Pray for missionaries, young and old

As I come to the end of this season of recruiting and Deänne's role of training and caring for our missionaries starts to pick up steam for the summer, I am reminded to ask you to spend some serious time in prayer for the missionaries you know. This is an interesting and, for some, a difficult time. We are at a significant transition point in the cross-cultural ministry experience. The emerging generation of missionaries, like this couple I am talking with here at Multnomah Bible College, are joining mission agencies supervised by people who have developed and "own" traditional forms of ministry. Largely, these types of ministry feel too compartmentalized for the younger, holistic mind. These traditional formulaic strategies have worked well in the past but are becoming less effective in completing the task. God has raised up this young, passionate group of servants with gifts and a leading that is different and necessary to take the work to a different level. Will we, as experienced agencies, meet the needs of providing platform and caring for the next wave? I believe we need to, but it will not be easy. Expectations on both sides have caused significant hurt already. Pray that God will give us all the grace we need to accept, love and care for each other in the process of serving him in obedience. Pray, also, that his kindgom would advance in of our obedience, or, in spite of our disobedience.