Between The Rivers Onsite Prayer
Between the Rivers is a strategic prayer partnership between field workers and short-term onsite prayer teams to prepare communities for ongoing engagement by covering them in prayer and prayerfully seeking out people of peace.
We invite you to join a team of 4-8 people to respond to the invitation of long-term workers
to prepare an unreached community for engagement by covering it in strategic prayer,
earnestly seeking “People of Peace”
and handing it back to long-term workers for strategic follow-up
The Journey Awaits
1. A remarkable opportunity to play a part in preparing for the Gospel take root in an unreached community by laying the vital foundation of prayer in partnership with long-term workers eager to engage some of the most unreached regions on earth.
2. Practical equipping in Strategic Prayer, Prayer Walking and initiating intentional relationships by seasoned field workers both before and as you arrive onsite.
3. Tangible assistance to help your own group select the length of your trip, target community, projected budget and travel logistics. OR the chance to join a team with a trained Between The Rivers team leader.
1) Cover the city in Strategic Prayer as the Holy Spirit leads you, asking God to open the community to God’s Word, God’s people and God’s work.
2. Prayerfully pursue potential “People of Peace” who open their communities to relationship and engagement.
3. Hand off your city to the Long-Term Workers for discernment, follow up and future engagement
How Do I Join?
FORM A TEAM
Churches, campus groups, or organizations can send a team trained and prepared by Between The Rivers
LEAD A TEAM
Mobilizers or leaders can partner with
Between The Rivers to plan and prepare and launch a team
JOIN A TEAM
Interested individuals can join a team planned by a Between The Rivers team leader
Explore Your Opportunities
Contact Us!
Request our
Trip Timeline
and
Launch Guide
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a Between The Rivers team actually do?
Each Between The Rivers team responds to the invitation of a field team or local body of believers to do THREE central things in an unreached community:
1) They work to cover their community in strategic prayer, asking God to open it to God’s Word, God’s people and God’s will.
2) They prayerfully and diligently seek out People of Peace who God is drawing to Himself to welcome relationship and open their communities to further engagement. AND
3) They intentionally hand off what they have learned about their prayer community back to long-term workers for further discernment, follow up and future engagement.
1) They work to cover their community in strategic prayer, asking God to open it to God’s Word, God’s people and God’s will.
2) They prayerfully and diligently seek out People of Peace who God is drawing to Himself to welcome relationship and open their communities to further engagement. AND
3) They intentionally hand off what they have learned about their prayer community back to long-term workers for further discernment, follow up and future engagement.
How do we decide where we will go?
Each Between The Rivers team responds to the invitation of a long-term worker or body of local believers who have identified a community that currently has little or no ongoing work AND that they want to see meaningfully impacted by the good news of Jesus. The Between The Rivers team is invited to prayerfully prepare the community for engagement. Between The Rivers does NOT send teams where they have not been overtly invited by long-term workers or local believers.
How do Between The Rivers teams form?
Teams form in one of two ways:
1) a church or group identifies 4-7 people from their midst that they want to train and send on a Between The Rivers Trip. OR
2) a leader plans a Between The Rivers trip to a specific prayer community and works to assemble and invite 4-7 members to join them.
1) a church or group identifies 4-7 people from their midst that they want to train and send on a Between The Rivers Trip. OR
2) a leader plans a Between The Rivers trip to a specific prayer community and works to assemble and invite 4-7 members to join them.
Can my church/campus group/organization send a Between The Rivers team?
In many ways, this is our preferred way of sending out Between The Rivers teams. Church/campus/organization teams have the advantage of natural leadership and shared vision. They also often have the advantage of being able to train and meet before the trip more easily. After the trip, their shared vision can quickly shape the community that sends them out.
Who leads a Between The Rivers team?
Leaders for Between The Rivers teams are identified in one of two ways:
1) A church or spiritual community appoints a leader to lead a team from their community. Between The Rivers then equips this leader to plan their trip and train their team. OR
2) Between The Rivers appoints a leader to lead a team that they recruit for a particular prayer community. Between The Rivers helps the leader plan the trip, recruit a team and train them for their task.
1) A church or spiritual community appoints a leader to lead a team from their community. Between The Rivers then equips this leader to plan their trip and train their team. OR
2) Between The Rivers appoints a leader to lead a team that they recruit for a particular prayer community. Between The Rivers helps the leader plan the trip, recruit a team and train them for their task.
How does Between The Rivers support team leaders to plan their trip?
Once a leader is identified for a Between The Rivers trip. The Between The Rivers Coordination Team will help the team leader to
1) Determine the length of their trip and suitable dates,
2) Choose a target prayer community,
3) Determine the budget for team members,
4) Assemble and train their team and
5) Prepare the team for travel.
1) Determine the length of their trip and suitable dates,
2) Choose a target prayer community,
3) Determine the budget for team members,
4) Assemble and train their team and
5) Prepare the team for travel.
How many people are on a Between The Rivers team?
We recommend a team of 4 to 7 members. Fewer than 4 will rob your team of the value of community and body life. More than 7 will attract too much attention. If you have a larger group, we can help you choose a prayer city that is large enough for you to do orientation together and then break into smaller teams for time in separate prayer communities.
