the Gospel of Christ.

Romans 1:16

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.

Colossians 4:2-4

2 Continue in prayer, and watch in the same with thanksgiving;

3 Withal praying also for us, that God would open unto us a door of utterance, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am also in bonds:

4 That I may make it manifest, as I ought to speak.

Ephesians 6:18-20

18 Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints;

19 And for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,

20 For which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

You can also include praying for wisdom and prudence for the missionaries, especially those leading the team. As mentioned, while we should be bold and unashamed when preaching Christ, we should also be wise when doing it. We pray for wisdom and prudence in preaching the Gospel and when it comes to being strategic in doing missions.

Last, pray for the missionaries and their mission trip to be fruitful. As mentioned before, only God causes everything to bear fruit. When missionaries reach out to people, and people repent and commit to following Christ to add to the local church there, that fruit of the ministry is God’s work all in all. That is why our prayer for missionaries should include their work to bear fruit. When it comes to missions, fruitfulness does not only pertain to locals added to the church—it should also raise local leaders. By the nature of their work, missionaries do not stay in a nation or place permanently. They stay there for an extended period, reaching out and preaching the Gospel to the locals, and raising a leader among the locals who will lead the church when the missionary leaves. It is similar to what the apostle Paul did in his missionary journeys. Therefore, we are also to pray for the missionaries to be fruitful in terms of being able to raise faithful local leaders.

2 Timothy 2:2

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also.

Here is an example of how you can pray for a mission trip, including its missionaries:

Father in heaven, You are the God Who gives grace and in whom nothing is impossible. I pray for the upcoming mission trip of our church to be fruitful. I pray that many locals in the nation where they are going will hear the Gospel and follow Christ. I also pray for our missionaries who are going on the mission trip, that You would give them the grace to be bold and fearless when it comes to preaching Christ and reaching out to the locals. Give them the wisdom and prudence they need to be strategic in the mission. I pray for open doors for them to have the opportunity to reach out to the most people. Protect them from any harm and danger from evil men who want to hinder Your kingdom. Protect them from sickness and disease. I pray for provision upon them; to touch the hearts of the people they will ask to partner with them and be a part of the mission trip. In Jesus’ name, I pray. Amen.

If you are not one of the missionaries who are leaving to go on a mission trip, partnering with them with finances is one of the ways that you can be part of their mission. Apart from partnering financially, covering them in prayers is another thing you can contribute to be part of what they are doing. While they are in another nation, reaching out to the lost, you are holding the other end of the rope for them by partnering with them financially and always covering them in your prayers.