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151. The Four Habits with Jim Britts
We continue our series from the Launch 25 gathering. This episode we hear from DMM practitioner, Jim Britts again on the four habits of a disciple-maker. This is a condensed version of four 5 minute talks by Jim that he made for us at Launch. Jim’s 4 habits are in line with our values of Pray, Go, Disciple and Multiply. As you listen, you might want to pause after each habit and look at how you can apply what Jim is sharing. You can also engage with some questions and resources below after you listen to each habit. Habit #1 - Prayer (Tool #1: Prayer Calendar) What is the difference between discipleship and disciple-making? What could we do differently when it comes to prayer? What could happen if we developed regular prayer habits focused on disciple-making? Tool #1 - Prayer Calendar: Fill in a 30 day prayer calendar with names of those who you want to pray for. What will I do in response? (What is my “I will…” statement/s?) Habit #2 - Engage (Tool #2: Four Quadrants) Where is God leading me to engage with lostness and pain? What’s stopping me from engaging with lost people? What do I need to do to have more space to engage with lost people? Tool #2 - Four Quadrants: Write the names of those you are having Casual, Meaningful, Spiritual or Discovery conversations with. What’s my “I will…” statement/s? Habit #3 - Discovery Bible Study (DBS) (Tool #3 - DBS) Jim talked about a Person of Peace. What’s a Person of Peace look like? Is there anyone in my context who might be a Person of Peace? How do I do discovery in my world? What do I need to change in the way I make disciples? Tool #3 - DBS: Questions and tips to facilitate a DBS What’s my “I will…” statement/s? Habit #4 - Plant (Tool #4 - Stories) Where am I in the process of forming disciple-making relationships and communities? What are the next steps I need to take? Reflect on the last four sessions, what skills do I need to develop so I can connect with people and start discovery groups? Tool #4 - Stories: Which Bible stories have impacted me that I can be ready to share? What’s my “I will…” statement/s?’ Be equipped to become a disciple-maker by responding with practical steps from this episode. You could also listen or watch Jim’s videos here with others on your team or in your community. Get your copy of Jim Britt's book - 21 Days To Becoming A Disciple Maker.
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150. God – Do It Here!
In this episode, we kick off a series featuring talks from our Launch 25 gathering in Melbourne. We begin with Dave Lawton, sharing how God led him and Colleen from observing movements in India to being called to see the same happen in the Western world. Be inspired as we pray together: God—do it here! Observing Movements in India Dave recounts how he and Colleen witnessed movements sparking in India. They saw firsthand how catalytic leaders helped movements emerge—one example being a group of young Hindu men who, through simple obedience to Jesus, saw demons cast out and lives transformed. The Call to the West Just as movements were exploding in India, God called the Lawtons back to Australia. Though they longed to return to where they saw God moving, His answer was clear: No. “Just as North India was once called the ‘graveyard of missions,’ today we see the Western church in decline—a graveyard that can become a fruitful vineyard.” “What God is doing over there [in places like India], He wants to do here [in the West].” How Will Movement Happen in the West? Not through big personalities, big budgets, or big buildings. Movement will happen as the Spirit of God comes, empowering ordinary people to obey His Word and step into the harvest. Right now, tens of millions are entering the Kingdom in some of the most challenging places on earth. And God wants to do the same in our Western context. The Story of Joseph from India After Joseph and a group of Indian disciples prayed, God moved powerfully. The result? 50,000 churches planted and thousands of new believers baptised every year. When Dave and the team visited Joseph a few years ago, Joseph asked: “What’s the population of Australia? 23 million? You can do that! Go and take Australia!” What’s God Doing Across the Planet Today? “Acts has not finished.” God is moving today as He did in Acts 2, and He is calling us to pray and ask for the ‘God difference’—for His Spirit to move and send us out. Our role is to hear His voice and respond with obedience. What Will It Take? Seeing movement isn’t about theory—it requires real surrender. It will take: 1. Passionate, obedient, ordinary disciples willing to lay down their lives and go. 2. Breaking traditional structures so the gospel can multiply freely. The Tide Is Turning Last year, as we prayed, God spoke: “The tide is turning.” And now, we are beginning to see it—not just through us, but around us. When the tide turns, all the boats rise. But this shift will shake us. It will bring resistance, even persecution. “We have to go through what those in places like India have gone through.” Prayer (from John 20:21-22) “Jesus, when You walk into the room, we hand over the keys. We step aside and let You take charge. We don’t have what it takes—we need You to move, just as You did with Your disciples. Make us into passionate, multiplying people, ready to be sent by You. Let us feel Your breath on our face and hear You whisper, ‘As the Father sent Me, I send you. Now go!’” Listen in and be stirred to pray, God—do it here!