Do we need someone who can speak the language?
While you are more than welcome to recruit a teammate who can speak the language where you are going, this is not necessary for the success of your trip. You will find an ample supply of people who can communicate with you and help you find what you need. Remember, the best way to initiate relationships is to NEED something.
Who can go on a Between The Rivers trip?
Any committed and prayerful follower of Jesus who earnestly believes in the power of prayer can join a Between The Rivers team. Wherever possible, we recommend that you go on your trip with at least one or two believers from your own spiritual community or church fellowship.
Is it OK to bring kids on the trip?
Since we are focused on opening unengaged communities with strategic prayer and prayerful searching out People of Peace, Between The Rivers trips are not a good choice for travelling with kids. If you would like to discuss this with us, just contact the Coordinator.
How long does a Between The Rivers trip take?
The minimum requirement of 9 days is needed to complete the goals of a Between The Rivers trip. This gives you ample time for travel, rest, focused prayer time and necessary training and hand-off. Your trip leader will complete the Trip Timeline Worksheet with our team to make sure that you have enough time and flexibility to complete all your other goals for the trip up to 18 days.
How much does a Between The Rivers trip cost?
Every effort has been made to make a Between The Rivers trip possible for every believer and every community. All finance is handled by the team itself apart from a small assessment sent to Between The Rivers on behalf of each team member. The largest expense for your team will be your international/local travel to your prayer community. This can easily be estimated with a simple Google search. Generally, each member will pay $50-80 per day to cover food, lodging and transportation. Costs will vary slightly for different prayer community locations and decisions of your individual team. Visa fees can also be found easily online. Some prayer communities may also require a small fee for additional training for security and contingency, but this is chosen by your team.
Do I need to fill out an application for a Between The Rivers trip?
Each team leader or sending entity will develop their own requirements for application or references for their team members. In most cases, team leaders will interview team members for the teams that they lead.
Do I need to get a visa to travel to my prayer city?
Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh all require visas for foreign travelers in nearly every case. Once you choose your prayer community, you will receive further guidance on obtaining visas. In most cases, visa applications require booked travel and hotel stay information BEFORE visa application.
What training do teams receive for a Between The Rivers trip?
Every Between The Rivers team participates in 3 required team training sessions before they are released to their prayer community.
First, teams fully review the Between The Rivers Launch Guide together at a minimum of two gathered meetings.
Second, the whole team will receive a 3 hour training by our Between The Rivers training staff to review the purpose of the trip, their identity in the country and training for the purpose of strategic prayer.
Finally, the whole team will receive an additional 3 hour training by their inviting field-worker in their host country to review their prayer community and the purpose of their presence in that community.
First, teams fully review the Between The Rivers Launch Guide together at a minimum of two gathered meetings.
Second, the whole team will receive a 3 hour training by our Between The Rivers training staff to review the purpose of the trip, their identity in the country and training for the purpose of strategic prayer.
Finally, the whole team will receive an additional 3 hour training by their inviting field-worker in their host country to review their prayer community and the purpose of their presence in that community.
How do we decide where our team will stay?
For in-country orientation and hand-off, your stay will be chosen by the team that invites you to the community. This ensures that they have control over their own security. Once you depart to your prayer community, all lodging decisions are made by the team. You will need to refer to this location on your visa application, so we advise that you choose a place to stay that is easily understandable and does not warrant any extra scrutiny. Generally, there are dozens of choices available on sites like Booking.com or travel sites. Please ensure that ALL team members feel comfortable with the decision of where to stay.
What about transportation when we are in our city?
Generally, public transportation is widely available and is quite affordable. Teams will do all arrangements of local transportation themselves unless onsite hosts decide to help with this process. This should NOT be assumed. Again, the best way to initiate relationships is to NEED something. Transportation is one of your biggest needs. In some locations, Uber/Kareem/Lyft or other online services are available.
Is there a schedule for each day of a Between The Rivers trip?
In light of your main purpose in the country, which is to cover the community in strategic prayer and seek out People of Peace, there is no set schedule to keep or method to implement. Without exception, your main leader will be the Holy Spirit. He will guide you to meaningfully cover the city in strategic prayer if you ask Him and make space for Him to speak. Intentionally start each day in your prayer community waiting on the Holy Spirit to guide you and let you know what that given day is about.
What about emergencies or worst case scenarios?
The main responsibility for equipping your team with needed contingency information and contacts rests with the long-term workers or believers who invite you to the prayer community. However, your team should also exercise every due diligence to make sure that you are aware and prepared for dealing with contingencies or medical emergencies. Often, this can be a wonderful way to start your first day in your prayer community. The greatest way to initiate relationships is to NEED something.
What about our youth group doing a trip?
Between The Rivers trips are not a good choice for exposing kids to a broader world and getting their first taste of culture and language. There are hundreds of great opportunities for this. Our trips are for focused prayer and intentional participation in the task of opening communities to engagement and transformation in the least reached region on the planet.
If you have more questions, we are ready to answer them.
First, let us know your interest by sending in a CONTACT FORM.
There is a lot more information available in our Between The Rivers Launch Guide and our Trip Preparation FAQ page.
Contact us so we can connect you with those resources.
