Conversations as you Go

We continue our Thailand 24 gathering series as we listen to case studies from around the world. In this episode, we listen to Ray from the Hong Kong team. In this first of two episodes, you’ll hear how God prepares a person. This includes the tests that happen in the life of a leader as they seek to embrace God’s vision for movements. 

We hear how God called Ray and his wife Ethel (both from the Philippines) to pioneer disciple making amongst filipino maids (foreign domestic workers) in Hong Kong. It began by being exposed to movements from around the world. However their church and community were not convinced about DMM with no obvious initial results. 

After stepping out of traditional church leadership, Ray shares how God said to him, “Work for me, don’t work for money.” After praying and fasting, God told Ray, “If you want a church to do DMM with in Hong Kong, then why don’t you start one?”. This led to Ray starting a new ‘DOBS’ in a park. Ray calls DBS (Discovery Bible Study) a ‘DOBS’ with the O standing for Obedience. 

“We cannot have DMM without obedience.”

“When foreign domestic workers in Hong Kong retire, everyone can bring DMM home.”

Ray and his team tells them, “First you are a missionary to Hong Kong. Then if you train well and master the DBS and DMM principles, you can go back and make disciples when you go home. And we will support you!”

There are many integrity tests God leads us through as he calls us. As you listen to this podcast, ask yourself this question: What’s God’s challenge to you as you hear Ray’s story?

In this episode, you will hear a particular case study coming out of South Asia as one of the movement leaders to shares with us. 

The podcast begins by encouraging us to keep things simple. Just share the Word and allow the Holy Spirit to help us apply the Bible in our lives. If we keep things simple, multiplication of disciples, leaders and churches can happen. 

Leaders in DMM are intentional about seeking to make another leader. Ministry without leadership cannot stand. Jesus himself created leaders that multiplied. Multiplying church happens on the back of multiplying ordinary disciples and leaders. 

There is no hierarchy in DMM, at the core, everyone is a disciple. 

“If you are a good disciple, you are a good leader. If you are a good leader, you are a good pastor. If you are not a disciple, how can you be a good pastor and leader?”

One of his leaders shares with us how he started with 12 traditional house groups but he soon caught the vision of DMM and started to implement some of the DNA. 

“I used to think, ‘I am the boss’. Now I know that God is pleased with our obedience not our knowledge. These days I am giving authority to local leaders and churches are multiplying as a result! Today we have 126 house groups with 70 leaders across 70 villages. Our vision is to reach all 700 villages in our district which consists of 1.6 million people.” 

He shares how his teams create short and long term Discovery Bible Study stories. They coach their leaders through their challenges after six months of DMM training. 

“Just like human children, our leaders need to learn to eat by themselves after six months.” 

The podcast finishes by urging us to pray:

“We have 1.4 billion people. Official statistics say that 3% are Christian however we believe that it is more like 6%. Please keep praying for us!“

We continue our Thailand gathering series and hear part one of a two part case study of what God is doing in South Asia. The leader shares part of his journey into DMM and his current context which now sees over 2000 churches planted down to over 10 generations deep in India.

We hear how the vision of ‘ordinary’ people leading from the beginning captured his heart as he stepped out of traditional church ministry. He share’s how he was attracted to DMM because of how it is centered on obedience to God’s Word and multiplication.

These days, the leader and his team meet people where they are at and train them in DMM. They keep things really simple so that anyone can easily apply and multiply what they learn.

Persecution is an everyday challenge. Matthew 28:16-20 is what encourages his team when they are faced with persecution. Their response is to pray for endurance and courage since they know persecution will not stop but keep coming.

“We are not praying that persecution will stop. No, it will come. The one thing matters to us is endurance and courage.”

Finally, He gives us a brief insight into the challenges he and his leaders are facing to see DMM in the Indian context. Firstly, the cultural barriers of the diverse harvest fields of South Asia. They are seeking to continue trying to contextualize the gospel when connecting with new peoples. Secondly, the traditional church is another barrier for them.

This is our first episode of a new series from our Thailand 24 gathering. This gathering saw fruitful movement leaders come together from 15 nations. This introduction from Dave is a call to collaborate with others as we build team. Dave draws us into a reflection on the resurrection of Christ and his triumphant procession. He hear how Jesus gave the gifts of people as an establishment of his movement. 

