Discipleship

Discipleship Training

Converts or Disciples? Why Leading Someone To Christ Isn’t Enough

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
converts or disciples

“People are opening up like never before…” he said. My friend works in a restricted access nation. He described an unusual openness in his country. “Persecution has reduced by many, many times. There is almost none right now,” he told me. We continue to talk. Those he trains are leading people to Christ on the phone every single day. While excited about this, a question arose in my mind. Are they making converts or disciples?

Are these what we might call rice Christians?

I wonder if a new term will surface. Will we call them COVID Christians? Those who in a time of global crisis prayed a sinner’s prayer but were never disciples? When the crisis is over, will they return to their former lifestyle and ways? read more

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Discipleship Missions Training

4 Principles of Integral Mission and DMMs

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
integral mission

Can community development and Disciple Making Movements flow together? This guest blog on integral mission was written by my friend Martine. Her story and input provide a clear answer to this question.

My first experiences in mission were in a time of famine. We worked among a nomadic tribe. They were one hundred percent of another faith and lived in Sub-Saharan Africa. As a medical doctor, I treated them during the day, and as a missionary evangelized in the evening.

During an epidemic, many children were dying of cholera. Often, too often, mothers brought me back the medicine I gave them, with their dead baby in their arms. They would tell me: “Thank you, Dr. M., for what you did to help us. But it was God’s will to take my child away “. As a young doctor, I felt more and more inadequate and desperate. read more

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Church Planting Discipleship Facing Obstacles

Can Children and Teenagers Be Part of a DMM?

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
children and teenagers

“My teenagers need a youth group!” they said, as they told us they were no longer going to join the regular disciple makers meeting. It was disappointing to hear. Concerned parents want to see their children’s spiritual needs met. This can be a real issue. Parents express apprehension about whether their children will get what they need in a DBS or story group. How do we best disciple the children of families in our teams and disciple making groups?

This issue requires us to speak into the parent’s lives in a unique way. It can be difficult. It also creates an opportunity to help those we are training to return to a more biblical style of parenting. One where disciple making happens within families. read more

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Church Planting Discipleship Evangelism Strategy

Quickly Finding and Activating Persons of Peace in a New Area

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
entry strategy

“How do I get started with DMMs? I’m finding it difficult to find a Person of Peace. I can’t even find someone ready to have a spiritual conversation!” my trainee said. The frustration in her voice was notable. A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of meeting an Asian movement leader who has seen incredible fruit. Their movement is now well over 20,000 believers. He shared an excellent entry strategy. As my trainee asked this question, his example came to mind.

To find a Person of Peace, or several at one time, you have to cast your net wide. You can’t “fish” with a pole…you need a big net. The Asian movement leader’s example demonstrated how he did this. read more

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Discipleship Strategy Training

What is M.A.W.L.?

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
M.A.W.L.

Acronyms are funny. They don’t translate well into other languages. At the same time, they do help us remember things. One of the acronyms I’ve heard used from my early days in church planting is M.A.W.L. I believe it was first used by David Garrison in his Church Planting Movements booklet. What does it stand for and how can it help your disciple-making?

M.A.W.L. stands for Model, Assist, Watch and Leave. It has to do with the disciple making process.

Jesus used this process with His disciples. He modeled how to do the work of the Kingdom. They went with Him, watched Him and learned. He then invited them to assist Him in the work. They joined Him in feeding the five thousand, and in healing the sick, casting out demons, etc. He then sent them out to do the same. Then He checked in with them (watch) to see how they were doing. Jesus left and returned to Heaven, giving them a command and commission to carry on the work. read more

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Church Planting Discipleship Generational growth Leadership Strategy

What Can We Learn from Jesus’ Movement?

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
Jesus movement

This week I’m privileged to introduce you to a fellow trainer and coach. In this short video, he addresses the question of how DMMs grow, strictly from a New Testament perspective. In Disciple Making Movements, everything we do and train others to do needs to be built on the foundation of what we see in the life of Jesus.

Jesus’ Movements
WATCH HERE

I hope you will watch this video and gain insights into what we can learn about movements from Jesus himself. He writes further about it in the text that follows.

It was 2011. Having done church planting work since 1997, and planted one church in an unreached area, I received training about a new approach. It was called Church Planting Movements, or Disciple Making Movements (DMM). read more

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Coaching Discipleship Leadership Training Uncategorized

Who Is Best Qualified to Effectively Train Others?

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
qualified to train

“I don’t feel qualified to train others in DMM,” she said to me. “I haven’t started a movement yet.” Her face was downcast and sad. This active, field practitioner felt unworthy to speak to others about Disciple Making Movements. They hadn’t yet seen multiplication as they hoped. Who is qualified to train others?

The reverse is also common. “This is the way you should do it,” he declared. His speech was dogmatic. “Without this (fill in the blank) you’re wasting your time.” When asked about the fruit of his ministry, it became clear. This person was a theorist, not a practitioner. I find it hard to listen to people who teach but don’t do. read more

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Discipleship Missions Strategy Training

4 Ways to Keep It Simple

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
keep it simple

Human beings are complex. We like to complicate things. Jesus knew how to keep it simple. This is easier said than done. Simple doesn’t mean easy or light. When we keep things straight-forward, they are easily reproduced by others. The baton we try to pass to others can quickly become heavy. If you want to see a multiplication of disciples and leaders, work hard to keep things simple.

Experiencing the Kingdom

I sat on the floor in their tiny home. A group of women and a few kids had joined me. We chatted about their children. It was then time for the Bible story. The day before I had come to this same home. I’d shared the story with the beautiful lady whose house we now occupied. We’d practiced it until she could repeat it easily. She was not highly literate, but she was a fantastic storyteller. read more

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Discipleship Faith

How to Set God-sized Effective Goals for 2020

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
2020 goals

Do you have a love-hate relationship with New Year’s resolutions? You’re not alone. We love the opportunity to have a fresh start, a new beginning. We resolve to do better this year in those difficult areas of our lives like health, exercise, and other things. At the same time, it can be disillusioning. Year after year you make the same resolutions only to abandon and forget about them. I’m not a big believer in New Year’s resolutions. In contrast, setting God-inspired goals for the New Year is a powerful practice in our lives. read more

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Discipleship

A Helpful Tool for Discovery

By on Tuesday, June 21, 2022
discovery app

Last month, my husband took on a big project. He put a new floor in the lower level of our home. Our good friend Joe, came over to help. Thankfully, he brought special tools with him. These were things we didn’t have. What a blessing it was to have the right equipment to do the task! Today I want to introduce you to a great tool for Disciple Making Movements. It’s called the Discover App. “Listen in” as one young man tells his story…

How the Journey Began

Adam walked up the hill he’d traveled a thousand times over, but this was no usual trip. He went to meet with people he’d met with many times over, but this was no usual meeting. Adam was about to set these people off on a life-long journey of discovery. For months beforehand, he himself had been on the same journey. Only in his case, he’d met with a group of friends in his own city. read more

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