Following in Paul’s footsteps: Converge prioritizes prayer for unreached people groups

Every disciple at Converge’s Missionary Discovery and Assessment communicates a place to where God is calling them. But, when it was Jan Hoffman’s turn, she only spoke of going to the throne of grace.

“What I’m called to do is provide the prayer covering over each one of you that God is calling to the field,” she told other global workers during her March 2023 assessment.

Her new ministry reflects a lasting priority of Converge International Ministries: asking God for a gospel movement among every least-reached people group — in our generation. 

Converge’s initiatives among least-reached people groups now have prayer coordinators, frequent meetings and even 24-hour intercessions during the year. These events use Zoom video meetings so hundreds can intercede for dozens of ministries, people groups and needs.

Related: God timed our last 24-hour prayer gathering as Israel’s war escalated into chaos.

As Converge’s reliance on prayer grows, God led Converge International Ministries leaders like Chuck Lewis to ask Hoffman to be the movement’s prayer catalyst. Since accepting the position in January, the Wisconsin resident has partnered with prayer coordinators, churches and global workers to increase intercession.

“There is a movement toward reinvigorating or refocusing us on prayer,” she said.

Strategies, tools and training to increase the prayers of the saints

Hoffman comes alongside prayer coordinators throughout Converge. These servants join a particular initiative and schedule worldwide prayer gatherings, phone calls and virtual prayer walks. In addition to her responsibilities as Converge International Ministries’ prayer catalyst, Hoffman is the Hui Initiative’s prayer coordinator.

Through her roles, Hoffman can share insights, strategies and tools with prayer coordinators as they encourage one another.

Hoffman said her churches didn’t always teach her the importance of prayer or equip and motivate her to pray. 

“Now that I realize that, I want to make sure that other people are being discipled and taught by their churches how to pray and pray for our missionaries,” she said.

She also resources churches that embrace God’s heart to make disciples who make disciples in some of the world’s most challenging cultures for the Christian faith. 

“What we’re really hoping is that, as we connect churches with the global work that’s going on and as we connect churches with each other, it will strengthen us and grow us in being more faithful and mature,” she said. “I would love to see more people realize the importance of prayer.”

God’s actions after supplication for the Metro SenWest Initiative have encouraged Converge’s staff in Senegal. Prayers for the Muslim-majority country are creating more desire among believers who want to start disciple-making movements.

“There’s been daily prayer for [Senegal],” she said. “We’re seeing more movement as a result of regular prayer for the last several years.”

Prayer for God’s workers has always been essential

The importance of prayer for ministry has been true since at least the times of the Apostle Paul, who also devoted his life to making disciples among numerous unreached people groups.

After Paul started a church in Thessalonica, he wrote them letters. In chapter three of the second letter, he asked them to pray for himself and other gospel workers. He asked them to pray that the Lord’s message would spread quickly because people honor the gospel just as the Thessalonians did.

That’s the kind of prayer that today’s global workers need. That’s why Hoffman said yes in her heart and career, devoting herself to intercession for Converge’s staff who go around the world in Christ’s name.

“Asking God shows that we are dependent on Him,” she said. 

Related: Join a Converge Global Prayer Network

Years ago, Hoffman heard that the missionary William Carey once told people that entering a deep, dark mine and being a missionary shared similarities. Carey said miners usually had a rope to the outside world tied around them.

Ultimately, Carey told the group he’d go to those far from Christ and shine a light in their darkness. But the Englishman said he needed to know someone would be praying, thereby holding his rope as he went out.

That metaphor about prayer motivates Hoffman to mobilize Converge churches as rope-holders who intercede for God’s servants worldwide.

“Our people in the field need the covering, the protection,” Hoffman said. “We’re looking to have more resources and more tools available to help churches come together and pray.” 

Converge’s International Ministries team is asking God for a gospel movement among every least-reached people group — in our generation.