What model of church is more effective? It depends on where you are and your goals.
For all my ministry I have always believed that all disciples of Jesus are called to make disciples. However, what I saw all around me was the come and see model. So I did the “come and see” model until the Lord opened my eyes that if we are going to reach all the people that want to know Jesus we must add the “Go and Tell” model. The book Contagious Disciple Making by David and Paul Watson was what God used to help me see this need.
Come and see – This is when you go out to talk to people about Jesus and invite them to church meetings. There are people who will only come to Jesus like this. If you are gifted and do things right, you will get some fantastic results with this model. The limitation of this model is that when the people initially don’t come to church meetings, many of us do not have a clear plan of what to do with them and how to continue to work with them.
This challenge becomes more evident when they come for the first time and they don’t return. Many of the people I invited to church meetings and some that prayed prayers of salvation just walked away and I don’t know where they are now.
“Nathanael said to him, “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” Philip said to him, “Come and see.”” John 1:46 ESV
Go and Tell – In this model, you go out as a minister with the mind of leading the people to Jesus and showing them how to follow Jesus by obeying scriptures. You don’t plan to invite them to church until they are saved and following Jesus. You go with a long term plan of engaging, introducing the people to Jesus and training them to share what they are learning!
The challenge with this model is that you may feel alone at the beginning of the journey. Sometimes you may work with a group for a while and it seems as if nothing is coming out of it.
The “Come and See” model requires a lot of work of experts, because the pastor and church staff are expected to take over from you once you bring them to church. However with the Go and Tell model, you are empowered to help the new disciples become disciple makers!
“Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no moneybag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the road. Whatever house you enter, first say, ‘Peace be to this house!’”
Luke 10:3-5 ESV
With the Go and Tell model also called DMM model, we can reach a lot more people for Jesus on the long run!