How do movements start? The best way to start a disciple making movement is to already have one. Research shows that 80-90% of movements have been started by other movements.1

This movement statistic sent many pioneering movement catalysts on a path of transformation into a role we call “movement servant.” These servants started connecting with existing movement leaders to find needs, then submitted to doing whatever was asked. They made this effort to pursue the evidence-based hope that movements will continue to start more movements.

Here, we won’t try to convince you to become a movement servant (for that, see the footnoted article2). Instead, we want to encourage you with five principles and some practical actions we have learned on our journey. The specific insights and stories have been collected from those laboring in the 24:14 Network (2414now.net).

1    Servants equip movements to meet the movements’ own needs for the long term

One example comes from a movement in which outsiders (servants) gave a small, one-time financial gift so the movement could start a silk factory business. The purpose of this silk factory was specifically to fund the movement’s Bible translation projects. Instead of creating dependence on outside money, the outsiders found a way to help the movement generate its own income for the ongoing projects.

As servants equip movements to meet their own ongoing needs, they should do it in a way to keep the movement free from dependence on the outside.

2    The best movement resources come from within movements

Bible translation provides a great example of informational resources developed within movements. Movement leaders aiming to expand their work needed Scripture in minority languages, so they researched existing translation practices and implemented initial processes with teams in their movement. They found these teams were not only successful but had also developed innovative adaptations to traditional methods by leveraging the movement’s scale. Some Bible translation experts learning of these advancements shifted their role from more traditional Bible translation to serve the movements doing translation. Now they are helping spread the adapted, effective training to other movement families globally. As a result, movements worldwide now have several hundred active or completed Bible translation projects.

The Listening Movement in South Asia supplies an example in which financial resources were better supplied from within a movement. The movement’s top disciple-making families were beginning to struggle financially due to focusing so much time on ministry. A “goats project” was proposed by well-meaning outside servants to help with finances. Funding was obtained and goats were purchased. However, a cultural dilemma arose about distributing the first goats, which resulted in the most fruitful disciple-maker not getting any. As the story continued, the goats actually all died for unknown reasons. The need of the fruitful disciple-maker, however, was seen by his network of house churches, and they graciously began supporting him financially. Movement servants are needed to help movements fund the right projects, while still leaving room for God to provide from within movements in transformational ways.

Movement-led fruitful practices and/or funding models can be shared through cross-pollination with other movements via movement servants.

3    Servants are relational, not salespeople

J is a movement servant focused on supporting a movement in Southeast Asia. Although he doesn’t live in the region, he takes multiple trips each year to build relationships and advance projects with the movement. Recently, the movement asked J to help map an unreached people group in a country in which they work. Understanding that the movement leader is too busy to be J’s on-the-ground partner in the mapping effort, J took a trip just to build relationships with local disciples from the movement who could help him with the project. Even though J has extensive experience and training, he refuses to rush in with answers. Instead, he models the understanding that movement servant projects happen relationally. This often results in projects looking different than he expected—which actually better meets the needs of the movement.

Servants thoughtfully and intentionally build relationships with movements while holding their own agenda loosely.

4    Servants adopt a learn-first posture and customize solutions

Last year, the Listening Movement was about to have its first top-level female leaders meeting. The movement leaders recognized this as an opportunity to gather information about what Bible translations to work on in the coming year. Unsure how to approach collecting this data, they went to their favorite movement servant/ researcher, Justin Long, and asked him for guidance. First, Justin asked many powerful questions about the participants, content, and desired outcomes. He then presented the movement leaders with a few simple questions requiring only simple answers, that they could ask the groups. This research at the meetings yielded tremendous insight. The movement used it for translation projects, creating a prayer guide, fundraising, and getting a clearer picture of what languages the movement was engaging. All that learning wouldn’t have been possible if Justin hadn’t been willing to serve the movement through humble listening and appropriate helps.

Although servants may be subject-matter experts, they adopt a learn-first posture with movements and look to customize solutions for each unique context. They don’t push a specific program or tool.

5    Servants take initiative but can also take a hint

I (Kyle) recently restructured my work schedule to free up time to serve movements part-time. I connected with a network that had already obtained a list of needs from several movement families. I diligently studied the needs they had shared and was certain my business/non-profit background would solve their problems. By the time I was about to start a project for one of the movements, they very graciously told me they didn’t need me after all. The one need they still had was above my pay grade, and I found CPAs to get involved. Humbled, but understanding, I pivoted to a role of intercessor on their emergency prayer chain as a way to stay connected. God has since opened up different doors for me to serve, and this movement knows I am available to help anytime.

Servants are ready and eager to advocate ways to help with high-quality offerings, but are open-handed when serving doesn’t work out the way they expected.

Conclusion

God is working among unreached people groups through movements! One of the most strategic ways you can be involved in global missions is by pouring fuel on the fire of movements through serving these multiplying works of God. Here are some practical steps you might want to consider.

1.   Start with prayer. Check out the prayer guides and apps on www.110cities.com for movement-related prayer requests.

2.   Make an inventory of your gifts, skills, and abilities. Consider things like admin, business, media, technology, networking, crisis response, medical, prayer, finances, and more.

3.   Pray about freeing up some capacity. You can be a movement servant with just part of your time. It may take a while to find a project, so be patient and be ready.

4.   Spread the word. Who do you know that you could mobilize toward serving these kingdom movements? The next missionary your church sends out could be a movement servant!

Get connected. If you want to hear more, you can contact us at [email protected] and check out the current opportunities at www.movementservant.com.