by Art Cunningham

When Our Sending Church Prayed

In 1997, the Lord called Debbie and me to go to England as missionaries to the many Muslims there. I had already spent three years in Slough, England, ministering in a different setting. Debbie and I married in September of 1997, and began deputation. Our sending church, Trinity Baptist Church, got behind us and, in fact, doubled our support when we married. For the next 14 months, we traveled from church to church presenting our ministry, but no one took us on for support. Our confidence was completely shot, and we felt defeated. In November of 1998, our mission board, GFA Missions, had a conversation with our home church. Should Art and Debbie continue to pursue missions? Their support is not coming in.

My pastor at the time, Dave Stertzbach, met with us and Trinity’s missions committee to determine what the problem was. I broke down crying, “I don’t know,” I responded. “We are doing everything we know to do, but nothing’s happening.” Pastor Stertzbach replied, “Tell the church that and then I’ll take over.” I got up that Sunday evening before the church and again began to cry. “We are on the road, but nothing’s happening,” I told the church. Then Pastor Stertzbach stood up. “This is not their fault,” he said, “This is our fault. We are not praying like we should. Who will commit to pray?” About 90 hands went up across the auditorium. “If you mean it,” Pastor Stertzbach went on, “then stand up.” They all stood up. Pastor Stertzbach looked at me and said, “Missionary, here’s your support. Your support will come in.”

Two months later, two churches took us on for support, breaking the long deadlock. Support continued to come in, sometimes a trickle, sometimes a bit more, but always enough to keep us moving forward. I firmly believe that the Lord moved churches to support us in answer to Trinity’s prayer. The call to our church to dedicate themselves to pray for us made the difference. James 5:16 states that “the effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.” When the church stirs itself to effectual fervent prayer, it avails and prevails! Trinity set to work to get ahold of the Lord, and He listened and answered. By April of 2001, we were on the field in England, where we continue to serve until the present.