Sent Ones Blog Posts

At this time in history, more people are on the move in the global diaspora than ever before. The recent changes to immigration funding and processes in America have caused many people to think deeply about the movement of people. https://www.sentones.com/blog/people-on-the-move

In recent years, however, two particular callings – Business as Mission (BAM) practitioners and Sent Ones focused on church planting – have often been conflated, leading to confusion, unrealistic expectations, and sometimes frustration. Let's bring clarity to these distinct but complementary roles in God's mission. https://www.sentones.com/blog/distinct-callings

The need for data-informed approaches has never been more crucial in the complex and challenging landscape of modern missions. When adequately contextualized for cross-cultural missions, the plan-do-study-act (PDSA) cycle offers apostolic teams a robust framework for continuous improvement and adaptive strategy. https://www.sentones.com/blog/how-to-continuously-improve-in-cross-cultural-missions

Over the past decade of ministry, I’ve never met a pastor who lacks the desire for their congregation to function more like the early church we see in Scripture. This longing for a biblically functioning church is often the driving force behind establishing small group ministries. https://www.sentones.com/blog/why-small-groups-fall-short

The Gospel spreads like wildfire, igniting hearts and transforming communities. Church-planting movements embody this Spirit-led dynamism, bringing the Gospel rapidly and broadly to a generation. Yet the long-term health of these movements depends on something deeper: roots. https://www.sentones.com/blog/institutions-and-movements

Gathered outside in the parking lot of the nearby public school’s gymnasium, we would always pray before going two-by-two to knock on doors to share the good news. This was an impoverished part of the city. We would come back to that same place after a couple of hours and recount what we saw God do. Most people we shared with received prayer and heard the Gospel. A few times we were cursed out and...

We lived in one of the world’s largest cities, bustling with noise and commotion, and yet we could not avoid this silence. It was a Christmas silence. This nation was over 99% Muslim, and as we went about the routines of life, there were no discernible signs that the Christmas season was upon us: no Christmas music in stores, no lights, no Christmas trees, no manger scenes – nothing. https://www.s...

Mission drift is one of the biggest things you will encounter in the long haul of multiplying disciples. For one reason or another, your initial drive, focus, and trajectory toward the vision God has given you will get derailed. You will find yourself off track and not making any progress. https://www.sentones.com/blog/recovering-from-mission-drift

The Vital Role of Women in The Great Commission https://www.sentones.com/blog/half-the-harvest

What’s the ideal size for a group of believers given what God wants to accomplish through it for His glory? https://www.sentones.com/blog/group-dynamics-for-the-kingdom

But what does it mean to abide? At its core, abiding is joyfully being in proximity to Christ through fellowship with His Word and prayer. It means keeping His commandments and bearing fruit by partnering with His work for the Kingdom of God, all to the glory of the Father. https://www.sentones.com/blog/abide-and-multiply

Recently, I was reflecting on the real meaning of being a disciple of Jesus and was reminded of the childhood game Follow the Leader . You probably remember it—the leader sets the pace and everyone else mimics their actions. If they step over a rock, you step over the rock; if they wave their arms, you wave your arms. The objective is simple: follow the leader as precisely as possible. www.sentone...

As disciple-makers passionate about seeing the Great Commission furthered, we often start with an admirable big-picture vision like "reaching India" or "impacting the Arab world." These massive ambitions stir our hearts, fuel prayer, and mobilize action. However, until we define a more focused entry point, the overwhelming scale can leave us unsure of where to begin. sentones.com/blog/defining-you...

Out of a desire to discuss the importance of sanctification, I initially created a drawing that inspired this article. The drawing, and this article, are based on the realization that discussing sanctification without addressing the assurance of salvation that comes through understanding justification can lead to a works-based religion or the misconception that we can lose our salvation. https://w...

Confession: I have been serving as a missionary leader in South Asia for more than 19 years, and I still have seasons when evangelism feels hard . https://www.sentones.com/blog/why-is-evangelism-so-hard

As ambassadors of Christ's Great Commission, we are called to be strategic and intentional in our efforts to reach the unreached with the life-transforming message of the Gospel. In this pursuit, the role of a Strategy Coordinator emerges as a vital catalyst, igniting and sustaining spiritual movements that empower local believers to take ownership of the core apostolic task. https://www.sentones....

Any movement of new disciples and multiplying churches is a work of God. But we can and should seek both best and biblical practices as we pursue those movements.  The main focus of “The Starfish and the Spider” is decentralization versus centralization. https://www.sentones.com/blog/the-benefits-of-being-decentralized

Malcolm Gladwell's seminal work, The Tipping Point, offers profound insights into how small changes can lead to significant shifts, a concept that aligns seamlessly with our core missionary objective. This article will discuss how the principles outlined in the book can be directly applied to our core missionary task, emphasizing the importance of context, stickiness, and the roles of connecto...

Simply put, the Metric Black Hole is the idea that there are many things that we do for which we do not have an accurate measurement of how they contribute to the bottom line. https://www.sentones.com/blog/the-metric-black-hole

During one of my rants, a friend asked a simple question that stopped me in my tracks: “What should the church look like?” I didn’t have an answer. How could I be so confident about the problems without knowing a positive alternative? https://www.sentones.com/blog/the-biblical-minimum-of-church

“Pastor?” I usually begin my correction after a long day of training. Generally, in Asia, this is meant as a term of respect for their guest who just spent all day equipping them and challenging them from the Word to obey, follow, and love Jesus more. But I will not let that slide, because I have a crucial point to make about who they are. https://www.sentones.com/blog/empowering-the-priesthood

We’d been on the road in South Asia for three weeks. We’d covered thousands of kilometers and met hundreds of people. The purpose was to hear their stories and experience the life of a movement of God. https://www.sentones.com/blog/on-the-road-in-south-asia

The modern term we have given to someone who is gifted at meeting people, building relationships, and making connections is a “networker.” Usually, the focus is on building up one’s own career as the desired result of being an effective networker. As a follower of Jesus, our focus should be on building His Kingdom. https://www.sentones.com/blog/being-a-kingdom-connector

In the early days of my disciple-making journey, I went door-to-door on a weekly basis with others in Austin, TX. We prayed and shared the Gospel with those who would open their doors. Candidly, I didn’t like it. www.sentones.com/blog/obeying-jesus-duty-delight-or-both

WWJD stands for “What Would Jesus Do?” This phrase was lifted from the text of a book called “In His Steps” by Charles Sheldon. The bracelets were a reminder to ask yourself, “What would Jesus do?” if He were facing your situation. It became sort of a mini-movement within evangelical Christianity, mostly typified by teenagers wearing a WWJD bracelet. https://www.sentones.com/blog/what-did-jesus-do