If you were asked, “What evangelistic strategy is the best,” what would be your answer? Would you cite Zúme, or disciple making movements, or your own personal system?
Is it even a helpful question?
God’s world is more diverse and unique than we often can realize, and it is changing at a remarkable pace. What we experienced in person may already be part of history, and what we see as current events will soon pass into the historical, as well. Technology increases at an accelerating pace—less than 60 years ago, man landed on the moon with less computing power than a calculator, about a hundred thousand times less than the smartphones everyone now has in their pockets.
Those changes can be intimidating and frightening. We often want to find one strategy that works and latch onto it, never bothering to try something new. “We want to learn the system that someone else has done that has worked really well for them,” says Josiah, a software engineer for Renew World Outreach. That approach can lead us to become like the Pharisees in the time of Jesus, stuck in tradition for the sake of tradition, wanting stability and surety so much that we ignore context and the constantly changing nature of culture and language.
Instead, let’s approach our processes with more openness and curiosity. If a particular method of sharing God’s Word works well in one context, it can’t always be transplanted indiscriminately. Some plants grow better in certain soils or lights or climates, and some need to be planted at different times than others. Rather than trying to copy a method that worked well for someone else in a different time or place, be curious about the core principles underlying the method.
Some core principles might be:
- Reading and engaging with Scripture.
- Every believer being empowered to act, not just passively consume.
- Fostering healthy community.
If you can, take the time today to think through—or even write out—the core ideas behind Zúme or another disciple-making strategy. How can those core ideas apply in your context? How can they connect to another evangelistic ideology and work together? How can you use your God-given creativity to reach people in unique and personal ways?
Zúme’s free study is intentionally open and accessible so that it can be adjusted and applied in whatever context needed. Use resources the way you need to in your context, and be innovative! Every person is different, so it doesn’t make sense to always copy and paste the same approach. Use it in conjunction with other resources, distribute it however you can, and engage with your personal gifts.