Four Ways to Love the Nations
Sometimes “the nations” seem so far away from us. We have so much going on in our lives right here in Kansas, that to engage our hearts with what’s going on overseas can almost seem overwhelming. And yet, God calls the church to “go and make disciples of all nations.” Christians do need to care about what God is doing to accomplish his mission among “every tribe, nation, and people.”
So how do we grow in our heart for the nations? Here are a few ideas!
First, pray! Praying for people builds our compassion for people. Praying for the nations will help build our compassion for the nations. There are some great resources out there to help with this. One of them is The Joshua Project. They have lists of every known country and people group on earth, with statistics and prayer requests. They even have an app or a daily email, in which they highlight one unreached people group for you to pray for. I encourage you to sign up for that!
Second, adopt a missionary. At First Free, we have missions partner care teams. These are teams of people that commit to pray for and care for our missions partners across the globe. If you’re not already on one of these teams, email me, and I can connect you with one of them. We have about 40 missions partners reaching the nations, and they need our support and prayers!
Third, give. One of my favorite things about First Free is the generosity of its people. God has blessed many in our church family, and as a result we are able to bless others. Could you financially support a missionary? The reality is that if you’re giving money to something, your heart tends to be more interested in the cause. Maybe you could start giving to one of our church missions partners, or to another missionary that you know, to help them with their needs.
Fourth, subscribe to some emails! Most missions partners send monthly or quarterly reports of their ministry. They are a joy to read. When I served in Asia, it was very important for me to know that people were reading my updates and praying for me. So when you receive emails, please pray and also hit that “reply” button and tell them you prayed for them!
First Free has a long legacy of being a part of reaching the nations. We continue to sacrificially and generously participate in God’s great plan to see Christ’s good news of redemption reach every corner of the earth. Thanks for being a part of that, and please continue!
More in First Free Blog
July 22, 2022
Fall 2022 Programs & EventsApril 22, 2022
Getting to Know the Elders: Joe WoodwardMarch 18, 2022
Getting to Know the Elders: Jeff S