Getting from a Disciple-making Dream to a DMM Reality

Some years ago, the part of YWAM I led had 100 teams and about 9000 believers in the churches those teams had started. We had many workers and churches, but we were not seeing Disciple-making Movements (DMMs). There were no organic, rapidly multiplying rabbit churches to be found!

We had taught and prayed for years and years about multiplication, disciple-making, and church planting movements.  But we had never really experienced one.  Only a few teams had second-generation growth and none of them had gone beyond the 3rd generation of churches starting churches.

A Disciple-Making Movement: Dream or Disappointment?

Believe me, when I say I’ve experienced deep disillusionment in pursuing a rapidly growing Disciple-making Movement among the unreached!  There were many times when I thought it was impossible and that DMMs were something others would see but not for us.

A few years later, there were about 140 teams. In 114 places those teams had seen at least one 4th generation fellowship!  Total believers grew to around 33,000 and were continuing to increase.

What changed? 

How did we move from disillusionment with disciple-making movements as an idea (often a much-taught, but failed idea) to DMMs as a growing reality in our work?

First, we got desperate.  Then, we made significant changes.

I was reading my Bible one day.  I read the passage in Matthew 23 where Jesus talks about hypocrisy.  One verse stood out on the page as I read. It was almost as if it was pulsing or glowing. Ever had that happen when you read the Bible? Take note. God is wanting to speak to you!

“So you must be careful to do everything they tell you. But do not do what they do, for they do not practice what they preach.”

(Matt. 23:3)

Hypocrisy Defined

In this verse, Jesus is defining hypocrisy.

“Am I a hypocrite?” I asked myself.  “Do I teach and train about rapidly multiplying movements of Jesus followers but not practice or experience it?  Am I all talk and no reality?“

“Oh, God!”  I cried out.  “What has to change inside of me?  What has to change in my organization?  We simply can’t keep going this way…talking, and talking, and talking, about multiplication but not experiencing it!”

4 Factors That Helped Us See Disciple Making Movements Happen

1) The change started with me.

Bottom line, as the leader, I had to be willing to model growth.  I had to stop saying, “I’m not a good evangelist.” I had to model a lifestyle that showed I believed the harvest was ripe around me. I had to stop being an “expert” who didn’t personally make disciples myself.  I had to change my priorities to make room in my schedule to personally start a Discovery Bible Study/T4T group.

2 ) We had to let go of old systems that weren’t working anymore.

We were willing to re-evaluate everything, and I mean EVERYTHING we did in disciple-making.  If it wasn’t bearing fruit, we asked God if we should drop it or how to change it.  This made a lot of people angry.  We had to be willing to give up the systems and training methods we had emphasized before.  This made space for the new things God was releasing.

3) We examined our Disciple Making Movement beliefs (not the ones on paper, but those our practical behavior revealed)

We went through a process (with a group of other leaders) of looking carefully at our beliefs and assumptions about Disciple-making Movements and church planting.  We then intentionally embraced “New Beliefs” based on God’s Word.  I now call these mindsets and have written about them in my book The Multiplier’s Mindset: Thinking Differently About Discipleship. We shared these new beliefs with our teams and grassroots workers, helping them to understand and own these new ways of thinking. This was a lengthy but critical process. It is still ongoing.

4) We start tracking different Disciple Making Movement indicators.

Another change we made, was what we tracked and reported.  We wanted to see multiplying generations of disciples.  We wanted to see at least 4 new generations of discipleship groups within several years.  We started asking those questions on our annual team reports.  Together with this, we added making generation charts in our training.  It made a major difference. We value what we report on and track. If we care about multiplication, we need to track and see if it is happening or not.

If you have read this far, you must be like I was…wanting to see a DMM, but not yet seeing what you are deeply longing for.  That is not an easy place to be.  The frustration and disappointment can threaten to overwhelm and cancel out the desire God placed in our hearts for His Kingdom to multiply.

May I encourage you, as someone who has been there? It doesn’t have to stay that way.  God wants to see DMMs released through your organization, in your city, village, and among the people, you work with. Don’t give up on the dream.

Look back through the 4 points above.  Choose one or two that stood out to you. 

How could you apply that change factor to your current situation?

Spend a moment and talk to God about it.  Commit to Him what He is putting in your heart.  Then tell one other person about your commitment to change before today is over.

Change begins today.  Change starts with you.  Movements of disciples wait to be released through you and your team or organization. I’m believing with you for more and would love to come alongside you in practical help. Our online courses, coaching, and community may be part of getting unstuck. Write to us if you’d like to know more about that, or go to our website to find out when a cohort or training begins near you.