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149. Media to Movement
In this episode, we hear from ‘Steve,’ a DMM social media catalyst and practitioner who shared at the 2024 Nairobi Conference. Steve gives us insight into how social media can be used to find people of peace and transition from online engagement to real-life disciple-making. Steve’s journey highlights both the potential and limitations of digital disciple-making. He emphasises the importance of on-the-ground disciple-makers. His message is clear: we should use media wisely—to catalyse movements, not replace real-life discipleship. Steve’s Story & Lessons Learned “The faster that they can meet face to face, the more likely they are to multiply.” While caring for his terminally ill wife, Steve turned to social media to continue making disciples. He initially tried online Discovery Bible Studies (DBS) but soon realised that true disciple-making requires face-to-face relationships. This led him to experiment with running ads to connect with seekers and find persons of peace. One of the stories he shares is about Madonna, a young Muslim woman drawn to Jesus. However, she ultimately lacked a local disciple-maker to walk with her, underscoring the critical need for on-the-ground believers. Challenges in Using Social Media for Disciple-Making • Media doesn’t make disciples—only disciples make disciples. “It’s easier to teach a disciple-maker how to use social media than it is to teach a social media person how to make disciples.” • Broadcasting faith content isn’t enough; engagement and relationship-building are key. • Online seekers need local, Spirit-filled believers to walk with them. How Social Media to Movement Works (Finding People of Peace Online) “Yes, social media is a dark place, but we need to be shining the light of Jesus into this darkness.” 1. Attracting Seekers – Media is used to attract spiritual seekers who are already on a spiritual journey. 2. Identifying Seekers – When engaging with people online, the goal isn’t to convince them but to identify those who are genuinely seeking. 3. Filtering Responses – Digital filterers help discern legitimate seekers through relational engagement rather than debate. 4. Connecting to Face-to-Face Discipleship – Once seekers are identified, they should be connected with local disciple-makers as quickly as possible. The faster they meet in person, the more likely they are to multiply. Observations from the Most Fruitful Fields • Disciple-making happens face-to-face, not online. • Digital filterers should have bridge-building spiritual gifts. They focus on relational engagement rather than debating or convincing people. • Effective disciple-makers prioritise starting groups within existing networks of seekers. • Local, experienced, and proven disciple-makers are best suited for filtering seekers. • The focus should be on disciple-makers, not just hiring people for online or offline engagement. This is spiritual work—social media is only an access ministry. We are not making disciples online. • The most fruit often comes from the hardest places. Steve’s Vision & Next Steps Steve’s vision is to create systems, processes, and tools that anyone can use to find persons of peace online. The goal is to test, refine, and replicate these processes to train disciple-makers in DMM. The hope is to develop scalable systems that can be freely shared across the Kingdom of God. What We Need to Use Social Media for Disciple-Making • At least two committed disciple-making movement workers • Access to laptops, computers, reliable phones, and internet • A network of disciple-makers who can meet face-to-face with seekers Steve's Final Encouragement “Let’s go and take everything we have learned to the ends of the earth.” This episode challenges us to see social media not as the end goal but as a tool—one that can help find seekers and connect them with real-life disciple-makers.
