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T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution
Steve Smith's T4T: A Discipleship Re-Revolution features the accumulated wisdom of nearly two decades of CPM best practices from around the world. The T4T, or Training for Trainers, movement is the most explosive and fruitful Church Planting Movement that we have ever seen. Since its inception in 2001, the T4T movement has seen more than 1.7 million baptisms and more than 150,000 new church starts. Truly we have never seen anything quite like this movement that is now impacting other mission efforts throughout the world.
With Steve Smith and Ying Kai's help, we are now given an insider's look at how and why this movement is multiplying so rapidly. This 352-page book is filled with resources:
• Strong biblical foundation for CPM kingdom multiplication, including extensive biblical and topical indexes
• Excellent biblical exposition of: Jesus' kingdom of God and parables, Paul's first-century CPMs, the cost of discipleship, the biblical principles of 'Precedent and Promise,' and a call to a 21st century Discipleship Re-Revolution
• Vignettes and examples from Ying Kai's life and T4T ministry "in his own words"
• Lots of practical "How to" insights that will walk you step-by-step through the implementation of T4T
• Careful exposition of the 1/3-1/3-1/3 process that provides the internal engine of T4T reproduction
• Real life examples and case studies of how T4T is multiplying new churches and groups in China, India, the Muslim world, and the U.S.
With Steve Smith and Ying Kai's help, we are now given an insider's look at how and why this movement is multiplying so rapidly. This 352-page book is filled with resources:
• Strong biblical foundation for CPM kingdom multiplication, including extensive biblical and topical indexes
• Excellent biblical exposition of: Jesus' kingdom of God and parables, Paul's first-century CPMs, the cost of discipleship, the biblical principles of 'Precedent and Promise,' and a call to a 21st century Discipleship Re-Revolution
• Vignettes and examples from Ying Kai's life and T4T ministry "in his own words"
• Lots of practical "How to" insights that will walk you step-by-step through the implementation of T4T
• Careful exposition of the 1/3-1/3-1/3 process that provides the internal engine of T4T reproduction
• Real life examples and case studies of how T4T is multiplying new churches and groups in China, India, the Muslim world, and the U.S.
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2011
141 people are currently reading
309 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
September 17, 2019
A super interesting, extremely well-organized and possibly over-structured model for multiplying small churches in unreached areas. Much of the book had me wondering at the relevance to the increasingly post-church West, but it had a chapter on adapting the model to such contexts that was excellent. That chapter along was probably worth the price of admission for me. I suspect it's something I'll go back to from time to time to ruminate on.
Anyway, I've kind of missed the point so far in this review, as the really interesting thing is that this book represents a way of doing church that is a paradigm shift away from church gatherings as "services" put on for attendees who come to consume religious goods and services. It's a major shift, and an intriguing one.
Anyway, I've kind of missed the point so far in this review, as the really interesting thing is that this book represents a way of doing church that is a paradigm shift away from church gatherings as "services" put on for attendees who come to consume religious goods and services. It's a major shift, and an intriguing one.
March 30, 2013
I began this book with a degree of skepticism. I had read about church planting movements (CPM), and heard about T4T but didn't think they were relevant for my ministry context. I began the book because my ministry leader gave me a copy and insisted our team read it. Despite such a poor start, I found that the book really resonated with me, affirmed my approach to ministry and challenged me to consider some fine tuning adjustments to increase the possibility that God would use me to build a spiritual movement.
The opening example was inspiring, but came from a very different ministry context to mine. I am operating in a suburban, multi-cultural context focusing on young adults. I have yet to hear of a CPM occurring in a context like mine, but as the final chapter encourages us, there only has to be one first one.
I liked the overview of how T4T differs from other CPM practices. Even my own movement building missed some of the tips that T4T recommends, and I plan to explore some adaptations.
What, specifically, affirmed my own philosophy?
1. Begin by mobilising Christians. I think a lot of an initiator's energy can be wasted trying to find non-Christians who will become Christians and then initiate a movement. We have to prioritise working with the most likely.
2. It is the responsibility of every Christian to be actively making disciples - sharing their faith and training those who respond to reproduce themselves.
3. Training Christians to share their faith begins with one simple, reproducible tool. Our ministry has used the "Knowing God Personally" booklet for decades with continued success.
