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This week I'll be co-teaching a workshop on refugee outreach at Crescent Project's National Conference. My colleague James will begin that workshop with a short devotional from Luke chapter 7 where Jesus is asked to heal a centurion's servant.
It's a story that has caused me a fare amount of conviction the past few weeks as I've meditated on it. I'll hope it does the same for you.
Jesus has just finished teaching the masses when a group of elders from the Jewish synagogue show up to ask him to come and heal a Roman centurion's servant who has fallen ill. Roman centurion's were the senior officers of a legion of Roman soldiers.
Roman soldiers who are occupying Israel.
Roman soldiers who have brutalized and oppressed the Jewish people.
Already this story is a bit crazy.
But when these elders get to Jesus they don't just ask, they plead with Jesus saying, "He is worthy for You to do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue."
Jesus goes with these elders and the story ends with the centurion telling Jesus he doesn't need to come, he just needs to say the word. The centurion understands authority and Jesus famously praises the man saying, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
This is the part that is most often the focus of the story but let's go back to the request of the Jewish elders. In every respect, the Roman occupation has been a terrible blight on the Jews in Israel. And yet here are the oppressed pleading the case of a man who is supposed to be their enemy.
Why?
Because he loves them. He has poured out his love in generosity. He has lived a life among them that has demonstrated extraordinary love.
And the question James challenges us with is this: Is your church living in such a way with the refugee and immigrant communities in your context that if the government came to shut your church down, would refugees and immigrants be the first ones to come and plead your case?
Would refugees in your community come out saying, "No, you can't shut this church down! They've loved us. They've helped us with extravagant generosity."
Do our churches have a centurion's reputation?
It's a story that has caused me a fare amount of conviction the past few weeks as I've meditated on it. I'll hope it does the same for you.
Jesus has just finished teaching the masses when a group of elders from the Jewish synagogue show up to ask him to come and heal a Roman centurion's servant who has fallen ill. Roman centurion's were the senior officers of a legion of Roman soldiers.
Roman soldiers who are occupying Israel.
Roman soldiers who have brutalized and oppressed the Jewish people.
Already this story is a bit crazy.
But when these elders get to Jesus they don't just ask, they plead with Jesus saying, "He is worthy for You to do this for him, for he loves our nation, and he is the one who built us our synagogue."
Jesus goes with these elders and the story ends with the centurion telling Jesus he doesn't need to come, he just needs to say the word. The centurion understands authority and Jesus famously praises the man saying, "I tell you, not even in Israel have I found such faith."
This is the part that is most often the focus of the story but let's go back to the request of the Jewish elders. In every respect, the Roman occupation has been a terrible blight on the Jews in Israel. And yet here are the oppressed pleading the case of a man who is supposed to be their enemy.
Why?
Because he loves them. He has poured out his love in generosity. He has lived a life among them that has demonstrated extraordinary love.
And the question James challenges us with is this: Is your church living in such a way with the refugee and immigrant communities in your context that if the government came to shut your church down, would refugees and immigrants be the first ones to come and plead your case?
Would refugees in your community come out saying, "No, you can't shut this church down! They've loved us. They've helped us with extravagant generosity."
Do our churches have a centurion's reputation?
Crescent Project is LIVE STREAMING all main sessions! FREE!
THEME: Uncharted: Boldly Following Jesus
Register for FREE TODAY and claim your access!
Here's the process:
Daily sessions times begin:
Gather some friends and join us!
THEME: Uncharted: Boldly Following Jesus
- Learn from world leaders
- Discover opportunities to share hope with Muslims
- Hear fresh news from the field, domestically and internationally!
Register for FREE TODAY and claim your access!
Here's the process:
- Click Register button below
- Select registration option, "Free Livestream," from the list
- Registrants will receive an email with links (with day/times) for each day.
Daily sessions times begin:
- Tuesday, October 22, 7 p.m.
- Wednesday, October 23, 9 a.m.
- Thursday, October 24, 9 a.m.
Gather some friends and join us!
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How did you learn to ride a bike?
Did your dad sit you on the couch in front of the TV and say, "Here, watch four hours of the Tour de France. That will do the trick."
Probably not.
You most likely did watch older brothers or sisters ride bike however. It looked fun and if you were like most kids, you wanted to ride too.
Learning to ride bike probably looked more like your dad - or in my case, older brother - running along beside you, one hand holding firmly to the back of your seat to help you balance as you started pedaling and getting the feel of things.
That firm grip was released and those first rides certainly included a crash or two followed by comfort and the encouragement to get back in the saddle.
In short order, you mastered the art and skill of bike riding. You may not be ready to race in the Tour de France but you are more than capable of a ride across town.
You have achieved unconscious competence in the bike riding department.
Our journey toward bike riding stardom highlights the basic training principles that are required to make disciples who make disciples.
We call these the MAWL principle.
Model, Assist, Watch and Launch. This is the basic process through which we all learned to ride bike and it is the model of training that we see Jesus using and later Paul. This basic principle is applied in all good training that leads to actual competence and reproduction, to disciples having the confidence and competence to obey Jesus and make disciples.
MODEL
Modeling requires us to set the example by actually doing what we want others to do. We see Jesus doing this in his ministry - he is preaching, healing, casting out demons, abiding with the Father, praying, setting strategy. He has taken the disciples with him and they are watching his example, asking questions and asking for deeper teaching.
