The Last Word from Les
Another update on the interview with Les. The African leaders whom Les has trained and coached have seen multiple streams of fourth-generation disciples and churches.
Here are ten lessons Les has learned from what God is doing in Africa.
1. Orality Preferred
Orality as a preference is crucial for the work on this continent. As discipleship lessons progress they need to be rooted in a narrative less than in isolated verses or passages. All lessons must be one-point lessons. This is key to rapid multiplication.
2. Leadership and Orality
Orality does not mean that a movement will not make use of its readers (often younger) but they will take the place of the scribe in the community—a reference point for ready access to the written Word—and not an authority of an elder. Giving too much authority to a young man flips the cultural hierarchy on its head and inhibits multiplication. A pastor does not have to be literate, he merely has to have access to, and rightly divide, the Word of truth. He can get this through oral methods of memorization, recordings, or a reader in his household.
3. 3-Thirds Discipleship
The 3-Thirds model of discipleship is crucial no matter what DMM/CPM methods are being used. Continuity of the pattern of the 3-Thirds from evangelism to multiplying apostolic church is key to unity within the movement. Africans love ritual that gives shape to expressive communal learning and worship.
4. Methods of Communication
Song, proverbs, hand motions, and other methods of oral memory are crucial to rapid reproduction and integrity of the discipleship material within the movement. Most likely the expat worker will not have the nuanced language and cultural skills to be able to compose these. The missionary should have an intentional prayerful spirit and expectation for the Spirit to raise up an early believer with the skill set to develop the material early as a partner.
5. Accountability in a Shame Culture
Accountability in a shame culture (most African cultures) needs to be an expectant celebration of Spirit-empowered obedience. In the dominance of shame, the drive to obedience should not be guilt or shame, but the Holy Spirit. Don’t ask, "Did you share the Gospel this week?" But, "How did it go when you shared with your neighbor?" Then praise the Father for all He accomplished or help problem solve or encourage for a better application.
6. Evangelism in Natural Groups
Do evangelism in natural groups (ie clan, compound, household). Africans are suspicious of one-on-one private discussions. This increases the potential for persecution. We have to be comfortable with consensus-based decisions for Christ. This is the norm in the New Testament (ie Cornelius, Lydia, Philippian jailor).
7. Creation to Christ
Creation to Christ (C2C) is essential as an evangelism tool but more essential as an oral Biblical framework for discipleship. Teaching the grand narrative of salvation history is crucial to developing a Luke 24 hermeneutic, "how Moses and all the prophets pertain to him." This helps to guard against heresy and builds a Word-centered worldview from the beginning.
8. Address Animism For Everyone
Make sure that the C2C specifically addresses Animism as a worldview. Even the most educated in Africa are wrestling with this worldview at the deepest heart level. Origin and nature of the spirit world, power and spiritual indwelling of the natural world, all have to be addressed and shown as being inferior to Christ.
9. Invest in Multipliers
Encourage leaders by investing in those who achieve fourth-generation multiplication. In Africa, many capable leaders hold onto power too much and too long. If you invest a lot of time in an extremely capable "adder" you will not have enough time for a less flashy "multiplier". Multipliers are where movements happen.
10. Establish Peer Accountability
Investing in multipliers means establishing interdependent peer accountability and encouragement times. Specifically focus on the character of Christ and the gifts of the Spirit (ie Eph 4, Gal 5). Each person gives two encouragements or more of Christlike character and Sprit empowered gifting as exhibited in the lives of each of the other leaders. Then identifies one example of character growth into the image of Christ with some suggested spiritual disciplines to match. In a hierarchical culture, leaders need a place to be challenged. If you do not provide it early and often, abuse and moral failure will hijack the movement.
Previously with Les
