Tag Archives: DMM
Church Planting Discipleship Evangelism Missions

3 Things That Increase Bold Evangelism

By on Sunday, June 4, 2023
bold evangelism

“I have tried and tried to get the believers in our fellowship to share the gospel, but they are fearful, shy and just don’t seem able to witness. Bold evangelism just isn’t happening!”

This is not unusual to hear from the church planters I am coaching. What can we do to increase boldness and help the disciples we work with to overcome their fears?

3 Things That Increase Bold Evangelism

1. Receiving the Holy Spirit

The classic biblical example is Peter in Acts Chapter 2. When Jesus was being tried, three times he denied even knowing Him. He certainly wasn’t witnessing at that point! But after he received the power of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, he stood in front of thousands and boldly proclaimed the gospel with authority and conviction. If your church members aren’t witnessing, pray for them to receive the power of the Holy Spirit. It will make a world of difference.

2. Practicing

Many people lack confidence to witness. They are embarrassed when they stumble over their words or don’t know what to say, how to answer questions, etc. After teaching them how to share their testimony, make sure to take time practicing it in a safe environment with other believers. Let them share it several times and get feedback. Do the same when training people to share a Creation to Christ story. Practice builds confidence and helps them to overcome fear of failure. read more

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Church Planting Discipleship Missions

Staying Focused as Disciple Makers

By on Sunday, October 23, 2022

What is the number one enemy you will face as you pursue the release of a Disciple Making Movement among the unreached? One would imagine that it would be intense spiritual warfare, keeping a visa platform, persecution, or some other kind of external challenge. Those are real and they are there to be sure. In my opinion, however, the greatest obstacle for those pursuing the release of a movement, is the inability to stay focused on what is most important. The tendency to become distracted doing many good things without doing what iblack-and-white-1845826_1280s most important is typical of those who hope to see movements but don’t.

Busyness is a major enemy in our lives. We can easily get so busy that we don’t have time to pray, to listen to God, to share good news with the Lost, or to adequately spend time with those who are expressing interest in coming to faith. These things usually happen in the early stages of our efforts to start a movement. When we don’t see things “take off” as fast as we had hoped, we allow ourselves to get involved in other ministry tasks that give us a bit of a sense of fulfillment. Teaching here or there, doing emails, making a video for a church about what we do, attending a seminar or conference someone invited us to…suddenly we realize we have had little time for the task of disciple making.

Later, when (and if) we do have some disciples and the first church gets going, it is again easy to become busy with things related to that church’s programs rather than continuing to pursue relationships with the Lost, or to invest in quality disciple making. We make the mistake of thinking that a weekly meeting of a few hours will make quality disciples. We fail to truly invest our lives in those God has given us whether it be in detailed prayer for them, or in developing deep relationships.

One of my favorite Old Testament Bible Heros is Nehemiah. In tnature-1984314_1280he sixth chapter of the book that bears his name, messengers come asking Nehemiah to attend a meeting with Sanballat and Geshem. Instead of agreeing he says,

“I am doing a great work and I cannot come down. Why should the work stop while I leave it and come down to you?” (Nehemiah 6:3)

Nehemiah is completely focused on his God-given task. He is not going to stop his work to go and resolve a conflict, listen to his enemies, or attend a meeting. He knows how to say a clear “no.” He continues to focus on what is most important. We need to do the same.

How hard is it for you to stay focused on what is really important? Do you clearly know in your own mind what is most important in light of your goal to see a movement of disciples?

In a recent training I asked the participants to make a list of everything they had done in the last week that took more than an hour of their time. After they had listed at least 15 things, I asked them to circle which of those things directly related to making disciples among the unreached. It was eye-opening for many of them to see how little time they actually devoted to the task they said was their primary vision. We all would benefit from a similar exercise from time to time.

