Tag Archives: disciple making movements
Church Planting Discipleship Missions Women in ministry

When God Restores- Women Get Included in the Inheritance

By on Sunday, May 21, 2023
women in missions

God created women in His own image. They hold a special place in His heart. God is using women in missions today like never before! It has always been His intention to uplift and release women into their full potential. It is part of His salvation and His restoration process that women receive their inheritance in the Kingdom.

At the end of the book of Job, we see a picture of restoration. He has been through testing and trials and now God blesses and restores. When He restores, He doubles all Job had. Job 42:10 says, “When Job prayed for his friends, the Lord restored his fortunes. In fact, the Lord gave him twice as much as before!”

Another interesting thing comes up in this passage at the end of Job. It is about Job’s daughters. As God restored Job’s life, he gave him seven more sons and three more daughters. Here is the interesting part. It says in Job 42:15, “In all the land, no women were as lovely as the daughters of Job. And their father put them into his will along with their brothers.” Job, after God had tested and then restored him, included his daughters in his will- he gave the daughters an inheritance! This was very unusual in his culture and time. It speaks of the change of heart and the transformation in Job that God had brought about. It was a preview of how God wants to use women in missions!
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Church Planting Discipleship Missions

What NOT to Depend on in Disciple Making

By on Sunday, April 2, 2023
discipleship

Discipleship, especially when you are wanting to make true disciple makers, is a process that can seem long and difficult. We often look for shortcuts.

Have you ever found yourself trying to go somewhere fast and then decided to take a shortcut? You see this little lane and you are pretty sure it will cut through to the main road? “I’ll go for it,” you think. It seems like a good idea that will save you time and get you there faster.

As you are driving along on your motorbike or in your car, suddenly, the road narrows and there is a huge truck parked in the road. You can’t get by because the road is too narrow. That has happened to me more than once. Another time, I came up the road and suddenly found a big pile of rocks dumped in the road for the construction of a nearby building. Then there were the times I took a shorter road but hit an avalanche. When this happens, you back up, turn around, and by the time you get back to where you started from, you are frustrated, annoyed and it is 15 minutes later but you are still at the same place. read more

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Church Planting Discipleship

5 Things That Destroy Discipleship Movements

By on Sunday, March 12, 2023
Death Factors

Some months ago I wrote about 6 Factors That Get Your Movement Moving.  It’s always good to look at positive things we can do to see greater fruit and growth!

It is also important to be aware of what kinds of things kill a Disciple Making Movement(DMM).  Sometimes we call these “Death Factors.” These are things to be extremely careful about.  While seemingly normal or innocent, if your goal is a multiplying movement, they will definitely “sink your ship.” When these things start to happen, you can be sure that the movement will stop growing.  If you are just getting started, the movement can die before it every really starts.  There are other “death factors” to consider, but here are five of the most common.

1. Bringing Outside Funding Into The Movement

In Acts 20:34-35 Paul says,  “You yourselves know that these hands of mine have supplied my own needs and the needs of my companions.  In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’ ”  Paul went the extra mile to model tent making. He gave an example of locally generated funds. We need to train local believers that it is more blessed to give than receive.  We must protect the movements we start from the huge dangers of foreign funding. read more

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Church Planting Discipleship Missions

Starting Strong with New Believers

By on Sunday, February 19, 2023

Starting strong with new believers is important. Unfortunately, many times we don’t do our discipleship job well as people come to Christ. Here is an example.

You shared the story of Jesus. At the end, you asked the question – Do you believe that what I’ve been sharing with you is true? Do you want to receive the free gift of salvation Jesus offers you today? They respond with a yes! Woohoo! Praise God! You pray with them introducing them to Jesus for the first time. He becomes their Lord and Savior. Things are going well. You are thrilled at what is happening in their lives!

What Is Next For New Believers?

It is at this critical point when the “slow down” factor often happens in our disciple making. This is not the time to reduce our engagement with this person. Not if we want to see a disciple making movement take place. Sometimes we don’t take the next steps because we don’t know what to do. Or perhaps we are just relieved that they are now “saved.” We feel we can relax just let them grow slowly by attending church.

