Jesus established the importance of building relationships with entire households in Luke 10:5. However, it is not until the book of Acts that we clearly see the powerful results of doing this:

• Cornelius and his household are saved (Acts 10, 11:1-18)
• Lydia and her household are saved (Acts 16:11-15)
• The Philippian jailer and his household are saved (Acts 16:22-34)
• Crispus and his household are saved (Acts 18:1-8)

Jesus did not send his disciples out to bring individuals into the Kingdom of God; Jesus sent them out to announce the coming of the Kingdom of God to families. That is why getting to know the family of the person of peace and their close friends is the third major step in the DMM process. (more…)

Luke 10 is one of the places where we learn from Jesus how to make disciples. For example, this is where we learn about the role of prayer (verse 2) and the need to enter into – or gain access to – specific communities and homes (verses 1 and 5).

This is also where we learn about people of peace: “When you enter a house, first say, ‘Peace to this house.’ If a man of peace is there, your peace will rest on him; if not, it will return to you. Stay in that house, eating and drinking whatever they give you, for the worker deserves his wages. Do not move around from house to house” (verses 5-7).

People of peace are as diverse as the Samaritan woman and the royal official from Capernaum (John 4), Lydia and the Philippian jailer (Acts 16), and Cornelius (Acts 10) and Crispus (Acts 18). Nonetheless, these examples show that people of peace share two things in common: they are responsive to God and influential in their homes or communities.

Discovering these people of peace in the communities to which we have been sent is the second major step in the DMM process. (more…)

The first thing we learn in Luke 10 about making disciples is that we need to pray. This is how Jesus began his instructions to the 72 disciples: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (verse 2).

The next thing we learn is equally obvious – we need to go: “Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road” (verses 3 and 4).

But what may be less obvious is that we do not go just to leave where we are; rather, we go in order to enter specific towns (verse 1) and specific homes (verse 5). In other words, we go in order to enter into life with the lost and begin to meet their needs (verse 9).

This is the essence of access ministry, which is the first major step in the DMM process. (more…)

Jesus didn’t just tell us to make disciples – he told us and showed us how to make disciples. One example of this is found in Luke 10, where Luke writes about how Jesus sent 72 of his followers “two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go” (Luke 10:1).

We can learn many things in this passage about how Jesus wants us to make disciples. For example, we are to go to the lost (verse 3), guard against distractions (verse 4), and find and bless people of peace and their families (verse 5-7).

However, the first thing we learn about making disciples is that we need to pray. This is how Jesus began his instructions: “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field” (verse 2). (more…)