In our post on “Building Your Multiplication Process”, we mentioned that we intentionally built processes into our various group gatherings so that the believers will be constantly reminded and enabled to “pass it on” to others. Multiplication will be built into all our environments.
One of the tools we mentioned was the “3 Thirds Process” developed by Ying Kai during his time in China. (See his book, T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution). Kai sought to build a church culture that would expect multiplication to happen. He also wanted to develop a system that would make it simple to pass on. To build this culture and this system, Ying Kay developed what he called the 3 Thirds process.
Notice that this model is not a specific curriculum for the Bible portion of a Bible study. Rather, it is a well-rounded process used in… Read the whole post
Category: Training Page 2 of 27
The right materials and methods won’t result in multiplication unless we have developed an intentional process designed to multiply.
A long process of learning
I was speaking to a group of missionaries in Asia about developing a ministry of multiplying disciple-makers. I was telling them how we had developed a process in our church plant where we were making disciples who make disciples who make disciples. At that point, one of the missionaries asked me how long it took us to develop that process.
I didn’t exactly know how to answer that question. After all, it was a cumulation of learning things over the years and of trying and developing methods and processes.
Collecting the right tools
During 33 years as a church planter, I was constantly looking for or modifying or developing materials to be more effective… Read the whole post
Building your multiplication process starts with understanding what it takes. It was my personal goal that everyone in our church could help plant a new church in the future. For that to happen, we needed to discover or develop methods that would be transferable. We needed a process that would enable all the members to join the work of making disciples.
As we try to build a growth track for making, growing, and equipping disciples, it is helpful to clarify the stages it normally takes for a person to go from being “lost and unconnected” to becoming the mature and fruitful disciple God wants. Of course, each person grows in a unique way. But there normally is a sequence of stages of spiritual growth as a person moves from “lost and unconnected” to becoming a 3M disciple (maturing, ministering, and multiplying).… Read the whole post
A legitimate question
When I first began leading our Member Orientation Program more than 10 years ago, I seldom, if ever, had to defend its legitimacy. All new missionaries assumed that they would need to go through the pre-field training program before leaving for their place of assignment. In fact, one of our greatest struggles was to convince new missionaries and their coaches that they should wait to enroll in Member Orientation until they had raised more of their support. The primary question was “When?”. When do I get to go to MOP? As we began conducting the training in the Philippines as well as in Michigan, a secondary question then became “Where?”. Where will I complete this training?
But in more recent years, the questions have been different. Now we are dealing with the question of “Why?”. Why do I need to go through this particular pre-field training program? It is a legitimate question.
A desire for customization
On the one hand, it reflects a desire for greater flexibility and customization of the pre-field training process. We live in a world where we can customize our sandwich and coffee. Amazon allows us to choose not only the type but the color of our earbuds. People naturally resist the assumption that one size fits all. Why do I need to travel to Michigan (or the Philippines) when my church or another organization I know also offers training for missionaries? Do I need to go through the entire pre-field training program? Could you allow me to choose the modules I think are most important for me. Maybe I don’t even need to go through a pre-field training program. Maybe I could just learn what I need to know along the way, from other missionaries, and online through Google searches.
A desire to avoid duplication
On the other hand, the “Why?” question reflects the desire to avoid duplication of previous training. Some of our new missionaries have earned academic degrees or at least credits in missiological studies. Others have had extensive experience in various types of short-term or long-term cross-cultural ministry. Those who are coming to our mission organization from one of our partner mission agencies have often gone through a significant period of training with the partner mission prior to joining SEND. Why do these people still need additional training from SEND?
Photo by Parabol | The Agile Meeting Toolbox on Unsplash
We all want to see progress in our work. As disciples of Jesus, we long to see people’s lives change as they encounter Christ and his Word. We want to see churches planted, and then see those churches grow in size and in their impact on their community. But maybe we should be looking first of all for progress within ourselves.
I have been a cross-cultural worker for more than 35 years. I believe that I have changed and grown in those three and a half decades. But do others see it as well? A few years ago a colleague told me that I led differently than I had in the past. I believe he said I had become a gentler leader. That was very encouraging for I realized that he had observed progress in me in areas that I really wanted to grow. It was also a reminder that I had not always been the type of leader that I wanted to be. Yes, growth was visible – but growth had also been necessary!
Paul’s charge to Timothy
In Paul’s first letter to his younger protégé, Timothy, he challenges him in a somewhat startling way:
15 Be diligent in these matters; give yourself wholly to them, so that everyone may see your progress. 16 Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.1 Timothy 4:15–16 – NIV (2011)
Paul wants Timothy to show progress in certain “matters”. What are these matters that Paul is referring to? The context makes it clear that Paul is talking about Timothy’s own ministry within the church. “Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you” (1 Tim 4:13-14). When Paul is talking about progress, he is not primarily referring to growth within the church, i.e. number of people saved, baptized or attending services. No, he is talking about growth in Timothy himself. “Your progress” is second person singular. The progress Paul desires is progress in the way that Timothy practices his ministry.