A Critical Time

Immediately after someone receives Christ is as critical a time in their spiritual life. It is the same as the first month is for a newborn baby. We would never think of bringing a child into the world and then telling the baby, “Now come once a week to this meeting we have and you will get the food and care you need.” Would we? Of course not! Yet this is exactly what often happens with new believers.

If we train people in evangelism but don’t train them in how to disciple new believers, they don’t know what to do next. At this point, many simply invite the person to start attending church with them. That is all the follow-up they do. This is a major loss of opportunity for that person and for the movement. If we train on this issue and make a few key changes, we can see much greater multiplication!

There are a few critical things we must train our disciples to do with new believers.

new believers
Share the good news with boldness
1) Get them to immediately start sharing their story (testimony) with others.
2) Start meeting with them regularly to teach the basics of what it means to follow Christ.

Jesus Told New Believers To Immediately Share Their Testimony!

In Mark, chapter five, we read the story of Jesus casting many demons out of a man. The man begs Jesus to let him stay with him. How did Jesus respond?

“Jesus did not let him, but said, ‘Go home to your own people and tell them how much the Lord has done for you, and how he has had mercy on you.'”(Mark 5:19)

Immediately after this man met was set free, the Lord instructed him to begin evangelizing others. If Jesus felt new believers were ready to start ministry immediately, then we too can follow that model!

Teach Simple Baby Lessons

In addition to encouraging new believers to witness, start meeting with them often. They need to quickly learn some basics. Ying Kai, of T4T, calls these the Baby Lessons. There are different foundational discipleship tools you can use. They need to be simple and reproducible. Make sure you get the new believers to start praying, receiving from the Word of God daily, and connecting with their new spiritual family. For this to happen, those who led them to Christ will need to meet with them often. Generally speaking, I’d recommend a few times a week in the first few months.

Obstacles- Time and Training

What are the biggest obstacles to quality discipleship for new believers? They are training and time.

  • Training. We often train disciples to evangelize but don’t train them in how to disciple new believers. It is not hard to train them in this. Equipping in this way will make a huge difference in releasing multiplication. Give trainees a simple system to do this. A system makes it easier and less time-consuming than creating from scratch. (Sign up with the form below to learn how to use the oral culture friendly “Baby Lessons” we recommend).
  • Time. People with full-time jobs and families, don’t have a lot of free time to follow-up on those who respond. Encourage them to give adequate time to care for those who receive Christ. Show them how to train the new believers to witness to their friends and family. This may mean they will have less time for evangelism. That is okay.

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    Church Planting Discipleship Inspiration

    Top 15 Barriers to Starting a Disciple Making Movement

    By on Sunday, December 11, 2022
    Barriers to starting a disciple-making movement

    On May 6th, 1954 Sir Roger Bannister did something that everyone said was impossible. He ran a mile in less than 4 minutes. Up until then, people had said it was an unbreakable barrier. Doctors made strong statements saying it was not only dangerous to try to run a mile in less than 4 minutes. They, in fact, said that it was humanly impossible. This was a record that would never be broken. Until it was. After Roger did it, in a few short months, many others also ran a mile in less than 4 minutes. Today the world record is held by a man named Hicham El Guerrouj from Morocco. He ran a mile in 3:43:13. We think some things are impossible and difficult barriers to Disciple-Making Movements. They are not.

    Instead, they are problems waiting for a faith-filled person to turn them into an opportunity. When we do that, we not only change our own idea of the impossibility of that barrier. We open the door, like Roger Bannister did, for others to also follow us. As you overcome barriers to seeing Disciple-Making Movements, you make a path for others to follow. Be a creative, persistent, barrier breaker in DMMs!

    All things are difficult, before they are easy- Thomas Fuller

    Attitude Is Everything

    One of my oldest leadership mentors is John Maxwell. I’ve read many of his books and greatly benefited from his leadership teachings. He often speaks of the importance of having a “Winning Attitude.”