Nathan Shank in Four Fields of Kingdom Growth comments that "What a disciple does in the first three months of faith, he or she will reproduce throughout their walk. If the disciple is asked to passively observe the work of the church, passivity will likely be the "DNA". If the disciple is expected to aggressively pursue friends and loved ones, reproducing what has been trained [modeled], multiplication is set in motion."
What we model is important.
ASSIST
Assisting requires to release our disciples to actually do what it is we want them to do by themselves. We have to put them on the bike. We assist them but they are doing the work. Again we see Jesus doing this with the disciples. Who is going to feed the 4,000? They are. Jesus is going to assist, but they are going to go out and serve the food. Who is doing all the baptizing? They are. Jesus is there and even gets blamed for the baptizing, but the Bible is clear that it is actually his disciples who are doing the work.
WATCH
Assisting can quickly shift into watching. For some things, assistance might take longer than others and there is rarely a clear line of when we shift from assisting to watching, but shift we must. Our disciples must recognize our release of control so that they are empowered to do the work themselves.
In Paul's second letter to Timothy he says, "And the things you've heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable people who will be qualified to teach others". Paul is watching from afar, hearing reports and coaching Timothy to continue to do what he is doing.
And of course your disciples will occasionally crash. Like the first time your dad released your seat and you scrapped your knee as you skidded sideways to the ground, those you are training will make mistakes. They will make messes. They will FAIL. And you will have the grace to pick them up, reassure them that they'll be fine and get them back in the saddle.
Don't worry, the kingdom won't fall apart with one mistake. Mistakes are the catalyst for maturity when treated with grace and love and Biblical application.
LAUNCH
There then comes a time when we must launch our disciples out to run the race on their own. Jesus launches his disciples despite some of them doubting, to go and make disciples of all nations! We see Paul charging the Ephesian elders to stand up and continue the work without him as he heads back to Jerusalem for one final visit.
MAWL principles are as old as the Bible but our modern teaching techniques which sequester training in classrooms and pews make it difficult to apply them. Knowledge acquisition has in many ways trumped actual application and competence.
And so too often I've simply told people what they ought to do.
I've given hour long seminars. I've preached sermons. I've shared good ideas. But in the end, I've been discouraged by the results. The people I've taught walked away with a head full of knowledge but no real idea how to actually apply that knowledge come Monday morning or no confidence that they actually could.
The MAWL principle is what we see in the Bible. And it just makes sense. Everywhere in life where we want to master a skill, these ideas are the way to master them. If you wanted to become an electrician or a mechanic or a carpenter in the past you apprenticed yourself to a master. Modeling, Assisting, Watching and Launching were just what naturally happened every day that you showed up at the shop and worked alongside your boss.
If we want to see disciples become disciples who can and are making disciples who in turn can and are making disciples, then we must spend more time training with MAWL principles.
Who can you MAWL today?
Did your dad sit you on the couch in front of the TV and say, "Here, watch four hours of the Tour de France. That will do the trick."
Probably not.
You most likely did watch older brothers or sisters ride bike however. It looked fun and if you were like most kids, you wanted to ride too.
Learning to ride bike probably looked more like your dad - or in my case, older brother - running along beside you, one hand holding firmly to the back of your seat to help you balance as you started pedaling and getting the feel of things.
That firm grip was released and those first rides certainly included a crash or two followed by comfort and the encouragement to get back in the saddle.
In short order, you mastered the art and skill of bike riding. You may not be ready to race in the Tour de France but you are more than capable of a ride across town.
You have achieved unconscious competence in the bike riding department.
Our journey toward bike riding stardom highlights the basic training principles that are required to make disciples who make disciples.
We call these the MAWL principle.
Model, Assist, Watch and Launch. This is the basic process through which we all learned to ride bike and it is the model of training that we see Jesus using and later Paul. This basic principle is applied in all good training that leads to actual competence and reproduction, to disciples having the confidence and competence to obey Jesus and make disciples.
MODEL
Modeling requires us to set the example by actually doing what we want others to do. We see Jesus doing this in his ministry - he is preaching, healing, casting out demons, abiding with the Father, praying, setting strategy. He has taken the disciples with him and they are watching his example, asking questions and asking for deeper teaching.
Nathan Shank in Four Fields of Kingdom Growth comments that "What a disciple does in the first three months of faith, he or she will reproduce throughout their walk. If the disciple is asked to passively observe the work of the church, passivity will likely be the "DNA". If the disciple is expected to aggressively pursue friends and loved ones, reproducing what has been trained [modeled], multiplication is set in motion."
What we model is important.
ASSIST
Assisting requires to release our disciples to actually do what it is we want them to do by themselves. We have to put them on the bike. We assist them but they are doing the work. Again we see Jesus doing this with the disciples. Who is going to feed the 4,000? They are. Jesus is going to assist, but they are going to go out and serve the food. Who is doing all the baptizing? They are. Jesus is there and even gets blamed for the baptizing, but the Bible is clear that it is actually his disciples who are doing the work.
WATCH
Assisting can quickly shift into watching. For some things, assistance might take longer than others and there is rarely a clear line of when we shift from assisting to watching, but shift we must. Our disciples must recognize our release of control so that they are empowered to do the work themselves.
