REAPSOW
The REAPSOW training (below) contains seven apprentice-style practicums. The highly adaptable and teachable practicum utilizes cutting-edge missional engagement with first-century biblical precepts.
REAPSOW consists of two separate training phases for multiplicative disciple-making—reaping and sowing. The acronym, REAPSOW, identifies two biblically applied agricultural terms.
While REAPSOW may seem backward, considering that a farmer cultivates the soil and sows the seed prior to harvesting, the Great Commission began with disciple-makers called to make other disciple-makers.
The first four practicums consist of the word reap: (R) reaching new converts with gospel-proclamation, (E) equipping the new converts to engage the daily rhythms of Christ-centered life within the body of Christ, via the ordinances, (A)assisting newly baptized converts through mentorship, and (P) practicing the authoritative resurrected-presence of Christ.
The second phase of REAPSOW is to make reproducible disciples, concentrated upon the word sow: (S) Holy Spirit empowerment, (O) obedience-based discipleship, and (W) walking together in with-ness for the missio Dei.
ARC Strategy
The ARC strategy consists of a three-phased approach of evangelistic mission integrated with communal and individual life-on-life components and is easily memorizable. ARC is an acronym for Absent, Rescued, and Changed. Thus, the first step in the ARC strategy is to locate and engage unreached people. Intersecting the elements of the human story and God’s story have proven effective.
The DM1 is a first-generation disciple-maker. Utilizing natural gospel conversations, the DM1 expresses life absent (A) or away from God. Next, the DM1 tells God’s story—how God desires to rescue all people “from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God” through Christ (Acts 26:18). Accordingly, the DM1 explains how God rescued them. The third phase examines how God has changed the DM1’s life. While this is the premise of the ARC strategy, the primary part is in the disciple-making process. Contact Matt for more information.
BOOK MATTHEW FOR YOUR NEXT TRAINING
Dr. Matthew Fretwell can teach multiple practicums to your church, church planter, or catalyst (train a leader to train others). Aspects of the REAPSOW practicum are currently described in the book Church Planting By Making Disciple-Makers. The ARC Strategy is detailed in Multiplying Jesus: Planting Churches, and Multiplying Jesus: Revitalizing Churches.