    Our attitude can turn our problems into blessings- John Maxwell

    Maxwell didn’t originate this idea! Jesus was the ultimate leader in turning a painful cross into a bridge of salvation. He turned death into resurrection. Because of Jesus, we can break through any difficult problem finding victory and hope.

    Paul wrote, in the book of Philippians, “I can do all things, through Christ who strengthens me.” Phil. 4:13 NKJV. With God’s strength, Spirit, creativity, and mind at work in us, every barrier we face becomes an opportunity for growth. Barriers become breakthroughs. Obstacles become opportunities.

    I’ve been surveying people who are involved in starting Disciple-Making Movements. From their input, I have come up with a list of their top 15 barriers people face when trying to start a DMM. I’ll share these below.

    Over the coming months, I will be writing blogs about these different barriers. I may take a break once in a while. But you will be seeing regular articles about these over the coming months.

    An Invitation

    As I start this series, I’d like to invite you into the process of praying, thinking and working with me on it.

    None of these are new to me, though they mostly come from you, my readers. I’ve experienced and encountered each one. I’ve also seen them overcome. I’ll be sharing examples of how people have broken through these barriers. I’ll share how they have been turned them into opportunities for growth.

    Before I start the series, I wanted to focus though, on our attitude, as we consider these barriers. Are you someone who sees a problem as a chance to grow? Do you see it as an opportunity for God to lead you in creative ways?

    2 Questions

    As you read through the list, identify the one that is most present in your area.

    Then think with me about two questions:
    – How could this problem become an opportunity for growth? In me and in those I am discipling?
    – What solutions could be experimented with to creatively overcome this difficulty?

    Before I publish an article related to the problem you are facing, God will have begun to give you solutions! I’m sure of it!

    The 15 Most Common Barriers to Starting A Disciple Making Movement

  • Resistance from Pastors and Traditional Churches
    2. Human Nature- Need to “join” is higher than the desire to form/create a new group
    3. Cultural and Worldview Backgrounds related to Priesthood of All vs. an Ordained Leader
    4. Societal Fears- Rejection, Marriage, Burial concerns
    5. Unwise Partnerships with those who have resources but are not like-minded
    6. Difficulty in finding Person of Peace quickly
    7. Distractions and Lack of Focus- a post-modern idea that everything is equal. A need to be inclusive of other’s visions and priorities, so feel they can’t make DMMs a higher purpose to pursue.
    8. Cultural Misunderstandings of Christianity
    9. Wrong Focus- On Strategy instead of Lostness
    10. The desire for Quick Success and Results- Not willing to take time to build the right DNA
    11. Transient or Migrant People group- Believers Scatter
    12. Platform Issues- Takes Time, need for a visa, need to explain yourself, security issues
    13. Unable to Self Start and Plan (easier to join a program)
    14. Member Care related issues- team, burnout, loneliness
    15. Ignorance – Lack of understanding of the basics of how to get started in multiplying disciples

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    Church Planting Discipleship Missions

    Before Your First Discipleship Group – DMM Basics 101

    By on Sunday, December 4, 2022

    “I love the idea of making disciples of new believers and seeing those discipleship groups multiply! I’m in!” you might be saying.  “But where do I start?  What do I need to do first to see a disciple-making movement begin?”

    There Are 3 “Basics” That Are Needed As Every DMM Gets Started.

    1. A Prayer Strategy
    2. Abundant Seed Sowing
    3. Finding the Person of Peace

    I played basketball in college.  I wasn’t amazing, but I enjoyed it.  It was fun to be a part of a team.  I loved the games.  I hated the practices.  Our coach would push us hard on the court in the early morning practice.  We had to dribble, shoot lay-ups and free throws until we were sick of it.  We ran back and forth, up and down the court dribbling and passing the ball until we could do it in our sleep.  It was these basics that won the games.

    It is easy to try to rush through these 3 important steps in seeing discipleship begin.  Don’t do it.