4. Grounding new Christians in their faith requires a short-term discipleship course which covers specific material to help them be sure of their salvation, deal with sin, live in the power of the Holy Spirit, become self-feeders on God's Word, etc.
5. Leaders can be developed quickly in movements.
What challenged me?
1. Am I bold enough and regular enough in sharing my faith? I talk the talk but do I walk the walk.
2. Do I ask the accountability questions seriously enough to be taken seriously?
3. Am I prepared to pay the price of seeing a real movement begin?
The opening example was inspiring, but came from a very different ministry context to mine. I am operating in a suburban, multi-cultural context focusing on young adults. I have yet to hear of a CPM occurring in a context like mine, but as the final chapter encourages us, there only has to be one first one.
I liked the overview of how T4T differs from other CPM practices. Even my own movement building missed some of the tips that T4T recommends, and I plan to explore some adaptations.
What, specifically, affirmed my own philosophy?
1. Begin by mobilising Christians. I think a lot of an initiator's energy can be wasted trying to find non-Christians who will become Christians and then initiate a movement. We have to prioritise working with the most likely.
2. It is the responsibility of every Christian to be actively making disciples - sharing their faith and training those who respond to reproduce themselves.
3. Training Christians to share their faith begins with one simple, reproducible tool. Our ministry has used the "Knowing God Personally" booklet for decades with continued success.
4. Grounding new Christians in their faith requires a short-term discipleship course which covers specific material to help them be sure of their salvation, deal with sin, live in the power of the Holy Spirit, become self-feeders on God's Word, etc.
5. Leaders can be developed quickly in movements.
What challenged me?
1. Am I bold enough and regular enough in sharing my faith? I talk the talk but do I walk the walk.
2. Do I ask the accountability questions seriously enough to be taken seriously?
3. Am I prepared to pay the price of seeing a real movement begin?
August 31, 2019
Great insights here!
Great insights into CPMs and how to approach them. Would be great to attend a live class but the book was the next best thing. There are great principles at play even if you aren’t thing to start a new CPM.
Great insights into CPMs and how to approach them. Would be great to attend a live class but the book was the next best thing. There are great principles at play even if you aren’t thing to start a new CPM.
December 13, 2022
T4T is a staple fixture on missionary reading lists and for good reason. The discipleship strategy expounded in this book is filled with optimism, practical models and a clarion vision. Such descriptives appeal greatly to workers in spiritually resistant contexts.
The central thrust, as I read Smith's writing, is that church planting movements revolve around raising disciples who raise other disciples, continuing the process to multiple generations. In lieu of focusing on traditional approaches to local church planting, the book espouses house-based churches which are typically led by entrusted laity.
There are definite strengths in this method. Placing the discipleship relationship at the center of evangelism is commendable. Pushing for early empowerment of new believers has a distinct Pauline flavor. Pressing for accountability in proclamation and simplicity in strategy gives the reader hope that the approach is replicable in other contexts.
I understand that one book cannot easily encompass the the full range of issues involved in raising up indigenous, Spirit-led churches. Smith does deal with mentoring a movement and overseeing leadership formation but in a limited way. I would like to see more elaboration on how these semi-autonomous initiatives are to eventually coalesce into an ecclesiastical model blessed by the five-fold ministry gifts (Ephesians 4:11). I concur that Paul focused on rapid empowerment of a lay leader movement yet, by right of his apostolic office, he was also careful to connect these nascent works with the council of elders back in Jerusalem. If nothing else, he was intimately aware of the hazards posed by false teachers who prey on unprotected flocks.
Stated succinctly, I view the great promise of this strategy as being its catalytic potential for mobilizing believers into effective evangelism. What I see lacking at the moment is a clear idea of how these spontaneous efforts evolve into biblical models of oversight that insure the harvest is not spoiled by false teaching or personality centered initiatives. Hopefully there is more works emerging that help us navigate from the planting to the maturing of indigenous works. This book however, is a great place to start that conversation.
The central thrust, as I read Smith's writing, is that church planting movements revolve around raising disciples who raise other disciples, continuing the process to multiple generations. In lieu of focusing on traditional approaches to local church planting, the book espouses house-based churches which are typically led by entrusted laity.
