I did not see the Living Water Prayer Movement coming. Like many of God’s best gifts, it was a bewildering surprise. 

In 2021, Myanmar’s military seized power in a coup, igniting a civil war that continues today. Churches were bombed, millions fled, and the junta imposed draconian controls and surveillance systems over civil society. In this new ministry environment, being large and conspicuous became a liability. Being small, adaptive, and inconspicuous created space to operate. Many Christian leaders launched intentionally small, “under-the-radar” ministries to proclaim and demonstrate the kingdom of God in innovative ways that fit the hostile context. The Living Water Network exists to support the leaders of these smaller ministries, which we call microchurches. 

In the network’s early days, I sent out a survey to microchurch leaders asking what they most needed: coaching, administrative support, finances, training, network events, etc. When the results came back, the very top need was prayer: “We need more prayer. Nothing will change without prayer. And everything else we need will be provided through prayer.” I am embarrassed by how much this response surprised me. I would have said I believed in prayer. I asked others to pray for Myanmar. But was I prioritizing prayer as much as these microchurch leaders were? If I were going to honor their request, our approach to building a network would have to change. 

So, with the involvement of both Myanmar leaders and several passionate Westerners living outside of Myanmar, we pondered how to mobilize Westerners to intercede for Myanmar leaders. We decided we wanted to pray for specific situations—specific enough that we’d know if and when the prayers were answered. We created real-time methods to share prayer requests, updates, and answers. We chose the Echo Prayer app as a communication platform because of its customizability (users can follow one or many prayer feeds and set unique notification preferences for each one), and we created a semi-weekly intercessors email newsletter for those who preferred email. Finally, we planned regular, 30-minute Zoom prayer gatherings every other week to pray in community for current requests.

Discovering the Secret Sauce

On a whim, I invited a few of the Myanmar leaders we’d be praying for to join our kickoff Zoom prayer gathering. I had no thoughts of inviting them regularly; the cross-cultural, multi-lingual challenges seemed too messy. But it seemed like a nice way for Western intercessors to put a face to a name that they’d be praying for. I had no idea that I had just lit the fuse to something powerful. 

Having Myanmar leaders on that first Zoom call was electric. For the intercessors, seeing a real face and interacting in real time with a leader on the other side of the globe was transformational. We were no longer praying for abstract requests. The leaders became real people with unique personalities facing incredible challenges, which motivated us to pray hard. For the Asian leaders, encountering real people praying for them live and audibly was powerful. One Myanmar leader said, “I can sustain myself because I have a group of people who are praying for me constantly.” 

We quickly invited microchurch leaders to pray live with us whenever they could attend. It did sometimes create cultural and linguistic messiness, but the sense of authentic relationship was well worth it. There was laughter and there were tears. There were holy moments of koinonia (fellowship). Occasionally, Myanmar leaders would spontaneously pray for their intercessors in ways that were deeply meaningful: “This Myanmar leader is facing daily airstrikes, and yet she’s praying for my upcoming surgery?” These moments strengthened the bonds between intercessors and microchurch leaders. 

Over time, our original prayer team has split into multiple groups to accommodate more intercessors and microchurch leaders. As the movement has grown, I’ve reflected on the “secret sauce” that has made this prayer movement feel special: 

• Closed-loop: Intercession needs feedback loops, so we know when our prayers are answered, or if we need to keep praying. When miraculous answers come, it increases our faith and boldness, which helps us persevere amidst unanswered prayers. 
• Customized: Intercessors need to be able to choose which and how many leaders to pray for, and how to receive requests and updates in a way that fits their lifestyle. We are also beginning to work with entire Western communities (congregations, small groups, missions committees, etc.) to help them pray for specific microchurch leaders in a way that fits into their existing group rhythms. 
• Face-to-face: Prayer works best with others (Matt 18:19-20). While it is possible to join the prayer movement without ever attending a live gathering (and many participate this way), it’s clear that the face-to-face prayer gatherings create the energy that sustains the movement. 
• Small: Genuine relationship requires small size, where each person feels noticed and has space to participate. When prayer gatherings attract more than a dozen people, we think about splitting them. Similarly, we encourage intercessors to prioritize real relationships as they pray for leaders. 

