Disciple Making Movements

Earnest Pilgrims

Jul 12, 2019 | Stories

Many of the women waiting in line with Natalie* held young children. As they approached the entrance to the holy cave, they removed their shoes and ensured their heads were covered before entering.

The line moved slowly past some relics. Dampness and the smell of body odor filled the air. With palms raised, many stopped to pray for Allah’s blessing. After praying, they wiped their hands over their faces and those of their small children so they too could share the blessing. Though several signs cautioned against praying due to COVID, many still unfurled their prayer mats and bowed toward Mecca.

Once outside again, Natalie talked with two women who visit every year. She was surprised to learn that they even read the Qur’an in their own language — a rarity, as value is believed to come from reading the original Arabic, even if one doesn’t comprehend it. “Still, it seemed that they were spiritually deaf,” Natalie noted. “One even told me, ‘Perhaps how you follow God is more blessed and holy, yet this is our fate.’”

Though Natalie visited to learn about the culture and history of the people she works among, the earnest pilgrims came seeking God’s help. The experience reminded Natalie of when Jesus was moved by the crowds who were “harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.” (Matthew 9:36) As Jesus commanded His followers two verses later, let’s “Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.” (v.38)

*pseudonym

A MODERN DAY LUKE 10 STORY
Though they didn’t know where they would spend the night, Natalie* and her friends followed the promptings of the Holy Spirit read more …

WHO IS STRONGER? JESUS OR BLACK MAGIC?
“I’m tired,” wept Sunil* as he explained to Gia* and Samir* all the things he had done to appease the evil spirits read more …

THEY HAD PLANS BUT GOD HAD BETTER PLANS
After several minutes, Zara and Amil indicated that another man, Hami, was with them when they read more …

Mentioning God Identifies us as Spiritual People

Jul 12, 2019 | Stories

One night on the metro, *Sue noticed two covered women, one of whom was wearing a dress she particularly liked. They happened to sit down next to her as they waited for the train. Sue complimented the woman on her dress and asked where she bought it. Surprised that Sue spoke their language, the three women struck up a cordial conversation. Soon they asked Sue what brought her to live in their Middle Eastern country. Sue replied, “I was praying, and God told me to move here to work, to see, and to learn.”

As they continued talking, the woman asked Sue to pray for her, especially for her job. “Because,” the woman said, “we don’t know whose prayers God will grant. So maybe if you pray for me, God will answer your prayers.” Earlier that day, Sue and her team had read John 15 where Jesus says, “If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you.” Sue shared and explained Jesus’ words to her, offering to pray right there on the train, but she declined, probably in part because it was such a public setting. One stop later, all three ladies got up to transfer to another metro line, all heading to the same line and walking in the same direction. The Muslim women, however, very politely said their goodbyes and walked off ahead of Sue.

Though the two women were not yet ready to pursue Jesus, we can look to this encounter to illustrate a simple method of searching for people of peace, called a “shema statement” (from the Hebrew word “shema” which means “hear or listen”). In Deuteronomy 6:7, God instructs His people to talk about His commandments “when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads.”

So wherever we go, and with whomever we meet, we can naturally, honestly mention God early in a conversation which identifies us as spiritual people and followers of Jesus Christ. People who are hungry and curious will respond with clear interest to the truth we share. But others, who aren’t yet ready, will make that clear, too, just as Sue’s metro friends did by ending the conversation, even though they were getting off and transferring to the same line as Sue.

While sad, it’s okay that they weren’t ready in that moment. We are looking for people and households of peace (Luke 9, 10, and Matt. 10) who God has already prepared to hear the Gospel and who will respond eagerly, like Lydia and her family in Acts 16 who heard and were baptized the same day Paul shared with them. People of peace, like Lydia, will share the Good News with their whole family, a group of friends, or even their coworkers.

Shema statements are a simple, natural way to gauge whether someone is interested in hearing more. Sue and so many others testify that Shema statements have been life-changing for themselves and their ministries. Let’s ask the Lord to give us specific shema statements, get creative, and watch how He uses them for His glory.