There are definite strengths in this method. Placing the discipleship relationship at the center of evangelism is commendable. Pushing for early empowerment of new believers has a distinct Pauline flavor. Pressing for accountability in proclamation and simplicity in strategy gives the reader hope that the approach is replicable in other contexts.
I understand that one book cannot easily encompass the the full range of issues involved in raising up indigenous, Spirit-led churches. Smith does deal with mentoring a movement and overseeing leadership formation but in a limited way. I would like to see more elaboration on how these semi-autonomous initiatives are to eventually coalesce into an ecclesiastical model blessed by the five-fold ministry gifts (Ephesians 4:11). I concur that Paul focused on rapid empowerment of a lay leader movement yet, by right of his apostolic office, he was also careful to connect these nascent works with the council of elders back in Jerusalem. If nothing else, he was intimately aware of the hazards posed by false teachers who prey on unprotected flocks.
Stated succinctly, I view the great promise of this strategy as being its catalytic potential for mobilizing believers into effective evangelism. What I see lacking at the moment is a clear idea of how these spontaneous efforts evolve into biblical models of oversight that insure the harvest is not spoiled by false teaching or personality centered initiatives. Hopefully there is more works emerging that help us navigate from the planting to the maturing of indigenous works. This book however, is a great place to start that conversation.
May 20, 2018
This is an exceptional work - as the author himself warns, what works is not the methodology, but the mindset and the promises of God behind it. Every one in vocational ministry should read it and question the traditional path that they have been taught to follow. Every person who considers himself a follower of Jesus should read it and ask if he is actually living out his identity.
The Kingdom principles laid out in the very beginning are themselves life-changing.
The Kingdom principles laid out in the very beginning are themselves life-changing.
April 20, 2018
This book can inspire believers to change the world! It has inspired me to be used by God in the power of the Holy Spirit beyond my comfort zone so that others may know my King.
I like that God’s Kingdom is being advanced greatly. We will never know the magnitude of these movements and God’s love being made known through them.
I like that God’s Kingdom is being advanced greatly. We will never know the magnitude of these movements and God’s love being made known through them.
August 2, 2018
Content: 5 out of 5... Lots of good challenging information
Readability: 3 out of 5... Repetitive and choppy. But certainly still readable
Length: 4 out 5... Could be shorter
I would recommend this to every believer. A different type of read that can help challenge our thoughts and help us create a movement for the kingdom of God.
Readability: 3 out of 5... Repetitive and choppy. But certainly still readable
Length: 4 out 5... Could be shorter
I would recommend this to every believer. A different type of read that can help challenge our thoughts and help us create a movement for the kingdom of God.
January 30, 2025
This book is not well written. It needs rigorous editing and organising. There is some good material, especially the testimonies but the repetition is tedious. Frankly the book could be a third of the length. I'm not a fan of the presentation either, which sees the author's writing and a testimony on the same page in different columns, requiring the reader to turn forwards and backwards. Edit!
November 25, 2021
Great book
December 31, 2021
Obey and Train
People need Jesus. This book teaches you how to tell your circle of influence about Jesus and train them to do the same. Obedience is not easy, but worth it.
People need Jesus. This book teaches you how to tell your circle of influence about Jesus and train them to do the same. Obedience is not easy, but worth it.
April 24, 2023
Great read with so much insight into church planting and new directions/methodology of current church.
June 2, 2023
Very well written and practical book about how movements are still happening in the 21th century. Encouraged and equipped to continue!
April 10, 2013
Excellent treatment of intentional discipleship, evangelism and church planting movements. There is much to be commended in Smith and Kai's "T4T", particularly the practical nuts and bolts of the ever-nebulous "discipling". One theological issue that surfaced for me in reading T4T is the tension between the doing of the Great Commission and the being of the Great Commandment. I think Smith and Kai would agree with me that while the two are complimentary, the Great Commandment must be the Source/resource of the Great Commission. However, T4T focuses entirely on the missional aspect of the Christian life while taking for granted (?) the relational/devotional aspect. Again, both are fundamental components of the Christian Life, but the focus of the method is primarily the mission. ...In humility.
