Disciple Making Tips
​By Geoffrey Harris


Would you just listen?!

How many times have you heard your partner, a friend, or your mother ask that question?

Being a good listener is a powerful way to impact others and start well in a disciple making relationship.

Very few people are good listeners but when you meet one who is, you remember them.

They make you feel important and your feelings and thought’s valued.

Being a good listener is critical to a respectful dialogue which is the goal of powerful Disciple Making.

​If you would like to improve your listening skills, here is an exercise I dare you to try.

Find a partner or friend who is available for a conversation.

Then introduce the topic of listening this way...

I’m working on improving my listening skills.

Would you help me by doing a little exercise together?

Then give this instruction.

*Imagine you are in a room with four corner’s: Mad, Sad, Glad and Afraid. Pick a corner then walk over to it mentally and talk to me for at least 30 seconds.
 
Which corner did you pick?

Talk to me...

If they have difficulty getting started you can help by suggesting one or more of the following statements...

*Tell me what you are feeling.
Tell me what you are thinking.
Tell me what you are doing.
Tell me what you are thinking of doing.

Listen, take mental notes as they talk and ask follow up questions like “ Tell me more about...” or “Is there anything else?'

Summarize what you heard and tell them what you understand they said. 

Ask them if your summation is accurate.

Identify with their emotion if possible.  If not, let them know you care about their feelings.

Thank them for helping you improve your listening skills.

The primary reason's for this conversation is for you to practice asking good question’s and to listen well.

One additional reason is that this exercise will model for them how to be a good listener.

You will find this conversation powerful because it is all about the other person. That's why it will be unusual and memorable to them.

God has called every Christian to make Disciple’s who make Disciple’s of Jesus. 

A primary skill of disciple making is caring about the other person's well being by listening well.

For those brave enough to take this challenge, I would love to hear about your experience.

To summarize, great Disciple Maker's are great listeners.

*Exercise From: Larkin, Nate. “Beyond Accountability.” Discipleship.org, September 2017. iBooks. 
​

It can be if you are Patrick Steven Mateketa...

Steven is a man on a mission...

To Lead with Love.

All he wants to do is impact his nation and beyond for Christ.

It all began with our connecting on Social Media about a year ago for training in NATURAL DISCIPLESHIP.

When I asked Steven how he planned to reach the remote villages and equip Pastor's, Here was his response...

"Thank you for your inquiry.

Every Village Pastors Network has a catchment area of about 10-20 km (A km is 1.16 miles) in radius which can cover more than 50 villages. Therefore we can allocate 3 villages per pastor.

The estimated number of villages I am covering in the Eastern Region is 210.

I have a working schedule of visiting 3 villages every week. And because they are within a distance of from 20 km and above and that I ride my bicycle.

I give myself and my students a 4-5 hour class making 2 hour lessons and 30 min - 1 hour break intervals. This is done like that because I visit each class every fortinight. (Once per month.)

This is Last Friday 4th September 2020.

Here I was going to NSANAMA village in MACHINGA, MALAWI.

A Laptop by my side and Bluetooth speaker at the back. I sometimes record my voice explaining the manual in our vernacular language and play, pause and explain. I do this when my friend has borrowed me a Bluetooth speaker.

Besides these classes in the Eastern Region, I have a vast number of people following NATURAL DISCIPLESHIP in the Central Region following making a Facebook Discipleship to my schoolmate PASTOR ELSON MALUMBIRA, who shared this with his (Social Media) friends who have mobilized 80+ Pastors including some leaders.

This has (allowed me to have) a Verbal online class (using ZOOM.)

We have scheduled one hour phone classes.

Pastor ELSON MALUMBIRA is connected to me on (his) phone (and) I purchase a one hour voice (internet) bundle and start classes through a HANDSFREE MODE.

Students are able to ask questions and freely discuss."

This can't be true...can it? Did I hear him right?

He is training seventy four pastors in the Eastern Region using his bike and eighty pastor's in the Western Region using technology, in Africa!. That's one hundred and fifty four Pastors!!!

But, isn't that what Jesus told us to do through the Apostle Paul? "Share these things with faithful men who will be able to teach others also." 2 Timothy 2:2

Our NATURAL DISCIPLESHIP strategy in Africa is a "top down" approach. We are reaching Pastor's and Leader's, like Steven, using Social Media and equipping them with the resources and technology to reach every village and person in Africa with the Gospel through their existing networks.

