Cabbages in the Desert: How God Transformed a Devout Muslim and Catalyzed Disciple Making Movements among Unreached Peoples

by Aila Tasse, Dave Coles

Are Disciple Making Movements really happening among unreached peoples and Muslims?

If so, how are they happening? And what do those movements look like? You'll find answers to these questions and many more in Cabbages in the Desert, where a devout Muslim teenager meets a kind Christian teacher. Radically transformed then banished from home, Aila receives a vision of unreached peoples coming to Christ. After successfully help plant many churches, he hears a challenge to explore a more fruitful Disciple Making Movements.

Find out how and why these movements, with many generations of disciples, are spreading in over a dozen countries in East, Horn, and Southern Africa, in a variety of social and religious contexts. Discover the vital role of indigenous leaders, and how movements can take root and grow, even among nomadic peoples and oral learners.

Cabbages in the Desert provides inspiration and insight about the dynamics of Disciple Making Movements. It also goes beyond that, encouraging practical application for all who want to see the Lord do similar work in their life and context. The same God who does amazing things in East, Horn, and Southern Africa, also desires to work in and through you!

324 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 3, 2024

Reviews

[Jane Ault · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cabbages in the Desert reads like a modern account of the Holy Spirit’s work in the book of Acts. It’s a fantastic story describing miracles, conversions, and the devoted obedience of Jesus’s followers to his commands.

As I read this book, I saw a stark contrast between the Church in the U.S. (where I live) and the Discipleship-Making Movement in Kenya and other parts of Africa. While the Church in the United States has been shrinking in numbers and having an increasingly ineffective impact on the culture, the DMM is exploding in numbers and making a significant cultural impact for good.

Here’s a list of insights that helped me realize why the DMM. is multiplying numerically and effecting positive change in the culture.
• A discipled lifestyle involves learning, obeying, and sharing, not just hearing.
• There is accountability for doing these things. Everyone is held accountable.
• The focus in the DMM is on disciple-making, not decision-making.
• The emphasis is on authentic discipleship, not just great spiritual experiences.
• In the discovery Bible studies, everyone is allowed to discover the truth in the word of God for themselves. Nobody is a teacher.
• Theology is not the teaching of tradition but rather a way of life.
• It’s essential to engage people through friendship before challenging them with the Gospel.
• Prayer is not just about you talking to God, but God must talk to you.
• Our fruitfulness is directly proportional to our obedience.

As I read about the unquestioning and prompt obedience of leaders in the disciple-making movement, I recognized my lack and am dedicating myself afresh to follow Jesus.

[Mario Alexander · Rating 5 out of 5]

I thank God that I picked up this book and read it. I didn’t know the author, Dr. Aila, personally, but I have heard him speak and shared his testimony briefly in 2022. So when I heard his book will come out in 2024, I immediate jump at the opportunity to read it! And surely I was not disappointed, but very inspired, encouraged and challenged by what I’ve read so far! In the first two chapters, there we’ll find his full testimony from the start til near present day. Then, for the rest of the chapters, we’ll read testimonties of 14 other leaders, co-workers to the author, who implemented the same biblical, movement principles that Dr. Aila have implemented. I was personally moved by God’s vision in his life and for his region. This inspired me to seek God’s face, wait on Him, and be willing to see His vision to come to fruition. I was encouraged by his generous explanation and invitation to humbly unlearn our experiences, letting it go, embracing the attitude of Christ, and relearning what it means to simply obeying His word, in fulfilling the Great Commission. I’ve shared some what I’ve read to two of my friends, and will definitely share and recommend this book to others, and to you, who’re looking at this review!

[Ron Ahlbrecht · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fad? No! A strategic BIBLICAL work of the Holy Spirit and His WORD!

What better way to catch a vision and learn a strategy than to walk with someone through their own journey of discovery! Discipleship is a group, not just individual journey and collective discovery and accountability are better understood by collectivist cultures. Those of us from highly individualistic cultures must learn from African brothers like Aila Tasse. Having read this book I almost feel I have been being mentored by a true pastor shepherd. But not just him. Aila has let many of his African co-laborers also contribute mightily through their own lives and in their own words. With this one book you are not just getting one voice but many brothers AND SISTERS!!! to speak into your life and help you understand. NOT just understand! But also tips and tools to actually practice, and by God’s Grace, perhaps even see the spirit and His Word take root in your own community. Maybe I could see a disciple making movement in my own extended family, neighborhood, town, city or state?!?! Yes Shepherd Jesus, may it be!

[James Bair · Rating 5 out of 5]

Christians everywhere look forward to the time when Jesus returns. However, Matthew 24:14 and Mark 13:10 tell us that that will not happen until everyone in the world has had a chance to hear the Gospel. Cabbages in the Desert shows us how this can become a reality.

The author shares his own experience and the experiences of numerous other men and women in Africa who have led disciple making movements (DMMs). This book perhaps more than some others give an idea of how these can have the Gospel shared. In North America many such groups would be called house churches, but this book has some examples of how leaders of more traditional churches began to use the same principles to expand their outreach and the message of salvation through Jesus.

Jesus did not tell his followers to make converts or proselytes. He said to "make disciples of every nation." Cabbages in the Desert shows us how this can be done.

[Bud Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great story of faith, perseverance, and transformation through a number of brothers and sisters in Africa. It's written in a narrative form with lots of lessons and applications to be learned by those seeking to see a disciple-making movement. The lessons learned by these brothers and sisters will serve the body of Christ for many years to become more faithful and fruitful disciples of Jesus.

[Becky Durstenfeld · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good book, with interesting stories. The reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because it feels very long and repetitive, as much of the stories are quite similar and the teaching about DMM is repeated many times.

[Jacob Hood · Rating 5 out of 5]

Africa is the country with the largest population of Christians. Here is a book about leaders who catalyzed movements that play a major role in that.

[Dave Coles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book. Aila's stories (and those of his coworkers) are both encouraging and informative.