Read
April 10, 2016This book is a continuation on the thought that minister need to train new Christians to continue the training to other people of how to become a Christian, how to witness, and how to transplant. It takes seriously Jesus Christ's command to go our and make disciples baptizing them. The authors specifically teach ministers to work with potential new believers who will be leaders and not focus so much on the other 80% whole will not be leaders.
I consider the authors' approach to be valid and impelling; that being said, it seems like another method of church planting. Yet, it teaches ministers/evangelists/missionaries to be intentional and purposeful in evangelizing and church planting so more people are confronted with the Gospel much more rapidly than other methods.
I consider the authors' approach to be valid and impelling; that being said, it seems like another method of church planting. Yet, it teaches ministers/evangelists/missionaries to be intentional and purposeful in evangelizing and church planting so more people are confronted with the Gospel much more rapidly than other methods.
November 27, 2015
So full of hope
I am not a Christian. But this book fills me with hope. I can find in this movement a foundation on which people with little or nothing can build a foundation for a better life. There are problems with Christianity of course. But until in a world without solutions, you have to look for tradeoffs. I see here a natural phenomena, that taps into people's innate urge to improve oneself. An urge that has been suppressed for so long, now realizing it's creative potential.
Makes me very hopeful about the future of humanity. This is bigger than anything the world has ever seen and it's only the beginning.
I am not a Christian. But this book fills me with hope. I can find in this movement a foundation on which people with little or nothing can build a foundation for a better life. There are problems with Christianity of course. But until in a world without solutions, you have to look for tradeoffs. I see here a natural phenomena, that taps into people's innate urge to improve oneself. An urge that has been suppressed for so long, now realizing it's creative potential.
Makes me very hopeful about the future of humanity. This is bigger than anything the world has ever seen and it's only the beginning.
July 4, 2016
This was a great read. Challenging in my ecclesiology, but my greatest take home was that church multiplication happens through making disciple making disciples. But this requires a simple, reproducible process and simple, reproducible tools. So much of what I have experienced in the church is complex (structures, systems, content) and focused on content transfer. But content transfer does not make disciples who love and obey Jesus and who are trained, competent and confident in making disciples who love and obey Jesus. The #NoPlaceLeft Network is doing just that.
March 17, 2016
Outstanding book on conceptual and practical levels. God has used Smith and Kai's work to revolutionize the way I see my role as Pastor of Training and Spiritual Growth at Grace. The T4T paradigm will provide much-needed clarity to followers of Jesus everywhere, but particularly to those who are actively engaged in "equipping the saints for the work of service" (Eph. 4:12). For me the book was more than a breath of fresh air -- it was an entire oxygen chamber.
June 27, 2014
I met Ying Kai at a conference, I read this book after listening to him. This book was one of the first to get me started on approaching discipleship in a very different way than is practiced here in San Luis Obispo. Discipleship became more risky and fun, than the traditional meet up in a group, sit, and listen/discuss setting.
The author brings up some points worth considering.
The author brings up some points worth considering.
May 7, 2020
Gives a great outline in how to start a CPM (Church Planting Movement) and discipleship ministry. So many in the Western Church balk at the ideas that are proposed, but this is the Acts church to a T.
February 5, 2022
A Guide for Church Planting
This book is extremely well written. I'm not typically a reader but once I started this book i could not put it down. The information in this book encouraged me to try the techniques and see if a CPM is possible in my community. I believe it is.
This book is extremely well written. I'm not typically a reader but once I started this book i could not put it down. The information in this book encouraged me to try the techniques and see if a CPM is possible in my community. I believe it is.
August 10, 2011
So what do I do now?
November 20, 2012
Cool to read a book on CPMs that gives specific steps and practices rather than just principles. How does it play out in reality? Well, ask me in ten years or so.
June 27, 2013
Challenging!!
July 7, 2013
Is a wonderful book about of a effective process to multiply disciples.
July 21, 2014
AHHHHH - such truth - !! We were all called to disciple, this is the process and what it looks like
December 20, 2015
This will definitely cause you to think about what makes a discipleship movement. Great reading!
November 1, 2015
Easy to understand. Applicable
I found the author's concepts to be very applicable and easy to understand. Ministering in the Bible Belt does require some deprogramming of members.
I found the author's concepts to be very applicable and easy to understand. Ministering in the Bible Belt does require some deprogramming of members.
Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews