How Can We Support Missionaries Well From Home?

William Carey, who many proclaim the “Father of Modern Missions”, once famously said,

“I will go down into the pit, if you will hold the rope”.

A little less famous is the reply of his faithful friend Andrew Fuller,

“As we lived, we will hold the rope.”

While not all are invited by God to hop on a plane and move their lives overseas for the gospel, all are invited to take some part in the great commission. For many that calling looks much like it did for Andrew Fuller. We must “hold the rope”. However, unlike Fuller, not many of us are pastors or believers in positions of authority. So how do we, as everyday followers of Jesus, “hold the rope” for our brothers and sisters working overseas to share the gospel with the unreached?

Thought it may seem to be a daunting task, there are countless ways that we can faithfully support the missionaries we know right from where God has placed us. In this article we’ll look at some practical and simple ways you can meaningfully make an impact for the gospel through supporting the overseas workers God has placed in your life.

Why Does Support From Home Matter?
A Quick Word About Giving
Practical Ways You Can Support Missionaries From Home
Asking Good Questions
When Helping Hurts
Further Reading
Take the Next Step—Hold the Rope

Why Does Support From Home Matter?

When Jesus said “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations” in Matthew 28, He didn’t have just one church or a few specific people in mind. He was giving a mandate to the whole body of Christ. We all have some roll to play in partnering with God as He carries out the great commission. Whether it’s through going, sending, supporting, or praying, God wants us to be a part of what He is doing among those who don’t yet know Him. This isn’t just a Christian extra-curricular, it’s something each of us are clearly called to.

This doesn’t mean God is asking every believer to move overseas. For most of us, God is inviting us to partner with Him in spreading His kingdom right from where He has purposely placed us. One of the most impactful ways that we can do that is through the support and encouragement of those God has called to overseas ministry.

Missionaries face a unique set of difficult challenges. They often battle spiritual opposition, navigate cultural isolation, and carry the emotional weight of being far from family, friends, and familiar rhythms. In those moments, the support of believers back home can be a lifeline. But it isn’t just in the difficult times that missionaries need support. For most missionaries, life on the field would simply be an impossibility if it wasn’t for those back home “holding the rope”.

A Quick Word About Giving

Financial support is a significant need for missionaries around the world, and especially for missionaries from Canada. If you aren’t already giving financially to God’s mission to reach the unreached, we would strongly urge you to prayerfully consider if God is inviting you to use the money He has blessed you with to help support missionaries on the field.

That being said, missionaries need more than just financial support. Missionaries need holistic support, and at Pioneers, part of our mission is to see that they receive it. Though it is extremely important, the aim of this article is to help everyday believers understand how they can practically support the workers they know on the field outside of the realm of just giving money. So, from this point forward, we’re going to leave the financial side of things for another conversation.

If you would like to learn about how you can start giving to God’s global mission, Click Here

Practical Ways You Can Support Missionaries From Home

Now that you’ve gotten through all the preamble, (sorry about that, but it’s important stuff!) let’s get into the meat and potatoes. We’ve talked with our in-house member care specialists and come up with some of the best ways you can practically and meaningfully support the missionaries you know on the field. Let’s dive in:

Get to know ABOUT them:

One of the simplest and most foundational ways to support a missionary is to take a genuine interest in who they are and what God has invited them into. You don’t need to be an expert in missions or theology—just being intentionally curious and caring goes a long way. When you educate yourself about a missionary’s life and ministry, you’re both conveying value and learning how to better support them in other ways. Your interest tells them, “You, and the work God is doing through you, matter.”

So, what does that look like practically?

Learn the Basics

Pick one or two missionaries you have a connection with (or ask your church for a name)
Through their newsletter, website, social media, or by simply asking someone in your church who knows them, find out: Where they serve, what kind of work they do (church planting, medical missions, education, etc.), and who they’re ministering to (specific people groups, communities, or regions).

Understand Their Context

Look up their sending organization to learn about its mission and values.
Research the country or culture they’re serving in—what are the spiritual, political, or social challenges there?
Use websites like https://operationworld.org/ or https://joshuaproject.net/ to learn about the places missionaries live and the people they seek to reach.

Stay Informed

Subscribe to their newsletter and take the time to read it when it comes.
Follow their sending org on social media or check in on its website regularly to keep up to date with what’s new in their world.
Set a reminder to check in monthly—even just 10 minutes to read their latest update can have an impact.

This kind of intentionality and care shows missionaries they are valued and can help lay the foundation for deeper relationship and support. It’s not flashy, but it is important, and it’s something you can do from right where God has placed you.

Get To Know THEM:

Now that you know a little bit more about the Missionaries God has placed in your life, let’s dig a little deeper and get to actually know them.

