What is a gospel movement?
A church planting movement (CPM) or disciple making movement (DMM) can be defined as “the multiplication of disciples making disciples and leaders developing leaders, resulting in indigenous churches planting churches which begin to spread rapidly through a people group or population segment.” Click here to read more about gospel movements.
Declare a Promise
Psalm 67:4 “Let the [Lebanese] be glad and sing for joy, for you judge all peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth”
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Yes, Lord. Our hearts burst in song: let the nations be glad; let the peoples rejoice; may Lebanon erupt with joy and laughter, with dancing and feasting, in fellowship and mirth. Let it be, Lord. Today, we declare your promise over Lebanon, that the knowledge of your glory and goodness will cover Lebanon–from its coastal cities to its highest peaks to its villages in the Bekaa–as waters cover the sea. We agree! We declare! We say ‘yes’ with the Spirit, who already intercedes for God’s precious children in this beautiful but battered nation.
Today’s Movement Theme:
RELEASING CONTROL, EMPOWERING LEADERS
One distinctive of disciple making movements is the emphasis they place on releasing control early and on empowering leaders constantly. Almost from the very first discovery groups, the outsider is looking for the person or two who can step into the ‘facilitator’ role. After the outsider leads the group a few times, modeling what is supposed to happen, it becomes paramount for her to hand over the reigns to someone on the discovery journey. The outsider doesn’t leave but begins to assist and coach, giving feedback, asking questions in debriefs, and tweaking as needed. By this pattern, movements always make space for the next generation of leaders to emerge.
But for a new leader to become a real leader–not just a facilitator–the outside catalyst must then devote his life to the leader: breaking bread, sharing struggles, celebrating victories, praying together, reading scripture together, repenting together, laughing and crying, thinking and strategizing, learning and growing: together.
Leaders are the engine that drive movements, and leaders don’t emerge without a deep-seated spirit of brotherhood and sisterhood.
Therefore, today, we will pray for this two-part process: making space for new leaders (ie releasing control) and then journeying with them into the fullness of Christ (i.e. empowering leaders).
Pray the Scriptures
John 4:2 “Jesus himself didn’t baptize them—his disciples did”
- Ask: for leaders to make space for other, ‘less qualified or experienced,’ leaders, just like Jesus modeled with the disciples
- Ask: leaders to release the next generation to lead a bit before they feel ready!
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John 3:30 “Therefore, I am filled with joy at [Jesus’] success. He must become greater and greater, and I must become less and less.”
- Ask: for grace to release control. May movement practitioners have a heart like that of John the Baptist, celebrating God’s success and not clinging to their own ‘little egos and lesser kingdoms’
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Gal 4:19 “Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives.”
- Intercede: for outside catalysts to labor and toil on behalf of their friends until they mature into the fullness of Christ
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1 Cor 11:1 “And you should imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”
- Pray: that church planters would open their very lives to others, the way Paul opened himself to his spiritual children
- Pray: for outside catalysts to imitate Christ more closely and more lovingly, setting the pattern for those they invest in
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Ex 4:10-12 “Moses pleaded with the Lord, ‘O Lord, I’m not very good with words. I never have been, and I’m not now, even though you have spoken to me. I get tongue-tied, and my words get tangled.’ Then the Lord [said to Moses]: ‘Go! I will be with you as you speak, and I will instruct you in what to say.'”
- Intercede: for new leaders, asking that God’s answer to Moses–I will be with you–would be His answer to the insecurities of Lebanon’s emerging leaders
- Intercede: for emerging leaders, asking God to demonstrate his power despite their natural inabilities
- Intercede: for new leaders to use what’s in their hand–like Moses and his shepherd’s staff–as the instrument of God’s delivering work
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Ex 14:15 “Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Why are you crying out to me? Tell the people to get moving! Pick up your staff and raise your hand over the sea. Divide the water so the Israelites can walk through the middle of the sea on dry ground.'”
- Pray: that new leaders would grow in confidence as they act and get moving
- Pray: for emerging leaders to see God’s powerful hand divide the waters of chaos, the monsters of the deep, the powers of the unknown, and make a way through the heart of the sea
No Place Left
Each day, we pray for various regions of Lebanon, believing in faith that a disciple making movement will touch each and every community throughout the nation.
Today, pray by name for the areas of Lebanon with concentrations of Palestinian refugees.
Burj Barajne Camp : Ein el Helweh Camp : Mar Elias Camp : Rashidieh Camp : Sabra and Chatila Camp : Burj el Shemali Camp
Prayer
Lord, help us to release control and allow your Holy Spirit to build your church. We pray, Father, for grace to raise up new generations of leaders; grace to refuse a spirit of control; grace to resist the love of ego and our ‘little kingdoms’; grace to embrace the way of Jesus. And Lord, make us more like Paul, who poured out his life like a drink offering, who labored and toiled for his spiritual children. Give us the grace that was on his life to establish self-sustaining gospel communities. And Lord, as leaders of emerging movements imitate Christ, allow new facilitators and new leaders to imitate them. In this way, Lord, may your church sustain itself: disciples making disciples, leaders raising up leaders, groups starting groups, and churches planting churches.
Amen.