Home Outreach Leaders Articles for Outreach & Missions Why Patience Is the Key to Outreach

Why Patience Is the Key to Outreach

Pray for patience as you reach out to your friends, family members and new connections God is forging. Be in it for the long haul! Don’t give up on them. Even as I write this, I still have members of my family who are not followers of Jesus. I have been praying for some of them for more than 30 years. I’ve had hundreds of conversations with family members, have shared countless stories of how God has moved in my life, and have presented the Good News of Jesus on more occasions than I can remember. I grow weary and discouraged at times. In these moments, I do what I hope you will learn to do: I pray for power and patience. Then, I press on. I remember that God was patient with me, and I seek to continue to be patient with them, knowing that God works through the prayers of His people in His time.

Do you have a friend you have given up on? Pray and keep walking with them!

Do you have a family member who seems more hard-hearted than when you began praying for them? Don’t give up!

God is still working. Their hearts might be more open than you realize. Keep loving, praying, serving and sharing. This could be the day.  

For more on this topic, see Organic Outreach for Families by Kevin and Sherry Harney.