This is the excerpt for your very first post.
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 i
s most important is typical of those who hope to see movements but don’t.
s 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 t
he 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.
Every single second someone in India dies not having heard the gospel. That’s 60 people in a minute. Each one is precious to God. The number of hairs on their head are known by Him. He watched them cry and laugh. He saw their joys and pain. Yet they die, having never heard of His love. India is one of many places where the needs of the unreached are massive. We could talk about the Middle East, China, Africa, or Bangladesh. Sometimes, when we see this great need, we feel completely overwhelmed by the task.
We Have To Be All In
When we look at our gifts, talents, and abilities- they seem so small compared to the need. Have you tried for more than a few months to launch a movement? Then you know it is way beyond possible unless miracles take place. At the same time, God wants us to give Him our all as we work on the vision He has given us. He wants us to be all in. Don’t hold back when you feel overwhelmed by the task.
Saving A Bit Of Cake
The other day in our village community, we celebrated a festival. There was a dance and a special meal. Everyone brought food. My husband was out-of-town, so I went alone. I decided to make a cake. I knew everyone would enjoy that.
Knowing my spouse was returning the next day, after baking the cake, I took out a piece. I wanted to save one for him. I didn’t want him to miss out. After removing a slice, the cake didn’t look very nice anymore. Hmm. What should I do? I decided to cut the whole cake into squares and serve it on a plate. That would hide the fact that I had taken out a piece beforehand. Smart right?
Overwhelmed By The Fear Of Not Having Enough
Sometimes I do that with God and His Kingdom work. I am afraid that I won’t have enough left for myself or my family if I give Him my all. My fear causes me to hold back. I will give God a lot, but I need to make sure my own needs are taken care of too. Sound familiar?
In the gospels, we read the story of the feeding of the five thousand. It is repeated several times.
I’ve been thinking about that story. There were thousands of hungry people that day. The need was incredible compared to their extremely limited resources. Still, Jesus wanted to know what they had to give. Andrew managed to come up with something. He found a boy with a packed lunch.
“Here is a boy with five small barley loaves and two small fish, but how far will they go among so many?” John 6:9- NIV
Think about that child for a minute. Doesn’t it seem a little mean to take away a kids lunch? I wonder how the boy felt?
Whatever took place, I know that the boy offered what he had to Andrew and Jesus. He didn’t hold back. He didn’t say, “Well, you can have four of these loaves and one fish, but I need to keep one of these for myself first.” I might have done that if I was him. After all, mom did pack this for me to eat…not for this crowd!
The point I’m trying to make is this.
As we look at the needs of the unreached around us, it can feel so huge. It can seem so impossible to make a difference. We look at what it will take to start a movement with thousands of Jesus followers. We think about hundreds of new churches starting within a few years. That task is daunting.
The massive need demands we embrace the goal of a movement. There are so many millions dying apart from knowing Christ! We have to do something that makes a greater impact than what historical efforts have made. But when we look at our own resources, who we are, or at our own capacity, we feel overwhelmed and sometimes a bit scared. It is not enough, we think.
True. It’s not. That is a fact we must face.
But just as true, is that God will take what we have and multiply it. He will do miracles through our greatly insufficient capacity and resources! And He loves us. He will take care of our personal needs as well.
There is one thing that is necessary. Giving what we have – and giving it all. We can’t hold back in our hearts. Though overwhelmed by the task, we can’t keep our options open. We have to be all in.
Offer Him Your Loaves & Fish Once Again
Are you tempted to hold back when it comes to Disciple Making Movements (DMMs)? To take a wait and see approach? To “order the trial version”? I often do that with apps or software I want to experiment with. Let me try this first, then maybe I will buy it.
This doesn’t work with God and His Kingdom! Even when we feel overwhelmed by the task, we must fully commit to the things He calls us to.
Are you all in? Take a minute to examine your own heart.
Is there anything you are holding back about? If this is the path and dream God has given you to pursue, then give Him everything. Offer Him your “loaves and fishes” once again.
Would you pray this prayer with me?
Lord Jesus, if you want my bread and fish, I give it to you. Looking at the needs, what I have to offer seems so small. I am often afraid. But here I am Lord. I don’t want to give myself to you half way. I don’t want to hold back. All I am, all I have, it’s yours. Do your miracles. Feed the thousands through my life and efforts. Amen.
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. VISION CASTING
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 
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)