In Paul's second letter to Timothy he says, "And the things you've heard me say in the presence of many witnesses, entrust to reliable people who will be qualified to teach others". Paul is watching from afar, hearing reports and coaching Timothy to continue to do what he is doing.
And of course your disciples will occasionally crash. Like the first time your dad released your seat and you scrapped your knee as you skidded sideways to the ground, those you are training will make mistakes. They will make messes. They will FAIL. And you will have the grace to pick them up, reassure them that they'll be fine and get them back in the saddle.
Don't worry, the kingdom won't fall apart with one mistake. Mistakes are the catalyst for maturity when treated with grace and love and Biblical application.
LAUNCH
There then comes a time when we must launch our disciples out to run the race on their own. Jesus launches his disciples despite some of them doubting, to go and make disciples of all nations! We see Paul charging the Ephesian elders to stand up and continue the work without him as he heads back to Jerusalem for one final visit.
MAWL principles are as old as the Bible but our modern teaching techniques which sequester training in classrooms and pews make it difficult to apply them. Knowledge acquisition has in many ways trumped actual application and competence.
And so too often I've simply told people what they ought to do.
- You should read your Bible daily.
- You should share the gospel with your non-believing friends.
- You should pray regularly.
- You should fast.
- You should . . . . . .
I've given hour long seminars. I've preached sermons. I've shared good ideas. But in the end, I've been discouraged by the results. The people I've taught walked away with a head full of knowledge but no real idea how to actually apply that knowledge come Monday morning or no confidence that they actually could.
The MAWL principle is what we see in the Bible. And it just makes sense. Everywhere in life where we want to master a skill, these ideas are the way to master them. If you wanted to become an electrician or a mechanic or a carpenter in the past you apprenticed yourself to a master. Modeling, Assisting, Watching and Launching were just what naturally happened every day that you showed up at the shop and worked alongside your boss.
If we want to see disciples become disciples who can and are making disciples who in turn can and are making disciples, then we must spend more time training with MAWL principles.
Who can you MAWL today?
- Published on
Crescent Project’s National Conference is an annual gathering of leaders from all over the United
States, coming to be inspired, encouraged and equipped by Crescent Project.
National Conference presents a unique opportunity for equipping Christ-followers from around the country to connect with some of the most spiritually curious people on our planet: Muslims.
National Conference gives an inspiring snapshot of our changing times, demographics, and handles on understanding Islamic basics and identifying ways any church in any community can help lead the charge for cutting-edge outreach in their region, rallying other churches in the process.
The conference offers a wide assortment of workshops along with general sessions led by
experienced leaders and former Muslims.
National Conference is designed to equip Christians who are new to Muslim outreach as well as
those who have years of experience.
Event dates: October 22-24
Location: Church of the City, Spring Hill, TN
(Just 25 minutes south of the airport, Nashville, TN.)
States, coming to be inspired, encouraged and equipped by Crescent Project.
National Conference presents a unique opportunity for equipping Christ-followers from around the country to connect with some of the most spiritually curious people on our planet: Muslims.
National Conference gives an inspiring snapshot of our changing times, demographics, and handles on understanding Islamic basics and identifying ways any church in any community can help lead the charge for cutting-edge outreach in their region, rallying other churches in the process.
The conference offers a wide assortment of workshops along with general sessions led by
experienced leaders and former Muslims.
National Conference is designed to equip Christians who are new to Muslim outreach as well as
those who have years of experience.
Event dates: October 22-24
Location: Church of the City, Spring Hill, TN
(Just 25 minutes south of the airport, Nashville, TN.)
Multiply: The Vision Summit
The Vision Summit is a discipleship event designed to cast vision and equip disciples for local, national, and global mission.
Through it, the Multiply team seeks to build upon the dreams, spiritual gifts, and passions God has placed in His people.
The weekend will be surrounding God's Kingdom coming, and how we are to take part in the advancement of His Kingdom.
If you are in the Midwest, don't miss this opportunity for training and equipping.
Event Dates: Fri, Oct 11, 2019, 5:00 PM – Sun, Oct 13, 2019, 3:00 PM CDT
Location: Cross Point at Oasis Church - 23813 West Trail West Road - Plevna, KS 67568
Through it, the Multiply team seeks to build upon the dreams, spiritual gifts, and passions God has placed in His people.
The weekend will be surrounding God's Kingdom coming, and how we are to take part in the advancement of His Kingdom.
If you are in the Midwest, don't miss this opportunity for training and equipping.
Event Dates: Fri, Oct 11, 2019, 5:00 PM – Sun, Oct 13, 2019, 3:00 PM CDT
Location: Cross Point at Oasis Church - 23813 West Trail West Road - Plevna, KS 67568
Gospel Conversation Training
Have you ever wanted to have a gospel conversation with someone but didn't know where to begin?
Gospel Conversations training explains not only why but also how to have these conversations across various contexts and we'll give you plenty of practice.
During this one day training, you will learn what to do and say to share the good news of the gospel with competence and confidence. This training includes a time for practice and follow-up processes for strategy and accountability.
Event Date: Saturday October 19, 9 am - 4 pm
Location: Mitchell Christian School, Mitchell, South Dakota
Gospel Conversations training explains not only why but also how to have these conversations across various contexts and we'll give you plenty of practice.
