Pathway is for anyone who wants to know how to start a disciple making movement (DMM). DMM consists of seven elements (sails). They are listed below. 

The sail concept comes from a sailboat analogy. For a sailboat to move forward requires two things: someone to raise the sails and wind. It is our responsibility to raise the sails (implement the elements listed below). It is the Holy Spirit who provides the wind. We do our part and pray for the wind of the Holy Spirit. Both are essential for DMM to occur.

​Notice the various elements are not steps. The disciple making process is not always sequential. Instead, view the elements as a whole and focus on the one that needs the most attention.
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FOCUS ON GOD'S WORD

​By developing the habit of reading, obeying, and sharing the Bible. Reading Scripture is as essential to our spiritual health as eating food is to our physical health. Matthew 4:4 NIV. Obedience is the true measure of faith. 1 John 2:5

Resource
  • One Thing Study A simple, powerful, and highly transferable devotional that enables focusing on God's word. 
MULTIPLY EXTRAORDINARY PRAYER

By increasing your time in personal DMM prayer and fasting. DMM prayer focuses on the seven sails. Extraordinary prayer is simply praying (and fasting) more than you presently do. Extraordinary prayer is a characteristic of movements worldwide.

  • Acts records over thirty instances of prayer. Words associated with prayer in Acts include: together, constantly, united, knelt, regularly, earnestly, gathered, hymns, and fasting. The focus of prayer includes: guidance, boldness, and power. Prayer and expansion of the gospel are in rhythm with each other throughout the book of Acts. "Every major breakthrough for the church in the book of Acts came about as a direct result of prayer. God performed mighty works for the propagation of the gospel and the declaration of his glory in direct proportion to the prayers of his people." — David Platt

By increasing your time in group DMM prayer. Join, form, or host a prayer group focused on starting a disciple making movement. The meeting can be in-person or virtual and may last one hour or multiple hours. 
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Resources
CAST VISION

By telling others what God is doing through your disciple making efforts. Casting vision is especially compelling when everyday Christians share how God is working in their lives as they make disciples. It removes the myth that the Great Commission is for trained pastors, church staff, or gifted believers. It convinces people that the Great Commission is doable by everyone. Casting vision causes others to become involved in DMM. Begin vision casting with stories and end with an invitation to training. 

Resources
  • This page. Share it with others. 
  • View the DMM Sails diagram. It provides a big picture perspective to the disciple making process. 
  • Read Megachurch to Multiplication. It the best DMM book in the context of the North American culture.   
TRAIN BELIEVERS

By offering different levels of instruction.

  • Teach the Tools one at a time, as needed. The tools section is an à-la-carte format. 

  • Start Launch Groups for those ready to learn about Discovery Bible Study (DBS) and Discovery Groups. A Launch Group is a five week training event that equips people to multiply through groups. 

  • Teach Start Up for those ready to learn the various DMM tools. Start Up is a multi-session training that bundles the main tools.

  • Offer the Eight-week DMM training for catalytic people. DMM training is for those who have led a Discovery Group, have been through Start Up, and demonstrate the desire to reach large groups of people. Use the notes from your training or invite them to the free online DMM training.
​By introducing pastors and church leaders to Multiply. A resource that helps churches make disciples who make disciples. ​​
GO OUT AMONG THE LOST

Locally. There are a couple of ways to go out among the lost locally: situationally and intentionally. Situational consists of engaging people in the course of everyday activities (work, school, errands, hobbies, etc.). The FARM Conversation is an excellent resource for this. Intentional includes a purposeful and planned time to witness about Jesus Christ. Prayer Walking is a great resource for this.

  • Local disciple making begins as you discover a person of peace—someone who wants to tell others what they are learning about God. It continues as you show them how to do Discovery Bible Study. It progresses as they start a Discovery Group (DG), which becomes a Disciple Making Community. The goal of going out among the lost is to start groups who start groups. Ongoing coaching takes place during the entire disciple making process. 

Resources: ​
  1. Watch Person of Peace (5:41) ​
  2. Watch Compassion (8:04)
  3. Watch Church (6:34)
  4. Watch Leadership (10:30)

Globally--specifically the unreached. Those without access to the news about Jesus Christ. Presently, over THREE BILLION people are in this category. Over 40% of humanity does not have the opportunity to learn about the gospel! They are unreached because there are not enough people in their own culture to evangelize the rest of their people. They are only reached by Christians bringing the gospel to them.

Resources: 
  1. Watch Reach the Unreached (4:20)
  2. REACH. An in-depth mobilization resource for small groups or individuals. 
  3. Joshuaproject.net. A website about unreached peoples. 
  4. Beyond.org/videos 
  5. Infographics. 
  6. Unreached Library. 
  7. Mission Frontiers magazine. It's free online. ​
  8. Beyond.org. A mission organization that uses the DMM strategy among the unreached. Become SOGY (Support Others or Go Yourself). 
SEE GROUPS START

By equipping people to start Discovery Groups (DG). Ideally, the DG matures to become a Disciple Making Community (DMC). The DG focuses on DBS, where as the DMC focuses on the seven sails. Multiplication occurs as the DMC repeats the process. 

Because Groups are the key to multiplication. A group is defined as three or more people who meet weekly and use DBS. There are several benefits to groups, not found in meetings with individuals. They remember more, learn quicker, replicate faster and more often, protect against heresy and poor leadership, self-correct, and increase accountability.*
ONGOING COACHING

Consists of meeting regularly with your disciples to help them start groups. Ongoing coaching is critical to long term multiplication. Initial training just equips a person with the tools for multiplication, consistent mentoring is what actually results in multiplication. Coaching is situational. It consists of celebrating progress and helping people move forward. Usually this includes encouragement, or some form of equipping (re-equipping, modeling, etc.). Healthy coaching addresses the next steps in a person's multiplication journey. 1 Thessalonians 3:10

If your disciple is only familiar with DBS, ask the following questions:
  • "How is your soul?" In other words, how are you doing personally? 
  • "What is going well in your Discovery Group?" Think form, facilitate, and coach. 
  • "What needs attention in your Discovery Group?" How can I help you accomplish your next step? 
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If they are familiar with the seven DMM elements consider asking the following questions. 
  • "How is your soul?" In other words, how are you doing personally? 
  • "Which of the seven elements are going well?" View the DMM Sail diagram. 
  • "Which element (and corresponding action point) needs attention?" How can I help? Be ready to do whatever is necessary to help your disciples move forward. This may involve more explaining and modeling. 
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Consists of meeting regularly with others who are starting DMM movements. Join an existing coaching meeting, or form your own. Make sure to focus on the seven elements and asks the key questions above. 

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RESOURCES

  1. View DMM Sails 
  2. See DMM Resources​
​* Paul Watson, Small Groups That Have the DNA of a Disciple Making Movement (Mission Frontiers, Nov-Dec, 2012) https://www.missionfrontiers.org/issue/article/small-groups-that-have-the-dna-of-a-disciple-making-movement

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