Generational growth

Church Planting Generational growth Training

Why and How to Track Progress in a Disciple Making Movement

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
track progress

Why track DMM progress? Let me illustrate.

I come from a city in America called Minneapolis. It has many beautiful lakes. We like to rent canoes and go boating on them. I learned something about canoeing. Keeping my eyes fixed on the other side of the lake matters. Otherwise, it is easy to paddle around on the lake for hours without actually crossing it.

Some people engage in disciple-making efforts without tracking their progress. They are a bit like me on the lake. They take their eyes off their goal.

That is fine if you just want a fun way to spend a day off. But if you are serious about making progress in starting a DMM, you have to measure forward movement.

You need to know where you are at. You must be able to determine whether or not the movement is multiplying.

Multiplication is your destination. Stay focused on it. The only way to know if you are getting there (or not) is to keep careful records and regularly measure progress. Are you seeing multiplication growth or only addition? Tracking allows you to celebrate, assess, and make needed changes. read more

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Church Planting Discipleship Facing Obstacles Generational growth

Are You Tired of Initiating All the Momentum for Growth?

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
initiative in disciple making movements

My husband and I like to run half-marathons together. A few years ago, we were running a race in a South Asian city. The day before the race, one of the church planters there heard about our upcoming event. Excitedly he declared, “Next year I will run the race with you!” I looked at his short, quite round body and smiled. I appreciated his enthusiasm. But I wondered if he truly had the initiative or self-discipline to train for a 21-kilometer race.

Disciple-Making Movements (DMMs) are a bit like a long-distance run. They require a significant amount of self-discipline. It takes initiative and perseverance to launch, grow and sustain a multiplying movement. Often, when hearing about movements, people are excited to get involved. They like the vision of multiplication. But they are like my friend who wanted to run the marathon. They lack the self-initiative and perseverance needed.

We also experience this within the movements we are trying to launch. Some disciples show great passion for the Kingdom. Others seem so passive. read more

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Church Planting Generational growth

5 Steps for Moving from 1st Generation groups to 2nd, 3rd and Beyond

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
generational growth in disciple making movements

How Do You Get Generational Growth In Disciple Making Movements?

They were a faithful and passionate team of local workers. They shared the gospel often and led people to the Lord. They worked hard. They had started 10 1st generation groups of disciples. Not too bad by most peoples’ standards. Generational growth in disciple making had not yet begun though.

They were stuck at 1st generation (1G) growth. They only knew how to start groups themselves. They didn’t know how to get the believers in those groups to start new groups. Sound familiar?

Is This Your Team? Or A Team You Are Training?

As we began to work with them, things began to change. Today, they have reached 6th generation growth and the movement has grown by about 400%!

What do you do to get from seeing only 1st Generation growth in disciple-making to seeing many generations?

5 Steps To Increase DMM Generational Growth:

1. Share A Clear Vision For A Disciple Making Movement.

A Clear Vision for a DMM must be understood and owned by the existing churches and believers or you will find it difficult to see generational growth. Do all the believers understand what a Disciple Making Movement is? Do they understand why a DMM will reach more lost people than if you are just a traditional church? Have they prayed and received this as their own? Have you shared scriptures about how the gospel spread and multiplied in the book of Acts? read more

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