The great missionary and theologian of the church says, Pray for me! Pray for those who are working with me. Pray for all of us. Paul was asking that people pray for God to open doors so that the gospel of Jesus Christ could be preached. He was asking them to pray for him personally as he was in prison. He was asking them to pray that he could be clear and bold in proclaiming Christ. In short, he was asking them to be concerned for him and those who were working for the gospel andto be concerned that the gospel message spread to more people. We need more of this kind of praying in our churches!

Our prayers can get so focused on our own needs that we neglect to think about what Timothy Keller calls “kingdom prayers,” those that are directly or indirectly focused upon the spread of the gospel. (We are encouraged to pray for ourselves and our needs, that’s true, but not only ourselves and our concerns.) Kingdom prayers include praying for the wellbeing and wisdom of those in ministry and missions and praying for the gospel to be shared in more places.

I think I can speak for everyone who preaches or teaches the gospel when I say that we need your prayers. Satan seeks to oppose all our efforts to spread the Word, and he will do whatever he can to discourage, distract, and deter us. So pray for us and for our families. Not just because you love us, but also because the gospel is at stake!