In YWAM Frontier Missions, disciple-makers are experiencing unusual opportunities to share with new believers from unreached people groups. Punit’s story is incredible! It demonstrates one of the keys to seeing a successful Disciple-Making Movement (DMM).
God Is the One Who Gives Life
One day a servant of God named Punit received a voicemail on his phone.
The message stated, “I am going to kill myself. I will commit suicide and I will die.”
Punit did not recognize the sender’s voice. He was afraid and wondered who would leave that message. Why would that man call him?
Although Punit was nervous, he called the number back. But he got no answer.
He left messages on the caller’s voicemail saying, “God is the One who gives life. We should not destroy the life He has given us.” Punit continued by reading out verses about Jesus Who died on the cross so that we may have life.
Shivraj changed his mind!
Shivraj was the name of the man who had left the message on Punit’s voicemail.
He was from the Maratha caste. Shivraj had an alcohol and cigarette addiction. He had fallen in love with a girl, and his father opposed the match. At that point, Shivraj decided to take his own life. Punit’s phone message was a bold witness of salvation for him. He focused on God, His word, and Jesus. After listening to Punit’s message, this desperate man changed his mind. That step would eventually change his whole life.
Next Steps in Discipleship
The two men stayed in contact with one another. Punit modelled the practice of disciple-making in his relationship with Shivraj. He shared more about God, visited, prayed, and counseled with him. No longer desperate, Shivraj began to see that God was changing his life. After a number of visits, prayers, and sharing the plan of salvation, Shivraj made the decision. He received Christ as his Lord.
Shivraj then shared his testimony with his neighbors.
As a new believer, Shivraj grew rapidly. Punit lived out what he was teaching Shivraj. Shivraj was excited to share his story with his neighbors, and soon ten Maratha families came to Christ. They now also wanted to grow in the Lord. Punit is eager to give Shivraj more training to lead and grow more disciples.
Rather than discipling those who have believed himself, Punit is training Shivraj to disciple new believers. In this way, they are seeing the multiplication of the movement in that community.
This is what discipling a new believer in a DMM looks like.
Punit uses a resource called Training for Trainers (T4T). T4T is a disciple-making/church planting tool developed by Ying Kai. Taught by God’s Word and Spirit, Ying began to train continually multiplying church planting trainers. Working in an Asian country, they saw 80,000 new churches started in less than a decade! Learn more at t4tonline.org.
Responding to the Call
This YWAM Frontier Missions worker took a bold step. When Punit received a call for help, he responded. Though he didn’t know Shivraj, he called the number back and left a message of hope. This act of faith and boldness led to the transformation of not only Shivraj but of many other families from an unreached people group.
What about you?
It isn’t always easy to respond when we see a need, even an urgent one. Often, it is more convenient to turn our eyes away. We get busy with other things while people around us are desperately crying out for help.
Will you respond to the call of the lost and broken? Of the unreached around you? Of those who have never heard?
Find out more about getting involved with reaching those who’ve never heard the gospel by checking out our FM Seminars and short-term training. Or sign up today to talk with a YWAM Bridges Coach who can help you get started in taking the next step.