    Develop a Prayer Strategy

    John Wesley said, “God does nothing except in response to believing prayer.”  Every church planting or disciple-making movement that happens, starts with prayer. read more

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    Church Planting Missions Women in ministry

    Women Cry Out- Give Us Our Inheritance!

    By on Sunday, November 27, 2022
    spiritual inheritance

    An interesting and profound story is found in Joshua chapter seventeen. It speaks of a man named Zelophehad who had no sons but only daughters. This is an amazing tale with many lessons about spiritual inheritance.

    Inheritance For the Daughters

    There must have been others in Israel who only had girls. These daughters of Zelophehad were different though. What was different about them? What does this have to do with seeing disciple making movements released??

    Joshua 17:3 “However, Zelophehad, the son of Hepher, the son of Gilead, the son of Machir, the son of Manasseh, had no sons, only daughters; and these are the names of his daughters: Mahlah and Noah, Hoglah, Milcah and Tirzah. 4 They came near before Eleazar the priest and before Joshua the son of Nun and before the leaders, saying, “The Lord commanded Moses to give us an inheritance among our brothers.” So according to the [c]command of the Lord he gave them an inheritance among their father’s brothers. 5 Thus there fell ten portions to Manasseh, besides the land of Gilead and Bashan, which is beyond the Jordan, 6 because the daughters of Manasseh received an inheritance among his sons. And the land of Gilead belonged to the rest of the sons of Manasseh.” (NASB)
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    Church Planting Discipleship Missions Prayer

    Prayer- A Leader’s First Ministry

    By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
    prayer and leadership

    A Disciple-Making Movement (DMM) leader’s most important job is to intercede for those they lead. Leader’s who accomplish much, do so on their knees. It is in the place of prayer that we hear His voice, gain direction, strength, perspective, encouragement and where ultimately our real breakthroughs happen. Prayer in leadership is essential.

    Prayer Can Not Be Delegated

    The work on our knees can not be delegated to others. It is the responsibility of every Christian leader to pray themselves. We need to lead the way in prayer. That is not to say that we don’t also mobilize and raise up many others to intercede. We do. We must. There are others who may spend more actual hours in prayer than we do, or who may carry the work of intercession in very significant ways. As leaders, delegation is an important skill. This is one that you cannot delegate away though.

    Biblical Leaders Prayed

    In scripture, there are many examples of leaders who considered prayer and intercession for their people as one of their most important tasks. We read of Moses and the way he interceded on behalf of Israel. We read of King Hezekiah’s prayers of intercession. Paul prayed much for those he was discipling and training. read more

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    Church Planting Discipleship Missions

    Do I Start With Believers? It’s Hard For Them To Change!

    By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
    new believers

    “The harvesters are in the harvest,” the trainer said. “Hmm…I thought. What could that mean?” I was curious to know more. Would it be possible to start a Disciple Making Movement with brand new believers instead of older Christians?

    A few days ago, one of my readers wrote this to me. “It’s hard for people to change,” they said. It is a common complaint of DMM practitioners. We, humans, are slow to change our paradigms.

    It is not the new believers they were talking about. The older, more mature Christians they were training were not quick to shift their ideas about the nature of the church. My suggestion? Cast vision to all, but focus effort on new disciples. Give the most time to those who readily accept the Word of God as truth and aren’t steeped in church culture already.

    Let’s Go Do This!

    We were running training on the land we’d purchased to build an ashram (place of rest). It would become a home for widows whose families discarded them. It would also be a place we could train disciple makers. It was a bit of an experiment to buy land that way. In some ways, I look back on it as something I’m not sure I’d do again. That topic is for a different blog! read more

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    Faith Inspiration Leadership

    What Do You Have In Common With Winston Churchill?

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

    “Never, never, never, give in!” These were the words of Winston Churchill during one of England’s bleakest moments. It was 1941 and Hitler’s troops were advancing. The American forces had not yet entered the war and things looked bad for Europe. He went on to say, *“Never yield to force; tenacity in disciple making movementsnever yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” We need great tenacity in Disciple-Making Movements (DMMs). We must never, never, never give in until God’s Kingdom is established and growing among the unreached.

