Category / intercession

by johnkking

Question 2: Challenges?

“What challenges do you see in your life, family or world?” gives permission to the household of peace and/or friendship group to share with one another the difficulties each one is facing. While a family or group of friends may already know many of these challenges, picking one to share reveals what is weighing on the heart of each participant. “What matters enough to you that you will bring it to the group?” is a significant insight.

Most mornings I send out a text message to ten different groups or individuals. It usually contains one or two verses and an observation or question based on them. I started doing that practice more than eight years ago because of a challenge shared in a group experiencing Discovery for the first time. One lady shared, “I need a new job. No, I actually need a better attitude about my job until I get a new one.” She opened her heart to the seven of us who were gathered.

Question 2 provides a disciple maker a great intercession list. Outside of the group you can and should pray fervently about each challenge which is shared. Whenever God chooses to give a breakthrough it will capture the attention of at least some of the group members. In West Africa there is a disciple making family who were having trouble with their air conditioner in an extremely hot, dry season. Through overt spiritual conversations with the HVAC repairman they found he was spiritually open to Discovery. Once a Discovery Group began at his compound, they discovered the water piped into the neighborhood had not flown in over a year. When it started again (but not for any of their neighbors) this produced ongoing conversations.

Question 8 is going to be a follow-up to Question 2. As a result other trainers only have 7 questions because they make it 7b. I chose to keep all three action nurturing questions at the end of the study so responses will possibly be shaped by what God says through the passage. Making notes of the responses to # 2 is important because Question 8 will be a bit later in the process.

I do not get upset when the response to a challenge happens early, but now you know my rationale. The reality is you can facilitate a Discovery however you please. But if you make changes, please do so prayerfully and with the recognition that your alterations may have unintended consequences. If you get less fruitful responses, it is at least possible that is because you have removed something which was more significant than you realized.

by johnkking

What Do You Expect?

The curse of modern Christianity is that we expect little from the Lord, too much from the church, and nothing from ourselves. Joe McKeever

This title and quote was all that appeared in a “draft” post from years ago. The idea of “expectations” caught my attention and prompted me to record the quote as a starter for an article. I actually did not know who said those words, so I came up with the writers name via a Google search. It is likely I saw it as a meme on Facebook. It was in an article about overcoming obstacles to praying.

Why do you expect people from your church to easily “flip the switch” and take up Disciple Making Movement strategies and tactics?

I want that question to hang there. I am violating my grammar training from decades ago (the rule has probably changed like so many others) which required at least two sentences to constitute a new paragraph.

How long did it take you from first hearing about disciple making until you actually tried to engage a stranger in a spiritual conversation? Why did it take you so long? How long did it take you to host your first Discovery Bible Study from when you first started hearing about them? Why did it take so long?

Impatience with others is often borne out of our internal frustrations over being unable to magically give other people a shortcut. We want them to join us on the journey, now. We want their drive, their passion, their skills and expertise, now. What if we begin to intercede for them, rather than trying to pressure them into accepting a new way forward? What if we begin to “plead God’s promises” attached to disciple making for them?

“Father, give _____________ the incredible joy of bearing fruit. Overwhelm her with the excitement of bearing much fruit. Bring the celebration of experiencing fruit that lasts.” What if you started praying that every time you begin to feel frustration rising in your heart?

God is the absolute best at producing heart changes–in you and in that person you desperately want to see open up to what prompts your zeal for the Lord. But don’t just pray it for one person, pray it for her family and friends. Pray God will transform them into a household of peace. Pray he will fill them all with Kingdom peace which will allow them to carry greetings of peace to other households.

Expect much from God; extend grace to the people in your church and hold yourself to a high standard!