During this one day training, you will learn what to do and say to share the good news of the gospel with competence and confidence. This training includes a time for practice and follow-up processes for strategy and accountability.
Event Date: Saturday October 19, 9 am - 4 pm
Location: Mitchell Christian School, Mitchell, South Dakota
Heart For Muslims
Heart for Muslims’ mission is to equip Christ-followers and connect them for service, ministering to our Muslim neighbors in the Name and Love of Jesus Christ. The vision is to eliminate the fear of Islam and free believers to boldly minister to our Muslim neighbors.
Date: Saturday November 23, 9 am - 4:30 pm
Location: Calvary Baptist Church - 123 W 57th St, - New York City, NY
Date: Saturday November 23, 9 am - 4:30 pm
Location: Calvary Baptist Church - 123 W 57th St, - New York City, NY
Do you know someone who could benefit from one of these conferences? Be sure and take a moment and pass this article on to them.
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One of the really cool tools on your smartphone is the You Version Bible App. It's a great resource for reading the Bible but also offers some really helpful reading plans and devotional plans which you can use to grow. One really helpful aspect of many plans is the ability to read through them with others and to interact with one another and the content of the plan.
Come, Let's Go! Discipleship and Evangelism is a new plan that was recently created by the folks at Zume. This is a seven day reading plan. Each day has a short devotional reading which includes a short teaching video from Zume. Then there are a number of Bible passages to read. Finally, there is an opportunity to talk it over, answering the question,
"Based on today's reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?"
(If you do not have the You Version Bible app you can get it at your app store on your phone or learn more here: www.youversion.com/the-bible-app)
Starting tomorrow, anyone who would like to join from the E2E community will begin reading through and interacting with this study. You can sign up now, but we'll start reading tomorrow, October 2nd.
Here's How It Will Work
Come, Let's Go! Discipleship and Evangelism is a new plan that was recently created by the folks at Zume. This is a seven day reading plan. Each day has a short devotional reading which includes a short teaching video from Zume. Then there are a number of Bible passages to read. Finally, there is an opportunity to talk it over, answering the question,
"Based on today's reading, what is one thing God is saying to you?"
(If you do not have the You Version Bible app you can get it at your app store on your phone or learn more here: www.youversion.com/the-bible-app)
Starting tomorrow, anyone who would like to join from the E2E community will begin reading through and interacting with this study. You can sign up now, but we'll start reading tomorrow, October 2nd.
Here's How It Will Work
- Follow the link below and sign up for the reading plan.
- Each day (starting tomorrow - you'll be reminded) read through the plan and watch each day's video.
- Talk it over by sharing what the Lord is teaching you through the readings and video that day.
- Take time to read what others are hearing from the Lord and to pray for them.
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It was early 2008 when I was first introduced to movement thinking at a world wide gathering for the mission agency I was working with at the time. I was new to the mission field, to church planting and so the week long seminar I attended rocked my world. There were so many paradigm shifts in what I was hearing, so much that was counter intuitive to what I'd done my entire church life in the U.S. It was disorientating at first but it struck a chord deep in my soul.
Church planting movments (CPM), disciple making movements (DMM), the spontaneous expansion of the church - all of it seemed born in the pages of scripture. Reading the case studies of movements happening in Asian and Africa looked like the book of Acts far more than my own church experience. And we we living in a country that was less than 0.01% Christian.
Doing what we'd always done was just not an option.
Over the next several years, we got some great training, had a great coach and dove into our own personal journey of rewriting the paradigms of church that had been embedded in us by a lifetime of North American church culture. I also began reading everything I could get my hands on in order to help me grow in my understanding and practice of all that it would take to see a church planting movement birthed where we were.
The first book that I read over and over again was the book of Acts. It is where everyone should start. But after that I began to find other books that helped me learn what God was doing in the book of Acts.
And so here are seven books that I found helpful on that journey.
Church planting movments (CPM), disciple making movements (DMM), the spontaneous expansion of the church - all of it seemed born in the pages of scripture. Reading the case studies of movements happening in Asian and Africa looked like the book of Acts far more than my own church experience. And we we living in a country that was less than 0.01% Christian.
Doing what we'd always done was just not an option.
Over the next several years, we got some great training, had a great coach and dove into our own personal journey of rewriting the paradigms of church that had been embedded in us by a lifetime of North American church culture. I also began reading everything I could get my hands on in order to help me grow in my understanding and practice of all that it would take to see a church planting movement birthed where we were.
The first book that I read over and over again was the book of Acts. It is where everyone should start. But after that I began to find other books that helped me learn what God was doing in the book of Acts.
And so here are seven books that I found helpful on that journey.
Church Planting Movements by David Garrison
This was the first book I ever read that dealt with church planting movements and multiplication. The first half of the book was filled with case studies of movements around the world. The second half taught about the Biblical principles that were found in movements around the world.
You can find out more about the book, including free pdf files of the book in many languages at the CPM website.
http://www.churchplantingmovements.com/
This was the first book I ever read that dealt with church planting movements and multiplication. The first half of the book was filled with case studies of movements around the world. The second half taught about the Biblical principles that were found in movements around the world.
You can find out more about the book, including free pdf files of the book in many languages at the CPM website.
http://www.churchplantingmovements.com/
T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution by Steve Smith with Ying Kai
T4T follows the story of an unfolding church planting movement that grew up in China. This book shares that story but then goes into detail unpacking the Biblical principles, strategies and methods that allowed Ying Kai to be used by God to catalyze a movement that saw over 1.7 million baptisms and 150,000 new churches in a ten year period.
