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Missionary newsletters (sometimes called Updates or Prayer Letters) help missionaries communicate with their sending churches and individual supporters back home. The purpose of these letters is to inform Christians about the details of the ministry so that they can pray for and support the missionary responsibly. Many of St. Paul’s epistles were first-century examples of missionary updates.

We as missionaries must improve our writing skills. I’ve read many bad prayer letters from missionaries. A handful are average and a select few are excellent. A quarter of them I wish would end after the first two sentences.

I understand this is somewhat subjective. What is good for one may be bad for another. I know there are different tastes. There is no Mosaic Prayer Letter Manual that Sinai insists we follow, though the writings of Missionary Paul are a good start.

I have no axe to grind. I’m pro missions. I’ve been a missionary for almost two decades. When it comes to missions, I’m like the mother who attends her son’s sporting events–pompoms, face paint, team jersey. I’m all in.

While some newsletters are like Rachel, beautiful to behold, others are like Leah, plain and lacking vitality. I’ve read newsletters with over 3,000 words–equal to nine pages in a typical book. I’ve read other letters with scores of photos, including vacation pics, birthday parties and lots of cutsie photos of the kiddos–more man-centered than Christ exalting.

Below you’ll find six marks of a good prayer, followed by a couple helpful examples. Continue reading →