President's Blog

A few years back our Fellowship International department made a paradigm shift in the way we are challenging and training our global missionaries to do mission. I believe we can learn a lot in Canada from the disciple-making movement (DMM) principles being adopted for ministry by our missionaries.

Here are the core principles, values and behaviours of DMMs:

DMM Overview of the 10 Guiding Principles

1. What you win them with, is what you win them to.
   • Each group is a place in which the conviction of the Holy Spirit is experienced at a personal level through engagement with the Word of God in the context of a small group of seekers/learners
   • The Word of God is the foundation. Confidence in the Word is established and matured, and Scripture is the gateway for establishing the priesthood of believers.
2. Dependency on God.
   • Prevailing prayer – significant prayer teams are established by the missionary. “Apart from me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

3. Find people of peace.
4. Church function without church form – establish impact groups.
   • Gratitude which leads to worship
   • Support which leads to intercession
5. Knowledge is subservient to practice.
   • Obedience-based Bible study done in a DBS (Discovery Bible Study)
   • Utilize a simple, repeatable pattern to follow each week
     • Write out the passage
     • Write out the passage in your own words
     • Basic questions that reinforce the Gospel:
       • Who is God?
       • What does He do?
       • Who is humanity?
       • What do I do?
       • Three “I will statements” are asked at the conclusion of the study that demonstrate practice/obedience

6. Priesthood of the believer.
   • God uses His Word to speak to us, we do not require a teacher to prepare what we must learn each week
7. Nascent evangelism.
   • Plan to share; who do I know that would benefit from knowing what I have learned?
8. Discipled to conversion (rather than convert and then disciple).
   
   
9. Accountability.
   • the following week the DBS the group facilitator asks forms of these questions:
     1. Tell the group about your “I wills” from the last study
     2. Did it work?
     3. Why or why not did you get it done? (hindrances)
     4. Did you attempt to share what you learned with anyone? How did that go?
        • Then the above pattern is followed
10. New groups are formed rather than adding people to existing groups.
    Note: It is highly recommended that believers and seekers not be mixed since believers seem unable to resist teaching seekers. It is recommended that the group initiator meet with anyone who has additional questions at a separate time and place.

Some food for thought when thinking about how to reach Canada with the Gospel. New approaches are needed if we are gong to reach thousands, rather than dozens, for Christ.