    What Exactly Is The Meaning Of Tenacity?

    Tenacity is defined as “the quality of being very determined.” I love those words- very determined. How tenacious are you about seeing your people group reached? Or the one God called you to work among? Victory is ours in Jesus. We already know that. But there is still an enemy who so often looks hard to defeat. Like in Churchill’s quote, sometimes we are tempted to “yield to the overwhelming might” that is displayed around us. We must not. We must be extremely determined to overcome the obstacles. Difficulties must be faced until we see the victory we are guaranteed. Tenacity in Disciple-Making Movements is a must!

    I Feel Like Quitting Every Day

    For many years I did active church planting in the field. I would often tell people, “I feel like quitting every single day.” Too honest? Sorry about that. It was true. I hope you aren’t disappointed in me for that. Okay, I need to restate this.

    Many times in my life as a leader I’ve felt like quitting almost every single day. I hope I am not shocking you! Again, my apologies.

    God has always somehow called me to do things that are humanly impossible. I’m not sure why, to be honest. Why would he entrust someone like me with these amazing visions and tasks? Why would He call me, in all my weaknesses, to start movements of disciples around the world? Maybe it’s because He knew I understood the need for tenacity in Disciple Making Movements.

    When we are faced with an impossible task, I guess it is normal to feel like quitting. The important thing though is that you don’t. Feeling like quitting, and quitting are two different things!

    By God’s grace, though every day I felt like quitting as a disciple-maker and leader, I have not. I’ve been able to be tenacious, to stay very determined. It is that God-given determination that helped me and those I worked with. Tenacity helped us press through obstacles. We kept going, until the vision for DMMs, became a reality in our situation.

    “No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” Romans 8:37-NLT

    What Are You Overwhelmed By? God or the Enemy?

    I love this verse from Romans. It doesn’t focus on the overwhelming aspect of the enemy. It focuses on the overwhelming victory God promised. Do you feel overwhelmed? Feel like quitting? You are not alone. Yet we must press on!

    Judges Chapter 3 is really interesting to me. We see there that God sometimes puts difficulties in our lives to train us. In that passage, we read how God left certain enemy nations in the Promised Land. He needed to test the new generation in Israel because they had not seen a war in the desert. Though the Promised Land was theirs, God wanted them to have to fight for it.

    Why Would That Be?

    God is developing us into people who can overcome. He sometimes allows us to have to fight so we will grow strong. If there is no resistance, we do not become powerful.

    It is a bit like lifting weights or exercise. If you don’t have to push against something, you don’t develop strong muscles. The bigger the challenge, or weight, the more the determination it takes to be able to lift it. But as we press through those things, we get stronger.

    God wants to develop your spiritual tenacity muscles! He wants you to continue to pursue the dream of a Disciple Making Movement, even if you “feel” like giving up.

    I was talking with someone who reads my blog the other day. As we spoke of rapid multiplication, he mentioned the difficulties. One thing that loomed large for him was the traditional church in his area. There, pastors don’t believe in ordinary believers being released to share the gospel. They don’t think they can disciple others and start groups (house churches) on their own. Especially not new, “ordinary” believers! That is indeed a tough obstacle.

    God wants to show him, and all of us, how to overcome! That difficulty is not too big for God! Nor is it too big for you. Press on! Grow in tenacity! Don’t give in!

    What Is Your Greatest Test?

    What challenges are you facing? Do you feel like quitting? Giving up on the dream of a Disciple Making Movement? Settling for something less than the fullness of what God spoke to you about?

    God hasn’t given up, and the battle isn’t over yet.

    Take a few minutes and meditate on the verse above (Romans 8:37). Write it out and put it somewhere you can see it every day this week. You might even want to memorize it.

    Do you need some extra prayer for your particular DMM challenge? Feel free to post about it to the DMM FB page or request to join a new WhatsApp group I am creating for my readers.

    And if you haven’t yet, be sure to subscribe below!

    *https://www.quora.com/Why-did-Winston-Churchill-say-never-never-never-give-up

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