A Twisted Crown of Thorns ®

Christ has called us all to be part of His mission to reach the nations with the gospel. Justin Vander Ark of To Every Tribe has a great list of ways that the body of Christ in the local church can support their missionaries.  Here are just seven ways out of ten that were featured in the free mission Ekballo Magazine:

1 . Pray
If you don’t do anything else on the list, please do this. Prayer is a weapon of warfare that God has given to His saints. If you don’t know how to pray for your missionaries, download David Sitton’s free ebook Warfare Prayer and read it. Don’t worry, it’s a quick read. Or, simply ask your missionaries how you can specifically pray for them.
2. Give
Almost every missionary I know is below their monthly support goal and have to spend precious time and resources on support-raising. Partnering with your missionaries financially is one of the most direct ways you can bless them.
3 . Send
More missionaries are needed. With thousands of unreached people groups remaining in the world, the need is great. Join with your local church in sending more missionaries to get trained and sent out into the world.
4 . Mail
Missionaries love getting mail. Send spontaneous cards of encouragement that let them know you are praying for them. Remember their birthdays, anniversaries, special occasions, and holidays. And,who doesn’t like getting packages in the mail? Missionaries love getting care packages.

5 . Email
Subscribe to your missionaries’ email updates. Respond to their updates to let them know you are reading and praying for them. A one or two sentence email goes a long way. If God leads you to pray something specific for them or to share a specific scripture, let them know. Add your missionaries to email updates (both you and your church’s) so they can know what is going on and how they can pray.
6 . Gifts
Missionaries are some of the most frugal people I know. They typically don’t spend money on things that we may take for granted every day. Send favorite local foods from your hometown, Kindle
books, digital music, and gift cards. And don’t forget the kids! Favorite items include small toys, stamps, gum, pocket change, word puzzles, craft supplies, and bible verses. Some local churches even do stockings for their missionaries and missionary kids each year. Have fun with it!
7 . Visits
Missionaries often feel isolated and alone. Visit them while they are in missionary training, have them over when they are in town on furlough, and either visit them in the field or help support someone from your church in going to visit them. Spend time with them using Skype, Google Hangouts, or Facetime. Many areas of the world charge for internet based on usage, so offer to pick up the tab.

Finally,  one extra suggestion. I encourage you to simply ask your missionaries how you can bless them. Just this simple act of asking lets them know you are thinking of them and want to be part of the mission.

Excerpt from: Ekballo magazine, How to Bless Your Missionaries by Justin Vander Ark.

David Sitton of To Every Tribe on Mission [youtube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3HzpmiFPtqg%5D