INTRODUCTION
The
early Church, which was initially called “The Way” and later “Christians”, boomed in a flash for a season.
However, as time went by, the growth of the Church became subtle and difficult
especially after a couple of splits and schisms. It seems that the presence of
the Holy Spirit gradually declined over the years.
T4T
proposes that the fire during the early Church, should be flamed once again.
The author called it Re-revolution. This was birthed from how simple
missionaries like Ying Kai in Ina ministry were able to strategically multiply
not just church members or disciples but a generation of disciplers.
The
purpose of T4T is to produce “obedient believers”.[1] This means that every
believer should be driven by the Missio Dei. The business of God should be our
business. Thus, going to church, singing hymns, tithing and giving, and
actively join fellowships are not enough. Every Christian has to understand Πορευθέντες or “go” in the Great
Commission.
Though
this discipleship system seems to be very effective in the multiplication of
members, it is still important that number should not be the priority, quality
is. Every member has to grow in character as the Lord’s vision for each one of
us, which is to restore us in our original image, His image.
THE
DISCIPLESHIP RE-REVOLUTION
“T4T
trains believers to witness to the lost and then disciple them in a
reproducible pattern that cascades out for generations.”[2] This is said to be bringing in the same
strategy that the early Church had some 2000 years ago.
The breakthrough in Ina has made Ying Kai and others
think that it is also possible for all ministries around the world. The key is
to win souls and make them excited about true discipleship, following Jesus and
obeying Him when He said we are fishers of men. These are under the commitment
to Jesus’ greatest commandments: “love God with all your heart, mind and soul”
and then to “love others as yourself”.
So how it was done specifically? T4T, according to the
author is not a “silver bullet”. It is not a human movement but a movement of
the Holy Spirit. It is done in complete dependence to God.
“T4T is the process of training trainers, which must be
understood and adapted appropriately for each cultural context that empowers
believers to implement the kingdom principles of T4T.”[3] It is an all-inclusive
process that wins souls and make them real disciples that will impact a
generation, which will impact the next. The main goal is to produce disciples
that will not just be hearers of the Word but doers of it. In simple terms, it
is making trainers not just church members.
THE
PROBLEM
Many Christians just get content of going to church and
tend their own families. Some think that being good people is enough. Some
serve in the church but just stay in there and do not realize that they are not
giving their best when the fact is, they are serving the Most High God. The big
problem of the Church is that we have members who do not have the heart to
share or are not educated enough to know that they are ought to share Jesus.
First
Stage
So why Christians don’t share? Because they don’t know.
That’s it. T4T created a strategy to educate Christians about HOW to share.
The very simple way to train them to share is by letting
them write their own testimonies. “First part is what your life was like before
Christ… Second part is how you became a Christian..” [4]After writing, they are to
read it aloud and this is very important to be done.
After I have read about this in the book, I’ve tried to
do it in our house church. They were excited to write their testimonies. After
writing, I asked them to read it aloud. The reaction was crazy. They were all
shocked. Most of them were reluctant but that was an opportunity for me to
encourage them, knowing that they will just read what they wrote.
Some of them became excited later. After every person
reading his or her own testimony, I witnessed relief. Looking at their faces
after reading and receiving commendation, I see light. The non-verbals imply
that they are telling themselves, “wow I did that”.
I really thought that this
strategy works. It has facilitated the brothers and sisters to know that they
actually have a testimony to share and that they can actually share it to
others. It is indeed a good way to step up.
After that activity, it is important to continue fanning
their flame to testify. The author said one important instruction when sharing
the testimony, “do not ask for permission”[5] and just tell your story.
I would agree because most of the time, people will get a hint that you are
proselyting them.
I thought that such activity is holistic. The writing
will let them reflect on how they met Jesus and how they have grown since then.
From there, I was also able to minister to them about my own testimony as well.
It has also given them the idea of writing more regularly as possible and
making the writing of their devotion a daily doing and not a struggle.
Second
Stage
As per the goal of T4T, we are trying to build a movement
of confident and competent trainers who can pass on the DNA from generation to
generation. How are we getting to move forward from the writing of testimony on
paper to such powerful movement? Well that is the task of the Holy Spirit.
T4T designed a program of seven important points: Vision
casting, Gospel bridges, Gospel presentation, Discipleship, Getting to baptism,
Forming churches, Reproducing leaders. Each has its own goal but revolve in a
main goal, which is to join God in His business: the Missio Dei.
THE
RESOLUTION
T4T proposes that on the first day or first session, it
is important to work though the WHY-WHOM-WHY of becoming a trainer since the
goal is to build multiplying generations of trainers. WHY-WHOM-WHY refer to:
1. (WHY) Why are they saved? This is the time to cast
vision to them.
2. (WHOM)
Who are the immediate people in their radar. We called this their “oikos”
(family, friends, neighbors, and co-workers). This is done my making a list of
their own oikos and prayerfully prioritize them.
