What does church really look like—and how do new disciples discover that they are the church?
In this short episode, Aila Tasse shares why disciple making must move beyond decisions to developing communities that live out the functions of church together. Rather than bringing people to church, the goal is to see people become church.
In this episode:
- Why becoming church is a slow but essential discipleship journey.
- The role of leaders as community builders from the very beginning.
- Helping new believers learn to care for one another, break bread, fellowship, and reach people of peace.
- The importance of being faithful, patient, and trusting God to multiply through a few committed disciples.
- A reminder that every culture will ultimately express church in ways that fit its local context.
An example from international student ministry
Leaders in the room reflect on the challenge facing many international students who return home after coming to faith while studying overseas.
Rather than simply helping students connect into churches while abroad, they also need to discover a reproducible expression of church that they can take back to their home nations.
Some ministries estimate that 50–80% of Chinese students who come to faith while studying overseas struggle to continue following Jesus after returning home.*
Further reading on returnee student ministry
The resources below come from ministries with a more traditional approach to discipleship and integration into existing churches. While they are not written from a Disciple Making Movement (DMM) perspective, they offer valuable insights into the challenges faced by Chinese international students returning home.
Thriving Turtles (Australia) – Australian perspective and practical preparation for Chinese returnees.
https://www.thrivingturtles.org/
OMF International – “Preparing Diaspora Converts for their Return to East Asia” (Dr Stuart Bullington)
https://omf.org/preparing-diaspora-converts-for-their-return-to-east-asia/
ChinaSource – “Returnee Ministry at Home and Abroad” (Lydia S.)
https://www.chinasource.org/articles/returnee-ministry-at-home-and-abroad
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