Feeling convicted? I truly hope you don’t feel condemned. It’s very human to get distracted and not at all uncommon! Instead of feeling bad, look carefully at where you are at. Recommit yourself to stay focused on your true calling as a disciple-maker and messenger of the good news. Be willing like Nehemiah to say no to some things so you can say yes to what is really important.

The unreached wait to hear your message. New disciples wait to be encouraged, trained and mentored. Let’s get busy doing the most important things that lead to the release of movements.

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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 Coaching

Coaching and Disciple Making Movements

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
coaching disciple making movements

Coaches can be scary! I remember one I had when playing American baseball as a kid. He had a good heart, but he intimidated us a lot! Just knowing he was watching me try to hit the ball made me strike out. Coaching in disciple-making movements, however, shouldn’t be frightening.

Similar to me, many people have bad experiences with coaches or teachers. These so-called mentors have been harsh, have scolded them or expected more than they were capable of. Even worse, some have shamed them when they failed. These negative experiences affect how we think about coaching. It doesn’t have to be like that. Coaching is a very fruitful and helpful practice in Disciple Making Movements (DMMs).

 

Having a good DMM coach makes a major difference. It can be a major factor in whether or not you see a movement get started and be sustained. Coaching provides friendly accountability. This helps us move toward our goals step by step. Good coaches assist us in thinking about how to overcome obstacles so we don’t get stuck.

Why Peter Needed A Coach

His name was Peter*. He was charismatic and dynamic. His church members loved him and he knew how to inspire and motivate people. He had an obvious natural gift. Passionate about reaching his own people group, he was a man of extraordinary faith. Growth in the number of disciples had been happening, but it was not consistent. People would come and people would go. He was stuck in addition rather than multiplication growth. Though deeply committed, he didn’t know how to see his work become a multiplying movement.

Then, by God’s grace, he got a DMM coach and started attending regular Just In Time Trainings. His movement suddenly sprang into multiplication growth! Rather than only adding new fellowships and believers, they started seeing generational growth. In the following year, thousands believed and more than 15 new teams were launched.

As Peter had regular coaching and accountability, his progress became more consistent. He overcame challenges he faced and addressed them in proactive ways.

He also received encouragement and affirmation from his coach. The coach helped him stay on track and not drift in his focus. The result? The Kingdom of God grew. Lives and communities were transformed as people met Jesus! Glory be to God!

That is the power of coaching in disciple-making movements!

“Without consultation plans are frustrated, but with many counselors they succeed.” Prov. 15:22 NASB

3 Specific Ways DMM Coaches Help

1. Listen & Encourage.

A good coach spends a lot of time listening to you share what is happening in your disciple-making work. This verbal processing helps you gain perspective and see what is happening yourself as well. As with Peter, they also provide encouragement and affirmation.

Working with the unreached can be a lonely ministry. We don’t always have people who understand what we are trying to do and who believe in our vision. A coach will encourage you and help you celebrate small victories along the way.

2. Ask Questions & Help You Consider Options.

A coach asks skillful questions that allow you to consider the pathway forward. It helps you pause from the fast pace of ministry, take a moment and think about what you are doing and why. This is extremely valuable.

We all get stuck at different points on the journey toward seeing a sustainable disciple making movements. We hit obstacles and plateaus where growth slows down or seems to stop completely. A coach helps you think through options to move forward.

Coaching in Disciple-making Movements

Don’t stay stuck. You don’t need to. You may need help to get moving again. That is the job of a DMM coach.

3. Provide Accountability for Action Steps & Goals.

I am a pretty goal oriented person. I set goals and I like to fulfill them. Usually, I do my action steps.

In spite of this, without friendly accountability, when I get busy it’s easy to put off doing what I know is needed. Knowing that I am meeting with my coach and he/she will ask me how much progress I have made on my action steps, motivates me to do what I need to do.

A good coach never scolds when we fail to complete all our action steps. Instead, they ask, “What would you like to do about that now?” This helps us refocus and get back on track.

Do you have a Disciple-Making coach? Have you been meeting with them regularly?