3. (HOW)
How are they going to share Jesus. This is done by giving them the Gospel
bridge such as their testimony. They should be given time to practice it and
then set goals along with prayers.
This
WHY-WHOM-WHY is backed up with important meetings during the second session.
These will cover Pastoral Care, Worship, Loving Accountability, and Vision
Casting. After these, the members are expected not just hearers but also doers
of the Word.
The
Motivation
It is very important to know that only twenty per cent
(20 %) of those we train will become trainers of trainers. It is a sad reality
but something to break anyway. Nonetheless, the author does not encourage
prediction and just motivate us to train and train, nothing else.
Our focus should not be in numbers but in God and what He
is asking of us to do. The power of reproduction just comes in naturally as
empowered by the Holy Spirit.
SEVEN
PARTS
The
design of the program is as simple as a three-pie chart. One third covers
Pastoral Care, Worship, Accountability, and Vision Casting. The Second third
covers a “New Lesson” and the last third covers “Practice” and “Setting Goals
and Pray”.
Pastoral
Care
Asking the group or even individually, “how are you
doing”, will set a great impact in the whole ministry. Pastoral care is a huge
undertaking that will impact their lives as you understand their needs and work
to meet them. Moreover, such opportunity to minister to their needs will be a
lesson before them so that they will give into compassion for others too. That
is how the DNA is passed on.
Worship
It is important for them to understand the essence of
worship in the eyes of God. The worship of every culture is not dependent on
another. A certain group is unique and it is the pastor’s responsibility to
unleash the distinct style of worship. Hence, praising God is expected to be
done in a culturally appropriate, reproducible way. The authenticity should be
smoked off as a sweet aroma to the Lord.
Accountability
Jesus commanded us to first, love Him and then second, to
love others. It is then the pastor’s
duty to teach the group that we are accountable to the Lord for such
loving accountability. The group has to
be motivated to fulfil the “Kingdom come” vision one step at a time.
Vision
Casting
Helping brothers and sisters to understand their true
identity in Christ is very essential. By doing this in a very theologically
sound processing, they will gradually see clarity in their road map.
Discouragements may creep in but letting them understand where they are headed
to will help them keeping on.
New
Lesson or Bible Study
This is regularly done like every week. Doing so will
reinforce the authority of the Word and highlight their commitment to obey
Christ. Continuous feeding will make healthy disciplers.
Practice
Brothers and sisters are encouraged to emulate what they
have received. They are to witness in the subsequent week after effective
coaching and mentoring. Thus, it is important that the group is well prepared
by the pastor before they are released.
Set
Goals and Pray
Every meeting has to have goals and is to be sealed by
the Holy Spirit through prayers. Whatever is done without prayer is senseless.
Always seek God’s guidance for we are facing battles that are not of this world
but of the Spiritual realm.
The author said that every meeting has to be a
commissioning service.[6] This is because all
brothers and sisters are being sent to go and witness from one week to another.
Jesus has sent the early church that way.
T4T FOR OUR LOCAL CHURCH
Reading through
the book and remembering the tracks of our local church, I could see very
familiar common points. I believe that we have also been doing T4T unknowingly
at a certain level.
Jesus our
Discipler Church, our local church, aims to plant house churches and disciple
members, letting them become real doers of the Word and not just hearers. We do
not focus on quantity but on quality. Today, our church is still small but all
are workers, except the ones who are in the remote churches who still need in
depth trainings.
Every church
however has her own problem. Ours is sustaining the won souls. Since we have
limited workforce and finances, there are lots of harvest field that become
untouched.
I could say that
the system of our church in terms of discipleship still needs a lot of work. It
is not as comprehensive as other churches. The following has to be stressed
more in our church as per the author:
1. Mobilizing
the saved - that everyone who accepted
Christ should see the target and finish line, and that is the fruit of the
commission of Christ.
2. Finding
the lost – that everyone who accepted Christ should not just sit in the church
but to go and win souls.
3. Evangelism
– that everyone who accepted Christ should be able to proclaim the Gospel in a
manner appropriate to the context.
4. Discipleship
– that everyone who accepted Christ be able to train disciples who will be the
next generation of disciplers.
5. Church
starting – that everyone who accepted Christ be able to plant a church that
will be able to support herself even at the time of leaving.
6. Leadership
– that everyone who accepted Christ be able to make the disciples follow Christ
and become disciplers who will impact the world.
All these things
should not be just the task of the “higher ups” in the ministry but even of the
new believers.
Our church need
to understand these stages and make each of these firm and effective.
[1] “I
(Smith) spent many hours teaching the group about church-planting movements.
About how God could use them to reach the whole people group and beyond. About how every obedient believer could become a
witness and discipler of others. About how every church could start
churches. About how new generations of disciples and churches could begin every
few weeks or months.” P.25.
[2]
P.35.
[3]
P.38.
[4]
P.53.
[5]
P.54.
[6]
P.140.
