DISCIPLES MAKING DISCIPLES
When we think of making disciples as in the Great Commission, we wonder, now what?
That started me on a 3-year journey to understand how the local church and the average believer can play their part in the Great Commission, in the making of these disciples. When we think of our callings and giftings for equipping the saints, as we read in Ephesians 4:11-13, we are left wondering, how can those who are willing be put into active service?
My wife and I have been checking out what we believe are very good discipleship systems and found very good things in all of them, often bringing healing, wholeness, and a stronger faith into the individual. After a few years, as I have come to learn, things would often come to an end within a church setting because everybody who would go through it has gone through it, and it tends to stall out. (Find some of these tools on our resource page).
So, that brings me to DMM, which stands for "Discipleship Mission Movement"; this often goes in conjunction with CMM (Church Mission Movements). What we see in DMM is a multiplication factor of disciples making disciples often from unconverted people. This is what caught my attention, to see DMM tied into our church's outreach possibilities. But before I start describing the Dos and Don'ts of DMM, it was developed in missions and is currently responsible for about 800 million believers in the last few decades. Some have been bringing it into North America with success.
As the saying always seems to go, simple but not easy. Getting started is a big task, but as years go by, it becomes more self-propelling as people buy in. So, take it slow, read, listen, and watch as much as possible before you start. Begin with this video:
Discipleship-Addition vs. multiplication. Which is Biblical?
The Do's and the Don'ts
Non-Steps - The Don'ts.
First non-step, don't make any announcement; let it just become part of the church slowly, and allow the culture to develop over time "at this church, we disciple." Otherwise, people will say we did not sign up for this when we came. That's not the plan, some will be a part, and some won't.
Second non-step, this is not meant for a Sunday after church course that you complete and are done. It is best-done in-home settings if possible because you want that example going into the future.
Third non-step, don't teach, train. This is all about a reproducing system that everyone can do with tools they learn and can count on them as they train up others. This is less about teaching and more about reproducing training in obedience-based discipleship.
Practical Steps - The Dos.
First step, yes, you guessed it, prayer. One of the most powerful tools has been prayer walking; it's like the bombing raid before the troops are sent in. Also, I have found having an alarm set at 10:02 (Luke 10:2). Has changed my impossible thinking about the harvest field into faith and eyes to see what Jesus saw.
Second step, acquire allies amongst all those who have sway in the church. Saying to them, "you know how we have been concerned that young people are walking away, people are not coming to church and the need for disciple-making? I believe that I have a solution with your help or backing."
Third step, start with a smaller group of people you believe will reproduce with a 10-week study. It's best for you to go through it yourself or maybe with a few key people.
The 10-week study will train people to disciple using the Discovery Bible Study (DBS) that takes people from Genesis to the cross. It's great for new believers as well as seekers (similar to Alpha). It has questions like how do you apply this and whom are you going to tell. This is the obedience part that helps to make faith-sharing natural.
Forth step, following DBS, training, and coaching, move into the 3/3 group. This group is for accountability and growth.
A visual example to help describe this process is the 4 Fields; it starts out with an empty field, then a planting field, a growing field, and a harvesting field. In the center is a mobilizing discipleship that is in a constantly rotating cycle.
As for myself, I'm starting to implement DMM into our work and training. To find out more about DMM, reach out to us.
Brad Murray
Brad.murray@paoc.org
Brad Murray and his wife, Roxana, are PAOC Mission Global Workers in Latin America. Equipping and mobilizing Disciple Making Movements from that region throughout the world. Learn more at https://www.bradandroxanamurray.com/.
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