OUR HISTORY

The vision to raise up 1000 disciple-making households came as God took us on a journey. Here are three formative stops on that journey and the moves we made as a result.

Move #1: From Individual to Household

Location: Jerusalem, Israel -1997

Jeremy was sitting on a stone bench along the west wall of the Old City when a bunch of fathers walked past pushing strollers.

“Strange,” Jeremy thought, “Why do men in this culture have such passion for family? What do they believe about fatherhood that differs from western evangelicals?”

As Jeremy searched for the origins of these ideas about family the answers coalesced around a single biblical figure: Abraham - the household builder. This discovery, or rediscovery, was one piece in the puzzle that explains why the Western church struggles to make disciples. What if we focussed on transforming families into households?

Later Family Teams was launched to restore the biblical blueprint of family as a multigenerational team on mission. What mission? We discovered our next clue on the North Shore of Boston.

Move #2: From Institution to Community

Location: Marblehead, Massachusetts- 2000

“Why don’t you start a young marrieds group?” Pastor Bob asked the Pryors.

It sounded a bit overwhelming with a fulltime job, being a new seminary student and having just become parents.

But on the other hand, the Pryors were in a new town with no friends so why not? Over the next two years this small group totally transformed what many of these couples thought about the church and the Kingdom God. They began to experience genuine Kingdom community.

God gave us a glimpse of how an Acts 2 experience could be possible in our day. Perhaps church was more than just Sunday services? Maybe it has a relational center?

There are over 100 commands given to the church in the New Testament that require interdependent relationships. Maybe the structure of the church is more like a community.

But what is that community designed to do?

Our final move on this journey happened just south of the city of Cincinnati.

Move #3: From Church Planting to Disciple-Making

Location: Fort Thomas, Kentucky - 2007

A missionary from China asked to meet Jeremy Pryor and Stephen Mowry.

He heard about the house church plants they were attempting in Northern Kentucky and wanted to discuss discipleship strategies.

“Describe to me your process for making disciples?” the missionary asked.

Their answers amounted to, “we live life together and hope that everyone grows.”

“Then you are not being obedient to what Jesus said in Matthew 28 when he commanded, “Teach them to obey everything I’ve commanded you.”

Ouch!

Through a process of repentance they began to refocus their efforts on making disciples through intentional training.

Out of that season The Story-Formed Life was launched and many additional discipleship training tools that help us focus on accomplishing the Great Commission.

When you put these three moves together you get missional households that make disciples through community.

And that’s what 1KH is all about.