Dear Discipleship-first friends,
We are including a very helpful article from Josh Howard today, but I want to start with a pre-amble.
In our desire to witness disciple making in North American like we see it in international disciple making movements (DMM), we can either over-emphasize what is happening in these movements or under-emphasize them. Some people have even asked us to NOT promote what they are doing because it is a special work of God, and it will not work in North America. It is a special revival work of God, they say.
I get what they are saying, but, at the same time, I am praying that God will do here, what he is doing there! Furthermore, even if we do not see true disciple making movements in North America, we are working for disciple making cultures and churches that transform many lives through the reproduction of disciple making (level 4 disciple making, which is reproducing disciple making). This kind of disciple making is found in just under 5% of US churches – and we are working toward the vision of seeing reproducing disciple making cultures in 16% of churches… so, lets learn from Josh Howard and others, as they work to help us all make disciple who make disciples.
-Bobby Harrington, CEO
There’s a question I get asked. A lot.
The question church leaders ask me is, “Josh, why do you think disciple making movements are happening in places like China and India and Africa, but we’re really not seeing them in the West? And what do we need to do differently to start seeing more disciple making movements happen in America?”
When I get asked that question, I don’t have an answer… I have four.
I want to share them with you, and make sure you notice the good news. These four answers aren’t about cultural differences between the East and the West. They’re all biblical practices – things church leaders in the East are doing that we in the West should be doing too. More importantly, they align with God’s heart for His people and His passion for the lost.
By embracing these four practices, we could see greater impact and potentially ignite a movement right here in North America. These steps aren’t just strategies, they’re ways to synchronize our hearts with God’s, to beat in rhythm with His desire for all people to know Him deeply.
1. Cultivate a Radical Prayer and Fasting Culture
In the East, believers are forging deep spiritual connections through extraordinary prayer and fasting practices. Are we ready to match their devotion?
I have been leading a disciple making movement in India for the last decade, and our people have created a radical prayer and fasting culture unlike anything I’ve ever seen. We recently surveyed our best multipliers in India to understand their daily rhythms, and the results were astounding.
Imagine spending 2-3 hours daily in strategic, intentional prayer for the lost. This isn’t just wishful thinking – it’s the reality for our brothers and sisters abroad. Every single one of these multipliers spends at least two to three hours alone with Jesus each day. And it’s not aimless prayer; they’re praying intentionally for lost people by name, for spiritual strongholds to be broken, and for revival to sweep through their cities.
Picture fasting multiple times a week, crying out to God, “Make my city hunger for You as I hunger for food! Make them thirst for you like I thirst for water!” Our multipliers often fast two to three times a week with this level of passion and purpose.
We just don’t see this kind of prayer and fasting culture in the West. Yet, every significant spiritual movement throughout history has started as a prayer movement. When God’s people fall to their knees in fervent connection with the Lord, crying out for His lost children to come home, their prayers begin to echo the very heartbeat of God. In these moments, His power is unleashed, and radical impact becomes inevitable.
Let’s create this prayer and fasting culture in our churches! When we align our hearts with God’s through fervent prayer and fasting, we unlock His power in ways we’ve never seen before. There is no limit to what God will do when His people pray and fast with such devotion and purpose.
2.Become Crazy Farmers of the Gospel
Jesus called us to be extravagant sowers of His truth. Are we ready to scatter the seeds of the Gospel everywhere we go?
Jesus told a parable about a crazy farmer who sows seeds everywhere (see Matthew 13). This farmer throws seeds in his field, on the road, in the thorns, even on the sidewalk. He planted seeds everywhere possible, hoping to get fruit somewhere. Why are disciple making movements happening around the world? Because in those places, Christians have become these crazy farmers. They’re throwing the seeds of the Gospel everywhere and to everyone.
In regions experiencing disciple making movements, believers set weekly goals for Gospel conversations. Our people in India, for instance, are incredibly intentional about sharing Jesus with their friends and family, and actively seeking out those who are far from God. They’re not just waiting for opportunities – they’re creating them, constantly throwing out the seeds of the Gospel.
Why don’t we see more disciple making movements in America? Simply put, we aren’t being crazy farmers. It’s a basic farming principle: your harvest is always in direct proportion to the amount of seeds you sow. Jesus taught us to be these extravagant sowers, scattering the seeds of the Gospel wherever we go. If we want a greater harvest, we need to plant more seeds.
What if, instead of only counting attendance and offerings, we also started counting how many Gospel conversations our people are having with those who are far from Him? What if we invested less time in perfecting every element of our Sunday services, and more in equipping our people to confidently share the Good News?
In parts of the world where disciple making movements are thriving, you’ll find Christians who have fully embraced their identity as ambassadors of Christ. They’re pursuing His mission with everything they have. It’s time for us to do the same in North America. Let’s become crazy farmers, sowing the seeds of the Gospel everywhere we go!
3. Empower, Equip and Release Every Believer
God loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people. Are we ready to unleash the full potential of every disciple?