T4T follows the story of an unfolding church planting movement that grew up in China. This book shares that story but then goes into detail unpacking the Biblical principles, strategies and methods that allowed Ying Kai to be used by God to catalyze a movement that saw over 1.7 million baptisms and 150,000 new churches in a ten year period.
What Jesus Started by Steve Addison
Steve Addison is a long time researcher of and practitioner of movement thinking. With What Jesus Started, he begins with the character, strategies and methods of Jesus. He then walk through the apostle's work in the book of Acts, focusing on the Apostle Paul. Laying a clear Biblical foundation for movment principles and strategies, Addison then moves into case studies from the last 2,000 years where movements happened across the globe.
Addison's website and podcast are exceptionally helpful as well.
https://www.movements.net/
Steve Addison is a long time researcher of and practitioner of movement thinking. With What Jesus Started, he begins with the character, strategies and methods of Jesus. He then walk through the apostle's work in the book of Acts, focusing on the Apostle Paul. Laying a clear Biblical foundation for movment principles and strategies, Addison then moves into case studies from the last 2,000 years where movements happened across the globe.
Addison's website and podcast are exceptionally helpful as well.
https://www.movements.net/
There's a Sheep in my Bathtub by Brian Hogan
This book tells the story of a movement that Hogan and others helped catalyze in Mongolia. It is a riveting story that unpacks movement principles through the on the ground lessons learned in the cauldron of ministry.
This book tells the story of a movement that Hogan and others helped catalyze in Mongolia. It is a riveting story that unpacks movement principles through the on the ground lessons learned in the cauldron of ministry.
Giving Up Control by A. J. DeJonge
Giving Up Control follows the journey into multiplication and movement principles by a group of Cru staff working on college campuses in Australia. As they apply the counter intuitive principles they learn valuable lessons that they share as ten coaching proverbs . This is a super helpful book and is just $0.99 as an ebook at Amazon.
Giving Up Control follows the journey into multiplication and movement principles by a group of Cru staff working on college campuses in Australia. As they apply the counter intuitive principles they learn valuable lessons that they share as ten coaching proverbs . This is a super helpful book and is just $0.99 as an ebook at Amazon.
Miraculous Movements by Jerry Trousdale
Miraculous Movements tells the powerful stories of movements spreading among highly resistant Muslim tribes in East and North Africa. These stories are interspersed with chapters teaching movement and multiplication principles. It is both an inspiring and helpful book.
Miraculous Movements tells the powerful stories of movements spreading among highly resistant Muslim tribes in East and North Africa. These stories are interspersed with chapters teaching movement and multiplication principles. It is both an inspiring and helpful book.
Contagious Disciple Making by David Watson and Paul Watson
David Watson was one of the early pioneers of catalyzing movements in the modern missions era. The lessons he learned in northern India have been invaluable in helping others apply Biblical principles to gospel work around the world. In this book he unpacks those principles in applicable lessons.
David Watson was one of the early pioneers of catalyzing movements in the modern missions era. The lessons he learned in northern India have been invaluable in helping others apply Biblical principles to gospel work around the world. In this book he unpacks those principles in applicable lessons.
These seven books will do much to help anyone interested in multiplication and movement. The paradigm shifts needed to begin to apply the Biblical principles of multiplication are enormous. These books will help you make those shifts.
A few other helpful books:
A few other helpful books:
- The Spontaneous Expansion of the Church by Rolland Allen
- Spent Matches by Roy Moran
- From Megachurch to Multiplication by Chris Galanos
- Stubborn Perseverance by James Nyman
- Published on
At every E2E and gospel conversation training that we do, we always start with the Father's heart. If we can help the church dive into scripture to discover God's heart and desires for our world, we have a great place to begin training disciples who will make disciples.
We've turned that beginning session into a worksheet so that groups of Christ followers can discover together the Father's Heart and we want to share that today.
Gather a group of friends. Set aside an hour and work through this discovery study. And then begin to pray and dream into the final question.
You can work through the study below or download the worksheet HERE.
Assignment: Together with a group of friends, read each passage below and write a simple summary of what the passage reveals about God’s heart and desire for our world.
Passages
Finally, work through these two questions together.
We've turned that beginning session into a worksheet so that groups of Christ followers can discover together the Father's Heart and we want to share that today.
Gather a group of friends. Set aside an hour and work through this discovery study. And then begin to pray and dream into the final question.
You can work through the study below or download the worksheet HERE.
Assignment: Together with a group of friends, read each passage below and write a simple summary of what the passage reveals about God’s heart and desire for our world.
Passages
- Genesis 12:1-3 (focus on 3b)
- Exodus 9:16
- Isaiah 49:6
- Psalms 67:1-7
- Psalms 86:9
- Habakkuk 2:14
- Malachi 1:11
- Galatians 3:8
- Matthew 24:14
- John 17:13-19
- Luke 15:1-10
- 1 Timothy 2:3-4
- Revelation 5:9
- Revelation 7:9
- Revelation 22:1-5
- 2 Peter 3:9
- Matthew 28:18-20
- Acts 1:8
- 2 Corinthians 5:18-20
Finally, work through these two questions together.
