Looking back at 100 evangelism stories, looking forward to many more: a prayer to our great, saving God

To our most gracious, awesome, and glorious Heavenly Father, who pardons our iniquity and delights to show us compassion,

We enter your gates with thanksgiving and your courts with praise. We give thanks to you and bless your name. Indeed, our souls exalt you and our spirits rejoice in you, God our Savior, for you have done great things for us. For by your glorious grace, that which we needed most and yet least deserved, you have granted to us—the salvation of our souls. And more than that, you have allowed us to witness and even participate in your saving acts as countless more souls have been ushered into your Kingdom and adopted into your family.

Indeed, you have granted us the privilege of documenting now 100 stories of your Gospel going forth, and within these stories, we have seen 1,118 souls saved. How awesome and creative your works! People have come to faith in you on their own doorsteps; in their cars as they waited to pick up their children from school; as they stepped off the school bus and began to walk home; in restaurants; through concert series; in deer stands; and even over the phone as a Sunday School teacher called to follow up with a visitor to his class, shared the Gospel, invited a response, and listened as that visitor called on the name of Jesus for salvation. Through all these experiences, most gracious Heavenly Father, you have shown yourself to be alive and active and so very good.

And what better thing can we do in response to this than lift our eyes, our minds and our hands to you in deep, sincere and unending gratitude. Yes, Lord, we come before you with an offering of grateful adoration, thanking you for your great saving acts. We thank you, Father, as beneficiaries of your grace, for being a God who saves.

And now, precious Lord, we humbly ask that you continue to bless the evangelistic efforts of your people in the days, weeks and years ahead. Please multiply the fruit that Southwestern has seen in the past. We pray that you do abundantly beyond all that we could ask or think, to your glory and honor.

Without you, our efforts are in vain; for apart from you, we can do nothing. But with your assistance, O Lord, we believe we will continue to see the fruit of our labor, and we eagerly look forward to seeing you move in us, through us and before us as we carry the Gospel to the lost in this world.

Father, please send your Holy Spirit before us to precede the witness as we continue sharing the Gospel. Please fill each of us with your Spirit to the point that we are unable to contain the joy of our salvation in Jesus Christ. May the Gospel be on the tips of our tongues every day as we walk with you.

Endow us, Lord, with spiritual boldness so we may intentionally and consistently proclaim the salvation that comes only through your righteous Son, Jesus Christ. And when we open our mouths to share the good news of salvation, may your Spirit bring conviction to all who hear and draw each person to yourself as we invite them to believe in Jesus Christ.

We also pray, upon each person’s profession of faith in Christ, that you might protect them from the evil one, who desires to snatch away any seed of faith planted. Allow each new believer to be joined to a local church through baptism, and guide them as they strive to follow Jesus as their Lord and Savior. 

Father, we readily acknowledge that while many who hear our message will reject it, others await only to hear the Word and respond in faith because your Spirit has preceded our witness. Indeed, the fields are abundant and ready for harvest. Nevertheless, the ripened harvest requires many more harvesters in the fields. As you have instructed us, Lord of the harvest, we beseech you to send out more workers to labor in the fields.

You command us to go. You commission each of us to make disciples of everyone, everywhere, every day. Who will go for you, you ask? We will go, Lord. Here we are; send us!

We pray all of this in the precious name of your Son, who is the Lord, our righteousness; the wise King; the risen Savior; the great high priest who intercedes on our behalf, having sacrificed His own life once for all for the sins of the world. To Him be the glory forever. Amen.