How to Get Started in Four Fields Training
Multiplying disciples is the core task Jesus gave His disciples in the Great Commission. However, it can be challenging to know where to start or how to make an impact. Four Fields Training is a comprehensive approach that has revolutionized ministry work.
This guide will provide an in-depth understanding of 4 Fields discipleship using the Four Fields Training, including the history, training structure, benefits, and implementation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the Four Fields of Kingdom Growth?
Answer: The four fields of kingdom growth is a framework for catalyzing discipleship multiplication and expanding the reach of the gospel. The four fields (five parts) are:
- Entry: Engaging people who have little or no knowledge of Jesus.
- Gospel: Sharing the good news of Jesus and leading individuals to salvation.
- Discipleship: Training new believers to become disciples who make disciples.
- Church Formation: Gathering disciples into simple, reproducible churches.
- Leadership Development: Multiplying leaders in the reproducible skills and process of the four fields.
How do the Four Fields of Kingdom Growth work together to achieve spiritual multiplication?
Answer: The four fields of kingdom growth are interconnected and build upon each other. As individuals move through the fields, they progress from being unbelievers to disciples who make disciples. The process involves sowing the seeds of the gospel, nurturing new believers, and forming new churches. All of which must reproduce.
What are the key principles and practices involved in implementing the four fields of kingdom growth?
Answer: Implementing the four fields of kingdom growth involves principles such as:
- Abundant Prayer: Seeking God's guidance and dependence on the Holy Spirit.
- Simplicity: Utilizing simple and reproducible methods.
- Multiplication: Focusing on making disciples who make disciples.
- Local Ownership: Empowering local believers to lead and sustain the work.
These examples demonstrate the adaptability of the four fields principles to different cultural settings.
What are some common challenges that organizations face when implementing the four fields of kingdom growth, and how can they overcome them?
Answer: Organizations may encounter challenges such as:
- Lack of awareness and understanding of the four fields principles.
- Resistance to change and traditional mindsets.
- Limited resources and support for training and implementation.
To overcome these challenges, organizations can invest in education and training, provide coaching and mentorship, and foster a culture of learning and adaptation.
How can leaders effectively train and equip others in their organization to implement the four fields of kingdom growth principles?
Answer: Leaders can effectively train and equip others by:
- Modeling: Demonstrating the principles through their own actions.
- Providing resources: Sharing training materials, guides, and case studies.
- Offering mentorship: Providing one-on-one coaching and support.
- Facilitating peer learning: Encouraging collaboration and learning from others' experiences.
- Creating a culture of multiplication: Emphasizing the importance of reproducing disciples and churches.
What are some practical steps that individuals or groups can take to start implementing the four fields of kingdom growth in their own context?
Answer: To start implementing the four fields of kingdom growth, individuals or groups can take the following practical steps:
- Study and practice: Learn the Biblical process and methods and immediately implement them in obedience to the Spirit's leading.
- Pray and seek God's guidance: Depend on God for direction and empowerment.
- Start small: Begin with a few individuals or a small group who are action-oriented with what they learn to practice and refine the methods. Focus on the obedient few.
- Share the gospel: Engage in intentional conversations and share the good news of Jesus.
- Disciple new believers: Invest in training and coaching new disciples through high directive coaching and using reproducible methods.
- Gather as a simple church: Form a small group of believers for worship, study, and fellowship.
- Replicate and multiply: Encourage and equip disciples to replicate the process with others by immediately using what they learn along the way.
By taking these steps, individuals or groups can gradually implement the four fields of kingdom growth in their own context.
Four Fields Training is a ministry development approach designed to equip leaders with the tools to make a significant impact on their community.
Four Fields Training is based on the principle of sowing and reaping, which is a process illustrated in the ministry of Jesus in the the gospels and further exemplified in the Book of Acts.
The approach consists of five parts that provide a framework for understanding and implementing the Four Fields strategy. The Five Parts are:
- Entry
- Gospel
- Discipleship
- Church Formation
- Leadership Development
Four Fields Diagram
This diagram was created to communicate some important principles about the Four Fields Process:
Notice the arrow on the circle in the middle indicating a holistic cycle. Each part of the strategy is interconnected, and it is essential to understand the significance of each step.