- Looking at all of these verses, what are the basic desires of God for our world?
- Jesus teaches his disciples to pray in Matthew 6:9-13. In verse 10 Jesus says to pray, “Your kingdom come, Your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.” In light of all the verses above, what do you think it would look like if God’s kingdom came and His will were done completely in your context?
- Published on
And he said to them, “Follow me, and I will make you fishers of men.”
Steve Smith discusses what a disciple making movement (or church planting movement) is, and how to help it maintain its health in terms of biblical orthodoxy and biblical morality.
Steve Smith discusses what a disciple making movement (or church planting movement) is, and how to help it maintain its health in terms of biblical orthodoxy and biblical morality.
Start working toward catalyzing a movement in your neighborhood with Zume.
- Published on
I’ve had a great summer. One of the highlights has been connecting online with Ali, an Egyptian engineer. We connect every Monday over lunch and it’s been a joy to get to know him and his family. We have recently started reading through a creation to Christ overview in the Bible. Next week we’ll tackle Genesis 3 and the fall. Ali is Muslim. I am the first true follower of Christ that he has ever met and this is the first time he has read the Bible.
This summer I’ve also connected regularly with Mustafa, a young Muslim man in Syria and Mohammed, a Muslim college student in Lahore, Pakistan. It has been a joy to build a relationship with both of them.
I’ve been able to connect with them because of Embassy.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in hard to reach countries speak your language and are going online to find friendship, language partners and answers to their questions.
Embassy exists so that they will meet a committed follower of Christ. Embassy offers training, encouragement and community and then helps you discover new Muslim friends online.
“Embassy volunteers use secular, public-access forums to connect with Muslims in closed countries who speak English. As men and women begin to read the Bible and engage in questions about Jesus, we invite them to include their friends and family in the conversation: small seeds growing to something great (Matthew 13:31-32).” *
Embassy is an amazing opportunity for the North American church to be on the front lines of the great commission.
What could God do through the local church?
Through your local church?
Imagine if you - yes you reader - were to go back to your home church and help form an Embassy Team.
Imagine if you could gather a group of friends who would begin reaching out individually online while also meeting regularly as a group to pray together, encourage one another and continue with ongoing equipping.
God is on the move in the Muslim world and this is an opportunity to join in that work.
Steps to Forming Your Embassy Team
This summer I’ve also connected regularly with Mustafa, a young Muslim man in Syria and Mohammed, a Muslim college student in Lahore, Pakistan. It has been a joy to build a relationship with both of them.
I’ve been able to connect with them because of Embassy.
Hundreds of thousands of Muslims living in hard to reach countries speak your language and are going online to find friendship, language partners and answers to their questions.
Embassy exists so that they will meet a committed follower of Christ. Embassy offers training, encouragement and community and then helps you discover new Muslim friends online.
“Embassy volunteers use secular, public-access forums to connect with Muslims in closed countries who speak English. As men and women begin to read the Bible and engage in questions about Jesus, we invite them to include their friends and family in the conversation: small seeds growing to something great (Matthew 13:31-32).” *
Embassy is an amazing opportunity for the North American church to be on the front lines of the great commission.
- How many Muslims in Saudi Arabia, Afghanistan, Indonesia or Nigeria could be connected with the first true follower of Jesus they have ever met?
- How many in Egypt, Turkey, India or Iran could begin reading the Bible for the very first time?
- How many Muslims in Kazakhstan, Syria, Algeria or Somalia could have groups of believers in North America regularly praying for them by name? And how many in Morocco, Iraq, Pakistan or China could have an opportunity to respond to the gospel?
What could God do through the local church?
Through your local church?
Imagine if you - yes you reader - were to go back to your home church and help form an Embassy Team.
Imagine if you could gather a group of friends who would begin reaching out individually online while also meeting regularly as a group to pray together, encourage one another and continue with ongoing equipping.
God is on the move in the Muslim world and this is an opportunity to join in that work.
Steps to Forming Your Embassy Team
- Stop by the Embassy website and become an Embassy Volunteer. Get started building relationships online with new friends from the Muslim world.
- Begin sharing about your experiences with friends and invite them to join you. Then encourage them to become Embassy Volunteers (you can coach them along). Make sure and have a conversation with your pastor or missions committee about your plans.
- Find a time when your Embassy Team can meet regularly to share testimonies, encourage and pray for one another and to do ongoing equipping. This could be weekly, bi-weekly or monthly.
- Help other local churches form their own Embassy Teams.
“The Great Commission is for every church in every culture in every generation. There are no exclusions. But . . . every church in every culture in every generation must determine the way in which they respond to this responsibility -- in a way that is appropriate to time and context."
-Doug Birdsall
Forming an Embassy Team is your opportunity to respond.
You can learn more about Embassy and sign up to volunteer at their website: https://www.crescentproject.org/embassy
You can learn more about Embassy and sign up to volunteer at their website: https://www.crescentproject.org/embassy
Stories About Embassy Encounters * This quote is from the Embassy homepage.
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Understanding the fears, assumptions, and barriers that keep believers from talking about Jesus—and how they can be overcome.
By Aaron Myers
By Aaron Myers
As I interact with people at E2E training events and in churches I've begun to realize that there are a number of identifiable reasons that Christians are not sharing the good news of Jesus with friends, family members and strangers.
