June 01, 1991 by

Reaping A Harvest

Q: Why does the U.S. Center for World Mission produce the Global Prayer Digest?

A: We want to see "A Church for Every People by the Year 2000." If that is going to become a reality, it will be God who makes it happen. Therefore, God's people need to pray in new ways for new workers to reach new people groups. That's where the Global Prayer Digest comes in.

The Global Prayer Digest leads the way in the effort to see peoples adopted and missionaries sent to unreached groups by highlighting these peoples and providing fuel for daily prayer for them to be reached with the Gospel of Jesus Christ. As readers pray with the GPD, they become trained to pray in new ways for new groups they have often never heard of before.

Q: What is the Global Prayer Digest?

A: It is a daily devotional prayer booklet focused on praying for a viable, indigenous church to be established in every people group by the year 2000. Each day it gives a story that leads you to "Praise God for what He has done" (missionary biographies), or "Petition for promising breakthroughs" (news reports of recent progress), or "Plead with God for unreached peoples" (descriptions of people groups without a viable, indigenous church). Sundays are missionary stories for the children, (urging them also to "pray for the children of the world"). Or they may encourage adult readers to "Pray for the church's obedience" (through a stirring challenge to obey the Great Commission written by a missionary leader). Each day, in addition, includes a Bible portion and a challenge to "Pursue God's heart for all nations."

Q: What sets the Global Prayer Digest apart from other mission agency prayer reports?

A: It is generic. We strive to feature the efforts of all evangelical missions who are reaching toward unreached peoples. As we do this, it is our hope that readers get an overall perspective on the expansion of God's kingdom--and an overall sense of what still needs to be done.

Q: How many copies of the Global Prayer Digest are distributed each month?

A: We distribute about 7700 copies to our own subscribers in 67 countries. In addition, we sell just over 5300 customized copies to five mission agencies who distribute them to their own people (these agencies are: The Presbyterian Frontier Fellowship, World Prayer 2000, Arab World Ministries, India Gospel Outreach, and International Outreach Inc.). On top of that, 2000 are printed and distributed in the Philippines, 700 in Australia, 500 in New Zealand, and 100 in Papua New Guinea. All together, that adds up to a monthly distribution of over 16,000 copies!

Q: What is the relationship between the Global Prayer Digest and the Frontier Fellowship?

A: The Global Prayer Digest was created for the use of the Frontier Fellowship movement back in 1982, but has been used by many individuals, local churches (through bulk mailings), or by denominational or international mission agencies in customized versions. It is designed to encourage those participating to collect their loose change daily and give it to the unreached peoples efforts of the mission agency of their choice. Where they are sent monthly editions free by a particular board or denomination, that agency is encouraged to subtract the cost of each participant's subscription from his loose change. Thus such participation will not entail the agency an additional expense but will rather mobilize its donors to greater understanding and participation. We are excited that the Global Prayer Digest continues to be useful to those who gather and pray together for unreached peoples.

Closing Thoughts

As the Global Prayer Digest moves into the future, we pray that we'll see...

• more local fellowships praying for unreached peoples using the GPD,
• more supporters backing the frontier mission efforts of their own denominations or favorite mission agencies because of the GPD's influence,
• more nationals joining the international network of GPD distributors,
• more staff to help us produce and promote the GPD,
• more laborers to translate the GPD into other languages, and ultimately...
• every unreached people group adopted... engaged... and REACHED!
• Who We Need: Managing Editor / Administrative Assistant / Production Manager / Researchers / Writers / Marketing Agent