DMM/CPM: Finding Els; Even in the Admin

Finding Els; Even in the Admin

DMM is not everything, everything is not DMM. God’s glory IS everything, but not in everything does God get the glory.

If spiritual gifts were to be a periodic cattle call to be assigned, I am pretty sure that I would not have raised my hand when the Lord was passing out the spiritual gift of admin. Thankfully, as in accordance to how He plans to use each of us, I have increased in my deep admiration of those who are highly gifted in this area.

The recent Women2Women (W2W) DMM Training Level 1, held in ME region of world, found me in that familiar territory of need to increase my abilities in the area of admin. Gratefully, I saw how beautifully the Lord walked through that one of many pieces of the process of what it is to lead these trainings. The part I loved was the privilege of designing the week, facilitating lessons, and helping others to coach/and/or facilitate lessons more effectively. The coaching team was fantastic. The trainees were “all-in”. The implementation of the DMM training is the key. The training bit is easy to walk through. It is in the actual trust in the Lord to do what He promises in our respective UPGs in the launch of cascading movements that will matter.

After the time of pre-training coaching meetings, I was to meet with the tour company’s representative on site, Els. She was there to help with the hotel logistics. We enjoyed a breakfast time together.  Knowing that she is a ME Muslim, I had asked the HS to move in her heart ahead of time. After three hours of sweet time together, we had discussed the areas of “shame” and what Allah has planned for those whom He created. We discussed the straight and true way which Allah has given in Isa Al Masih. She was intrigued. We also did a shortened version of the first prophet story from the Old Testament DBS/DG (Discovery Bible Study/Discovery Group) together, in oral format. I invited her to meet with another friend of mine who could walk her and her husband and other family members through another story. She indicated that she desired to talk more about Allah’s ways in Isa.

I have handed over her contact to a colleague from that city area.

Els is just one of those “admin” category necessary meetings which need to reflect a desire to see the HS move, even in these potentially “draining” handling of the details of what we are called to.

Els wants to be found. POPs want to be found. Lifestyle searching for POPs, empowered by the Holy Spirit is essential.

CPM: Whatever It Takes, For However Long it Takes

'Til They Know True Worship

Whatever It Takes, For However Long It Takes
by RA-Act Beyond www.beyond.org 

In the CPM approach we like to ask the tough questions, "Whatever it takes to see this UPG come to Christ, are we willing to be and do?" It is in our experience that far more panoramic in the process of trusting God to see Him launch a CPM is the need to also consider the question, " are we willing to be and do whatever it takes, for however long it takes?"

During our time among the SaSumBi, we have seen 80 expat Missionaries, as well as 20 local missionaries, who have come and gone over a span of 25 years among these UPGs. There have been divisions (6+ team breakups), 3 deaths while serving here, marriage issues, sexual purity issues, selfish ambition issues, fear issues, to name a few of the reasons for their departures. However, it is in the evaluation of these departures where we submit all to the Sovereign hand of God. Some left for seemingly preventable reasons while others left because of their obedience to do so as the Father led them to depart to other foci. Some just flat out gave way to not taking care to guard their own hearts as Joshua was commanded by the Father to instruct the Israelites as they prepped to take Jericho, "But if you do not drive out the inhabitants of the land, those you allow to remain will become barbs in your eyes and thorns in your sides. They will give you trouble in the land where you will live".-Number 33:55

In our observation, this instruction is relevant as we consider longevity among the UUPGs/UPGs in the process of trusting God to see the launch of CPMs. If we take care to understand what the bondage areas of captivity are for the UPGs we focus upon then we can garner strengthening to our own hearts to be honest as regard to our own vulnerabilities to the same. 

We have seen a strong spirit of divisiveness, a spirit of fear, oppressive behaviors, hostility, selfish ambition, bullying be the norm in these UPGs. Among the Missionaries who have come and gone, these tendencies have occurred, in not all, but in several cases. 

This caution for longevity is the difference between being a cautionary tale or being an example to emulate. 

RA-Act Beyond

CPM Thrillers: Leveraging Short Terms for CPM

Leveraging Short Term Teams for CPM Long Term Impact

“Which of you ladies would like to go first in sharing with our Muslim taxi driver your personal story of God’s story in your life?”, turning to two of the six guests who had just arrived from 45 hours of travel to our island.