Even those of us who coach and train others, need to have our own coach too. Coaches who are also coached are better coaches!

Make an appointment with a coach today! It’s time to move forward and through those obstacles and places where you are stuck.

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Church Planting Discipleship Missions

Advent Thoughts: Who Did God Use?

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022

Who does God delight to reveal Himself to? Who does He so often choose to spread His message of love? Is it the qualified and trained? Or the ordinary person?

This Advent season, I’ve been reading again the incredible story of Jesus’ birth. There is so much to be amazed about, to ponder and think about in this story.

Today I asked myself the question: If I were the Messiah coming to earth, who would I first announce my arrival to?

I’d probably look for people of influence, good communicators, people who are believable and have credibility. I’d want to choose those who are well-educated and could clearly and eloquently articulate the message of my coming.

sheep-2545387_1280

Jesus chose to announce His long-awaited, miraculous arrival to shepherds in a field. Let that sink in for a minute. Uneducated laborers. Common people who lived outside among sheep.

Why in the world would God choose them? Doesn’t He know they don’t understand things very quickly?!! (I’m kidding of course, though I have definitely experienced first hand how it can sometimes be hard to get less educated people to understand certain concepts and principles!)

Why not the Rabbis? Why not the High Priest? Why not the upstanding citizens of the big city of Jerusalem, or at least the scribes who could properly write it all down??

God chose to give the first announcement of His coming to Earth to very ordinary people. He then chose to spread that word, the testimony/witness of His birth, through them.

Luke 2:17-18 “When they had seen him, they spread the word concerning what had been told them about this child, 18 and all who heard it were amazed at what the shepherds said to them.”

If God chose to do this, maybe we should consider the key role that ordinary people play in sharing His message. Maybe we should trust and empower the less educated, the less articulate, the day laborers and field workers to do the work of the ministry. Maybe it isn’t God who thinks we need lots of qualifications to share His good news. Maybe it is us as humans who have put all these conditions on who is qualified to do the work of the Kingdom.

A major key to seeing a DMM (Disciple Making Movement) released is that we believe in and give genuine authority to ordinary believers to do the work of the ministry. God was willing to trust lay people without much training. Shouldn’t we?

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Church Planting Discipleship Missions

6 Factors That Get Discipleship Movements Moving

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
movement

What makes a disciple making movement move? How can you get multiplication growth to happen (and be sustained) as you make disciples? There are certain movement growth factors to keep in mind in your ministry.

The following are the most important keys to pushing your disciple making into multiplicative growth. Some are obvious. Some are more easy to ignore.

VISION CASTING movement growth factors

Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish…” (KJV)

How deeply ingrained in the heart of each disciple is the vision to see lost people around them come to know the Lord? When we talk about vision as it relates to Disciple Making Movements, we are specifically talking about the vision for lost people to meet Jesus and be saved. This passion, this vision for lost souls must be spoken out repeatedly in every meeting and in multiple ways. It has to become a part of the “talk” of the movement. It has to move beyond something only leaders think about and become ingrained in the hearts of all. This happens by creative and consistently motivating people to reach the lost around them. Cast vision to see your movement move!

PRAYER

Ephesians 6:18 “And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people.“(NIV)

DMM leaders are people of constant prayer. Prayer is what we model, what we live and what we impart to others we train them as disciples. We pray fervently for the believers, for the lost around us, for God’s supernatural work, for victory over the enemy, for healing and deliverance, etc. Prayer moves the movement forward!

OBEDIENCE

John 15:14 “You are my friends if you do what I command.” (NIV)

Radical and immediate obedience to the commands of Jesus is a characteristic of movements that move. As we train disciples to immediately obey what they are learning in God’s word, a DNA of obedience begins to take root in the movement. We can not compromise on this area out of fear of turning people off. We must give opportunity for people to immediately obey His Word. We need to expect and anticipate that they will obey, rather than making it “normal” to learn God’s truths, but not do them. Whether we are teaching disciples to love their neighbor, be baptized, give, or go, we give a chance for them to show immediate actions of obedience. This will make the movement move!

