Disciple-Making Training Final Day

Being in India has been a truly amazing experience! God has used our team to convey disciple-making and start a movement of discipleship. The Operation Mobilization leadership has requested that we come back and do more training in disciple-making. They shared how powerfully it had been received.

Today Marlon taught - he has become a superstar here (most Indians are very short so he stands out big time). As much as the Indians love him - he loves them even more. Steve did a summary of all that had been taught on discipleship this week. We had a time of singing, prayer and sharing. The pastors shared how deeply they had been impacted by the training and how God had opened there eyes - praise God! One pastor shared how his friend had been killed for his faith and that he had been very discouraged - he said the disciple-making training had greatly encouraged him about continuing to serve the Lord!

Please pray for the oppressed and persecuted Dalit people of India - pray that as disciples are reproduced that God would reach the entire country bringing change for this deeply discriminated against people!

Disciple-Making Training Day 4

We continue to be amazed at the pastors hunger and desire to be disciple-makers! They are truly understanding multi-generational disciple-making. They continue to ask for materials and our teaching notes. We will definitely be emailing material to a large number of eager, willing to die Christ Indian pastors. It is mindblowing the number of pastors who have endured persecution. Our day started with Curt teaching on the "Master's Missing Money." Curt is becoming a very good communicator of God's truth! Steve taught "God's Multiplication Table" from 2 Timothy 2:2. The pastors loved image of Paul to Timothy to Faithful Men to Others.

Marlon did not teach today, but will tomorrow.Marlon stands out and is very popular in India - they love him - if he was smaller I think they might try to kidnap him! He already has had to have his Indian clothing made by a tailor because they do not have clothes big enough for him here. He plans to wear his Indian outfit when he ministers to his homeless guys - he actually hopes they will laugh at his crazy looking outfit so that he can tell them about India and what he experienced here!

We went to one of the saddest places I have ever been today - a Hindu temple! People came to worship idols made of rock and metal - they are so deceived! Marlon prayed that fire would come down from heaven and consume the place - the entire team felt the same. India has a lot of problems and only Jesus can fix them!

Disciple-Making Training Day 3

Wow!!! Today was amazing - the cummulative impact of teaching disciple-making was witnessed. Curt hit another home run teaching on "Rope Holder" from Acts. In the last teaching of the day, Steve taught on "The Vocabulary of a Disciple-Maker." The pastors were very alert and listening - however, when the example of most ministries being like a person trying to fill a group of bottles by throwing a bucket of water that direction verus taking your time and filling each bottle up individually a little bulb definitely turned on! Today many of the pastors caught the understanding of multiplicative disciple-making and it was amazing! Their eyes lit up and you could tell God had opened their understanding of Jesus command to make disciples. At the end of the talk the pastors came to their feet and clapped! Many spoke of how this had deeply impacted them, how they believed this was what God wanted them to be about, how they saw this impacting India, and how this was a big idea that had changed their view of ministry! Praise God- He is good! Several talked after about how they desired to understand discipleship more - we will be sending them more materials!

Earlier in the day we visited some of the poorest neighborhoods in Bangalore. It was very difficult to see people living in such poverty. We visited a small clinic in the slums. Also, we visited some schools - in one class the second grade kids sang Christian songs to us - it was moving!

We ate American food for the first time in India today - KFC for lunch and Pizza Hut for dinner - hopefully this will ease Marlon's stomach and Curt's nose!

Disciple-Making Training Day 2

Today started with Steve teaching on the Great Commission - pastors were very excited to learn about Jesus final instructions before leaving earth - a command to disciple-making! Curt taught on 'What's New for a Christian' from John 15:1-15. Curt did a great job communicating! Marlon taught 'His Last Words, His Last Will' from Acts 1:8 - the pastors are really listening to what is being taught. At one point the entire group was chanting 'Marlon Brown!' Curt taught a second time on 'Let's Go Fishing' from Matthew 4:18-22. Our team has been doing a great job of putting Jesus plan and command to disciple-making before the pastors - please pray that many will catch Jesus vision and plan and carry it into action.

After lunch we talked with many of the pastors - one pastor ministers to temple prostitutes. As we learned about the culture of temple prostitution we were very disturbed. Please pray that God will raise up servants to reach these women - only Jesus can heal them! Also, we talked with a pastor who was a former Hindu who had been rejected by all family and friends when he came to Christ. India has a cruel caste system that does not place proper value on all people. We are ministering to the Dalits - the untouchables - they are so low that they are beneath the caste system. Please pray that in Jesus Indians will realize there is neither Jew nor Greek. Pray that God will raise up multiplying disciples who will radically impact the culture of India for Jesus Christ.

Also, please pray for Curt as Marlon continues to eat spicy foods and dairy products (he is lactose intolerant) - this brings those special rooming issues!

Disciple-Making Training Day 1

Today we started the conference! Steve taught on Vision - seeing things the way that God sees them. Marlon taught on a vision lesson as well dealing with being led by the blind. The group is amazingly responsive to the teaching and eager to learn. Tomorrow we will dive into the Great Commission!

There are 80 pastors at the conference. There stories are amazing! One 24 year old pastor named Samson has been a Christian for 1 1/2 years - his parents, who are Hindu, kicked him out of the house when they discovered he had accepted Jesus Christ. Another pastor was a priest in a Hindu temple, he says that he used to worship many false gods, but now he has accepted Jesus Christ. Many of the pastors are young church planters in persecuted situations. We heard the story of a pastor who would have been at the conference, but had been killed - his name was Daniel and he was only 23. The pastors praised God that He has brought Daniel home. We also heard from another pastor whose church had been persecuted by Hindus. One pastor was a former gang member and Jesus Christ had changed his life - Marlon was excited to know that there are people in India who had gang, drug, and jail backgrounds, but had been transformed by the grace of God!

The Conference Begins Today

Today the Conference begins - Steve, Marlon and Truett will be teaching today! Please pray that the Lord will speak through us and that those in attendance will catch a vision for disciple-making!

Last night we ate at an Indian Chinese Restuarant - everytime we eat Marlon goes straight for the hottest food which causes him to break into a sweat and his eyes to water! He is trying to make us all eat the super hot food as well - so far only Curt has given in and he was sorry he did!

We are in India!

We are arrived in Bangalore, India early Sunday morning! We were graciously greeted at the airport by three Indian OM workers - Jack, Reuben and our driver Thompson. They told us that there were 270 new believers baptized on the day before we arrived - amazing!

We got into bed about 3:45 am on Sunday - India time. Everybody is doing well - our host have been very kind and we look forward to the conference starting on Monday. We are staying in a very comfortable place. Curt and Marlon are in one room and Steve and Truett are another.

Going to India

Steve Winstead, Marlon Brown and Curt Owen will be leaving for Bangalore, India on February 16 to train 80 pastors. We will be joined by Truett Nimmons from Georgia. DownLine greatly appreciates Christ Church in Memphis, TN for organizing this team. Please be in prayer for them as they prepare for this trip!

Upcoming DownLine Trips

Welcome to DownLine International!

We have the following disciple-making trips set:
India - February 16-24
El Salvador - March 17-24
Zambia - May 27-June 7
Honduras - July 6-13
South Asia - August 3-12