“Inspire All” An Interview with An Indian Movement Leader

Recently, I had the privilege of sitting down for a conversation with the leader of a growing movement in India. Knowing my readers would not have that same opportunity, I decided to record our conversation and share it with my readers.

C. Anderson: How did you begin your disciple-making work?

Movement Leader: We began by doing prayer walks, visiting the many unreached villages nearby. For three months all we did was pray. We then began to distribute tracts and share the good news with those who expressed interest.

We met one lady who had a twelve-year-old son who had run away from home. She was deeply distressed about her son and asked us to pray that he would come back. Two days later, he returned home! She was so grateful to the Lord. As we shared the gospel more fully with her, she put her faith and trust in Jesus for His salvation.

C. Anderson: That is amazing. So, through that you started the first church?

Movement Leader: Yes, we started a fellowship in the street in front of her house. God began to move in powerful ways. Many people were delivered from evil spirits and healed. After eight months, two people decided to obey Jesus’ command and take baptism. Shortly after, twelve more people also decided to take that step. We then trained those local believers to share the gospel with others. They would take many tracts with them, carrying them in a basket on their heads. They were so excited to share the good news with others. Believers walked ten to twenty kilometers. They shared Jesus’ love and power everywhere they went. Even one seventy-five-year-old lady joined the local believer’s evangelism team!

C. Anderson: It seems that prayer, healing and deliverance played a significant role. And that you immediately started training the believers to share with others.

Movement Leader: Yes, we taught them to look in each village for a Person of Peace. When we found them, we began a church in their home. In this way, we started many first-generation churches.

C. Anderson: Tell me how it moved from first generation groups, to seeing multiple generations.

Movement Leader: Before, we didn’t really know much about how to multiply groups. For 10-15 years we mostly started cell groups and did our best to raise up elders. We only started seven churches. Then, we heard about how to start a church planting movement or DMM. We learned how to equip every believer to start new groups using simple teaching and stories. We understood that everyone must be involved and do something to make disciples. We began to cast vision and inspire all of the believers to become disciple-makers.

It was then that we began to see multiplication. This was much easier for me! I didn’t have to go to all the villages myself, I could train and disciple them to reach their own people. If I find someone, I train them, then they can go and start a new church.

In 1994 there were only .040 Christians in our area. Now it is 8% Christian! I coach and inspire people.

C. Anderson: It has been wonderful to see how much things have changed and the rapid growth of recent years. Have you experienced persecution or opposition?

Movement Leader: God’s power is much greater than any other power. I remember the story of Shadrach, Meschach, and Abednego. The fire could not harm them. When we have a zeal for God, He is with us in the fire and it cannot harm us. We need to show people that the power of God is greater. I preached in many places where people tried to kill me, but they couldn’t touch me. Get into God’s presence and spend hours and hours with him. Then the enemy cannot do anything against you.

C. Anderson: Tell us about how you developed your prayer life into what it is today?

Movement Leader: In 1974 I was in sixth grade. I got a Bible and began to read it. I tried to follow what it said. Then I met a Pentecostal lady and she taught me how to pray and fast. I started with ten minutes. Soon I began to fast every Friday. Slowly I increased my prayer time and the days I fasted. Since that time, I have never missed a day of prayer. I worked up to praying one hour a day, then two, then three. Now I pray four hours every day and fast every Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.

C. Anderson: That is a lot of time in prayer. How do you structure your prayer time?

Movement Leader: When I pray, I start with praise and worship, then I pray Bible verses. I pray for the nations and for the world. I pray for revival in my own nation and for the lost around me. I pray for those in my churches and those I am training. I pray for my Lost and Saved list as you taught us. I pray until I feel satisfied that I’ve seen breakthrough and God is releasing answers. I finish my prayer time, take my bath and then look at my planner, who I am going to meet, train, coach or what I need to do. This is my daily habit.

In talking with this leader, it was easy to see that prayer was a major key to what was happening in this region. Many disciple-makers were being trained and new churches planted through local people. It was also clear that the power of God was demonstrated through signs and wonders. The combination of prayer, demonstrations of the Kingdom and the T4T/DMM model were yielding amazing fruit!

What stood out to you from what this movement leader said? What will you apply in your own disciple-making efforts? Let me know in the comments below or join the DMM Facebook Group.