We aren't Christians.
Sometimes as we are talking with someone who calls themselves a Christian it becomes clear that they aren't. They are what Dean Inserra calls a "cultural Christian" and while they identify as a Christian in word, it is more so as a default. They aren't an atheist or a Muslim and their family went to church occasionally as a child so they must be a Christian.
But they aren't trusting Jesus for anything really, let alone salvation. And of course they are not sharing the gospel with anyone. So while they may be offended by the notion, we need to share the gospel with them.
[check out Dean's new book, "The Unsaved Christian."]
We don't know that sharing the gospel is required.
There are others we will run into who genuinely trust in Jesus. They have repented and believed. But somewhere along the lines, they were not discipled into the word or into the knowledge of their role in this world as ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), witnesses (Acts 1:8) or disciple making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).
This is a disciple making issue and we can quickly help them discover the joy of their job to share the love and truth of Jesus with others by taking them into the word of God.
We feel unqualified.
Another challenge we often run into is a sense they are not qualified to share the gospel with others. It's as if they've somehow been trained to believe that sharing the gospel is something that experts do - and they aren't an expert.
This too is a disciple making issue and can be overcome by having this friend turn with us to Luke 8:26-39, the story of Jesus' encounter with the Geresenes demoniac. When finished re-read verses 38-39. This man begs to go with Jesus but Jesus "sent him away saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him."
Does your Christian friend know more than the man in this story?
Almost certainly!
This man knows exactly one thing - the before and after story of his encounter with Jesus! No Bible training. No discipleship programs. No Sunday school classes. Not even a Bible in his hands.
After encouraging Christian friends with this story I have them write "I AM QUALIFIED" in the margin of their Bible next to this story as a reminder.
We aren't Christians.
Sometimes as we are talking with someone who calls themselves a Christian it becomes clear that they aren't. They are what Dean Inserra calls a "cultural Christian" and while they identify as a Christian in word, it is more so as a default. They aren't an atheist or a Muslim and their family went to church occasionally as a child so they must be a Christian.
But they aren't trusting Jesus for anything really, let alone salvation. And of course they are not sharing the gospel with anyone. So while they may be offended by the notion, we need to share the gospel with them.
[check out Dean's new book, "The Unsaved Christian."]
We don't know that sharing the gospel is required.
There are others we will run into who genuinely trust in Jesus. They have repented and believed. But somewhere along the lines, they were not discipled into the word or into the knowledge of their role in this world as ambassadors (2 Corinthians 5:20), witnesses (Acts 1:8) or disciple making disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).
This is a disciple making issue and we can quickly help them discover the joy of their job to share the love and truth of Jesus with others by taking them into the word of God.
We feel unqualified.
Another challenge we often run into is a sense they are not qualified to share the gospel with others. It's as if they've somehow been trained to believe that sharing the gospel is something that experts do - and they aren't an expert.
This too is a disciple making issue and can be overcome by having this friend turn with us to Luke 8:26-39, the story of Jesus' encounter with the Geresenes demoniac. When finished re-read verses 38-39. This man begs to go with Jesus but Jesus "sent him away saying, "Return to your home, and declare how much God has done for you." And he went away, proclaiming throughout the whole city how much Jesus had done for him."
Does your Christian friend know more than the man in this story?
Almost certainly!
This man knows exactly one thing - the before and after story of his encounter with Jesus! No Bible training. No discipleship programs. No Sunday school classes. Not even a Bible in his hands.
After encouraging Christian friends with this story I have them write "I AM QUALIFIED" in the margin of their Bible next to this story as a reminder.
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We are afraid.
Another common factor that we all run into is fear. I know of no one who doesn't at times face fear and respond by running away. We know we should have that conversation with our family member or co-worker. We feel the nudge to say something to the stranger behind the counter. But fear creeps in and paralyzes us and we move on without saying anything. "Next time" we think, but next time the same thing happens.
How do we help our Christian friends overcome fear?
These are just a few ideas of how we can help our friends overcome their fear of sharing the gospel.
We don't know how.
Too often, fear comes from feeling unprepared. Many just don't know what to say or how to transition to a gospel conversation. It's not really their fault. If someone asked me to go out and change the alternator on my car, I wouldn't even know where to begin. I think it's under the hood?
We have to take the time to equip our friends with simple tools so that they understand who to share with and know what to actually share. At E2E events we spend one whole morning equipping everyone to identify their relational networks (who to share with) and training them with lots of practice and repetitions to share their 15 second testimony and to share a simple gospel presentation called 3 Circles (what to share).
These are not the end all and be all of sharing the gospel but they will equip Christians to begin to share the gospel boldly and abundantly.
We are just disobeying Jesus.
Finally, when it comes to the end of the day, our heart at E2E is to ensure that the only reason that Christians are not sharing the gospel is that they are just plain disobeying Jesus. We want to make sure that no one we connect with has any excuse.
We want to see everyone everywhere equipped, trained and discipled into a life of sharing the good news of our Lord with anyone, anywhere, any time!
Another common factor that we all run into is fear. I know of no one who doesn't at times face fear and respond by running away. We know we should have that conversation with our family member or co-worker. We feel the nudge to say something to the stranger behind the counter. But fear creeps in and paralyzes us and we move on without saying anything. "Next time" we think, but next time the same thing happens.
