Many conservative Christians rightly stress personal conversion but wrongly ignore the desperate physical needs around them (both for miracles and for social intervention). Many other churches rightly address societal injustices but neglect spiritual needs and personal human pain. Jesus cared about people in their totality and was concerned for their pressing needs. His example summons us to a more well-rounded ministry that preaches the gospel through evangelism and demonstrates the gospel through ministries of compassion, justice and Spirit-empowered healing (see Sider 1993).

This renewed vision of Jesus' compassion can encourage us in our prayers. When we care for people's brokenness as Jesus does, we can bring their pain to God in prayer with greater confidence. The Jesus who healed people then can heal people today, both emotionally and physically (see Deere 1993). Too many of us offer prayers while secretly doubting that God can hear us. Although God always has the right to do as he wills, we would pray with greater faith if we recognized his compassion.