9 Ways How To Support Missionaries

A missionary journey requires more than just a calling and strong will; it necessitates a community of support to sustain on the field. Learning how to support missionaries is critical to their success on the field.

Whether through spiritual, emotional, or material means, support can significantly impact their ability to make a positive difference. In this blog, I’ll highlight 9 practical ways to support missionaries, ensuring they feel bolstered by a network of compassionate and proactive backers.

How To Support Missionaries

Here are simple ways to support missionaries on the field and ensure they flourish in their missionary work.

1. Praying

We believe prayer is the most important way to support missionaries. As they embark on their journey, missionaries are faced with spiritual warfare and constant challenges. Your consistent prayers for their safety, strength, and success can be a source of encouragement and protection.

By praying for specific needs and requests from the missionaries themselves, you actively participate in their ministry even if you’re physically far away. Most missionaries send out newsletters and updates with their latest prayer requests and needs. You can join our prayer team to get prayer requests from our team.

2. Financial Support

The only way missionaries can continue their ministry is through your donations. Consider donating to their cause, whether it’s a one-time gift or regular support.

You can also help by actively fundraising on their behalf, organizing events or spreading the word about their work. Most missionaries are supported 100% by people like you. Your financial support ensures they can focus on their work without worrying about finances.

3. Send Care Packages & Gifts

71% of missionaries leave the field for preventable reasons, and a small gesture like sending care packages or gifts can make a huge difference. Living in a foreign country can be challenging. A gift from home will remind the missionary they are loved and supported by their community.

You could also send practical gifts like books, study materials, or equipment that can aid them in their ministry work. Remember to check with the local customs regulations before sending anything.

4. Respond To Their Needs

As mentioned before, most missionaries send out newsletters to keep you informed with what God is doing in their ministry. It’s not uncommon for  them to include specific needs or requests for support. Be attentive and responsive to these needs, whether it’s financial support, resources, or practical help.

One of the biggest challenges missionaries face is isolation. Depending on where they are serving, there may not be many believers around them and you can help support them. Whatever their need is, you can support missionaries by responding to their needs and showing them that people care about them and their ministry.

5. Offer Help & Hospitality

Missionaries often find themselves in situations where they need extra help or support. Whether it’s assistance with language learning, practical needs like moving furniture, or simply a listening ear, your offer to help goes a long way.

You could also offer hospitality by inviting them for a meal or hosting them in your home during their visits back home. This provides an opportunity for them to rest and feel loved while also giving you a chance to catch up with their work.

6. Offer A Service

If you are skilled in a craft, offer it to a missionary for free. Before starting Nations Outreach, I helped Andy Ziesemer build his ministry with web design, copywriting, and other services. Your skills and services can make a significant difference in the missionary’s work, freeing them up to focus on their calling. It also allows them to save money and allocate it to other areas of their ministry.

7. Tell Your Church Congregation

Missionaries need large support groups. It’s not uncommon for support to dwindle as life circumstances change for donors. Telling your church congregation, small groups, or friends about the missionary’s work can help garner more support for them.

You can share updates and prayer requests from missionaries with these groups. One of the unique ways we do this is through film screenings at churches. We share documentaries about our missionaries and projects. This helps encourage those on the field, while spreading the word and generating more supporters.

8. Stay In Touch

Sometimes all a missionary needs is to know someone is thinking about them. Stay in touch through emails, letters, or video calls. Consistent communication can provide a great source of encouragement and comfort for missionaries. It also allows you to stay updated on their work and needs so that you can continue to support them effectively.

9. Visit A Missionary

If possible, plan a visit to see the missionary. Not only will you see the firsthand impact of their work, but it also gives you an opportunity for you to encourage and support them in person. Your visit can be a refreshing break from their daily routine, and they will appreciate your efforts to come and see them on the field.