Being on mission to make disciples will quickly bring us to the end of ourselves. We need divine help and resources. The pathway opened up for us to request and receive them is prayer (Matthew 7:7-8). Getting more serious about making disciples, should include getting more serious about prayer. Disciple makers create a culture of prayer around their life through personal habits (like with daily prayer prompts), including diligent intercession (like with a prayer calendar), and humbly seeking the prayers of other like minded believers. Do you have a prayer partner or a prayer partner network? You can build these relationships and increase the capacity of prayer for those you desire to reach and disciple.

Here’s how to get started:

1. Make a list of people you know that have invested in you, prayed for you, and will be interested in your efforts to share the gospel and make disciples. These may be people in your church, people you grew up with, people who discipled you. And these are people who should have a heart to see people saved and discipled.

2. Reach out to them and invite them to be a prayer partner with you in making disciples. Consider this approach: “You’ve been an important part of my spiritual life to this point. Thank you! I’m getting more serious about my life as a witness and disciple maker. Would you be willing to pray for me and with me on this journey.”

3. Communicate with your partners regularly about specific people that you’d like them to pray for. Email or text message are great tools to mobilize prayer. The more specific the prayer requests the better. Consider names and stories of lost people that God is bringing to your mind. You may want to brand your communication around a favorite verse or aspect of your personal calling.

4. Keep communication brief. These are most likely people who are busy and active in other spiritual endeavors. They’ll appreciate brevity and respect for their time.

5. Celebrate the stories of life change through prayer. And when God’s people are mobilized to pray specifically and according to his heart for the lost, there will be life change!

Years ago, I was a prayer partner with a young lady who wanted to see a friend saved. She invited everyone she knew that prayed and had a heart for the lost to pray for him by name. She sent reminders everyday for three weeks. Dozens, if not hundreds prayed for this man for three weeks.

I was then part of a team from our church that went to his house specifically to share the gospel with him and his family. After small talk, we asked him, “Have you ever thought about your relationship with God? about heaven and hell? about eternal life?”

He said, “Are you kidding me? That’s all I’ve been able to think about for the last three weeks!”

He gave his life to Christ right there and was soon baptized and dozens of people who prayed were able to celebrate the life change in this families life.

Creating a culture of prayer can increase the potential and capacity for fruitfulness in our lives and praise to God as he is glorified through answers to prayer. Get started by making your list of potential partners.