Movement methods or tactics are tools in our tool belts. They include:

The strategy applies the methods. It is the view of saturation of a region, people group, city or state. How do we create a momentum of leaders and workers that will ‘fill the area’ with the teachings of Jesus? It includes a focus on building catalytic hubs of leaders, bound together by a common vision and strategy. 

When Christ ascended on high he led a host of captives (like a Roman Caesar), and he gave gifts to men (2 Corinthians 2:14-16, Psalms 68:18). The gift of God in the context of the resurrection are people. He gave gifts to men… he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers (Ephesians 4:7-12). 

When God wants to start a movement, he gives gifts. His gifts are people. You are that gift. That’s why you matter so much. But we are not enough. Our big task is to multiply workers. You can start … but 100 can create a saturation movement. God wants to multiply workers through you. Focus on building catalytic hubs of leaders, bound together by a common vision and strategy. 

Image: Triunph(us) Caesaris (The triumph of Julius Caesar), plate 6. Andrea Andreani, fl. 1584-1610 – Library of Congress Prints and Photographs Division. http://hdl.loc.gov/loc.pnp/cph.3g02830

We continue our conversation with Scott and hear him share about the kingdom of God and our participation in it as we simplify our walk with God in complex cities.

“The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!” (Mark 1:15).

Scott begins by giving us an overview of the kingdom of God from a biblical perspective. Drawing from Mark 1:15, Scott shares how the gospel is itself the kingdom. It is where we participate in God ruling over us.

Scott described the kingdom of God as an upside down triangle where everyone can listen and obey God, helping others do the same. Luke 10 gives us a glimpse of Jesus’ excitement (and the disciples’ astonishment!) of how the kingdom of God is for everyone, even the unlearned and ordinary.

‘At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, “I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children….Then he turned to his disciples and said privately, “Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I tell you that many prophets and kings wanted to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.” (Luke 10:21,23-24)

Scott also shares an analogy of the kingdom being like poured out wine. We need to keep in mind that our Christian culture or ‘wineskins’ are not necessary the most helpful vessels of God’s kingdom for some people.

Some keys can include:

Check out Scott’s blog here.

Check out the ‘Two Four Eight’ movement website here.

Scott finishes by encouraging us to keep our discipleship walk simple…

“Simply ask, ‘Am I listening, trusting and obeying God? And am I helping others do the same?’ This is all we need to do. God will guide us when we give him space…He wants sons and daughters who are living and sharing life with him. He will work the fruit out!”

We start a new series talking to disciple making leader and catalyst, Scott Crawley, as he shares on reaching cities.  

Scott first shares a little bit of his story including how, as a broken young adult, he encountered Jesus in a vision which radically transformed his life. He then moved to Asia and wrestled with the question, ‘what is the Gospel?’ in a very different context to what he was used to in Australia. Over the next 20 years, Scott and his wife found themselves in different parts of central Asia, underprivileged parts of urban Australia and now the cities of Asia. 

Today Scott and his family are caught up in God’s vision for the cities of Asia. He currently serves across five cities alongside locals who feel stuck with ‘next steps’ as they carry a vision for those who are not engaging with Jesus. 

Scott shares why focusing on cities is vital to seeing God’s vision fulfilled:

We hear Scott begin by saying it’s always as simple as listening, trusting and obeying God. And empowering others to do the same. 

He then shares to look out for people who have questions. Scott encourages us to engage with these locals by asking questions back to them! This is so we can understand how God is already working so we can partner with and serve God.

“The Holy Spirit is a much better coordinator and leader than we are. As we listen and ask people questions, we see how we can strategically serve.”Scott

David Broodryk’s three spheres of cities can help with asking questions to hungry people as we begin by helping them clarify who/where they are called to.

Scott gives us a word of exhortation as he calls us to soak in God’s vision as we read through scripture and realising that it’s not God’s wish list but his plan. Finally, he affirms us that each of us have a role to play in God’s vision. We can all be free as God’s sons and daughters as we learn to listen, trust and obey God and be part of seeing his Kingdom come.

We start a new series talking to disciple making leader and catalyst, Scott Crawley, as he shares on reaching cities.  

Scott first shares a little bit of his story including how, as a broken young adult, he encountered Jesus in a vision which radically transformed his life. He then moved to Asia and wrestled with the question, ‘what is the Gospel?’ in a very different context to what he was used to in Australia. Over the next 20 years, Scott and his wife found themselves in different parts of central Asia, underprivileged parts of urban Australia and now the cities of Asia. 

