I walk into my church’s morning service on a typical Sunday and notice many of the world’s flags are set up around the room. During the service, the pastor introduces a guest speaker, a missionary from a country I have heard of but wouldn’t be able to spell correctly.
He uses his 20-minute time slot to share stories about how he and his family have witnessed God miraculously draw the country’s people to Himself. I’m amazed at what God is doing beyond my corner of the world to fulfill the Great Commission. It’s Missions Sunday.
If you’re like me, Missions Sunday encourages and inspires, but it can also leave you wondering, what else could I do to help fulfill the Great Commission? Should I go too?
Then you remember: our family is already giving our max toward missionary work, I’ve committed to lead the men’s or women’s Bible study for the quarter, an ailing parent relies on me. The list of commitments and responsibilities can feel like excuses, although they’re not, and it’s difficult not to feel discouraged.
We are all called to fulfill the Great Commission, but are we all called to go to every nation? No. We won’t always be able to. But there are meaningful practices in our day-to-day that help fulfill the Great Commission.
One of these practices does not involve serving in a global ministry, traveling abroad or giving. And it’s the one you, your pastor, the church elders, leaders and even the visiting missionary on Missions Sunday can all do: pray.
What the Great Commission Means by “All Nations”
First, let’s briefly revisit the Great Commission. In Matthew 28:19-20, Jesus commissions His disciples and us: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.”
Early on in His ministry, Jesus sends out His disciples two by two, giving them the authority to cast out demons and heal the sick (Luke 9:1-6). He even prompts them to shake the dust off their feet and continue to the next town should they not be well received. So why is this commission so great?
The Great Commission marked Jesus’ fresh call to the disciples to go far and wide with His message. The new and surprising part would not have been the command to go. It would’ve been to go to all nations because the message of the gospel was now good news for everyone in the world, not just the Jews.
After this, many of Christ’s disciples extended the reach of their ministry. They went beyond the villages and towns where they witnessed the miracles of Jesus, and left their regions to make disciples of foreign peoples. Paul’s three missionary journeys led him to Greece, modern-day Turkey and beyond.
How Believers Help Fulfill the Great Commission Every Day
It may help to remember that while we all bear the responsibility of the Great Commission, we are not called to the same tasks. In addition to traveling, the disciples and apostles were tasked with settling disputes regarding circumcision, and retaining the integrity of the gospel as they received it from Jesus (Acts 15:1-4).
In 2 Corinthians 5:18-20, Paul tells the Corinthian church––our models for modern churchhood––to act as Christ’s ambassadors and share His message of reconciliation. Everyone played a part. In the same way, we work together to help reconcile people with God.
To be clear, it’s still true that “the gospel is to be proclaimed throughout the whole world as a testimony to all nations…” (Matthew 24:14). And in the end, people from all nations, tribes and languages will be redeemed and worship God (Revelation 5:9). That’s the goal.
It’s also important to understand whether the Great Commission requires us to go and who the Great Commission is for. However, these details are only a small part of a rich mandate from Christ that speaks to every believer in their daily walk.
We have the opportunity to help fulfill the Great Commission every day in four ways from where we are right now.
- By sharing Jesus with our neighbors, communities and coworkers
Today you and I share His good news first wherever we find ourselves, with our family and friends, then with our neighbors and our community. We serve in our local church and local outreach ministries. In many ways, these pockets of our own geography are the first nation we reach with Jesus’ love.
- By supporting missionaries at home and abroad
In addition to reaching their “first nation,” some Christians are also called to spread the gospel in one or more countries throughout their lives. Many, like Jesus Film Project staff members, serve in support-based roles out of ministry headquarters.
Whether they serve locally or internationally, your support for missionaries, in more than just financial ways, means a great deal.
- By giving financially to ministries
Many of us can give to ministries like Cru or give to Jesus Film Project, and in doing so take part in the work happening in countries outside of our borders.
- Prayer for unreached people
You and I help bring about Jesus’ final command in one more pivotal way: we pray. We pray for nations and people groups who don’t yet know Jesus. We pray for missionaries who take the gospel to them. And we pray that everyone who hears the gospel message will turn to Jesus and choose to follow Him.
Prayer is the one thing every believer can do to help fulfill the Great Commission.
Praying for the nations is not the outlier or the lesser option. Prayer is not what we do when we can’t go or can’t give or share Jesus. Prayer is where we start. Prayer is where we go every day, on our knees before the Father.
Prayer is the one thing every believer can do to help fulfill the Great Commission.
Why Contribute to the Great Commission Through Prayer
There are many reasons why prayer is a central way to contribute toward the Great Commission throughout your Christian walk.
- Prayer requires us to commune with God, which softens our hearts and aligns them to His will (Romans 12:2).
- Prayer reveals God’s plans so that we can collaborate with them.
- Praying removes barriers to the gospel and prepares the hearts of those who don’t believe.
- Prayer also provides resources and people for mission work and ensures their safety.
In Luke 10:1-2 Jesus instructs the disciples, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” If Jesus thought it important to pray for ministry workers to meet the needs of the harvest, so should we.
His sentiment is echoed in Romans 10:14: “How, then, can they call on the one they have not believed in? And how can they believe in the one of whom they have not heard? And how can they hear without someone preaching to them?”
It could be daunting to try to wrap our minds around praying for everyone in the world to hear, but it’s well worth our time and the strongest tool we possess. In his book Prayer: Experiencing Awe and Intimacy with God, Tim Keller writes, “Prayer—though it is often draining, even an agony—is in the long term the greatest source of power that is possible.”
Praying For Those Least Reached With the Gospel
A good way to narrow down what people and countries to pray for is to scan through international news. There you can discover what countries are facing major hardships and engage in prayer for countries in conflict. To home in on countries with the greatest need for the gospel, look no further than least-reached countries and unreached people groups.