How do we help our Christian friends overcome fear?
- We begin praying daily for boldness for them.
- We pray regularly with them to be bold and to overcome fear.
- We help them set goals and offer loving accountability. (I will share with my co-worker Bill this week. I will call my brother and share my testimony tonight. I will offer to pray for five strangers this week.)
- We practice/role play conversations with them to help them prepare.
- We go with them out into the harvest to help activate faith and overcome fear.
These are just a few ideas of how we can help our friends overcome their fear of sharing the gospel.
We don't know how.
Too often, fear comes from feeling unprepared. Many just don't know what to say or how to transition to a gospel conversation. It's not really their fault. If someone asked me to go out and change the alternator on my car, I wouldn't even know where to begin. I think it's under the hood?
We have to take the time to equip our friends with simple tools so that they understand who to share with and know what to actually share. At E2E events we spend one whole morning equipping everyone to identify their relational networks (who to share with) and training them with lots of practice and repetitions to share their 15 second testimony and to share a simple gospel presentation called 3 Circles (what to share).
These are not the end all and be all of sharing the gospel but they will equip Christians to begin to share the gospel boldly and abundantly.
We are just disobeying Jesus.
Finally, when it comes to the end of the day, our heart at E2E is to ensure that the only reason that Christians are not sharing the gospel is that they are just plain disobeying Jesus. We want to make sure that no one we connect with has any excuse.
We want to see everyone everywhere equipped, trained and discipled into a life of sharing the good news of our Lord with anyone, anywhere, any time!
Thanks for reading!
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share it with your friends.
If you enjoyed this post,
share it with your friends.
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I've found the story of Jonah to be a helpful starting place for the North American church when it comes to exploring our attitudes and actions toward people from groups other than our own - Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Atheists or the LGBTQ community.
Jonah is at best, the reluctant prophet. His reticence to go along with the mission of God to save the Ninevites becomes almost a distraction to the main message of Jonah's book: the heart of God to save. But God does save the Ninevites who repent and believe and turn from their wicked ways.
Meanwhile, Jonah heads out to a hill beside the city in hopes that fire will still fall. It's there that the curious event with a shade plant growing and then dying occurs.
Jonah is at best, the reluctant prophet. His reticence to go along with the mission of God to save the Ninevites becomes almost a distraction to the main message of Jonah's book: the heart of God to save. But God does save the Ninevites who repent and believe and turn from their wicked ways.
Meanwhile, Jonah heads out to a hill beside the city in hopes that fire will still fall. It's there that the curious event with a shade plant growing and then dying occurs.
Jonah had gone out and sat down at a place east of the city. There he made himself a shelter, sat in its shade and waited to see what would happen to the city. Then the Lord God provided a leafy plant and made it grow up over Jonah to give shade for his head to ease his discomfort, and Jonah was very happy about the plant. But at dawn the next day God provided a worm, which chewed the plant so that it withered. When the sun rose, God provided a scorching east wind, and the sun blazed on Jonah’s head so that he grew faint. He wanted to die, and said, “It would be better for me to die than to live.”
But God said to Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry about the plant?”
“It is,” he said. “And I’m so angry I wish I were dead.”
But the Lord said, “You have been concerned about this plant, though you did not tend it or make it grow. It sprang up overnight and died overnight. And should I not have concern for the great city of Nineveh,in which there are more than a hundred and twenty thousand people who cannot tell their right hand from their left—and also many animals?”
Jonah was concerned about the plant and the comfort that it afforded him.
The heart of God however was to save.
The heart of Jonah was somewhere else, focused on something he thought he was loosing. Something he thought was important but that God didn't think was important. At least not as important as saving the Ninevites.
This particular point in the story has had me thinking lately about the plants in my own life that I elevate above the mission and purposes of God -- the old wine skins that Jesus is inviting me to let go of in favor of new wine skins.
Jonah is not a Bible character that we should emulate. His is not an example to follow. God seems to place the story of Jonah in the scriptures first and foremost to demonstrate His heart for the nations - even nations bent on evil.
But there is an important opportunity in the story of Jonah to reflect on our own hearts.
Discovery
Take fifteen minutes to read or listen to the story of Jonah and then answer the following questions:
Feel free to interact with these questions and the E2E community in the comments below.
The heart of God however was to save.
The heart of Jonah was somewhere else, focused on something he thought he was loosing. Something he thought was important but that God didn't think was important. At least not as important as saving the Ninevites.
This particular point in the story has had me thinking lately about the plants in my own life that I elevate above the mission and purposes of God -- the old wine skins that Jesus is inviting me to let go of in favor of new wine skins.
Jonah is not a Bible character that we should emulate. His is not an example to follow. God seems to place the story of Jonah in the scriptures first and foremost to demonstrate His heart for the nations - even nations bent on evil.
But there is an important opportunity in the story of Jonah to reflect on our own hearts.
Discovery
Take fifteen minutes to read or listen to the story of Jonah and then answer the following questions:
- Are there attitudes in our hearts that look more like Jonah than Jesus?
- What can we learn about our own attitudes toward people of other religions or groups (Muslims, Hindus, Buddhists, Animists, LGBTQ, Atheists, ) from the story of Jonah?
- Do we have "plants" in our lives that we are fighting to save that don't have anything to do with the gospel?
Feel free to interact with these questions and the E2E community in the comments below.
