Some people hear the word "missions" and feel tired.

They picture a plane ticket they can't afford, a language they'll never learn, or a calling that belongs to somebody holier. So they sit in the pew, watch the missionary presentation, and quietly decide it's not for them.

If that's you, I want to sit across the table and tell you something. Missions was never a test for the spiritual elite. It begins in the Father's heart. It isn't something you do for God. It's something you get to do with Him.

The Father Does the Sending

Jesus stood among His frightened friends after the resurrection and said this:

"Then said Jesus to them again, Peace be unto you: as my Father hath sent me, even so send I you."  John 20:21

Notice who does the sending. The Father sent the Son because He loves the world. Now Jesus invites us into that same movement. Nobody drafts you. Love invites you.

Grace comes first here, too. You're not applying for a position. The Father already loves you, and He has already chosen to work through ordinary people like you.

I served for decades in Arequipa, Peru. I learned there that the Father was at work long before I arrived. I didn't bring God to Arequipa. I got to join Him. That's all any of us do.

At World Vision Church, that invitation comes through ordinary doors. Here are five. Pick the one that fits your life right now.

Pray: The Quietest Way to Bless a Missionary

Praying regularly for the missionaries and tentmakers the church supports blesses them more than most people realize. A tentmaker earns a living in the country where he or she serves, and carries the gospel along the way.

Jesus asked His disciples to start right here:

"Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, that he will send forth labourers into his harvest" (Matthew 9:38).

Even Paul asked for prayer. He wrote,

"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" (Ephesians 6:19).

If the apostle needed friends praying, missionaries today need them too.

You don't need fancy words. Put a missionary's name where you'll see it, on the bathroom mirror or the refrigerator door. Say that name to the Father while the coffee brews. Ask Him for what you'd want for a friend sitting across the table from you.

Nobody sees most of this work. That's fine. You're praying before an Audience of One, and He hears every word.

Write: A Note Can Feel Like Cold Water

Solomon put it beautifully:

"As cold waters to a thirsty soul, so is good news from a far country."  Proverbs 25:25

A card, a letter, or an email tells a missionary that somebody back home remembers them. Loneliness on the field is real, and many missionaries smile right through it. A short note on an ordinary Tuesday can lift a whole week.

Keep it simple. Tell them you prayed for them. Tell them you're grateful for them. Ask for nothing, and don't expect a reply.

One Caution Worth Taking

Some countries carry real political tension, and a careless sentence could put a missionary in danger, along with the believers around them. Before you write, ask the missions team what is safe to say for that country. Love protects the people it writes to.

Give: Faithful First, Then Generous

Here's how giving works at World Vision Church. About 10% of every undesignated dollar given to the church goes toward missions. When you give faithfully to your church, you already help send people.

The church encourages you to be faithful in tithing first. Beyond that, you can give to individual missionaries through their agencies. Care packages are another wonderful way to bless them. Ask the missionary or the missions team what they would enjoy and what can safely cross the border.

Paul told the Philippians who supported him,

"But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus" (Philippians 4:19).

The Father takes care of the giver, too.

Nobody has to give under pressure. God wants a glad heart, not a guilty one.

"Every man according as he purposeth in his heart, so let him give; not grudgingly, or of necessity: for God loveth a cheerful giver."  2 Corinthians 9:7

Stand With a People Group

The church also has People Group Advocate Teams. As the name suggests, these teams let you stand with one particular people group instead of trying to carry the whole world at once. Ask the missions team how to join one.



This matches how the Father sees the world. John got a glimpse of it:

"After this I beheld, and, lo, a great multitude, which no man could number, of all nations, and kindreds, and people, and tongues."  Revelation 7:9

Not one of those people groups is an afterthought to Him. An advocate team helps you get to know one of them, too.

Circles of Prayer: Pull Up a Chair

Circles of Prayer for Missions gives women a monthly gathering. You hear a devotion on prayer, catch up on missionary updates, share prayer requests, pray together, and enjoy each other's company.

The early church prayed this way. When Peter sat in prison, "prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for him" (Acts 12:5). They didn't pray alone. You don't have to either.

Start Where You Are

You don't need all five doors. One is plenty.

You might pray for one name this week. A card might go in the mail on Friday. Or a chair at the prayer circle next month could be waiting for you. Small, faithful, ordinary things reach the other side of the world, and the Father takes every one of them seriously.

He loves the people at the far end of those prayers, letters, and gifts more than we ever could. He's already sending. He's already there. All He asks is that you walk with Him a little way.

Say yes to whatever door is closest. He'll take it from there.

If this encouraged you, I'd love to keep walking with you. Subscribe to Followed by Mercy, and each new article will find you like a note from a friend who believes the Father is better than you've been told.

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