Sounds like a strategy Jesus used with his disciples.

Only without the technology.

Jesus was "old school", but he got er done!

Yes, it can be true.

Steven is getting er done too.

Believe it!

One year ago I met Lugeno Bag-O online.

Lugeno is an ambitious young man from Tagbilaran City, Philippines, who saw my ministry page and reached out for spiritual support.

Our short visit led me to introduce him to Natural Discipleship.

Fast forward one year...

Now, Lugeno is Training a youth group, discipling a young married couple and has introduced multiplying discipleship to his parents, who are pastors of his church.

“I thank God for your mentorship. It’s a really big impact & help for us here.

Yes, Rev. Geoffrey, my parents (have) gladly received ( Natural Discipleship) and we use this in our ministry.

It is a big impact of my life, that Christ is inside of me, my life was transformed.

(Now I can) be like Him, and I can testify to other people, that this is my God.

The teaching u teach me, I passed on to them.”

This story about Lugeno seems noble. It is a story that is altering the outcome of a broken world.

Join us at our Facebook ministry page, PPMDiscipleMaking, for more, never-before-released, stories of life transformation.

Share and it helps spread the good news.

Press here to join us and get the inside info at PowerPoint Ministries.

Geoffrey Harris

​
Disciple making tips.
By Geoffrey Harris
 
What do you do when your prayers are not answered?

Apply the Faith Principle. *
 
A friend of mine had been praying for a life partner for a long time. This need was consuming their attention and stealing their emotional energy.  They asked for my advice.
 
Here was my response:
 
I am continuing to pray in faith for God to send you a life partner and here is a principle that will help you. I ask you to pray in faith by thanking God for His Sovereignty and tell him you trust His provision in this matter.
 
Can you trust Him?  Will you trust Him?
 
If your answer is “yes”, each time you think about your need, thank Almighty God as an expression of your faith, that he will meet this need in His way and perfect time.

The Faith Principle
 
Scripture says, “Now the just shall live by faith: but if any man draw back, my soul shall have no pleasure in him.”
Hebrews 10:38 KJV

Your expression of faith is what pleases God. Scripture says; “Without faith it is impossible to please God.“ Hebrews 11:6 
 
Think about your response to what seems like unanswered prayer this way. Any doubt, worry and frustration about His provision of a partner for you communicates to God you do not trust him. Your unbelief breaks your fellowship, unplugs you from His power, and may delay His answer to your prayers.

A common response to circumstances over which we have no control, is to take matters into our own hands by over thinking them, trying to come up with our own plan, and managing and controlling matters in the flesh.
 
Worry and frustration is a normal response to unanswered prayer but an indication you are placing your faith in the wrong object, i.e., your circumstances, other people, your plans, etc., rather than God's will.
 
Thanking him, each time you feel worried and frustrated, is an expression of your faith in him and His will, as the right object of your faith. Thanking God, in what feels like negative circumstances, is the highest expression of faith.
 
The temptation to rely on your emotions is not wrong unless you succumb to them. 

Faith is not a feeling.

Faith is not a feeling. It is a choice to trust in the integrity of God and his word.
 
As you demonstrate your faith, regardless of your feelings, by doing the right thing, He will honor your trust with the valid fruit of the Spirit, “ Peace, “ in your circumstance.
 
Thanking Him that He will meet your need, in His time, communicates your “faith” in and to Him.

Remember, “That which is not of faith is sin.” Romans 14:23

 I call this the “faith principle.”
 
Scripture also says, “Therefore, as you have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him,” Colossians 2:6 NASB
 
How did you receive Him?
 
Through faith. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—”Ephesians 2:8 NIV
 
As you replace your struggle with the gift of faith God has given, you will find peace and comfort and rest, while you wait, expectantly, for His perfect will.

It makes a lot more sense to trust in the plan of the infinite, Almighty God of the Universe, than in our little, finite human plans. Surrender to God‘s will and plan for your life, whatever it may be, rest in His peace and He will exceed your expectations.

​This is what to do when your prayers are not answered.
 
Remember the Faith Principle
1. The just shall live by faith...
2. Without faith it is impossible to please him...
3. That which is not of faith is sin...
4. Give thanks in all things...

“In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV

* I learned The Faith Principle from Dr. Bill Bright, founder of Campus Crusade for Christ International. (Cru)