When Mason was in Little League you can see all these kids playing but it was obvious that things just didn’t click. The kids were excited to play. They came to practice, wore their jerseys, and played hard. But during the games, it was like no one wanted the ball. I remember one play, a pop fly came down right between shortstop and second. Both boys stood there, gloves up, feet still, and the ball just hit the dirt. It felt like an eternity before someone picked up the ball.
After the game, Mason got in the back seat and said, “I don’t think our team wanted to play today.” And I’ve never forgotten that. Because he wasn’t talking about ability. He was talking about desire. Wanting to be in it.
I’ve seen that same thing happen with the mission. We say we care. We nod when someone talks about taking the Gospel to the world. But if it never shows up in our prayer life, we’re probably standing still. The ball’s in the air, and no one’s calling for it.
Prayer is what grounds the mission. It’s how the weight of lost people begins to matter to us. When we don’t pray, we don’t move. And if we’re not praying, it’s hard to say we’re truly engaged.
Last summer, we visited the Ruiz family and the believers from Tixtla. They’re driving three hours every week, rough roads, no stores, not a quick trip, to reach people in the mountains of Mexico who’ve never heard about Jesus. They’re doing it because they’ve been asking God to move. And He has.
Their faithfulness keeps shaping us. It’s why our church supports them. It’s why we went. And it’s why they’ll be here in Mill City this August; not to impress us, but to remind us we’re in this together.
You don’t have to fly to Mexico. But if you care about the Gospel moving forward, then begin with prayer. That’s how we step in.
Why the Mission Always Starts With Prayer
Before Jesus sent out the seventy-two, in Luke 2, He told them to pray. These weren’t the apostles. They were regular men who had followed Him closely and were now being sent ahead of Him into towns where He would soon go. These towns hadn’t heard the message. But Jesus made it clear, before anything else, they were to stop and ask the Father to send more workers.
Paul lived this same pattern. He wrote to the believers in Rome, “My heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved” (Romans 10:1). These weren’t distant people. He knew them. Had spoken with them. And when they didn’t believe, he didn’t just move on—he prayed.
He also knew the work didn’t move forward just because he showed up. In Colossians 4:3–4, he asked, “Pray also for us, that God may open a door to us for the word, to speak the mystery of Christ, for which I am in chains, so that I may make it known as I should.” Paul was in prison. Still, what he wanted most wasn’t escape—it was opportunity. Not for safety, but for clarity. He wanted God to open doors, and when they did, he wanted to be ready to speak.
In Ephesians 6:19–20, he wrote, “Pray also for me, that the message may be given to me when I open my mouth to make known with boldness the mystery of the gospel. For this I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I might be bold enough to speak about it as I should.” Paul wasn’t chasing success. He didn’t want to shrink back. When the moment came, he wanted to speak freely and not waste it.
That’s the heart of prayer. It puts the weight where it belongs, on God, and readies us to move when He opens the way.
Start With What’s in Front of You
Start with names. Write down five people you know who don’t know Jesus. Keep the list where you’ll see it: on your desk, dashboard, or fridge. Then talk to God about them. Every day. That’s where the work begins.
Pray for the Ruiz family too. Ask God to give them strength. Ask Him to keep opening doors. Pray for protection, wisdom, and courage. If we believe in the mission, we’ve got to walk alongside the people who are living it out.
Don’t pray alone. Find one or two people at church. Pick a time, maybe before service, during your lunch break, or even over the phone. Keep it simple. Say the names out loud and ask God to move.
And at home, make it part of everyday life. Let your kids hear you pray for people who need Christ. Say their names at dinner. Mention the Nahuatl people when you’re driving through town. We teach with our words, but we pass on what we live.
One more thing: on Sunday, June 29, right after church, we’re hosting a one-day evangelism training called Proclaim. If you’ve ever felt unsure how to talk about your faith, this is for you. It’s not a lecture. It’s hands-on help. You’ve got people you’re praying for. This will help you reach them.
You don’t need to be a missionary to be part of the mission. Start where you are. Ask God to move. That’s the beginning. And when you pray like that, the mission won’t stay on the page. It’ll stay in your bones.
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