PLI alumni have been hosting Regional Catalyst Events for us in their areas, giving members of the PLI team a chance to listen and talk with people. (We shared some of our discoveries a few weeks ago.) Again and again, we see folks leave church every Sunday knowing they are “Now Entering the Mission Field,” but they don’t know how and they don’t know what because no one has trained them (discipled them) for the mission field.
So…big surprise…they don’t do anything.
And, that’s not fair! It doesn’t need to be that way. And I’m feeling some urgency here. The Church needs to discover a new path and take action now!
So let’s talk about 1,000 Young Leaders and Multipli’s Genesis Leader. Both can train people for the mission field. So what’s the difference between the two? They’re similar, but also unique.
Both are fully online!
- A 15-minute memorable weekly teaching that you can watch any time.
- A 75-minute weekly discipleship huddle group full of insight, encouragement and challenge, coached by alumni of PLI.
- A “put into practice” action each week that builds skill, aptitude, faith and capacity.
1,000 Young Leaders is aimed at young adults 21-36 who want to change their generation. It’s 2-3 hours per week for 10 months, and $50 per month.
Genesis Leader is designed and delivered by our partner ministry Multipli. It’s for women and men of any age. It’s 2-3 hours per week for 9 months, and $50 per month.
So here are 10 reasons why you should pick 10 people and invite them to click the “I’m interested button!”
- Nothing comes easy for you as a leader these days. Pointing people to 1,000 Young Leaders and Multipli’s Genesis Leader is easy. And a win. It can be an early win in a 2022 “solution” direction.
- You’ll start creating a broad group of solution makers.
- Whole communities of people are saying “no” to “Come to my church.” What was fruitful a few short years ago doesn’t work today. You need a new approach.
- Jesus attracted crowds but always discipled the few to reach the many. PLI gives you a start down the practical path of discipling the few.
- “Let’s not do anything to address our overwhelming challenges and wait until next year and hope for the best” is not a good plan.
- It has to start with a few scouts who can report back to inspire the rest of the group.
- A survival mentality is gripping our churches and crushing the spirit to dream and imagine and follow Jesus! We need to do more than just survive.
- The last two years demonstrated that people are discipled more in the ways of CNN and Fox News than in the words and ways of Jesus. Your first 10 people will start to change that reality.
- You need some easy, early wins in the pathway forward. This is it!
- You only know the “attract” and “assimilate” model. This will start to shift the culture.
Now, your 10 people. You’re going to invite them. Encourage them. Challenge them.
- They’re your best.
- Some unlikely ones.
- Make sure you stretch to invite some in their 20s and 30s, even if they’re no longer in your church.
- You believe in them and want the best for them.
- They love the Lord and marvel in His grace.
- They know God wants them to do something in our dark world but they don’t know how.
- Most likely they are concerned about the vibrancy of the church into the future.
And after you invite them to 1,000 Young Leaders or Multipli’s Genesis Leader, don’t be afraid to follow up and listen and encourage. Our experience is that if you get a few started this month, you’ll have motivated champions who will invite others a few months from now. If you get no one now, you’ll still have no one in your broad group of solution makers a year from now. It has to start with a few pioneers.
So, make your list of 10 people today, and next week I’ll give you 10 reasons that you can pass along to them that will get them to push the “I’m interested” button. Both 1,000 Young Leaders and Multipli’s Genesis Leader launch by November 1, so you’ll want to be prepared to act quickly.
