02. Start With a Few, and Expect Them to Multiply
Scripture: 2 Timothy 2:2
Picture a few ordinary adults gathered around your table or in your living room.
Now picture those people becoming fully devoted followers of Christ, a church that loves, obeys, prays, shares, and cares for one another like the house to house churches in the book of Acts.
Then picture each family unit helping another household become that same kind of church.
That is our destination: become a biblical church that multiplies churches that do the same.
Our larger vision is to help finish the Great Commission in our lifetime, with 2033 as our goal. We want the gospel to reach every people, with disciples learning to obey Jesus and making multiplying disciples.
In the previous article, the challenge was to put your training into action and gather a few.
Now give those few a clear vision, and a pathway to walk together.
First Year: Fall in Love With Jesus
Invite people who want to discover what it means to be a disciple of Jesus, and how to make multiplying disciples.
They can begin learning with you. Completing Zúme Training beforehand is not a requirement.
During your first year together, focus on Bible stories about Jesus’ miracles and healings, and learn His parables.
See Him touch the outcast, heal the suffering, forgive sinners, calm the storm, and welcome people others overlook.
Discover His love for mankind, His character, His holiness, and His divine nature.
Ask together:
What does this reveal about Jesus?
What would it look like to follow Him?
Then put what you discover into practice.
Our first-year aim is to fall in love with Jesus and become fully devoted followers of Christ.
Learn the Tools by Living the Stories
Some of the stories you discuss will also teach the biblical principles behind the Zúme discipleship tools.
Learn those tools by practicing together.
For example, discover how Jesus freed the demonized man in Mark 5:1-20.
See Jesus’ compassion and power. See the man’s transformed life. When he wanted to accompany Jesus, Jesus sent him home to tell his people what the Lord had done for him and how He had shown him mercy.
The man shared throughout the Decapolis, the Ten Cities.
Then practice sharing your own testimony.
Help each person tell what Jesus has done in their life. Encourage them to share it with someone during the week.
Explore Luke 10 or Matthew 10. Discover how Jesus sent His disciples and taught them to recognize receptive people.
Then practice finding a person of peace.
Pray, enter conversations, offer prayer, and share about Jesus. Help a receptive person discover Him and invite family and friends to do the same.
My Zúme Story Guide provides stories to help you learn and practice these tools.
The rhythm is simple:
Discover the story. Practice together. Obey and share during the week. Discuss what happened when you meet again.
Develop a Life You Can Pass On
Throughout the year, use Scripture and practice to learn:
Daily life in God’s Word. Practice SOAPS: Scripture, Observation, Application, Prayer, and Sharing. Breathe in God’s Word; breathe out by obeying what it says and sharing it with others.
Prayer individually and together. Learn prayer as a two-way conversation: speaking to God and listening to Him. As you discern His direction in keeping with Scripture, obey it. Help others learn to pray too.
Gospel sharing through existing relationships. Make a List of 100 people you know. Pray for them by name. Learn to share your testimony and the gospel.
Recognizing a person of peace. Help receptive people discover Jesus and reach their family and friends.
A simple 3/3rds Discovery Bible Study. Learn to look back with care and loving accountability, look up to discover Scripture, and look forward with commitments to obey and share. Take turns facilitating so everyone learns how to help another group.
As you grow in your love for Jesus, you are learning a way of life another household can learn from you.
Become a Church Like Those in Acts
When your group is ready, explore Acts 2 through a 3/3rds Discovery Bible Study.
Discover how the believers devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship, breaking bread, and prayer. See how they shared life, met needs, gathered in homes, and praised God.
Ask:
“What must we put into practice to become a church like this?”
Then covenant together to live what you discover.
Your destination is a biblical house-to-house church where every member contributes and accepts responsibility for helping others follow Jesus.
Second Year: Help Another Church Begin
By the end of your second year together, each family unit commits to helping start at least one new house-to-house church that follows the same pathway.
Couples can serve together. Single adults have a full place in this mission too.
Work through a person of peace. Help that person gather family and friends to discover Jesus.
Model the process. Help them practice. Teach them to take turns facilitating. Then coach them as they grow.
Continue attending your original church, where you receive fellowship, encouragement, and support while helping the new church develop.
From the beginning, give that new church the same vision:
Fall in love with Jesus. Become fully devoted followers. Live as a biblical church. Help each family unit multiply another church.
Paul told Timothy:
“The things which you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit the same to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.”
2 Timothy 2:2 WEB
The responsibility travels with the message.
Your Next Step: Agree on the Destination
At your next gathering, share this invitation:
“Let’s spend our first year falling in love with Jesus, learning to obey Him, and practicing how to make disciples. Let’s become a church like those in Acts. By the end of our second year, let’s each help another household become a church that does the same.”
Discuss it. Pray together. Invite each family unit to commit to the journey.
Choose your first story about Jesus. Begin praying for the households you could reach.
A few people around your table or in your living room can become a church. That church can help other churches begin. And those churches can carry the gospel further.
Keep the nations in view.
Keep 2033 before you.
Begin with a few, and equip them to multiply.
Ordinary People. Extraordinary Movements.
Want to go further?
All ten Zúme discipleship lessons are on my site, free, with the video and the same teaching notes I use when I train leaders in person. Take them on your own, take them with a few friends, or join me live on Zoom and I will teach them to you face to face. When you finish, tell me and I will coach you personally.
Start the ten lessons:
https://internationalafricanmobilization.com/training/terrys-zume-teaching-series/
Join a live training –
https://zume.training/join-a-training
Next Steps form: https://airtable.com/appUh4Y3McdFcQ8Xg/pagCyMWEWZbPNlyH5/form
Watch on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lkeWGfIcHBA
Series playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJmb0Da-UPyM
Your gift would be tax deductible and overseen by Northside Christian Church, our sending church. There are many we coach that could use encouragement in small ways to accomplish great things.
Terry Ruff