The approach is designed to create a self-replicating process that can continue to grow, even after the initial ministry work is completed.
To understand the Four Fields approach, it is crucial to understand the function of each of the four fields.
The framework, based on the parable of the growing seed in Mark 4:26-29, illustrates the process of growth that occurs in the kingdom of God.
The five parts are:
1. Entry
This refers to finding ways to enter into a community or group of people that are in need of the gospel. This may involve building relationships with individuals in the community, identifying key influencers or leaders, or leveraging existing networks or partnerships.
2. Gospel
This involves sharing the message of the gospel in a way that is culturally relevant and meaningful to the people in the community. This may involve using local language and customs, addressing the unique needs and concerns of the community, and demonstrating the love and compassion of Jesus through acts of service and kindness.
3. Discipleship
This involves helping new believers grow in their faith and become mature disciples of Jesus. This may involve providing training and resources for spiritual growth, mentoring and coaching relationships, and creating opportunities for believers to serve and use their gifts in the community.
4. Church Formation
This involves establishing new churches or communities of believers that are grounded in the gospel and committed to serving and reaching out to their communities. This may involve identifying and training new leaders, developing systems for worship and discipleship, and creating a culture of mission and outreach.
5. Leadership Development
This involves multiplying the process by raising up new leaders and sending them out to repeat the same process in other communities or regions.
This may involve developing a network of churches or partnerships, creating training and support structures, and intentionally empowering and releasing new leaders for ministry.
The Four Fields approach involves working through each field in a systematic and intentional way. By doing so, leaders can create a self-replicating process that can continue to grow and impact the community.
Four Fields Training was first developed by missionary leaders in South Asia.
Leaders in South Asia had been engaging using traditional church planting methods and were frustrated that they were not seeing fruit. This led them to a season of fasting, praying, and seeking God for direction.
During that season, God returned these leaders to the the patterns found in the Gospels and the Book of Acts. They began to see in the ministry of Jesus and Paul more than just a model for moral teaching, but also a model for discipleship and church planting.
The results of that season of fasting, prayer, and God showing them the reproducible model was the Four Fields framework.
The framework quickly began to be implemented to help mission teams effectively share the gospel and make a significant impact on the whole nations and unreached people groups.
Since then, Four Fields Training has been used in over 70 countries, and it has made a significant impact on missionary methods and Kingdom work worldwide.
The Four Fields approach has proven to be effective in creating a Biblical a multiplying pathway. The impact of the pathway continues to grow and catalyze the expansion of the Kingdom of God among new peoples and places.
The fruit of discipleship and church multiplication also continues to grow and has led to leaders that equipped to train others to do the same work and take the gospel to “new fields.”
The curriculum breaks down the process into three phases: Practices of the Four Fields, Principles of the Four Fields, and Problem Solving using the Four Fields as a Diagnostic Framework.
Phase 1: Highly Directive Practices Training
The first phase, Practices of the Four Fields, focuses on the practical aspects of kingdom growth.
It includes hands-on training in Entry, Gospel Sharing, Disciple Making, and Church Planting. Participants are taught how to effectively share the gospel in their communities, how to make disciples who can reproduce their faith in others, and how to plant and establish new churches.
This phase is designed to help believers develop the necessary skills and knowledge to be effective in each of the four fields.
Phase 2: Principle Discovery for Faithful and Fruitful Leaders
The second phase, Principles of the Four Fields, delves deeper into the biblical principles that undergird the practices of the Four Fields.
Participants learn about the biblical foundations of kingdom growth, the role of the Holy Spirit in evangelism and discipleship, and the importance of equipping and empowering leaders. This phase helps believers understand why the Four Fields approach is effective and provides a solid theological foundation for their ministry.
Phase 3: Implementing Problem Solving Rhythms
The third phase, Problem Solving using the Four Fields as a Diagnostic Framework, focuses on practical application.
Participants learn how to use the Four Fields as a diagnostic tool to identify areas of weakness in their ministry and develop strategies to address them. This phase helps believers become better problem solvers and equips them to lead and develop others.
Throughout the entire process, the Word of God and the Spirit of God are emphasized as essential components of effective kingdom growth.
