Here’s a story from the draft to my next book. I’m looking forward to catching up with Nathan and Lipok in India next week.

It’s early Sunday morning. Lipok and Nathan are traveling down the mighty Brahmaputra River to visit the believers among the Mising people of Assam, a state in northeastern India. They travel by ferry and then on the dirt roads of an island that is home to 300,000 people.

The Mising people live along the fertile riverbeds of the Brahmaputra, which they regard as holy.

They live in thatched houses raised on stilts that provide protection from floodwaters during the rainy season and from wild animals during the dry season. When the floodwaters rise, the Mising pack up their few possessions and move across the river or downstream where stilts have already been erected.

The Mising deal with annual floods, malaria and water-borne diseases. yet they continue to live along the banks and tributaries of their beloved Brahmaputra River.
Lipok and Nathan have been working with the Missing people for three years; they teach them to follow Jesus and make disciples up and down the river system that is their world. One local worker has started three hundred churches in his “stream.” He can go where Western personnel and funding can never reach.

When the Mising church gathers there is no printed order of service and no powerpoint presentations. No one receives a salary, and they don’t need a church budget. A permanent building would be useless along the flood prone Brahmaputra River. The Mising believers’ guide for church is Acts 2:38—47.

They begin a meeting by confessing their sins and repenting. They baptize new believers outside in the river. They teach the word of God, celebrate the Lord’s Supper, and pray for the sick. They share their needs with each other and, if possible those needs are dealt with immediately through a gift or offer of help. Worship flows out of a response to God’s word. They finish by reminding one another of the gospel and by committing to go out and share before the sun sets that day.

A story like that of the Mising believers reminds us that our experience of church shaped by the world we live in. It also helps us think about what essentials all followers of Jesus share across time and different cultures.

I was asked recently to speak at a church gathering of people recovering from drug and alcohol additions.       

The safe thing to do would have been to pull out one of my well worn messages. Instead I took a risk. I broke people into groups of three to five and told them to read the story of Jesus and the woman at the well (John 4:1-42). Then I asked them to close their bibles and see how much of the story they could remember.

Over the next thirty minutes I fed the groups a series of questions to help them engage with the scriptures and apply it to their lives. The room was full of energy. Finally we came back together and I had the groups tell me what the story meant and how they were going to obey what they had learned.

I could have preached a good message on this passage and told them what to do. We would have arrived at the same place, the same essential truths. But now they had a simple method of learning from the scriptures that could be easily passed on to others. Now they owned for themselves the insights they had gained. Now they had a group of people who could asked them the following week, “How did you go obeying what you learned?” “Who did you tell the story to?”

I enjoy preaching and teaching. I normally get encouraging responses to my messages. I have a calling to preach and to teach. But no movement can spread in breadth and depth by relying on guys like me with theological degrees. Jesus made sure his message was memorable and would be passed on by ordinary people to others. The word of God is a dynamic force that changes lives. It cannot be confined a Sunday morning sermon or a carefully controlled bible study. Somehow the word will break out and find its way to where people are in their homes, in the streets, in cafes and colleges, in workplaces.

At the heart of lifelong discipleship must be a simple method of discovery bible study that leads to obedience. The method must be simple enough that a new disciple can quickly pick it up and pass it on.

In most situations, it is best to start with two or three (or more). Try and reach a community, not just an individual … This gives the meeting a sense of community from the beginning. Jesus discipled people in groups, and it is the best way to learn. It is the Rabbi and his group of his disciples. It is important to understand this when understanding how Jesus created followers.

The DBS also has the power of accountability and multiplication.

Three letters A-B-C

A. Ask

Ask what has been good this week? Its important to be specific. Not “how are you”. “What has been good for you?” forces people to say the good things that have happened. This then is the basis of thanking God. This teaches people to praise and thank God.

Then ask what has been difficult, bad or challenging this week. This forms the basis of prayer for needs, as you pray for needs, whatever they are this allows the space for God to break through and do a miracle.

Then Pray, thanking God for what is good, and praying for the needs. Keep the prayers simple, easy and to the point. As quick as possible get others praying. Make your own prayers really simple, so it doesn’t sound religious or ‘professional’. This helps new disciples overcome the intimidation of learning how to pray. It’s important to teach people how to pray, with others, out aloud. It’s an important part of making a disciple.

B. Bible.

From the beginning the aim is to teach self discovery. To not rely on a teacher, but to understand that the Bible, with the Holy Spirit as revealer is sufficient. Here is the system.

