August 29th, 2007 - Alan Hirsh
It is interesting that when we really look at the dangerous stories of the phenomenal movements, at the most uncomplicated level, they appear to the observer simply as disciple-making systems. But the rather funny thing is that they never appear to get beyond this—they never move beyond mere disciple-making. This is because it is at once the starting point, the abiding strategic practice, as well as the key to all lasting missional impact in and through movements. Whether one looks at the Wesleyan, Franciscan, or the Chinese phenomenon, at core they are essentially comprised of, and led by, disciples, and they are absolutely clear on the disciple making mandate. Take for instance the Methodist movement which was founded in eighteenth century Britain by John Wesley: Following a life-changing encounter with God, Wesley began to travel throughout Great Britain with a vision for the conversion and discipling of a nation and the renewal of a fallen Church. He “sought no less than the recovery of the truth, life and power of earliest Christianity and the expansion of that kind of Christianity.” Within a generation, one in thirty people in Britain had become Methodists and the movement was becoming a worldwide phenomenon. In the opinion of Stephen Addison, a missiologist who has spent much of his professional life studying Christian movements, the key to Methodism’s success was the high level of commitment to the Methodist cause that was expected of participants. This cause declined to the degree that the movement had moved away from its original missional ethos or evangelism and disciple-making and degenerated into mere religious legalism maintained by institution, rule books, and professional clergy.
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