*pseudonyms

MORE STORIES FROM SUE

BREAKFAST SURPRISES
“My friend and I were surprised,” says Sue, “because generally, Muslims give thanks after a meal, not before. read more …

A DREAM OF A MAN DRESSES IN WHITE
Sue spent a couple of days with a young woman, Burcu, who had been trained in Disciple Making Movements. read more …

BABY STEPS
“How can I pray for you?” *Verda asked *Sue, moments after Sue had finished praying for Verda and her family. Despite read more …

“Do People Turn into Demons When They Die?”

Jun 20, 2019 | South East Asia, Stories

Thankful to be riding an air-conditioned bus on what was proving to be a scorching day, Charis* and her teammate, Heather, were on their way to meet with some new believers in another village. Turning to Heather, Charis asked, “What are you hoping to see the Holy Spirit do in their lives this month?”

Heather quickly responded that she wanted them to gain a new understanding about two of their former Buddhist practices and, ultimately, to turn away from them. First, she wanted them to no longer “feed their parents’ spirit” and second, she hoped they would come to understand that people do not become demons when they die. The two women prayed together and proceeded to review the Bible stories they had prepared to speak into these essential issues.

On the second day, after reading the prepared passages (Acts 19, Hebrews 9), one older woman’s eyes suddenly grew wide with horror and she exclaimed, “If we don’t become demons when we die, and the spirit that comes to enjoy the offerings is a real demon, then we are just like the people in the Bible who worshipped God and worshipped demons! We have been doing that four times a year! We must stop and take everything down, how do we do that?” Heather and Charis noted that the other believers also showed signs of repentance and a willingness to follow the older woman’s declaration.

Later, Charis and Heather were able to model for the new believers how to take down their idols, and then to help them do it themselves. After seeing it modeled, the villagers expressed confidence in their ability to do it for new believers in the future.

Heather was clearly touched by the Holy Spirit’s prompt answer to prayer and in the villagers’ evident growth in the month since she had last seen them. Together Charis and Heather rejoice at the beauty of seeing how the Spirit works and grows His people in the way they need!

*pseudonyms

FINDING GOD’S PREPARED PEOPLE
Disciples in SE Asia have seen many people come to Christ in the past few years and have helped establish many new village house churches. A BEYOND worker who relates read more …

LIVING OUT LOUD
Grace* had recently returned to Southeast Asia when she was flagged down by a familiar face: Her house helper’s husband ran across a busy street to greet her. He insisted that read more …

LEARN ABOUT OUT WORK IN SOUTHEAST ASIA
There are 235 million people in Southeast Asia. The region is complex, with numerous languages, ethnicities, and variations on religion … learn more

Are Movements Biblical?

Apr 25, 2019 | Stories

Jesus modeled to his disciples how to build the kingdom by making disciples who could make disciples. In three years the number of Jesus’ disciples grew from 12 to 70 (or 82 – Lk 10:1 “70 others”) then to a core of 120 in an upper room (Acts 1:15) out of a total of 500 that he appeared to (1 Cor. 15:6). In three years Jesus raised up at least 500 disciples in addition to the thousands who hung on his words as he traveled from place to place.
If you developed 500 disciples in three years, not counting the thousands who attended your meetings, what would you call that—a Disciple- Making Movement?

Acts is the kingdom growth of the gospel accounts on Spirit-empowered steroids. Pentecost was a game- changer in that regard. Luke describes how kingdom movements had become normal (and viral) over a 30-year span. Kingdom movements were not a passing phenomenon.

If we come to the Acts record, laying aside our presuppositions, we are amazed at how fast, through whom, and how far the kingdom can spread.

Twenty of the 28 chapters have numerical indicators. Stop and consider what your band of 500 disciples in AD 30 would feel like in AD 35. The gospel had spread to thousands of new disciples and many new churches had started throughout all of Judea, Galilee and Samaria (9:31). What would your band of disciples call this—a church-planting or disciple-making movement?

