I was pleased to announce at our Annual Meeting that the WMPL Board has affirmed the name by which WMPL will be known!
The process of selecting our new name was thorough and included strong engagement from our workers, Board, and constituents. We shared several suggestions for feedback, and the responses helped us narrow our options.
Our Board affirmed what our workers and most of our constituents had expressed since we had asked the question, “Why does WMPL exist?” Prayer in the name was important to most, and the word ‘league’ was not as dated as we thought from the perspective of younger people and those outside the organization. So many affirmed the need to have the name tied to our heritage and our theme verse, Luke 10:2.
At our Board meeting, there was a sense of unity as we affirmed that, while our legal name stays WMPL, we will be known as the “Prayer League” and use it for all branding purposes. This will be used as two words, without acronyms.
“Prayer League” reflects our heritage and our mission. Kelly Kinnunen, our new Director of Communications, noted that considering multiple names clarified our primary purpose, or “bullseye”: prayer for the unreached to be reached. With that said, it is important to define what we mean by “prayer,” “unreached,” and the “reached.”
Prayer: The Prayer League defines prayer not just as a ritualistic act but as part of our communion with God, to better understand his commission for us and to engage in his transformative power. One defining example is how prayer is described in Luke 10:2.
Unreached: The Prayer League defines the unreached as populations who have little or no access to the Good News.
Reached: The Prayer League defines the “reached” as a community with established churches, where there are a growing number of Christ followers through local believers involved in evangelism and discipleship.
Our purpose will not change. In fulfilling the Great Commission and the mission of God, we pray that:
- More harvest workers go out
- Unreached people know Jesus
- God meets the needs of his ministry
As an extension of our life of prayer and faith, we:
- Share the Good News and ourselves
- Equip cross-cultural workers to go to the unreached. “Prayer League” reflects our heritage and our mission
- Mobilize believers into cross-cultural mission to:
- fields ready for harvest and
- holistic service opportunities
The naming discussion has also guided our broader communications strategy. With our primary focus clear, we can implement it across all initiatives.
Our name, tagline, and activities will all emphasize prayer for and mission to the unreached. We are aligning our communications and activities to maximize impact and reach more unreached people. Kelly is encouraging us to focus on the unreached as active participants in our work, not just subjects. “Unreached communities can be more than the objects of prayer; they can be participants in it and teachers of how to better connect with them.” This adjustment in our approach will help communicate more effectively across cultures.
The Apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 9:22, provides a scriptural example of communicating cross-culturally when he states that, in order to save some, he became “all things to all people.” He adapted his approach to different cultural contexts in order to effectively communicate the Good News. The Prayer League intends to adapt to a world where we can connect with the unreached like never before. We aim to open avenues for our pray-ers and the unreached to be more personally and relationally connected.
Our communications initiative goes beyond surface changes by repurposing our activities to reach the unreached. For example, we are considering redesigning our website and social media to focus on the unreached as the primary audience, rather than just our Western pray-ers. This shift would invite our current audience to participate in outreach and help us connect with the unreached on a personal level, setting us apart from many other organizations.
Please join us in prayer as we select our tagline, design our logo and colors, and officially roll it out. We are grateful that the Lord has answered your prayers and thoughtful contributions. An endeavor such as this can never implement every suggestion, especially with the quantity of suggestions received. Gratefully, after considering all the feedback, a final name was chosen which we believe can be supported by all. Thank you in advance for praying that our Prayer League’s mission is not only maintained but enhanced. We are positioned to more effectively reach the unreached with the Good News!