1. How God Shapes Movement Leaders

Mar 30

The first of ten studies from Everywhere: How God Multiplies Disciples and Churches.

When Jesus called his ﬁrst disciples, he didn’t just give them a job; he gave them a new identity (Luke 5:4–11). His call to follow him was a command that deﬁned who they were—requiring obedience and surrender—before it deﬁned what they did. He also promised to teach them how to ﬁsh for people, so that they would be equipped for the mission. Jesus’ example shows us how God shapes leaders throughout their lives in two distinct yet inseparable ways:

Who we are—character and spiritual formation.
What we do—ministry formation.

Sometimes, God allows the process of formation to take place through extreme pressure and unexpected trials. Why did God allow Paul to be in chains on a sinking ship during a hurricane (Acts 27)? There must have been an easier way to get him to Rome. But God isn’t interested in the easiest or quickest results. Instead, God allowed the crisis to reﬁne and validate Paul’s faith before a watching world. As the leader of a multiplying movement, his character and faith were tested by this life-and-death crisis. He was learning, once again, how to trust God before he continued in his mission.

In Indonesia, Arif answered God’s call to resign as a pastor and focus on making disciples among the unreached. The Spirit guided him to an area where he and Joyo worked diligently but saw little fruit. Arif, deeply discouraged, walked away. However, God brought him back months later and revealed the fruit that had begun to sprout in his absence. Arif and Joyo worked hard, but it was God who caused the growth. God reﬁned Arif’s heart and taught him profound truths about his identity—lessons that are best learned in obscurity—before God brought visible success. In his time, God clarified the strategy and methods, and the movement began to grow, led by Arif, whom God could now trust to succeed.

Today, Arif oversees a movement of 125,000 disciples.

In India, Gary and Ravi persisted for seven years in the ﬁeld, searching for the most eﬀective methods. But it wasn’t just a practical exercise. Their partnership, faith, and commitment grew. God shaped their hearts. When the breakthroughs came, they knew it was God who had been with them all along. They could be trusted with a multiplying movement because they had been tested and they persevered.

Sometimes, when I train leaders in movement principles, they exclaim, “Why didn’t we know this ten years ago! Imagine how much further ahead we’d be now.” I remind them that the right strategy and methods are not enough. For years, God has been shaping their identity, preparing them for these breakthroughs.

I think of Chantha, Noy’s widow in Laos, a woman of faith. Though her suﬀering could have bred bitterness, she turned to Christ in her pain and responded to his call to carry on Noy’s work. This kind of character and faith doesn’t drop out of a manual; it’s forged in the ﬁre. Chantha trains, practices, and mentors others using eﬀective strategies, with the authority of a woman dedicated to God.

This is a rapidly growing movement that has increased from 3,000 to over 10,000 disciples without taking shortcuts.

Even for the most seasoned leaders, this reshaping of who they are is a lifelong process, initiated by God. Consider Peter, the leader of the Twelve, who stood hesitating in the doorway of Cornelius’s house (Acts 10; 11:1–18). It had been ten years since Jesus commanded him and the disciples to go to the nations, yet Peter’s character and cultural background prevented him from executing that part of the ministry mandate. Aside from a few exceptions, there was no Gentile mission.

Peter was an apostle, trained by Jesus, filled with the Spirit, and had already planted the first church in Jerusalem. Yet God had to intervene to shape Peter’s heart and mind. This should encourage us. This is a movement of God, not a movement of Peter, Paul, or you and me. God takes the initiative to shape and redirect even the most mature leaders, including Peter. We should expect the same and embrace it.