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148: Movement on Death Row – Steve Addison
In this episode, our friend and movement author Steve Addison shares powerful stories from his global travels as he researches how God is at work. One of the most remarkable movements he has encountered is happening inside maximum security prisons in Houston, Texas, where disciple-making is transforming ‘death row’ into ‘life row.’ God’s Glory on ‘Death Row’ In six of the fourteen prison sections, 80 out of 168 prisoners have turned to Christ, forming multiplying disciple-making groups and churches. Over the past three years, 24 men have been executed, and 20 of them were disciples of Jesus—a powerful testimony of transformation behind bars. Prisoners are putting it this way: “This isn’t death row for us—it’s life row because we have found Jesus.” So What Can We Learn? The movement in these prisons challenges us with key lessons: • Raising the Bar of Discipleship – Only those serious about change are invested in. • Baptism = Commissioning – Like Jesus’ baptism, every believer is ordained to make disciples. • Simple, Reproducible Methods – Disciple-making training and equipping at its core. • Deep Love and Generosity – A community marked by sincere love. • Partnership – Working with prison authorities to see transformation. Movement in the West God is starting movements in prisons, what about us on the world outside? These same principles can bring transformation anywhere. Steve’s Encouragement for Us Are we practicing simple, reproducible disciple-making like Jesus and the early church? Our identity isn’t in the results—trust God for the fruit and stay faithful in the basics of discipleship. Let’s take what’s happening in prisons as a challenge: If it can happen there, it can happen anywhere.
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147. Living Fire with Dave Coles
In this episode, Dave Coles joins us to share insights from his new book, 'Living Fire'. This book tells the powerful story of Aychi and how God is sparking movements in some of the hardest places on earth. You will be inspired as you listen that God is at work in extraordinary ways. Are we willing to be part of it? 'Living Fire: Advancing God’s Kingdom in Challenging Places' Get the book on Amazon Key highlights from the book: • The spread of the gospel in high-security regions, particularly among Muslim communities in Africa. “We are going everywhere except hell to share the gospel.” (Aychi summing up their mission) • The incredible fruitfulness of disciple-making movements (DMMs) in places where, just decades ago, the idea of such breakthroughs seemed impossible. How Are These Movements Growing? The book explores 22 key factors that ignite, accelerate and sustain these movements. Some Dave mention include: • A Healthy Dissatisfaction – A deep urgency to see the gospel spread. • Extraordinary Prayer – More than regular prayer, it’s serious, informed, and strategic. • Focusing on Relationship, Not Religion – Critical for ministry among Muslims but also relevant in post-Christian cultures. • Access Ministry – Identifying and serving the practical needs of different communities. • Showing Jesus’ Radical Love – Genuine, sacrificial love opens doors and hearts. • Holy Boldness Amidst Hardship – Persevering despite challenges to find people of peace. • Person of Peace – Finding those open to the message (and messenger) and willing to share it. • Discovery Bible Study (DBS) – Helping people discover God’s Word for themselves. The Power of ‘Hot Coals’ A standout principle from the book is ‘Hot Coals’—the idea that movements grow best when those who are already living as radical disciples are sent to ignite new fires elsewhere. Aychi explains: “In our rural areas, we take a hot coal from one neighbor’s fire and bring it to another neighbor to restart a fire.” How Can We Join In? With God, all things are possible—but not always easy. The book challenges us to examine our own disciple-making journey by asking: • “How am I doing with these movement factors (principles)?” • “God, what are the practical steps I can take as I make disciples?” God delights in using His children for His mission. Whether in high-security places or our local communities, these principles apply. The call is clear: every believer is a disciple, and every disciple can make disciples. Further Reading from Dave Coles: • Bhojpuri Breakthrough – A look at one of the world’s most remarkable disciple-making movements. • Cabbages in the Desert – Stories of kingdom impact in unlikely places.
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