“If there be any one point in which a Christian church ought to keep its fervor at a white heat, it is concerning missions. If there be anything about which we cannot tolerate lukewarmness, it is in the matter of sending the gospel to a dying world.”
Charles Spurgeon (1834–1892)
As we anticipate the new year, we are excited to announce that the 2026 Missionary Calendar is now available. Our prayer is that you will put this calendar to meaningful and eternal use. While a calendar is certainly an essential daily tool to keep track of your appointments and remember the holidays each month, we hope that this calendar will play an even more significant role in your daily life. Every year, the calendar is a labor of love, and each page is a reflection of our church’s unwavering devotion to the gospel work of world missions. Christ commanded His disciples to “go forth and make disciples of all the nations” (Matthew 28:19). This is an invitation to step into the world of missions, to be introduced to our faithful missionary families, to learn about the countries and cultures in which they serve, and to pray for their ministries. Every time you look at the calendar on the wall, you will gain a bird’s-eye view of the wonderful and faithful work of the Lord all over the world.
This new year, we encourage you to play an active part in supporting one of the missionaries sent by our church. This endeavor likely begins with a little exploration and initiative: as you encounter our missionaries each month on the calendar, visit each missionary family’s page on our website to learn more about them and how you can support through prayer. There, you will also be able to contact them directly and write a note of encouragement. You can also sign up to receive their newsletters, which very often serves as a bridge to forging a new friendship with our missionaries, and is also invariably an immense encouragement to you as you read their updates. Your direct interactions with our missionary families remind them that they are not alone in their service to the Lord and maintain the vital connection they have to the love and care of Grace Church.
Perhaps the most important aspect of your participation in missions is prayer. Prayer is a critical lifeline for every missionary, and through your petitions to the Lord on their behalf, it supplies great encouragement, strength, and perseverance. Your prayers are a recognition of the dependence they have on the Lord, and an entrustment of our missionaries to the Giver of all good things for daily provision, spiritual and physical wellbeing, and effectiveness in ministry. There is nothing more powerful than lifting our missionaries up before the throne of grace in prayer, and there is no better way to build the godly affection you have for them than through prayer. Prayer greatly honors and glorifies the Lord, and it greatly encourages our missionaries.
Just like the messenger and servant Epaphroditus in Philippians 2, we can all become fellow workers in taking the gospel to the ends of the earth. Make a commitment in 2026 to become more involved in missions, and answer the call to partner in God’s glorious work of salvation in the hearts of people in every land.
Beginning today and until Sunday, January 4, pick up your 2026 Missionary Calendar on the Patio after either morning service. One per family, please.
To learn more about our missionaries, visit gracechurch.org/outreach.