Looking Toward the Next Level
In this Blogpost, I want to take a look toward the future and, by faith, glimpse the next level of Disciple Making Movements in Latin America. As we do this I hope to focus our prayers and faith on seeing all peoples in all of Latin America discipled to be obedient followers of Jesus Christ.
Have you ever seen pictures of our universe as taken by the hubble telescope? If so, you probably marvelled at the vastness and the beauty of God's creation on the MACRO Level. Then again, have you seen pictures or representations of the small building blocks of all matter and the atomic or sub-atomic particles that make up everything? If so you have also been amazed at the reality of God's creation at the MICRO Level.
As I look forward into what we pray will happen in Latin America, I am seeing both a MACRO and a MICRO aspect of what we might call "The Next Level".
Currently, according to our latest reports from the field, the "Honduras" church planting movement project is impacting approximately 7,000 people. This is through the planting of 170 new churches (representing 3 generations of church planting), the multiplication of 129 discovery Bible studies (up to 5 generations of studies) and the implementation of CPM/DMM principles in 10 other Honduran churches. WME has conducted or helped to facilitate training in CPM/DMM principles for leaders from 17 denominations/organizations or church networks in Honduras. Our hope is to see this multiplication continue and become exponential in its impact. So how do we define the "Next Level"? Where do we go from here?
The Next Level: A MACRO LOOK
On the MACRO, or Big Picture perspective, we want to help facilitate and catalyze Disciple Making Movements in the other countries of Central America and in all of Latin America. We are currently the recipients of invitations or are endeavoring to knock on doors to conduct DMM Training Events in new areas of Honduras, and also in the nations of El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and even Cuba. With the principles and experience in application in Latin America that our team has gained in the Honduras phase, we believe that the Lord may be opening doors for the same kind of training in these other countries. Ultimately, we hope to see multiple Disciple Making Movements begin in every nation of Latin America. And beyond that we hope to see Latin American missionaries, who carry the DMM DNA, join the growing world missions force that is being sent from Central and South America. May every nation in the Western Hemisphere be saturated with the gospel, and may the seed of the gospel spread from there into all nations as God finishes the Missional Task (Matthew 24:14).
The Next Level: A MICRO LOOK
On the MICRO, or Individual People Group perspective, we want to see the seeding of a Disciple Making Movement into every people and tribe in all of these Latin American nations. There are still unreached or lesser reached peoples in Latin America. We have targeted one of the biggest of these groups, the Garifuna people for prayer and hopeful outreach. And the Pech Indian tribe is already being touched because 32 of the DBS groups are happening among them. The Next Level will have a "people group" component as the gospel penetrates to the furthest reaches of the smaller tribes and peoples. To see a movement in every group is a part of this goal.
You may notice that I am referring to "Disciple Making Movements" rather than "Church Planting Movements". We are beginning to modify the terms by which we are referring to these movements, in order to better describe what they are all about. While churches are multiplying, and CPM remains a good missiological term, we and some of our partners have found that it does not describe, as well as we would like, what is happening. The strategy that God is blessing and multiplying around the world is one where people are becoming obedient disciples of Christ as they hear, understand and obey the Word. As that happens and they form into groups, local churches are planted. Hopefully the terminology Disciple Making Movements will better communicate this strategy. Whatever we call it, it is a work of God as He is multiplying the effect of His Word and Spirit in magnifying Jesus Christ and calling all peoples to follow Him.
Join us in lifting up our eyes of faith to the next level. Help in prayer as the task goes forward.
Have you ever seen pictures of our universe as taken by the hubble telescope? If so, you probably marvelled at the vastness and the beauty of God's creation on the MACRO Level. Then again, have you seen pictures or representations of the small building blocks of all matter and the atomic or sub-atomic particles that make up everything? If so you have also been amazed at the reality of God's creation at the MICRO Level.
As I look forward into what we pray will happen in Latin America, I am seeing both a MACRO and a MICRO aspect of what we might call "The Next Level".
Currently, according to our latest reports from the field, the "Honduras" church planting movement project is impacting approximately 7,000 people. This is through the planting of 170 new churches (representing 3 generations of church planting), the multiplication of 129 discovery Bible studies (up to 5 generations of studies) and the implementation of CPM/DMM principles in 10 other Honduran churches. WME has conducted or helped to facilitate training in CPM/DMM principles for leaders from 17 denominations/organizations or church networks in Honduras. Our hope is to see this multiplication continue and become exponential in its impact. So how do we define the "Next Level"? Where do we go from here?
The Next Level: A MACRO LOOK
On the MACRO, or Big Picture perspective, we want to help facilitate and catalyze Disciple Making Movements in the other countries of Central America and in all of Latin America. We are currently the recipients of invitations or are endeavoring to knock on doors to conduct DMM Training Events in new areas of Honduras, and also in the nations of El Salvador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, and even Cuba. With the principles and experience in application in Latin America that our team has gained in the Honduras phase, we believe that the Lord may be opening doors for the same kind of training in these other countries. Ultimately, we hope to see multiple Disciple Making Movements begin in every nation of Latin America. And beyond that we hope to see Latin American missionaries, who carry the DMM DNA, join the growing world missions force that is being sent from Central and South America. May every nation in the Western Hemisphere be saturated with the gospel, and may the seed of the gospel spread from there into all nations as God finishes the Missional Task (Matthew 24:14).
The Next Level: A MICRO LOOK
On the MICRO, or Individual People Group perspective, we want to see the seeding of a Disciple Making Movement into every people and tribe in all of these Latin American nations. There are still unreached or lesser reached peoples in Latin America. We have targeted one of the biggest of these groups, the Garifuna people for prayer and hopeful outreach. And the Pech Indian tribe is already being touched because 32 of the DBS groups are happening among them. The Next Level will have a "people group" component as the gospel penetrates to the furthest reaches of the smaller tribes and peoples. To see a movement in every group is a part of this goal.
You may notice that I am referring to "Disciple Making Movements" rather than "Church Planting Movements". We are beginning to modify the terms by which we are referring to these movements, in order to better describe what they are all about. While churches are multiplying, and CPM remains a good missiological term, we and some of our partners have found that it does not describe, as well as we would like, what is happening. The strategy that God is blessing and multiplying around the world is one where people are becoming obedient disciples of Christ as they hear, understand and obey the Word. As that happens and they form into groups, local churches are planted. Hopefully the terminology Disciple Making Movements will better communicate this strategy. Whatever we call it, it is a work of God as He is multiplying the effect of His Word and Spirit in magnifying Jesus Christ and calling all peoples to follow Him.
Join us in lifting up our eyes of faith to the next level. Help in prayer as the task goes forward.
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