Tag / praying & fasting

by johnkking

Reflecting on: Mobilizing Extraordinary Prayer

From: “I pray.”
To: “We pray extraordinarily and mobilize others to pray.”

We aim to reproduce everything. Obviously personal prayer is crucial, but when faced with the overwhelming task of reaching entire communities, cities and people groups — we need to mobilize the prayer of many others. (Copied from: https://2414now.net/2020/09/22/mindshifts-in-movements-part-1/)

During 2015 I worked closely with a teammate to produce a set of five video segments which were designed to introduce African church leaders to the amazing fruitfulness God was blessing through Disciple Making Movements. In those videos we interviewed six global catalysts of some remarkable multi-generational movements located in six different nations of Africa.

To prepare for the interviews we developed a set of questions each catalyst would be asked and those questions centered around five themes. Eventually we phrased those themes in the way presented in the following graphic:

Five Critical Elements for Starting Multiplying Groups

When we produced the video segments the names of these five topics were slightly different. But the starting point is always a call to pray & fast. Only God can cause Movements and our best way to tap into his desire to do that is via prayer, but it is a qualitatively different type of praying and that is why we connect it to fasting.

Extraordinary prayer is foundational to multiplication!

One of the differences is this type of prayer wrestles against our rank individualism. Movement praying involves mobilizing abundant intercession. It is always looking for those who already have a passion for intercession who are open to learning some of the foundational characteristics of DMM. Finding Persons of Peace and connecting with their family, friends and acquaintances is at the heart of Kingdom Multiplication. Jesus’ strategy was to hand-pick a group that he would pour most of his ministry effort into. Then, he sent the Holy Spirit in to empower them to do likewise. Multipliers discipling multipliers was his strategy.

But how do you find the right people? Pray & Fast. Abundant (extra-ordinary) intercession is essential. Who are you calling to join you in praying?

by johnkking

Reflecting on: “What must be done?”

From: “What can I do?”
To: “What must be done to see God’s Kingdom planted in this group of people (city, nation, language, tribe, etc.)?”

A training group was once discussing Acts 19:10 — how approximately 15 million people in the Roman province of Asia heard the word of the Lord in two years. Someone said, “That would be impossible for Paul and the original 12 believers in Ephesus – they would have had to share with 20,000 people a day!” That is the point – there is no way they could accomplish that. A daily training in the hall of Tyrannus must have multiplied disciples who multiplied disciples who multiplied disciples throughout the region. (Copied from: https://2414now.net/2020/09/22/mindshifts-in-movements-part-1/)

Some of us never get to the place of determining what we must personally do to get started. Others rush too quickly to take singular actions. This mindshift identifies another necessity—recognizing the work is far too large for any one person, team, organization and/or denomination. Movements come from God and Jesus has always called his followers to pray, “Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” Being overwhelmed by what it will take to see the Somalis in a city reached pushes us to pray. It pushes us to fast. It forces us to begin exploring the question, “Who else needs to be involved in this effort?”

Many would-be DMM strategist has tried to involve others only to find it an effort in futility. Most of us reach the desperate place where we ask others to pray that we will have discernment in recognizing who to invest in and when to “shake the dust off our feet.” We have attempted to recruit lots of super-talented people and found them unwilling or unable to join us.

Do not give up if you have crashed on these rocks. Re-engage. Ask the Holy Spirit to help you make a list of more of what needs to be done to see this “beloved people group” becoming part of God’s Kingdom harvest force. One of your greatest needs is strong believers who are insiders of the people group who will be captured by a generational multiplication vision.

In addition to identifying a people group and starting to identify what it will take to see them reached, we need to pray that the Holy Spirit will connect us to people who can help. Barnabas is an incredible biblical character for DMM strategists to explore. We often are tempted to rush to Saul/Paul because we see him as the hero. He is the frontline preacher/teacher. He is the role model. But recognize it was Barnabas who left Antioch, found Saul and brought him into the place where a kingdom breakthrough started happening among the Gentiles!

Maybe you will be better served by casting yourself as Barnabas. Now ask yourself one question: “Who is my Saul/Paul?” Praying about this may eventually place you in the “second chair.” Are you willing to accept that role?

Who are the people in that neighborhood looking to as a leader? Who are their influencers? Who could “gossip the Gospel” and many would listen?

Part of the answer to the second question opening this post is “the right insider needs to become a strong disciple maker.”