Today Scott and his family are caught up in God’s vision for the cities of Asia. He currently serves across five cities alongside locals who feel stuck with ‘next steps’ as they carry a vision for those who are not engaging with Jesus. 

Scott shares why focusing on cities is vital to seeing God’s vision fulfilled:

We hear Scott begin by saying it’s always as simple as listening, trusting and obeying God. And empowering others to do the same. 

He then shares to look out for people who have questions. Scott encourages us to engage with these locals by asking questions back to them! This is so we can understand how God is already working so we can partner with and serve God.

“The Holy Spirit is a much better coordinator and leader than we are. As we listen and ask people questions, we see how we can strategically serve.”

Scott

David Broodryk’s three spheres of cities can help with asking questions to hungry people as we begin by helping them clarify who/where they are called to.

Scott gives us a word of exhortation as he calls us to soak in God’s vision as we read through scripture and realising that it’s not God’s wish list but his plan. Finally, he affirms us that each of us have a role to play in God’s vision. We can all be free as God’s sons and daughters as we learn to listen, trust and obey God and be part of seeing his Kingdom come.

In this episode, we have a conversation with Indian Praxeis catalyst, Rodger, exploring his story and hearing about what God is doing in northern India among the largest number of unreached people groups in the world. Rodger is engaged in church planting and community transformation efforts not only in his home state of Bihar but also across 15 other Indian states and beyond.

Rodger’s approach involves a holistic transformation, focusing on more than just the spiritual lives of people. He uses the Bible and movements principles to help multiply the training of key leaders at state, regional, and village levels as they understand how to address their community’s needs.

In Bihar, the goal is to establish a church in each of the 45,000 villages. Progress has been made in 20,000 villages so far.

Dave asks us as the listeners this key question during the converstion: “What does the Gospel look like in our context as disciple makers and catalysers?”

‘For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea.’

Habakkuk 2:14.

Rodger asks us, “Where do we stand? Are we living for ourselves or for God’s vision?”. Emphasising that taking one step, as Rodger did at the age of sixty, can lead to miracles and guide us into the next steps in fulfilling God’s vision of Habakkuk 2:14.

In this third podcast with Floyd, we continue to be challenged to “finish well”. Floyd speaks this challenge to us from a well of experience and heart. Floyd’s love for Jesus and his determination to be passionate to the end of his days speaks deeply to our hearts calling us to walk away from mediocrity and embrace our call, our God-given gifts and the opportunity to impact and influence many around us. 

We are in a battle for passion. The world is out to capture your passions.

Floyd begins this message by remembering his family and the impact that his parents had on his life particularly his father. His father was a man of humility, deep passion, led a long-life of serving the gospel and he finished well. 

Floyd estimates that 80-85% of spiritual leaders do not finish the race well. But what does it mean to finish well? According to Floyd it is to:

Drawing on Paul’s final letter, 2 Timothy written whilst facing his own death, Floyd highlights some of the key parting words that Paul gave to Timothy.

Australian society could be turned upside down if the 3-4% of the evangelical/protestant believers in this country just said, “I’m going to be on fire for Jesus and no one can take that away from me.”

As you listen to Floyd, ask the Holy Spirit to help you to stir up the passion in your life. Ask God to show you if there is anything in your life that has taken the place of Jesus and caused you to become compromised.  Ask God to help you to live well so that you finish well. “

…the issue isn’t will we die but will we die well. 

Floyd McClung continues to share with us and in this episode he talks about what the Spirit is doing across the world and how we can respond by laying down our lives for Jesus.

“When we die, we know we can take our heart to heaven if we follow and love Jesus…But we can take one more thing. We can take other people with us to heaven too.”

‘For what is our hope, our joy, or the crown in which we will glory in the presence of our Lord Jesus when he comes? Is it not you?’ (1 Thessalonians 2:19). 

“The Spirit of God is moving in our planet in a most awesome and unusual way right now in our lifetime.”

But Floyd challenges us by asking whether we will align our life to God’s Spirit by choosing to reject our western materialism and be willing to allow God to turn our lives upside down? 

Our motivation to obey the Great Commission is found in Revelation 5…

“Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain, to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honour and glory and praise!” (Rev 5:12).

If we give our lives for the Lamb of God and for the sake of the Gospel, Jesus will meet us in our hour of need as we trust him. As Corrie Ten Boom once said, “In the moment I needed the grace of God, the grace of God was there for me.”

Floyd finishes by asking us whether we would be willing to say, “I will give my life because the Lamb is worthy”.