Years ago, my small team in India faced a daunting challenge: how could we reach a nation of over one billion people? We were stumped until I discovered a book by Ying Kai, which revolutionized our approach. Ying and his wife Grace had moved to South China to start a church, but instead of centralizing efforts, they focused on mobilization and multiplication. Their strategy? Empower every Christian to share the gospel and train every disciple to multiply disciples and churches. The results were staggering – in just ten years, they saw 200,000 churches started and a million people baptized.
This experience reminded me of a profound truth: God loves to do extraordinary things through ordinary people. We know this. We believe this. But too often, we don’t act on it. Instead, we leave the most crucial aspects of ministry in the hands of professionals.
The priesthood of all believers isn’t just a nice theology – it’s a revolutionary strategy for Kingdom expansion. We need to reignite the fire that every single person, regardless of age, gender, or background, is called by God to be a disciple who makes disciples. This isn’t just a role; it’s the core of our identity and purpose.
In thriving disciple making movements, you’ll find Christians who have embraced this calling on a large scale. They’re not waiting for the professionals; they’re out there doing the work themselves. On the other hand, in many Western churches, we see only a few people doing most of the work. That’s not a movement, and it won’t create one.
Remember, Jesus said the harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. The problem has never been the harvest – it’s ready. The problem is that we don’t have enough workers in the field. Many church leaders complain about the lack of harvest, but the real issue is our failure to equip and mobilize our people.
If we truly believe in the priesthood of all believers, if we equip, empower, and release our people with responsibility and authority, we will see a greater harvest. When we genuinely believe in the capacity of every believer to impact their world for Christ, we’ll witness exponential growth.
It’s time to unleash the full potential of every believer! Let’s empower, equip, and release our people into the harvest field. When we do, we won’t just see change – we’ll witness a revolution of love and transformation that will shake our cities and nations to their core. The world is waiting for the extraordinary power of ordinary people, empowered by an extraordinary God!
4.Surrender Control for the Sake of the Kingdom
You can have a movement, or you can have control, but you can’t have both. Are we willing to let go for the sake of God’s greater purpose?
I once heard someone say, “You can have a movement, or you can have control, but you can’t have both.” Through my experiences, I’ve learned the profound truth of this statement.
Why? Because movements are inherently decentralized. They require us to give away authority and power. As the movement spreads, it will inevitably outgrow our ability to brand or control it. If we’re willing to let go, the movement can spread so fast and so wide that our names or brands won’t be attached to everything – and that’s a beautiful thing.
In India, a few of us, by God’s grace, started a movement. Now, there are tens of thousands of people who are part of it without knowing any of our names. This is what happens when we truly surrender control for the sake of the Kingdom.
This surrender requires a fundamental shift in our thinking and priorities. It demands a passion for the big ‘K’ Kingdom, not our little ‘k’ kingdoms. Our focus must be on growing the big ‘C’ Church, not just our local expression with our names attached. We need an absolute commitment to Jesus as King and to seeking His Kingdom first.
Are we ready to sacrifice our names, our agendas, and our desire for control on the altar of God’s greater purpose? Are we willing to let go of our need for recognition and allow God’s movement to spread beyond our reach?
Let’s embrace this paradox: by giving up control, we gain a movement. When we release our grip on power and authority, we open the door for God to move in ways that far exceed our limited vision and capabilities.
It’s time to surrender our control and witness the unleashing of a true disciple making movement. Let’s step back, let God take the lead, and watch in awe as His Kingdom expands beyond our wildest dreams.
The Choice is Yours: Will You Ignite the Movement?
Again, all of this is good news. It’s not that the soil is too hard, the culture too difficult, or the people too broken. Even in the most challenging environments, we would see a great harvest if we embraced these four practices: cultivating a radical prayer and fasting culture, sharing the gospel like crazy farmers, sending out everyone as workers into the harvest field to be Jesus’ witnesses, and willingly releasing control.
If we want to see movements happen in the West, we must turn up the dial in each of these areas. When we do, we’ll see traction. We’ll see fruit. If we want to see God move in a unique way, we need to do something unique.
Dwight L. Moody once said, “The world has yet to see what God can do with one man fully consecrated to him. By God’s help, I aim to be that man.” The question now is: Will you be that man or woman?
Are you willing to be fully surrendered to the Father? To pray and fast like never before? To spread the gospel everywhere and to everyone that you can? To let go of control so you can equip and empower every person to be His workers and His witnesses in the world?
Are you ready to sacrifice – your name, your kingdom, your control, your agenda, your fame – for the sake of the lost and for the spread of His Kingdom?
That’s what makes a movement.
The choice is yours. The time is now. Let’s ignite a disciple making movement that will transform North America and beyond! The world is waiting to see what God will do through people fully consecrated to Him. Will you be one of them?
For King Jesus,
Josh Howard, Director of Vision and Mobilization
Discipleship.org