How Do You Begin a Reproducing Disciplemaking Movement?
There is an old Chinese saying, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." I am often asked,
“How can I grow a disciplemaking movement in my ministry/church?”
My answer: Start one MicroGroup.
Why do I go there? Behind the question is an attitude. How can I grow disciples fast? How can I spread the infection of disciplemaking to get immediate results?
My answer can be initially deflating. The question most likely is coming from someone who is seeing the wisdom of what can happen in a MicroGroup for accelerating transformation and multiplication.
Common mistakes
How can we get a lot of these groups going simultaneously? One of the common mistakes for growing disciples is that we want to take shortcuts.
"Let’s announce a new program. You all sign up for this new small group container called MicroGroups. Adopt this curriculum. Within a year we will have hundreds of participants."
My advice to pastors is to start one group.
- Get a feel for the dynamic.
- Live into the experience.
- Start by praying that God will lead you to those whom you can invite.
- Gather around a mutual covenant.
- Internalize the value of transparency.
- Experience the power of shared insight around Scripture.
- Pray for each other’s shortcomings.
- Ask the Lord to bring people to Christ in your network of relationships.
- Seek together that each may discern their God-ordained unique call to service.
You can't give what you don't have
You have to experience it yourself first. This is not a program. This is not a class and "I'm done."
It is only as you have lived this reality from the inside out that you are ready to commend this approach to others. If all goes well, this first group will become 4 new groups after a year plus. Then in the next year or so, this initial group will have multiplied into 12-16 groups.
This is true for all who participate. This lived reality becomes the basis for the disciplemaking movement.
Start small, go slow, think BIG
This is why we use the mantra “Start small, go slow, think BIG.” It takes a “long obedience in the same direction” to a see a disciplemaking movement emerge. Effective leaders stay the course over time.
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