Praying for the Lost: Missional Coaching

You probably can think of non-Christians in your life right now, whether it's a boss, a neighbor, a coworker, a classmate, or a family member. As believers we are continually challenged to pray for the lost, but knowing how and what to pray for them can be a mystery.

Mike Carr, the National Director of Training and Development for the Campus Ministry, summarizes some great thoughts on how to pray more specifically mentioned in Love on Its Knees: Make a Difference by Praying for Others by Dick Eastman.

Pray that God would cause people to ask certain “heart” questions that will direct their thinking toward the things of God.

• Whom Can I Trust?

  • Plant in the hearts of the lost a skepticism about the lies they hear, whether philosophical, social, or political.
  • Cause them to begin to question whom they can really trust in life.
  • They would look for someone to trust beyond themselves.
  • That political leaders would do things that will cause distrust.

• What is My Purpose?

  • That lost souls will search for the meaning of life.
  • Plant in their hearts an urgency concerning this question.

• When Will I Really Be Free?

  • Plant in the hearts of the lost an inner unrest, together with a longing to know the Truth that will someday set them free.
  • That they will feel an emptiness that can only be satisfied by receiving Jesus into their lives.
  • Cause them to ask, “When will I be free of this emptiness in my heart?”

• Why Do People Hate Religion or Reject God?

  • Cause lost souls to question why their leaders so vehemently reject the existence of God.
  • Question why people find it necessary to fight the concept of God.

• How Can I Cope?

  • Plant in the hearts of the lost a sense of hopelessness.

• Where Will I Go When I Die?

  • That God would turn this question into a quest for an eternal answer.
  • Plant in their hearts a longing to resolve this issue.
  • That an urgency will fill their hearts concerning their eternal destiny.