Participants are encouraged to rely on the Bible as their guide and to seek the leading of the Holy Spirit in all their ministry endeavors. Additionally, the role of the Church is emphasized, as believers are taught to work together to achieve kingdom growth and to rely on the collective wisdom and resources of the body of Christ.
The No Place Left Training approach draws inspiration from the vision cast by Paul in Romans 15, where he shares his ambition to preach the gospel in places where Christ was not known, avoiding building on existing foundations.
Through the power of signs, wonders, and the Spirit of God, Paul fully proclaimed the gospel from Jerusalem to Illyricum, leaving no place untouched. Having completed his work in those regions, he expresses his longing to visit the Romans and his intention to continue his ministry in Spain.
This approach is centered on the belief that the task is not complete until every person in a community has been given the opportunity to hear the gospel.
By intentionally working through each field of the Four Fields approach, the No Place Left Training aims to ensure that no area in the community remains untouched by the gospel. This happens through “local owners of the core missionary task,” that is, disciples at the local level committed to enter places where the gospel is not, sharing the good news, making disciples of those that hear, gathering them into churches, and raising up leaders that will establish the churches in health as well as leaders who will take the gospel to new fields.
Its goal is to create a self-replicating process that fosters the growth and multiplication of disciples, leaders, and churches, leaving no place untouched by the transformative message of the gospel.
The most basic value for the Four Fields Training is as a Biblical pathway and as a call to return to the model of Christ.
That said, those that return to Christ’s model will find it has many benefits for accomplishing the Great Commission. The approach is designed to create sustainable ministry work that can continue to grow and impact the community. Here are some of the benefits of Four Fields Training:
- Biblically Sourced Methodology – The Four Fields Training process is not another strategy or curriculum. It is a return to the model and process of Jesus and the apostles in multiplying disciples, leaders, and churches.
- Effectiveness – Four Fields Training has proven to be effective in creating sustainable Kingdom work that can continue to grow and impact the community in a Biblical model.
- Reproducibility – The Four Fields approach is designed to create a self-replicating process that can continue to grow and impact the community.
- Sustainability – Four Fields Training creates sustainable ministry work that can continue to grow and impact the community long after the initial work is completed.
Implementing the Four Fields Framework and training in your ministry can be challenging. If Jesus and Paul experienced hardship igniting the movement of the Kingdom in new places and among new people, we will as well.
For that reason, it is essential to seek outside coaching and support. Outside coaching can help leaders get started with a Four Fields plan and provide ongoing support and guidance.
There are several steps to implementing Four Fields Training in your ministry through outside coaching:
- Find a coach. – Look for a coach who has experience with Four Fields Training and can provide guidance and support.
- Obey and Start. Begin with Entry. – Work through the Entry module of the Four Fields Training process to understand the Four Fields approach.
- Develop a plan. – Develop a plan for how you will implement the Four Fields approach in your ministry.
- Implementation. – Begin implementing the Four Fields approach in your ministry, working through each field systematically.
Coaches play a critical role in helping leaders get started with a Four Fields plan. Coaches provide guidance and support throughout the process, helping leaders navigate potential challenges and roadblocks.
Here are some of the ways coaches help leaders get started with a Four Fields plan:
- Training – Coaches provide training on the principles of Four Fields Training and how to implement the approach in ministry work.
- Support – Coaches provide ongoing support and guidance as leaders work through the Four Fields approach.
- Accountability – Coaches help keep leaders accountable to their plan and provide encouragement along the way.
There are many resources and support available for Four Fields Training. Here are some of the resources and support available:
- Training Curriculum – Get started with Disciple-making Training online here.
- Coaching – Coaches are available to provide guidance and support throughout the Four Fields Training process.
- Community – There are many online communities and forums where leaders can connect with others who are implementing Four Fields Training in their ministry.
Four Fields Training is a comprehensive approach to ministry work that has revolutionized the way leaders approach ministry.
The approach is designed to create sustainable ministry work that can continue to grow and impact the community.
By understanding the principles of Four Fields Training and implementing the approach in your ministry, you can make a significant impact on your community and create sustainable ministry work that can continue to grow and impact the advancement of Christ’s Kingdom long after the initial work is completed.
Ready to get started? Sign up for our next online training here.
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