Whenever we host a short term team, we also have them agree to six weeks worth of pre-field CPM intro and practical preparation to implement in their home area beforehand.

The two women jumped in immediately, though tired, they knew these were the few moments of a 10 day trip in which to trust God to be useful to the long term CPM efforts among these UPGs.

Injections of specified meds at much needed moments in the life of a hospital patient are intended to produce the desired effect.

In the same way, short-term teams, if planned in a strategic way, can be leveraged to actually inject a necessary ingredient to the long-term efforts.

After the women shared their personal stories of how God drew them to Himself, the taxi driver became engaged in wanting to discuss the straight and true way of God, made known through Jesus Christ.

I offered for this man to meet with my husband in order to dig into the stories of the prophets who point the way to know God. 

CPM: To Infinity and Beyond

4th Generation and Beyond

4g+ by Stan Parks

This post comes from a series of conclusions of a group of 38 key CPM trainers who are  working all over the world and are connected to over 80 CPMs. These conclusions are  good clues as to what the Holy Spirit is doing around the world in these movements. As you read each post, use these as opportunities prayerfully to evaluate your own ministry. Closing: The group took some time to write down thoughts on MOST IMPORTANT things heard   A lot about “letting go” – not all groups, disciples, leaders, will reproduce so let some go.  Investing deeply in those we work with – to relationship with God, family, workers, character issues. Mentoring not only “giving” but mentor is also receiving info and being vulnerable to those he is mentoring. Multiplying “nurture”.  Avoid slowing down reproduction - mentor new mentors to equip next generations        Matt 10:8 - real disciple freely receives & freely gives creating a counter-traditional Christian culture      5.   Importance of graphing out what is going on - evaluating and diagnosing for growth      6.  We all start out ministries with high levels of intentionality, but we don’t always adjust the machine        as it works out into the future.  We must keep that level of intentionality.  We should not “coast” on a        system established.

CPM: Let It Rain

“If only we could have rain for our crops then my people would not suffer  common hunger pangs,” Ibu Lurah (county leader) expressed. After a stick fighting exhibition in this Muslim woman’s local area, she declared her shepherding heart for the aches of a drought ridden region of SaSumBi.  Our short term Luke 10 team postured themselves to listen to what the Father would reveal regarding breakthroughs needed. 

We also asked the Lord to lead us to Persons of Peace, those who are spiritually seeking and would open their households to His message. The men in the group walked through the rice barns in the community while the gals in our group came alongside the women. The quick tour of their community exposed the unique challenges physically. 

At this point, I felt prompted to ask the Lurah’s wife if we could pray over their area in the name of Isa Al Masih? We had already identified ourselves as His followers in the beginning of our time with these women. They readily received these prayers as we offered in the matchless Name of Jesus that He would bring the rain, as well as bring His reign. I offered stories from the Taurat, Zabur, and Injil for our next meeting and asked them to gather their households when we return. Lord, let it rain. Let is reign.

CPM: POP Hunting

CPM: POP Hunting

POP Hunting An expat colleague on our island shared with me how she wanted to be trained in the search for POPs. I met with her and trained her in just 2 beginning tools for approaching others. As we spent the afternoon trusting the HS for finding POPs the Lord led us to a group of family members of a Haji Pilgrim. They had escorted their relative to his/her departure for Mecca. We sat down with this group and exchanged introductions and backgrounds. My friend had watched me as I engaged the first group of Muslims and offered the DBS stories to their group. At that first earlier encounter I took the lead as per my friend’s request. This next group we engaged were quite chatty. I engaged them with a few approaches and thus identified ourselves as followers of Nabi Isa. To which they exclaimed, “Oh, you are both Muslims?!” To which we responded no, “But Allah is in pursuit of the hearts of men who are in pursuit of Him, are you all those who long to follow the Sirratol Mustaquim?”  I then offered for my friend, with her permission, to tell a story from the Taurat, Zabur, Injil (books of Moses, Psalms, gospels). We prefaced this story with the request that they in turn share a story of significance to their hearts. My friend shared the story of the women who touched the hem of Jesus’ garment. Their Haji male leader responded with a story from the Koran regarding Soloman. After we exchanged stories I asked him if my husband and I could come to visit he and his household and share more stories from the Taurat, Zabur, Injil. He responded. I gathered his cell phone number and made plans to have my husband contact him for follow up.