Founded on Prayer

Servant Partners
Jun 22
3 min read

New site leaders rely on prayer as they establish Jesus communities in their neighborhoods.

God shapes the world by prayer (Billy Graham). Establishing new ministry sites in urban communities rests on a foundation of prayer. At the beginning of a new work, God calls Servant Partners staff to the city, and He answers their prayers as they step out in faith.

In 2019 Servant Partners staff received a word from Jeremiah 33:3: “Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.” This scripture was an invitation from God to pray and to expect Him to lead Servant Partners by His wisdom in unimaginable ways.

Over the last few years, God began adding to the number of leaders in Servant Partners. New sites formed in Chile, Colombia, Mexico, and the United States. Prayer-fueled growth in Latin America and the US reminds us that God hears our prayers and calls leaders to new initiatives in faith.

Tony Gatewood is one of the leaders who sensed God calling him to urban ministry. Tony grew up on the South Side of Chicago. After leaving an urban poor neighborhood in Chicago, he had no intention to return to the city. He ministered to college students for many years and served with a Bible translation ministry. God’s call to return to the urban poor context was unexpected. In God’s wisdom and mystery, He was weaving the various strands of Tony’s life together in this new ministry calling. Tony joined Servant Partners in 2023.

As a site leader, Tony is establishing a new Servant Partners site in the Eastside of Iowa City, an under-resourced area filled with potential for transformation. He aims to reach youth and young adults from impoverished neighborhoods, immigrant families, and seekers through Bible studies, worship services, and bringing people together in the community to work for change. Tony has an expansive vision to mobilize others for urban ministry in the Iowa City Corridor and other under-resourced urban areas in the Midwest.

As Tony reflects on planting a new site, he recalls crucial moments of prayer:

“Prayer has been critical in establishing the work. I have prayer partners who have spent their days interceding for our community. Many prayer walks around the neighborhood have given us insight and a snapshot into what is at the heart of the community's needs.”

Intercession happens both on and off-site. Servant Partners’ sites are sustained by prayer by intercession teams that actively intercede on behalf of each Servant Partners site and their leaders. Tony’s off-site intercession team prays alongside him and has encouraged him in moments of despair and doubt. Tony describes the partnership of his intercession team: “They come before God and ask on behalf of our neighborhoods, and pray for more workers for the harvest.”

Prayer gives Tony confidence in God's presence in his community. He believes God is actively moving in his community “where the poor, vulnerable, marginalized, elderly, and working-class congregate.” In establishing a new site, he is partnered with God and his community in bringing about transformation. In sharing his vision for urban communities in the Midwest, he activates others to pray in faith.

Tony prayed for God’s provision to support the work of building the new site. He rejoiced in sharing, “I prayed and asked for prayers for the Lord to provide $6,000 for the 2024 year-end funding, and the Lord provided over $10,000! God has provided over 6 months of consistent ministry support!” Prayer is crucial in establishing new sites. Through prayer, God calls leaders, makes His presence known in a community, and provides the means for transformative work in urban poor areas.