Then consider the Jerusalem church 27 years after beginning. With most believers having fled the city earlier (8:4) there are still many thousands of new disciples (21:20). The movement is still multiplying.

Paul’s journeys over the span of only ten years defy expectations of how far and rapidly the kingdom can grow—six to eight Roman provinces penetrated with multiplying disciples and churches. Any missionary with such results in 2-3 terms would categorize this as a movement of God.

Within 30 years the eastern half of the Roman Empire is filled with kingdom witness. Acts perpetuates the expectation of kingdom movements taught and modeled by Jesus.

Examine the timeframe of Acts (especially the first five years) and ask the questions: “How rapidly does the Spirit make disciples who in turn make disciples? How quickly are new churches formed? How quickly were leaders developed?” Fruitful CPM practitioner, Nathan Shank, says, “Whoever said we set the pace? If we take credit for the pace, then we are taking credit for the growth. ” If growth is God’s responsibility (1 Cor. 3:6-7), then surely pace is also.

When the numbers are as large as the thousands given in Acts and the places for these disciples to meet are small (often meeting in homes (2:46); probably the norm once they were kicked out of the temple), then how do you interpret what is happening? Disciples are making disciples. These disciples are forming new groups and churches wherever they can – homes, public spaces, etc. When disciples are making disciples and starting churches in new homes along the way, we call that—a Church- Planting Movement.

Taken from “The Lens of Kingdom Movements in Scripture: A Biblical Exegesis of Church-Planting Movements” – Steve Smith

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SEVEN GENERATIONS OF DISCIPLES
In North India, some women have been trained in making disciples. They have been faithful to read more …

OWNING THE GREAT COMMISSION
The Banjara people of North India live bleak lives. They are impoverished. Illiterate. Unwelcomed within city limits. read more …

ONE ILLNESS, 63 HOUSE CHURCHES
One day, in the midst of this desperate sadness, they had the opportunity to attend a nearby house church read more …

Bhojpuri Girl Raised from the Dead

Apr 18, 2019 | Stories

1 Corinthians 15:20 proclaims; “But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead. He is the first of a great harvest of all who have died.”

In light of this verse, we celebrate our risen Lord this Easter weekend and share this excerpt from the forthcoming book, Bhojpuri Breakthrough, written by Victor John, with Dave Coles.

“About 12 years ago *Sashi was very sick with a fever, so her parents took her to the hospital. After two days her condition became more serious, and she was moved to the ICU. She had not been there long when the doctors came out and told her parents, ‘Your daughter is dead.’ When they saw the body, Sashi’s mother began crying and screaming. Her father said, ‘Don’t cry. Let’s pray.’

So they went in, knelt down by Sashi’s body and began to pray. They prayed earnestly for about 10 minutes, then suddenly they heard Sashi hiccup and start breathing again. They called for the doctor, who came and checked her over thoroughly. At last, he said, ‘She’s completely healed! She doesn’t need any more treatment. You can take her home now.’ Sashi went from the ICU with a high fever to dead to completely healthy and on her way home. This miraculous work is just one of many the Lord has done among the Bhojpuri.”

Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. (Eph. 3:20)

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

*Victor John is a movement leader in India who Beyond has had the privilege of working with and learning from. Dave Coles is an encourager and supporter of Church Planting Movements at Beyond. Dave was able to meet Sashi’s father, ask further questions, and verify this story through a separate party.

*pseudonym

RELATED STORIES

GOD STORIES CHANGING LIVES IN INDIA
Life was not peaceful. I was a cruel person. Even my children did not want a relationship with me. read more …

OWNING THE GREAT COMMISSION
The Banjara people of North India live bleak lives. They are impoverished. Illiterate. Unwelcomed within city limits. read more …

ONE ILLNESS, 63 HOUSE CHURCHES
One day, in the midst of this desperate sadness, they had the opportunity to attend a nearby house church read more …