Jim Collins said, the difference between Good and Great is how you confront the brutal facts. You can’t confront them if you don’t know them.

Every five years the National Church Life Survey (NCLS) conducts a survey into church life and mission in Australia. Previously they have done some great work tracking the effectiveness of church planting.

The latest NCLS findings are due out soon. I’ll read them with interest.

Here’s my wish list for the NCLS or any research into church life and mission health and progress:

1. Generational growth

Most surveys focus on single local churches. Are they growing or declining? What’s the age range of attenders? Who has come to faith?

Mildly interesting stuff.

What would get me on the edge of my seat are some questions like these:

Has this church started a new church in the last twelve months?

Have any of the new churches started new churches?

I’m not concerned if the church has a membership of five for five thousand—I want to know where are the churches with children, grand children and great grandchildren. Show me some four generation churches and I’ll be happy.

2. Variations within the same denominations

The NCLS provides figures on the various denominations—Anglican, Baptist, Uniting etc. They tell us something, but not a lot.

Show me the difference in vitality and growth between say the Sydney Anglicans, who are evangelicals, and the Perth Anglicans who are not. Are the Sydney Anglicans multiplying churches or just planting them? Why?

Let’s compare the evangelical St Matthew’s Anglican church with the rest of the Perth diocese. What’s the difference and why?

What about the Baptists in NSW who are evangelical, who have a strategy to plant churches, and have committed good leaders to pursue it? Let’s compare their progress with say, the Baptists in Victoria, my home state.

A few years ago the BUV had just two churches that had planted churches in the previous five years, Crossway, my home church and Lilydale Baptist, which has fallen on hard times.

These variations have more to do with orthodoxy of belief and effectiveness of practice rather than geography.

3. The ratio that counts

I’d like to know what the ratio of churches is to the growing Australian population.

In 1991, using NCLS figures, I estimated it was one church to very 1561 people. In 2001 it was one to every 1800 people. I’ve not been able to get the figures from the NCLS for 2006, I suspect was around one to 2000 people. Where are we now?

Church leaders in Australia are flying blind on one of the most important indicators of progress in our mission.

4. The Pentecostals

Since 1977 the Australian Christian Churches have been one of the fastest growing movements in the land.

Two years ago I suggested the rate of ACC growth may be slowing. The ACC has been moving to a model of consolidation around successful multisite churches, rather than continuing an aggressive church planting strategy.

I’d like to be wrong, but since my prediction ACC figures have become hard to come by. That normally points to a plateau or decline.

5. The emerging-missional communities

For years we’ve had the critique. We’ve had the claims that, while the existing church can only reach 9% of the population in Australia, the emerging-missional communities are going after the 91%.

So how are they doing? Are they seeing new disciples, new groups forming, new churches started of any shape or form? Are they multiplying disciples and communities? Or are they lost in a missional fog? Show me the people.

6. The exceptions

Will the survey show us the unexpected outcomes—good or bad? What churches and denominations are collapsing?

I don’t think the Uniting Church counts it’s people any more. I don’t think it wants to face just how bad things are.

What churches or movements are seeing unexpected progress. What new groups are out connecting with people, sharing the gospel, making disciples, and multiplying communities of Jesus’ followers?

Perhaps I expect too much from the NCLS and participating churches. Then again, how carefully do you track your money? Do you know your financial status? Do you have a budget? Do warning bells ring and red lights flash when you’re dangerously close of bankruptcy? So, if it’s important to track financial key indicators, why not key indicators for the progress of the gospel?

In the latest Movements podcast Jeff Sundell reports in with updates from the field and insights on how to multiply workers who make disciples.

Subscribe to the podcast or download the mp3.

In the interview Jeff refers to the Discipleship Cycle resource.

Here’s an article from Jeff in Mission Frontiers.

“T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution” (Steve Smith with Ying Kai)

UPDATE: The mp3 download link should work now.

It’s the best book I’ve read on the craft of writing since “If You Want to Write by Brenda Ueland.

Ueland’s book inspired me to write with my own voice. Clark’s book helps me develop the skills of a writer.

It’s $1.99 $8.99 on the Kindle app for Kindle, Mac, PC and iPad.

UPDATE: Somehow I got it for $1.99 on Kindle but the price has gone up to $8.99. Still worth it.

Plenty of hard copies available for as low as $5.

“Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer” (Roy Peter Clark)

I’ve just updated the Movements podcast page to make it easier to navigate.

Happy listening!

One of my workshop sessions from Exponential 2011.

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!

For Australians and New Zealanders we’ve just negotiated a price drop to $9.95 with Koorong Books.

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.

“T4T: A Disciple ship Re-Revolution” (Steve Smith with Ying Kai)