FOCUS movement growth factors

1 Cor 9:24 “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.“(NIV)

Athletes and soldiers share something in common with Disciple Making Movement practitioners. They are incredibly focused and refuse to be distracted by things that “ordinary” people engage in. There are so many things that pull our attention away from evangelism and disciple making activities! As someone once said,”the good is the enemy of the best.” Focus your time, energy, finances and prayer on training disciples to make disciples. Help others to do the same. Focus moves movements forward!

FRIENDLY ACCOUNTABILITY

Luke 19:15 “When he returned, having received the kingdom, he ordered these servants to whom he had given the money to be called to him, that he might know what they had gained by doing business.” (NIV)

In this parable of Jesus, the master gives out ten minas and goes away. When he returns he asks his servants to report back to him what they have done. Friendly accountability is biblical and important in making disciples who multiply. When you encourage disciples to share application steps in response to God’s word, follow-up! Ask them how it went. Encourage positive actions and help people overcome obstacles when not able to reach their goals to share the gospel or reach their neighbors and friends. Don’t just preach and teach and hope for the best! Train people through practicing friendly accountability. Make sure you are also willing to be accountable yourself! This kind of accountability moves movements forward!

GENEROSITY

2 Cor 8:1-3 “We want you to know, brothers,[a] about the grace of God that has been given among the churches of Macedonia, 2 for in a severe test of affliction, their abundance of joy and their extreme poverty have overflowed in a wealth of generosity on their part. 3 For they gave according to their means, as I can testify, and beyond their means, of their own accord.“(NIV) read more

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Church Planting Discipleship Missions

Give the “Best Jesus presents” in 2017!

By on Sunday, December 3, 2017

It’s His birthday that we celebrate each year on December 25th, right? He should definitely be given a birthday gift. The question is what? What do you give to the One who made it all? What would really make His birthday a party in Heaven?

present-2891870_1280

In Luke 15, we find three very similar stories; the Lost Sheep, the Lost Coin, and the Lost Son. Each of these stories ends with a description of what happens in Heaven when even one person repents. Can you imagine the party in heaven if 50 people repented? What if it was a hundred? Or 500? That would be a pretty big angelic celebration! I can imagine Jesus joining right in the dance! Woohoo! My beloved ones have come home!

I’m thinking that what really makes a party a party for Him is when there are lots of new names written in the Book of Life He keeps.

This Christmas, what if instead of focusing on our having a great party on earth, we focused on what would give Him a fun party in Heaven? It is His birthday after all!

Many of our Christmas traditions, feasts, songs, dances and programs are geared to help Christians enjoy themselves. We might even invite people who aren’t yet believers and include a little message at the end, especially for them. This year I’ve been asking though, what could we do differently to see more lost people get introduced to Jesus- the One who the Big Celebration is all about. What if we did something different and the people we invite, not only met Him casually (prayed some kind of prayer of response) but what if they actually made a decision to repent, follow Him and become a disciple? What if what we did at Christmas actually resulted in new groups of disciples meeting together regularly to learn His ways and obey His commands?

I think that would make a pretty awesome Jesus present!

Seriously… as disciple makers, let’s re-evaluate what we have done in the past at Christmas. How fruitful was it, in light of the goal of making disciples who make disciples? What could we do differently this year to see a different result?

I’ve talked recently with a few people about this. Plans are being made to include more one on one sharing of testimonies. Plans are forming to prioritize follow-up immediately after the “program” on Christmas day, to immediately invite the seekers or new believers into groups where they can learn what it means to be a disciple. Church members are being challenged and trained to share the good news of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection more this month than normal- believing for many new disciples to be made in December.

Jesus is going to have an incredible Christmas Birthday party! What gift will you bring Him this year?

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