Training Indigenous Leaders: DMM Leadership Development
“So, what I am wanting is for you to let me know if you all have any local workers in your network with whom I could partner for this UUPG? I am only looking for highly mature, thoroughly tested, thoroughly impervious to temptation, godly ones who know suffering and can take it,” ventured a foreign missionary from another company recently. Interestingly so, he offered no involvement in the process of coming alongside and developing those whom we might know who might feel called to that particular UUPG.
The bit playful part of me wanted to offer the response, “so, what you are looking for is a ready made disciple like the Apostle Paul?” Thankfully, grace and mercy in the nudging of the Holy Spirit’s conviction prevented the above response.
In Matthew 9:37-38, Jesus admonishes the disciples, “The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.”
There are many times where the fruit goes limp or wanting for lack of harvesters in UPG areas. You too, if you were serving in an Unreached People Group, most likely would concur.
We come from a society, in western culture, broad strokes wise, where instant gratification is the norm. Whatever we desire can either be acquired, desired, or inspired by all that is available in our day. Fast food, drive through, is main course for millions. Our western cultures crave the satisfaction of every longing, every impulse. We want information, just the sound bites, not the depths. And we want whatever we want instantaneously. Not later, not in a process. At least, that would be the tendency of my flesh, maybe not yours.
Not so, the process of the development of disciple-makers in the Disciple Making Movements process or in any ministry approach really. When you start from scratch, many times you can feel shredded by the process of pouring into others’ lives. But then again that is what we do as disciples of the Lord Jesus: we make reproducing disciples. We need to follow the patterns Jesus laid forth in selecting others whom we pour the Christ life into. Faithful, available, teachable ones are the ones whom God led Paul to disciple. Select well, by the Holy Spirit’s leading.
In the DMM process, we often start with the lump of clay. That pretty much sums up the condition of each of our hearts before God molds us into Christ-likeness displays, obedience based followers, and worship thirsty disciple-makers. He is about Himself being made famous through us, his desired vessels of honor. His honor.
Much to the consternation of many a western culture background missionary that is a long process. Discipleship of oikos and the respective indigenous facilitators/leaders of them is a messy deal. Be assured that there are no ready-made trained disciple-makers in UPG areas.
The Apostle Paul was not ready made, lest we forget that transformational power of the Holy Spirit reality. That is precisely one of the main reasons why these groups remain Unreached. There are few going to them. Even those near culture Christians have various bondage areas, which need the redemptive power of Christ in order to walk in freedom and to become vessels of honor. Isn’t that true of each of us?
Shy not from the process of disciple-making with those whom God is raising up in the near culture laborers alongside the indigenous Persons of Peace (Luke 10-POP’s) and their respective oikos.
Discovery Bible Study (DBS) style disciple-making helps to reduce patron-client dependences, which are rampant in Asian cultures. I love that reality. I love that from the get go, as we partner with the Holy Spirit and God’s Word, we invite others to become effective in facilitating others and themselves to engage with ABBA in this way. As they become those who desire to be obedient worshipers of Jesus then the DNA can be set, which can then birth the development of Apostle Paul types.
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