A series of articles written by the Media to Movements team that dives into the theory, process, and details of a disciple making movement that incorporates a media strategy.
Article Series
Just starting to learn about a media to movements strategy? Filter the articles by selecting "Exploring" below. Already running ads and meeting people of peace in-person? Filter the articles by "Already launched."
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Discipleship thrives most when individuals are guided to discover biblical truths for themselves and share them with others, rather than relying heavily on mentor-led teaching. Research across multiple countries shows that mentors who empower "persons of peace" (POPs) to progress through five stages of discipleship—culminating in group formation—are key to developing reproducing disciples. The goal is not just reaching more people, but fostering a culture where disciples naturally form communities and multiply their impact.
Leadership development in disciple-making movements must begin with the understanding that it is God’s kingdom, not ours, and that leaders are raised through prayerful dependence on Him, not just through personal plans. We've learned, through mentorship and experience, that praying intentionally for mentees and aligning with God’s wisdom is more impactful than solely relying on strategy or teaching. Ultimately, developing leaders means participating in God’s work with humility, reverence, and a willingness to follow His lead.
Dr. Viggo Sogaard emphasized the importance of wise planning, practical use of data, and focusing on discipleship in media ministry, not just message broadcasting. He taught that successful ministry strategies require clear objectives, strong follow-up systems, and meaningful metrics like “stick rate” to measure long-term spiritual growth. Rather than chasing vanity metrics, leaders should use data to ensure they're truly making disciples and helping individuals grow in Christ.
Initially, the MTM strategy in Southeast Asia struggled, with the team spending extensive time counseling seekers who often disappeared without follow-up. A breakthrough came when a leader, Zidan, introduced a filtering method inspired by John 6:44 to identify those already being drawn to Jesus, which significantly increased effectiveness—now resulting in over 250 seeker connections monthly and around 50% becoming disciples. This shift aligned with the core principle that media can identify the spiritually open 2.5% of a population, emphasizing discernment over persuasion and partnering with God's timing.
Raising children taught us the importance of age-appropriate expectations, a principle that also applies to ministry leadership through MTM. Just as parents need guidance for each stage of a child's development, ministry leaders benefit from a clear roadmap—like the wheel model created by Linda—to navigate their growth, while remaining flexible to God's unique timing and plans. Though the model offers typical next steps, coaching remains vital for applying them effectively in each unique context.
Leadership development is crucial to sustaining Disciple Making Movements (DMM), as movements thrive or collapse based on the emergence and nurturing of leaders from within. Data shows that a small, consistent percentage of seekers become disciples, and a fraction of those go on to become effective leaders capable of guiding others and fostering movement growth. Therefore, Media to Movements (MTM) strategies must not only identify seekers but also intentionally develop leadership by mentoring facilitators within discovery Bible groups rather than imposing external leadership.
This article explores the conversion experiences of 50 individuals who responded to MTM media campaigns and became followers of Christ, revealing that while many made personal decisions, their faith journeys often involved spouses, friends, or affinity groups. Group dynamics—such as entitivity, or shared identity—play a crucial role in conversion, especially in communal cultures or high-risk religious contexts, providing support and boldness for new believers. The study emphasizes the importance of recognizing and engaging these relational and group-based patterns in effective disciple-making efforts.
This article emphasizes the importance of clearly defined vision and mission statements in ministry planning, with vision providing long-term direction and mission outlining measurable, present-focused steps. It illustrates how mission drift can occur without strong visionary leadership, using both a jungle-cutting metaphor and biblical example of Jesus maintaining focus through prayer. Ultimately, it argues that clear vision—sustained through intentional reflection and prayer—is essential for guiding effective strategy and outcomes.
The proverb "Grandchildren are more important than children" emphasizes the importance of long-term, generational thinking in church planting and discipleship. A comparison between two islands revealed that focusing only on individual conversion, as seen on the West Island, led to minimal growth, while viewing new believers as future leaders and multipliers, like on the East Island, resulted in significant generational expansion of faith communities. The core lesson is that treating seekers not just as converts but as potential harvesters who can disciple others leads to deeper and more sustainable impact.
A captain’s daily habit of reading a simple note—“Port is left side, Starboard is right side”—illustrates the power of staying grounded in foundational truths. Media to Movements leaders are encouraged to do the same by focusing on the key principle that 2.5% of any population is open to spiritual change and can be reached through strategic media efforts. Like Paul in Acts 17, identifying and engaging these seekers is the first step in forming disciples and launching church-planting movements.
The article discusses different categories of leadership roles observed in church-planting movements, ranging from small group leaders to national/apostolic leaders. It notes that the goal is not to automatically move people up the leadership hierarchy, but to recognize the importance of each role and intentionally invest in developing leaders at all levels. The article also highlights the need to consider cultural context and individual gifting when developing leaders, rather than just focusing on finding the "right" high-level leaders. Finally, it emphasizes the importance of balancing formal and informal training approaches to foster holistic leadership development.
