As we take time to look at what God is doing around the world, one of the things we’ve seen emerge is something that’s been called “Disciple Making Movements.” Many people approach Disciple Making Movements as the next new strategy or the latest program that will lead to greater success in making disciples. Others are waiting to see if it is simply another fad that will come and go. Disciple Making Movements’ methodologies and strategies are not new though. They are simply rapidly replicating disciples making disciples.
Two of the people who have participated in, and written extensively about these movements are David Watson, author of Contagious Disciple making and Jerry Trousdale, author of Miraculous Movements.
Here’s an excerpt from a recent conversation with them specifically around the topic of prayer:
If you’re new to the idea of DMM, click here for an intro.
David Watson, author of Contagious Disciple making
DH: What’s the difference between disciples and disciple making?
DW: A disciple is one who finds a leader and takes on philosophy and methodology and then as a disciple they replicate that into others as others are invited into the process.
We sometimes see becoming a disciple as a terminator point and we stop, but Jesus said go and make disciples.
“Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
If you go, but don’t make disciples, the system gets broken. If you go and make disciples, but if you don’t teach them to obey the cycle gets broken. I often see people do one or two or three parts of the great commission, but not getting to the making disciples part. You are not a real disciple if you are not making disciples; that’s the bottom line.
DH: Part of Disciple Making Movements it an intense prayer component. Could you tell us what it means to get serious about prayer?
DW: Most pastors only pray about 15 minutes a day, according to the Pew research. Prayer should be a lifestyle. You need to pray for people, and with people, and you need to develop a network of prayer.
I am a busy person that is running two companies, so for me it takes discipline to keep praying. But you need to pray throughout the day, as you are walking, as you are driving.
We encourage Disciple Making Movement leaders to have a prayer circles of 30 people and if all those people have 30 people and those people do, we have 27,000 people praying!
Prayer is one of the greatest way to build relationship with other people. Most of us touch about 200 people a month and we need to start to praying with those people, and committing to continue to pray with them and get back to them. If I have a conversation with someone, my goal is to move it beyond casual conversation to serious conversation to praying with them.
Watch the full interview with David Watson here.
Jerry Trousdale, author of Miraculous Movements
DH: What is necessary to see more DMMs in the United States?
JT: We see a couple of major challenges for DMM in the United states. Some are reducing the kingdom of God to a metaphor, praying small prayers to an almighty God, keeping ordinary people ordinary, choosing knowledge over obedience, and creating institutions that can’t multiply. Those are five big things that keep movements from happening.
One of the things that it really important is creating a holistic ministry. Most ministries are one dimensional. They are either gospel or they are compassion, obedience or healing. The reality is a healthy movement is always both. It leads with compassion. It’s not a tack-on. It’s compassion because Jesus taught compassion.
One of the other primary things is a focus on prayer. You have to invite the whole church to be a part of it, to live in an awareness of prayer, not as a ritual, but a conversation with God and other people. We have to equip ordinary people to do the impossible, to be comfortable with the Holy Spirit and dialogue with the Holy Spirit expecting him to be your teacher.
DH: What does extraordinary prayer look like?
JT: Typically in our African movements, every church is encouraged to fast 2 meals every Wednesday and then they gather for a prayer meeting. They start each year with 21 days of fasting for the new year. They also have a weekend each month where they’ll do a half night of prayer, starting at eight going until two in the morning. They have houses of prayer in every country. They have in the neighborhood of 10,000 dedicated intercessors that are mobilized in any catastrophic situations.
For you to start, pray and celebrate small victories. Each weekend service find something to celebrate. Then eventually you’ll celebrate large victories. And know you don’t build a prayer ministry overnight; it will take time.
Watch the full interview with Jerry Trousdale here.
If you’re interested in learning more about Disciple Making Movements in the Vineyard, contact David Hinman to get connected.