Building a genuine and personal relationship with a missionary is one of the most meaningful ways you can support them. You don’t need to be their best friend or have deep theological conversations every week, but taking the time and effort to build a real relationship with them can truly have a huge impact.

This is especially important when missionaries are on home assignment. If you can establish a real connection when you are face to face, it’s much easier to stay meaningfully connected when a missionary heads back to the field. It is important however, to keep in mind that home assignments can often be a busy and chaotic time for missionaries. They’re reconnecting with supporters, raising funds, and trying to rest—all while navigating reverse culture shock. It makes a huge difference if you can be graceful in the way in which you connect with missionaries on home assignment. The goal is to balance showing a genuine interest and putting in effort to connect with them, with respecting their need for rest and the fact that they simply just can’t see everyone.

And here’s something to keep in mind: Missionaries often don’t have the time or capacity to start or maintain deep one-on-one relationships with every person who wants to connect. That’s why group engagement can be especially powerful. When a small group—like a church community, youth group, or care team—reaches out together, it creates a shared space for connection. It’s easier for the missionary to engage, and it fosters a sense of collective support that’s both sustainable and deeply encouraging.

Want some practical advice for building missionary relationships?

Take The First Step

If you already have a pre-existing connection with the missionary—maybe they’re from your church, or you met them on home assignment—reach out. Send a message. Ask how they’re doing. Let them know you’re praying. These small gestures build trust and connection over time.

Be Intentional

When you read an update, reply with encouragement: “Thanks for sharing—praying for you today!”
Ask thoughtful questions when you get the chance (more on this later)
Celebrate their milestones and wins—even small ones. A quick message of support and encouragement can have a big impact
Pray over their challenges. When you find out about prayer requests, take the time to specifically pray about them.
When their on home assignment, offer your hospitality and support
Be consistent. Relationship takes time. Even occasional check-ins show that you care.

You don’t need to be perfect—just present. Your intentional effort to know the missionaries in your life reminds them they’re part of a bigger family that loves and wants to support them.

Engage in Their Ministry:

You know about the missionaries in your life, and you’re beginning to develop a real genuine relationship with them, now how can you start to partner with the ministry they are a part of overseas?

One of the most powerful ways you can support a missionary is by actively engaging in the things that God is doing through them. And no, we’re necessarily not saying you should hop on a plane and go help out. There are plenty of ways you can partner with missionaries in their ministry from right where you are.

Here’s how you can help with no plane ticket required:

Pray specifically:

The most powerful tool we have for reaching the unreached is accessible to every believer, no matter who you are or where you live. Partner in prayer with what God is doing through the workers on the field. Pray for the people they’re reaching, the challenges they’re facing, and the spiritual breakthroughs they’re longing for. Use their newsletters or updates to specifically guide your prayers.

Want to learn more about why we pray? Read “Why Does Prayer Matter in Missions?”

Be an advocate:

Gather others: Invite your small group, family, or church to pray with you. Share updates, organize a prayer night, or include their needs in your group’s regular prayer time.
Spread the word: Talk about their ministry. Share their stories. Help others see the value of what they’re doing and how they can get involved—whether through prayer, giving, or encouragement.
Celebrate with them: When they share good news, rejoice! Send a message, share their update (with permission), or thank God with them. Your joy can be a great encouragement.

You don’t have to be on the field to play a meaningful role in what God is doing through his workers amongst the unreached. All you need is a humble posture, a willing heart, and a dependence on the Holy Spirit.

Love them in special ways:

So far we’ve talked about some ways to practically support the missionaries you know on the field, but just like all of us, missionaries are people too, and sometimes we all need something a little more than just practical.

Sometimes the most impactful support isn’t about doing something practical or meeting a specific need—sometimes it’s just about going out of your way to show love in a way that is personal, thoughtful, and says “we care about you”. Missionaries often live far from family, friends, familiar traditions, and the comforts of home. Sometimes even the smallest kind gesture can mean the world.

Here are a few examples of how you can love missionaries in special ways:

Send a birthday/holiday card or a care package. It isn’t necessarily about the gift—it’s about being thought of.
Celebrate their milestones. A quick message to acknowledge an anniversary, a ministry win, or a child’s graduation can be deeply encouraging.
Support their kids. This can look different depending on the missionary and where they live, but if they have children, look for ways that you can meaningfully support them.
Join or start a care team: If your church has a missionary care/prayer team, consider joining. If not, gather a few people to start one. You can coordinate regular check-ins, send birthday gifts, or help with any needs during home assignments.
Create space for rest. Invite them to a quiet retreat, offer a cozy place to stay, or just give them time to breathe during home assignment.
Think outside the box. What are some things that make you feel loved and cared for? Is it something you could feasibly do for a missionary? Why not give it a try?

These gestures may seem small, but they carry weight. They remind missionaries that they’re not forgotten—that they’re loved, valued, and part of a community that’s holding the rope for them.

Asking Good Questions:

If you want to support a missionary well, one of the best, and often most overlooked, things you can do is ask good questions. Thoughtful questions show that you care, that you’re genuinely interested, and that you’re willing to listen. They open the door for real conversation and help missionaries feel seen and valued.

But not all questions are helpful. Some can be awkward, overwhelming, or even discouraging—especially if they’re too broad, too surfacy, or make wrong assumptions about life on the field.

We’ve all experienced bad questions in one form or another, and missionaries are no exception. The last thing we want is for a missionary to feel like we don’t really care about them, or the work God is doing around them, because of the questions we ask. Though we’re sure most don’t intend to hurt missionaries with their questions, the sad reality is that it happens. The goal isn’t to pry or collect every detail—it’s to invite honest sharing and offer genuine encouragement, creating space for real connection, showing that you really do care.

To get practical, here are some things to keep in mind when asking cross-cultural workers, or anyone for that matter, questions:

Check your heart. Before asking the missionary a question, first ask yourself; “Why am I asking this questions? Is it honoring to them? To myself? To God?”
Be specific and personal: Instead of “How’s it going?” try “What’s something that encouraged you recently?”
Focus on listening, not fixing. Ask questions that invite stories, not solutions, and don’t give advice when no one is asking for it. “What’s been a joy for you lately?” or “What’s been challenging for you lately?” lets them share without feeling pressure to have it all together.
Invite stories, not just facts. Ask questions that let them share experiences. “Can you tell me about a moment recently when you saw God at work?” or “What’s a story from your ministry that’s stuck with you lately?”
Ask about things that genuinely interest you. The best questions come from a place of genuine curiosity and care.

To help you get started asking good questions, we’ve linked a list of 29 good questions to ask cross-cultural workers. You don’t have to use these exactly, but hopefully they provide some examples of what a good, thoughtful question may look like.

29 Questions To Ask Cross Cultural Workers

Asking a good question is one of the simplest and most powerful ways to show a missionary that you care. It doesn’t take much—just a little intentionality, a little humility, and a heart that’s willing to listen

When Helping Hurts

Sometimes, even with the best intentions, our efforts to help can end up causing more harm than good. Sadly, this is especially true in the world of missions. If we’re helping for the wrong reasons, or in ways that don’t actually serve the missionary, we risk discouraging or overwhelming the very people we’re seeking to bless.

The key is humility. If we really want to be helpful, we need to be open to doing things on others’ terms—not just our own. It starts with asking, from a posture of humility, “How can I truly be a blessing to you?”—and being ready to accept the answer, even if it’s not what we expected.

It’s important to keep in mind is that missionaries live busy lives in challenging environments. Sometimes they just don’t have time to connect with us and that’s okay. If we really want to be a blessing, we must be able to drop our pride, forget about ourselves and be willing to step back when someone need space or rest.

To get practical, here are some simple things to avoid when interacting with missionaries, whether on home assignment or on the field:

Don’t give things to missionaries, either physical or in service, they don’t want or need.
Don’t bombard them with messages or requests.
Don’t ask insensitive or non-helpful questions. (See our section above)
Don’t assume they’re always available or always have time to respond.
Don’t offer advice unless it’s asked for.

One last practical, and very important, thing to keep in mind is security. Many missionaries serve in countries where it is dangerous to openly talk about Jesus, the Bible, or their ministry. When connecting with missionaries, you have to make sure you’re aware of the security risks for the country they serve in and act accordingly. Be sensitive with your language when you communicate and make sure you know the topics or words you need to avoid to keep the missionary and their ministry safe. If you’re not sure what security restrictions a missionary may have, it’s okay to reach out to their church or sending org and ask, most would be more than happy to talk you through the security concerns you should be aware of.

Take the Next Step—Hold the Rope

Hopefully throughout this article we’ve been able to convince you that supporting missionaries from home is both possible and deeply impactful. From learning about their ministry and building genuine relationships, to engaging in prayer and asking thoughtful questions, each aspect is important. You don’t have to do everything, but each and every person reading this article, no matter who you are or where you live, can meaningfully do something. Every act of care, encouragement, and advocacy reminds missionaries that the body of Christ loves them and cares about the work God is doing through them.

So here’s your challenge:

Take one new actionable step this week to support a missionary. Maybe that means sending a message, praying over a newsletter, joining a care team, or simply asking a thoughtful question.

Your encouragement, prayers, and presence matter more than you know. God is inviting you to play a part in His work among the nations, the rope you hold is vital.

Thanks for reading! If you’re looking for more, check out our “Serve as a Sender” page for some ways you can get involved in missions from home.