Self discovered truth that is applied by the person stays with the person. It sticks. It is their truth. It is personal and owned. Jesus did this a lot in his discipleship. He asked the disciples ‘Who do men say that I am?’ … and ‘Who do you say that I am?’ and ‘Well done, flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my father in heaven’. Why didn’t Jesus just tell them? Why didn’t he just say from the beginning ‘Hey guys, I am the Messiah, the Son of the living God!’ No, he let the process of discovery happen over time, he let it come by revelation from his Father, he allowed people to go through a process to discover who he was. This is the same goal and process of the DBS discipleship process.

First choose a Scripture that is simple, not too long and to the point.

A story or narrative is good. I have pasted 20 lesson plans below that has been devised for Muslims. A good place to start. Feel free to chop and change this, or study a scripture that is applicable to peoples questions and context. Pasted below are long passages, so the idea is to select a smaller passage out of these chapters. So for the first lesson, for example, I would focus on Gen 1:26 – 28

Read the scripture.

If the person is bi-lingual, read it aloud in their language then reread it in English. If they are not not bi-lingual, it is good to read it and then re-read it.

Then retell the story.

This is important as it cements the story in our minds. The retelling of the story should be a group affair. One person can attempt to re-tell the story, and others can chip in and add to the picture. In this way the story is painted by the group.

Then ask ‘so what?’

The key is for the leader (you) not to jump in to quickly and teach! Let them think, and talk. What do they see in scripture? Don’t be afraid of awkward silences. If they ask you to explain, turn it around by asking them what do they think? Sometimes it is good to simply be quiet, and let them come up with the answers. This is very hard to do, as we are so used to providing all the answers, but the key discipline for this process. The key in this process is self discovery. The teachers job is to give space for the person to learn. To put in their own words what they see. You have to trust the Holy Spirit!

You can ask and prompt with questions like… ‘What does this say about God?’ ‘What does this say about us?’, ‘Are there areas you are bothered by?” What do you like?’

If you are talking more than the disciple, then you are talking too much. You know if you are being successful if the other person is talking more than you.

Keep it centred on scripture.

If the person is veering off course, bring it back to scripture by saying ‘Where do you see that in this scripture?’

C Commit to obey.

The third part of this process is to ground the talk into obedience steps. Jesus described making disciples as ‘teaching people to obey everything I have commanded you.’ We often miss the words ‘to obey’. Our discipleship processes are often knowledge based and not obedience/action based. There is key difference. The question is ‘So what will you do about this?’ This becomes the obedience step. Let the person come up with their own commitment. It might be something like ‘I need to respect people’.. Or I need to be thankful’. Or something very specific, like ‘I need to stop shouting at my kids!’ Whatever it is , it needs to be listened to and respected. It is ok if it simple application. When someone commits to obey, truth that has come via scripture and revelation, in this process, becomes lived, personal and owned.

Finally the last key is to ‘tell someone this week what you are learning’. So sharing and multiplication is built into discipleship from day one. Even before they ‘get saved’ they start spreading what they have been learning. It’s all about making disciples from the beginning that multiply. Talk about who they are going to share with…

So it’s as simple as ABC. It begins with worship and thanksgiving. Then Scripture is the centre, the teacher empowers the person, and doesn’t have all the answers. The disciple discovers the truth in the Word, and learns to obey and share with others from day one.

Our focus is making disciples, allowing for salvation to come through that process, rather than the traditional way of trying to get someone ‘saved’ (Usually say the sinners prayer) and then discipling them. It takes time, we are not in a hurry.

In this process, we are letting people discover God’s story, the big picture. It is about reshaping peoples world view around this new world view. A biblical world view. This is important. For Hindu’s, Muslims, Buddhists and now most Aussies, they need to rediscover God’s story.

This method is simple, but very powerful. Thousands of churches have been planted through this methodology. It is sometimes so simple that people walk by it and miss its power. I believe it is the best discipleship process I have seen. It’s worth trying a few times and not giving up to quickly on it. There will be great times and other times where it does not seem to work. Keep at it, I am convinced it will bear fruit.

And all this should be easily done in under 2 hours!

I’m having fun these days doing Discovery Bible Studies (DBS) with people who want to know more about Jesus.

This week I met with a twenty something professional. We’re working through Matthew’s Gospel. That wasn’t my plan, somehow we started in Genesis and jumped to Matthew. The guy is out of control. We’re meant to read one story at a time. He’s devouring great slabs of Matthew and bringing his questions.

I’m trying not to be the expert. I want him to discover truth for himself. I also want him to begin obeying what he’s learning. After we’d talked for an hour I asked him, “From everything that you’ve read so far in Matthew, what stands out? What has got your attention?” He didn’t need to think long about the answer—”Forgiveness.”

There were tears as he shared a very personal episode in his life, and the struggle he had to move on.

I said, “That’s what God wants to do in your life. That’s what you need to talk to him about this week.”

At that point we’d moved on from ideas and apologetics, to applying God’s word to his life. He hasn’t made a commitment to Christ yet, but he is learning what it means to be a disciple.