 

Surprise Outcomes

When I first learned how to use Zoom during the COVID pandemic, I never dreamed that video calls alone could create profound relationships—and certainly not between people of different languages and cultures living on opposite sides of the globe. But it has happened. Recently, a Myanmar microchurch leader visited the US and met one of his long-time intercessors in the flesh for the first time. They ran toward one another, embraced like long-lost siblings, and spent the next half hour in joyful conversation. It seemed impossible that these two people had never been in the same room. Of course, the power of Zoom didn’t fully account for this moment; it was the power of the Holy Spirit that created the profound bond between them. 

Yet technology still matters, and each generation is wise to recognize its unique opportunities. The Early Church took full advantage of Roman transportation infrastructure to spread the gospel, and we also have an unprecedented opportunity. We’re the first generation in human history who can talk face-to-face with almost anyone in the world easily and inexpensively. AI-powered simultaneous translation is already being embedded into leading communication platforms, and over the coming few years will increase in speed, accuracy, and supported languages. Is the global Church prepared for the day when neither language nor distance will be barriers to relationship? 

Reflecting on this prayer movement, I’ve also been surprised by the mutual benefit both intercessors and microchurch leaders experience. I had subconsciously assumed that the intercessors were the givers, and the microchurch leaders were the receivers. But blessing has clearly flowed both ways. Microchurch leaders are indeed deeply moved to know they are being prayed for by those on the other side of the world. But intercessors are blessed, too: Many have declared how these cross-cultural relationships have expanded their view of God. Their relationships with persecuted leaders reset their perspectives on their own suffering. These relationships are also a powerful source of endurance: “If they can keep going in the middle of a war, then I can, too.” Everyone feels profound gratitude to be included. 

Finally, I’ve been joyfully surprised to see many meaningful collaborations form in moments when God makes intercessors the answer to their own prayers: A farmer prays for a ministry helping traumatized war refugees grow vegetables and realizes he can help them increase their yields. A pediatrician prays for a ministry delivering babies in bunkers and realizes she can help train the midwives. A graphic designer offers to design a logo for a new ministry just getting started. A native English speaker helps to write a grant proposal for a Myanmar ministry leader whose English is weak. These beautiful collaborations happen regularly because of the relational nature and network approach of the prayer movement. 

Hope in an Uncertain World

The model of global missions I absorbed growing up relied almost entirely on Western full-time missionaries (and to this day, several Western missionaries remain my heroes). But in recent decades, Christian leaders have rightly wrestled with the problematic elements of this model: the thorny dynamics of leadership and power, the cost and financial inefficiency of transplanting Westerners, and the hidden biases, blind spots, and cross-cultural challenges. Many wise voices are now advocating for a more balanced model of global missions, one where local leadership is honored, power is shared, and cross-cultural partnerships are genuine collaborations without cultural imperialism. 

The prayer movement that I have watched develop fits this collaborative partnership model. Local leadership is strongly affirmed and resourced. Westerners still play a beautiful and critical part that starts with prayer and often grows into providing technical services, advocating, coaching, and leveraging financial resources and networks. Everyone receives a profound blessing from the relationship. And perhaps most beautifully, everyone now gets to play. While only a tiny fraction of Western believers will ever leave their country and devote their lives to cross-cultural ministry, it is now possible for every Western believer to be meaningfully and relationally involved in global missions. Getting started only requires a phone, a few minutes a day to pray, and an openness to meet and love a ministry leader from a different culture. Similarly, while only a tiny fraction of persecuted believers can attend seminary or start a traditional church, our dream is to make it possible for any faith-filled persecuted believer to start something small and missional. Getting started only requires an idea, a little courage, and the knowledge that there is a powerful and accessible global network of spiritual siblings ready to pray for, accompany, coach, and resource you when you get stuck. 

As I’ve accompanied leaders experiencing chaos and stress, I’ve learned profound lessons from them, and many of these leaders have become my new heroes. When I encounter insurmountable situations, my instinct is usually to control and problem-solve. Yet, their first instinct is usually toward prayer. Not because they lack agency, but because they believe prayer is powerful and effective. As I walk with these leaders, I absorb this lesson more and more deeply. Perhaps other Westerners need to absorb this truth more deeply as well, as we sense the world around us becoming more turbulent and anxious. Will we allow leaders of the persecuted church to be our teachers and guides? As I join with my Myanmar brothers and sisters and a growing community of intercessors, I am daily learning the incredible and tangible impact of prayer: not simply to get the things we ask for, but also to unite people across cultures and languages, to catalyze powerful global partnerships, and to more fully transform us into the image of Jesus. 

To learn more about the Living Water Prayer Movement, visit tinyurl.com/LivingWaterPrayer