Miraculous Movements

1. Unprecedented Movements: Muslims Turning to Christ in Record Numbers

Miraculous movements are sweeping through some parts of the Muslim world today.

Global phenomenon. Hundreds of thousands of Muslims are turning to Christ annually, with reports suggesting up to a million conversions per year. This unprecedented movement is characterized by:

• Entire mosques coming to faith
• Thousands of ordinary individuals achieving seemingly impossible outcomes
• Tens of thousands of Muslim-background Christians becoming dedicated intercessors
• Previously unreached Muslim people groups now having 50-100+ churches within two years
• Former sheikhs, imams, and militant Islamists making up 20% or more of new Christian leaders

Transformation stories. These movements are marked by dramatic personal and community transformations, including healed families, diminished violence, freedom from addictions, and evidence of divine favor in daily life.

2. Intercessory Prayer: The Foundation of Disciple Making Movements

Prayer is the greatest weapon that any disciple maker can wield, and God's people are using it effectively around the world at this very minute.

Prayer culture. Successful Disciple Making Movements are characterized by a pervasive culture of prayer:

• Many Christians pray for Muslims daily, with new converts often fasting weekly
• All-night or six-hour prayer vigils are common
• Personal disciplines of early-morning prayer (1-3 hours) are widespread
• Family devotions centered on discovering the Bible and praying together are typical

Strategic intercession. Prayer is used strategically in these movements:

• Praying for new regions before entering
• "Spiritual scanning" to discern and pray against spiritual strongholds
• Mobilizing intercessors to fast and pray on immediate notice for spiritual crises

3. Finding Persons of Peace: God's Pre-positioned Agents for the Gospel

Jesus commanded His disciples to seek out a person of peace whenever they entered a new community.

Biblical strategy. The concept of finding a "person of peace" is drawn from Jesus' instructions in Luke 10 and Matthew 10. This person:

• Has been prepared by God to welcome and protect missionaries
• Serves as a bridge for the gospel into their community
• Often (but not always) has influence in the community

Unexpected agents. In Muslim contexts:

• Approximately 20% of persons of peace are sheikhs, imams, or even militants
• Women often play this role, though they may need to be creative in facilitating gospel entry
• Sometimes the first encounter is marked by indifference or even hostility

Approach. Disciple makers find persons of peace by:

• Blending into the community
• Finding creative ways to serve people
• Demonstrating genuine compassion and friendship

4. Discovery Bible Studies: Facilitating Obedience-Based Discipleship

Knowledge without obedience creates a spiritual dichotomy between knowledge and obedience. This, tragically, is a toxic spiritual brew.

Core principles. Discovery Bible Studies (DBS) are designed to:

• Facilitate discovery and obedience rather than teaching or preaching
• Allow participants to discover truth directly from Scripture
• Emphasize applying biblical principles to daily life

Process. A typical DBS session includes:

• Reading a passage of Scripture
• Retelling the passage in one's own words
• Discussing what the passage teaches about God and people
• Identifying how to obey the passage's teachings
• Sharing the insights with others

Outcomes. This approach leads to:

• Rapid multiplication of disciples and churches
• Deep transformation of individuals and communities
• Development of indigenous church leadership

5. Simple Churches: Rapid Replication and Community Transformation

Only a rabbit church has the ability to reproduce rapidly, thrive in a dangerous environment, and naturally facilitate obedience-based discipleship within every member.

Characteristics. Simple churches in Muslim contexts typically:

• Average 31.2 Christians per church (15 in high-risk areas)
• Emphasize participation in ongoing Discovery Bible Studies
• Have collective leadership, often with bi-vocational pastors
• Focus on prayer, including weekly fasting
• Use tithes for community needs and further gospel spread

Replication. This model enables:

• Rapid multiplication of churches
• Easy adaptation to various cultural contexts
• Resilience in the face of persecution

Transformation. Simple churches often lead to:

• Dramatic personal and community changes
• Increased openness to the gospel in hostile areas
• Sustainable, indigenous Christian movements

6. Dreams, Visions, and Miracles: God's Supernatural Interventions

Gathered reports from different organizations serving the Muslim world suggest that there may be a million or more people turning from Islam to Jesus every year.

Divine encounters. Many Muslims report supernatural experiences leading to faith:

• About 40% of former Muslim leaders report dreams or visions of Jesus
• Dreams often compare the Qur'an with the Bible or show visions of heaven and hell
• Christians also report divine guidance through dreams

Miraculous acceleration. Signs and wonders play a significant role:

• 50-70% of new churches among Muslims are planted in part due to miracles
• Healings and deliverances often occur during the first weeks of Discovery Bible Studies
• These events often lead to rapid growth and openness to the gospel

Strategic importance. These supernatural interventions:

• Often reach Muslims with no other access to the gospel
• Create openings for Christian workers to explain and disciple
• Demonstrate God's power and love in tangible ways

7. Ordinary People, Extraordinary Results: The Power of Everyday Disciples

A cursory look at the book of Acts demonstrates that the work of ministry was largely done by nonprofessional Christians.

Diverse backgrounds. Effective disciple makers come from all walks of life:

• Farmers, weavers, office workers, carpenters, herdsmen, fishermen, tailors
• Drivers, clerks, janitors, merchants, midwives, police officers, and more

Unexpected leaders. Examples include:

• A former palm oil merchant who planted multiple churches in a dangerous area
• A donkey cart driver who led hundreds to Christ while working
• An ex-imam who planted over 100 churches after learning to read the Bible

Empowerment principle. This approach:

• Recaptures the DNA of the early church
• Takes seriously Jesus' command to make disciples
• Unleashes the potential of every believer for ministry

8. Persecution and Courage: The Cost and Reward of Following Christ

If any Muslim is going to follow Christ, he will suffer. I will advise him to depend on the Lord, not on men. I will tell him to pray much. He has to be strong in his faith because eternal life is awaiting him.

Reality of persecution. Muslim-background believers often face:

• Loss of homes, loved ones, and personal freedom
• Severe beatings and imprisonment
• Constant threat of death

Courageous response. Despite these challenges, many believers:

• Continue to share their faith boldly
• Respond to persecution with grace and forgiveness
• Often see their persecutors come to faith as a result

Strengthening effect. Persecution tends to:

• Refine and strengthen faith
• Create an environment of greater church growth
• Demonstrate the transformative power of the gospel

9. Engaging the Hardest to Reach: Unlikely Converts Become Powerful Disciples

Sometimes the most difficult person to reach with the gospel will become the most dedicated follower of Christ.

Unexpected disciples. Examples include:

• A feared occult practitioner and militia leader
• An imam who made bombs to destroy churches
• Sheikhs and other influential Muslim leaders

Transformation stories. These individuals often:

• Become passionate evangelists and church planters
• Use their influence to reach others in their former circles
• Demonstrate dramatic life changes that attract others to Christ

Strategic importance. Engaging the hardest to reach:

• Often yields the greatest results in terms of influence and multiplication
• Mirrors Jesus' own choice of unlikely disciples (e.g., Matthew the tax collector, Simon the Zealot)
• Demonstrates the power of the gospel to transform even the most resistant hearts

10. Paradigm Shifts: Rethinking Traditional Approaches to Evangelism

Make Intercessory Prayer the Highest Priority

Key shifts. Effective disciple making among Muslims requires:

1. Prioritizing intercessory prayer above all else
2. Focusing on making disciples who make disciples, not just converts
3. Investing time in finding the right person (person of peace)
4. Facilitating discovery and obedience, not just teaching knowledge
5. Presenting a holistic Jesus through both compassion and proclamation
6. Trusting in God's Word and the Holy Spirit without professional oversight
7. Empowering ordinary believers for extraordinary ministry

Practical implications. These shifts lead to:

• A greater emphasis on relationship-based discipleship
• More time invested in fewer people initially, for greater long-term impact
• A focus on obedience-based discipleship rather than knowledge accumulation
• Increased expectation of and openness to God's supernatural workings

Outcomes. When applied, these paradigm shifts result in:

• Rapid multiplication of disciples and churches
• Deep, lasting transformation of individuals and communities
• Sustainable, indigenous movements that can thrive even under persecution

Last updated: October 10, 2024