According to Joshua Project, unreached people groups are groups of people with a common culture and language who haven’t been reached with the gospel or don’t have enough followers of Christ and resources to evangelize their own people.
Least-reached peoples have little to no access to the message of the gospel or healthy, thriving churches within walking distance. Research tells us that approximately 3.6 billion people in the world today may not have even heard the name of Jesus. Nearly 75% of this population lives in just 12 countries. If you’re looking for an idea of where these countries are, the majority exist in an area called the 10/40 window.
What to Pray For Least-Reached Countries
You might be asking, how can I pray for people I don’t know? How can I pray for least-reached countries I know little about? To start, consider praying for least-reached nations by focusing on common basic needs like ministry workers, Bible translations and protection in areas where sharing the gospel is potentially dangerous.
You can familiarize yourself with the specific needs of least-reached countries by using our global prayer guides. The guides highlight prayer requests from eight of the world’s 12 least-reached countries and include specific prayer requests from people in those countries.
In each guide, every country is paired with a map and a few facts about the country and its people. That’s followed up by seven prayer requests so that you can dedicate one day of the week to praying for a specific need from that country.
Here are just a few examples of the prayer requests you’ll find in the guide. You can use these as a way to sample prayer for the country you may know the least about or are most interested in. Then download the global prayer guide to continue exploring their prayer needs.
“Prayer—though it is often draining, even an agony—is in the long term the greatest source of power that is possible.”
How to Pray For India
As of 2022, India is the most populated country in the world, surpassing China with 1.46 billion people. Over 2,000 distinct people groups are represented in that number, many with their own languages and dialects.
To reach all of these people with the gospel, the body of Christ will need the Bible in these languages and individuals to help people groups interpret it––like Philip did for the Ethiopian eunuch in Acts 8:26-40. India needs more laborers to deliver the words of Jesus in each local language.
Pray for more people to join Bible translation work, for God to provide resources for each translation, and for everyone who has the Bible in their heart language to read it with an open heart.
How to Pray For Japan
The two main religions in Japan are Buddhism and Shinto. Buddhists follow the teachings of Buddha and seek spiritual enlightenment. Shintoists revere several supernatural entities believed to be in all things and seek to cultivate harmony between humans and these spirits.
For this reason, for many Japanese, the claim that Jesus is the one true living God can be offensive. To see Jesus as another great teacher among many they admire is more palatable. Followers of Jesus can face disapproval and even rejection from their families and communities.
Pray that God’s Spirit provides comfort and peace for these believers. Ask God to help more Japanese people be open to seeing Jesus as the way, the truth and the life.
How to Pray For Russia
Spanning over 11 time zones, Russia is by far the largest country in the world. Over 180 ethnic groups call this expansive territory home. As a result of war, sanctions are in place across Russia, heavily impacting the ability of ministry workers to access funds. Women’s ministries have historically thrived in Russia, but that progress is threatened by the current conflict.
Pray that God will open doors so that Christian ministry can continue and expand. Pray for Christian workers in Russia to be strong in the Lord and to lean on Him at all times, even when it’s difficult.
How to Pray For Thailand
Thailand has long been a hub for human trafficking, a form of modern-day slavery. There are quite a few ways you can pray for this issue.
- Pray for victims to escape and find physical and emotional healing, and that more churches will offer themselves as safe havens.
- Pray for anti-trafficking groups in Thailand as they work with the government to fight human trafficking.
- Ask God to raise up Christian nationals to serve in social work, law enforcement and the legal system, and be a crucial part in bringing an end to human trafficking in Thailand.
How to Pray For Pakistan
According to Joshua Project, in 2025 there are 792 people groups in Pakistan, and 786 have still not heard the message of the gospel. Pray for unreached people groups to get access to the truth of love and redemption in Christ.
Some Pakistanis disagree with the basic beliefs of Christianity, which can lead them to publicly accuse Christians of blasphemy. This can have a devastating impact on the lives of the accused. A cursory look at news from Pakistan also reveals reports of churches burned and homes attacked.
Please ask the Lord to embolden Christians by His Spirit so they can introduce those who accuse them––at times their families and friends––to Jesus.
How to Pray For Iran
There are 84 unreached people groups in Iran, making up 99.6% of the country’s population. Many cities in Iran contain major religious shrines, but the people within these cities generally don’t know much about Jesus. Some remote towns in Iran don’t have paved roads or access to the internet, which makes it difficult for believers to reach them with the good news and train new believers in the way of Jesus.
Ask God to make a way for all people in Iran to hear about His love for them––for roads to be paved and repaired so God’s message spreads broadly throughout Iran.
Join Us in Regular Prayer
Now that you’re better acquainted with each country’s needs, check out additional prayer requests for these and other least-reached nations in the global prayer guide.
- If you’re looking for ideas for how to use the guides by yourself and with others, you can find some in our blog post, 5 Ways to Use Prayer Guides in Your Prayer Time.
- You can always visit our prayer page for more prayer resources. There you’ll find ways to pray by yourself or with your family for one least-reached country each month.
- You’ll find prayer points for unreached people groups on our partner Global Frontier Missions’ page: How to Pray for Unreached People Groups. Find helpful resources to pray for unreached people groups on Joshua Project’s prayer page.
When it comes to helping fulfill the Great Commission, don’t feel overwhelmed or discouraged.
God has given us a mighty and essential tool in prayer. We can trust the Holy Spirit to lead us to the needs of God’s people and His Great Commission. Resolve to allow the Lord to guide you in your next steps and make use of available resources. All that’s left after that is to pray.
