
“As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens the wits of another, “ says Proverbs 27:17 (NRSV). We need each other to keep a keen spiritual edge. And we need each other for encouragement: “And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching” (Hebrews 10:24-25, NRSV).
Growing Close through Prayer
All of our T.E.A.R.S. Team can testify to the power of prayer in our ministries. Your prayers do make a difference and we need your continued pray support! You can help your congregation to be an effective prayer partner. Here are some suggestions:
Sign up for ePray, a weekly email with prayer requests from specific ministry areas. ePray will also keep you up to date with some of the things that are happening with team leaders and local churches.
- Publish and distribute our T.E.A.R.S. Prayer Partners letters as soon as possible. Many churches duplicate the letters and insert them in Sunday bulletins or mailboxes. Some churches publish missionary letters in their monthly newsletter.
- If letters contain urgent prayer requests, ask your pastor to remember the matter in the congregational prayer. Put these urgent items on your church’s prayer chain(s).
- Let your the T.E.A.R.S. Team know that you read their letters and pray for the prayer items mentioned.
- Establish email contact with members of the T.E.A.R.S. Team(even if you don’t speak Spanish, Google Translate work good!) , if possible. Ask them to share answers to prayer.
- Make it a point to pray for things that are not always mention; such as spiritual health, emotional health, family health, relationships with colleagues, national leaders, political stability.Staying Close through CommunicationEffective two-way communication is essential for developing a partnership between your congregation and the T.E.A.R.S. Team. Here are some hints to help you:
- Organize a group of volunteers who will regularly write or send emails to T.E.A.R.S. Team members. Ask your pastor to write also.
- Send your church bulletins, maybe on a monthly basis.
- If your worship services are recorded, send the recordings.
- Include the T.E.A.R.S. Team in your church directory. Be sure to include their field address, phone number and email address, if possible. Send a copy of the directory to your missionary partners.
- Prepare “care packages” at Christmas time.
- If there are things you need to know, ask the T.E.A.R.S. Team directly.
- Encourage your Sunday School kids to communicate with T.E.A.R.S. Team kids.
- Investigate the possibility of sending your pastor or members of the congregation to visit your T.E.A.R.S. on the field.