What Does God Want To Do In Our Cities? This Discipleship Pathway Can Help Us Imagine

By S. Crawley

Photo by Lili Popper on Unsplash

People are so familiar with European and American discipleship wineskins that many are surprised to discover other possibilities. Some of these can facilitate deep and effective discipleship, spreading through entire social networks.

The "Disciple-Making Movement (DMM) Pathway” describes one of these wineskins. It has been fruitful for discipling groups and multiplying churches across diverse cultures and communities.

Why is this Discipleship Pathway Useful?

First and foremost, it has a solid Biblical foundation.

Secondly, it has been highly effective in catalysing replicating discipleship in many communities that had previously rejected the European wineskins. Most of these communities have been rural, but it also holds lessons for us as we look at our cities.

Thirdly, many of us have only been exposed to the European-style wineskins. Becoming familiar with the DMM Pathway can spark fresh ideas and push us into fresh conversations with the Word and Spirit of God about how we can partner with Him in our unique contexts.

Here is an infographic:

Here’s a quick overview.

God's Vision: The Ultimate Non-Negotiable

Any discussion of joining in God’s work MUST start with Him.

God's vision and purpose are unchanging and profoundly revealed in the Bible - He will do what He plans to do, with or in spite of us (He prefers “with”!). We are invited to align ourselves with His vision and partner with Him in fulfilling His Kingdom purposes.

If we drift into a different focus we will finish off-track - no matter how good our methods or how enduring the principles we follow.

The Elements of the DMM Pathway

Several critical elements make up this pathway, and we'll explore each one:

1. Be a Disciple Worth Imitating

This is not about religious or ethical performance.

Being a disciple worth imitating is being committed to living a life of daily surrender and trusting obedience in a dynamic relationship with the Father. Fixing our eyes and hearts on Him will bring life to us, and to those around us. We will still have our weaknesses and limitations, but His character and goodness will be visible.

Am I this kind of disciple?

We reproduce who we are.

2. Pray Passionately

Prayer is the foundation of our relationship with God. 

Prayer is making space for our Father - 'listening' first, and responding second. Prayer enables us to discern God’s invitations to join Him in His work ‘inside’ us, and outside of us. We can then intercede and take action in faith. 

Prayer is both the engine room of our discipleship journey, and the fuel for our effectiveness in helping others know God.

3. Go and Serve

“Going” involves joining God in the work He is doing around us. 

As He places or invites us into different communities, we listen to their hopes, desires and needs. We identify opportunities to serve and bless the community by bringing God’s peace. Through meeting felt needs and serving brokenness, we give people a taste of God’s goodness and an experience of His love. 

When we serve the community unconditionally, we are also looking for signs of spiritual hunger and openness. These show us where God is at work. Spiritually hungry people will lean in when they see an authentic spirituality that reflects God’s heart. 

“Going” is a crucial step in the process that enables us to identify and serve those whom God is already preparing.

4. Discipleship

Discipleship is about helping people to know God and learn to relate to Him. 

We help spiritually hungry people discover God, His story, and how to relate to Him in the context of their own community. Tools like Discovery Bible Study (DBS) can be powerful in facilitating this journey.  DBS creates a space for people to engage with Scripture personally, listen to God directly, and respond to His Word practically. 

A discipleship process that cultivates dependency and responsiveness to Jesus simultaneously empowers disciples to help others take the same journey.

5. Be the Church

Church at its most foundational is a group of people pursuing God together. 

As a group journeys through Scripture together, they have repeated opportunities to choose whether to trust and obey what God is revealing to them or to step away. Through the Bible, they discover Jesus’ invitation to discipleship and are challenged to express love for God and to their neighbours on a new level. Together they begin to look outward to the needs of those around them.

In this way, the DNA of the New Testament ekklesia (church) is established.

6. Multiply

God's Kingdom naturally replicates and multiplies - it is simply what the Kingdom does. 

As these disciples keep listening, trusting and obeying what God is revealing to them over time, their lives change. Their deepening relationship with God reveals Him to others who are hungry for the same kind of relationship. Disciples are able to help them begin the same journey by repeating the same, simple process. 

Like yeast kneaded through dough, an embodied experience of the Gospel of God’s Kingdom spreads into new communities and social networks. This leads to the emergence of new groups and disciples.

Embracing God's Vision

God’s vision is the ultimate destination for Asian cities. 

There is a big gap between what our existing wineskins are achieving, and what is on our Father’s heart. He has unique plans proportionate to the unique size, culture and context of Asian cities. There are no experts in this field - we are all working it out together!

In this context, “the DMM Pathway” offers a helpful additional reference point as we seek God and re-imagine discipleship in Asia and urban contexts. It helps us ask fresh questions about how we can best serve what our Father is doing. It encourages us to press into the Word and prayer to seek His plans for the harvest. 

Putting God’s vision first challenges us to hold our methods and ministries loosely and seek Him afresh for His plans for the greater harvest.

Reflection and Response

1. A Scripture
   For this one, we have prepared a Scripture buffet! Sixteen profound Old Testament passages which speak of God’s cosmic end vision. You can download it here.

   What do these passages tell us about God’s end vision? His desire for people?
   

2. A thoughtful question
   - How does my service or ministry contribute to God’s end vision? What is the pathway from where I am to what the Bible says He plans to do where He has called me?
   

3. A possible application
   - What adjustment(s) can I make to my service or ministry to align more with His ultimate goals?

Discipling the Urban Harvest provides practical insights and encouragement to walk with God in multiplying discipleship in an increasingly urban world - growing as children of the Father, serving the communities He has called us to, and discipling those hungry to know Him.