I want you to know that I’m not a natural at this. Far from it.

That’s why I rely on a simple approach like DBS. It’s a simple, reproducible method of evangelism and disciple making, that can lead to church formation. If you want to know more download David Watson’s guide and find someone who wants to know more about Jesus.

The latest Movements podcast is an interview with Kevin Greeson, author of The Camel.

He describes a simple method of identifying Muslims who would like to know more about Isa (Jesus). It’s non confrontational and has been effective in many different contexts around the world.

Some great insights on building bridges for sharing the gospel, even for people not engaged with Muslims.

If you’d like to learn more here’s a summary of the The Camel.

To listen to the interview download the mp3 or subscribe to the Movements podcast.

“The Camel: How Muslims Are Coming to Faith in Christ!” (Kevin Greeson)

UPDATE

Kevin Greeson has sent through two additional resources:

1. Study of the Arabic Word Mutuwaffika.pdf

2. Khazim 1000 Emergency Vehicle.pdf

The book sounds very promising.

“Adapt: Why Success Always Starts with Failure” (Tim Harford)

Floyd McClung shares one of his happiest moments so far in Africa. . .

Anyway, my D-Group on Wednesday evenings is with 4 Malawian men who are new believers and future church planters. They live in shacks, are dirt poor, but most important, they have a vibrant, growing love for Jesus and a willingness to sacrifice in extreme ways to make Jesus known. I am investing in future leaders of movements that will transform Africa!

What made the D-Group last Wednesday so powerful to me was the fact that I no longer lead it, the guys are growing in their faith, and, well it is hard to put in a few words, but they get it. They are preparing to go change their nation. They are allowing the Word of God to transform their lives. The main thrust of a D-Group is simple obedience… not more and more head knowledge, but listening to God through the Word, then obeying, then the next week, taking time to give feedback about their victory of failure in obeying that one thing God said.

A D-Group operates on the principle that the best teacher for non-Christians and new Christians alike is the Holy Spirit, and the best book for them to be taught from is the Word, and the best process is obedience oriented self-discovery

read on . . .

Here’s a great insight into early Christianity’s advantage over the established religions of the ancient world. Sure we live in a different world today.

Christianity arose during a time when there was already enormous religious curiosity on the part of Romans and other pagans about Eastern religions and divinities ranging from Isis to Jesus. It sought to take advantage of this curiosity, and it offered to pagans a religion that did not require certain rituals (such as circumcision or the keeping of food laws) that would have immediately alienated them in obvious observable ways from their fellow Gentiles.

It did not require temples, costly animal sacrifices, priests—the very essence of much of ancient religion. It could meet in homes, and its rituals were flexible.

It is not surprising that in the course of the next two centuries it came to be seen by pagans as a much more appealing religious option than Judaism, ordinary magic, or various other forms of traditional and popular religion that existed in the Empire. The irony of course is that when Christianity was finally endorsed by the Roman emperor it was well on the way to taking on the very properties of other ancient religions with priests, temples, sacrifices, and the like. One must ask, then, whether in the end Christianity was more the bearer or recipient of socialization in the Empire.

Yet the principle stands. If you want it to multiply and adapt—keep it simple.

“The Acts of the Apostles : A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary” (Ben Witherington III), 398.

In March 2007, a group of 300 practitioners met for five days in Southeast Asia to discuss what the Spirit is doing as they seek to facilitate communities of Jesus-followers among Muslims.

A list of the findings:

1. Sharing the Hope within: Fluency

2. Engaging Hearts and Minds: Storying

3. Exemplary Lifestyle: Reputation

4. Redemptive Bonds of Trust: Social Networks

5. Getting the Word Out: Scripture Use

6. Faith, Community, Leadership: Intentional Reproduction

7. A Holy Sacrifice: Prayer

This study is essential reading, regardless of your ministry focus group.

Thanks to the International Journal of Frontier Missions for publishing the results and to Dave Lawton for giving me the heads up.

Malaysia is a great place to meet muslims. It’s a muslim state, and thousands of muslims from the middle east honeymoon and holiday in Malaysia every year. Abdul was one of them.

I struck up a conversation about life in Saudi Arabia, and life as a muslim. Abdul was devout, so I started asking questions about salvation, the Prophet, and Isa (Jesus).

Fortunately I had just finished reading an excellent summary of the Camel—a helpful way to sharing Jesus with muslims starting with what the Quran and bridging to the Injil (New Testament).

We talked for an hour and parted as friends. It was the best sleepless night I’ve had for a long time.

The Camel condensed

The Camel website

The book. . .

“The Camel: How Muslims Are Coming to Faith in Christ!” (Kevin Greeson)

UPDATE: An interview with Kevin Greeson