Introducing Redux

A new bank cashier worried she would not catch counterfeit bills. The experienced supervisor took her aside and stated kindly, “Don’t worry about memorizing the different types of counterfeit bills; just know the real thing well!”

In today’s culture, the way we “do church” is struggling. Perhaps we would be wise to focus on following the call of Jesus to “go and make disciples.” Just do that one thing well. Preaching is good, and making disciples is better. Starting churches is good, but having disciples to gather there is essential. Bringing about positive change to social issues is necessary, but making disciples at the same time is better.

With 4,000 churches closing each year in our country, and six billion pre-followers of Christ in the world, making disciples is our most important task. Divorce rates are the same inside and outside the church. More and more children live in single-parent households. Tolerance challenges truth, and there is a lack of civility in the relevant city square (the internet). Becoming a disciple who can make disciples is the greatest need in our world.

In this issue, learn how Redux, our newest effort to multiply disciples, can help you. It’s something we hope you can bank on as the real thing!

Chris DeWelt, Director of Intercultural Studies at Ozark Christian College and GNPI Board Chair

A passion for lost people will inevitably lead to two things: (1) people that share their faith regularly, and (2) the multiplication of communities of Followers.

The church has always grown by the process of reproduction, both individually and collectively. The body of Christ grows as the number of Christian communities increase. Yes, some of them grow to be very large, but the simple fact that some churches are big does not mean that new churches are not needed.

The American church is facing a serious crisis. It is a well-documented fact that many churches are closing. These closures should not surprise us, especially when we probe a little deeper. Barna Group in partnership with Seed Company conducted research last year concerning the feelings of the American church concerning missions, Bible translation, and other related subjects. They found that 51 percent of church-goers did not recognize the term “Great Commission.” They also discovered that only 17 percent knew where it was in the Bible and what it meant. (Barna.com/ research)

Tools such as Redux that focus on measurable and strategic plans to bring the gospel to lost people are desperately needed as never before in the American church today!

How Redux Will Work

Redux is a discipleship tool that helps people build relationships, either to first-time steps of faith in Jesus or to increasing maturity as a disciple. You might be wondering—how does that happen? Redux combines a few different features that most users are familiar with through social media sites and church management software and utilizes them for strategic evangelism.

Redux works for groups of any size, from a church with thousands of members to a family of four. Users create Relationship profiles for the people surrounding them who are not yet Followers (Pre-Followers). On the profile, there will be a set of traits based on the fruit of the Spirit and Focus Areas unique to each relationship. The User will have access to a variety of resources for different Focus Areas to assist the Pre-Follower. The User can find resources that their Church or Group has selected, or search a global library for something that fits the specific situation. With those resources, the User can gauge what the Pre Follower needs and where they can improve or learn more.

All of this information appears on the Relationship profile, along with any notes the User adds. Users can create tasks that integrate with their smartphone’s calendars and alarms, such as reminders to pray for Pre-Followers or to pick them up for church. Because Redux is available on your laptop, tablet, or smartphone, all of this information is accessible anytime, anywhere.

While all Christians are called to fulfill the Great Commission, different churches are carrying it out in different ways. Redux is designed to accommodate all of them. Some churches are looking for simple ways to reinvigorate their members for discipleship. They would benefit from Redux’s global applications, comprised of tried-and-true discipleship methods on a Pre-Follower’s way to faith in Jesus.

Other churches have well-developed, existing paths for discipleship and need a way to track their progress. For them, Redux can be utilized to show when people go from Pre-Follower to Follower. You don’t have to adopt someone else’s model for making disciples. Redux is a tool that easily accommodates and adapts to all these variables. It also helps keep relationships alive by reminding you to check on the Pre-Followers or New Followers with whom you have relationships.

Through Redux, we’re equipping individual Followers and whole churches for effective discipleship by offering communication assistance, characteristic tracking, systems integration, and appropriate resources along the way. These unique features set it apart from any other discipleship app or tool we’ve seen.

Why You Should Use It

Discipleship is an intimidating topic for many of us. Pastors tell us it’s one of the hardest things they ask their congregations to do. We feel guilty about not sharing our faith more often, but what’s holding us back? For many people, it’s merely a lack of resources and training. They don’t know where to start. That’s where Redux comes in. By utilizing global characteristics, Redux gives Users a clear starting place and a tangible next step. It takes the mystery out of discipleship and turns it into a guided process that anyone can follow. Redux allows people to journey together to maturity in Christ, and it doesn't start or end with a conversion.

Once Pre-Followers become Followers, they grow into Users within Redux, building relationships with the heart of discipleship, eventually leading others to Jesus. From Pre-Follower to Follower to Disciple-Maker, Redux is a holistic tool for moving people through increasing steps of faith toward maturity in Christ. One of the features we’re most excited to offer through Redux is a library of discipleship resources. How often have you read an article with great discipleship tips and then forgotten everything you learned by the time you needed it?

Redux puts these resources at your fingertips where they are most useful and when they are most needed. As Users build relationships with Pre-Followers, Redux recommends different resources to instruct and encourage them along the way. Articles and videos correspond to the particular needs for that Pre-Follower, so Users are equipped in real-time for more effective discipleship. Since we first began imagining what Redux could do, we’ve worked to integrate it with other third-party platforms and church management software. Redux is designed to work seamlessly with many of your smartphone’s most essential functions. It integrates with calendars, reminders, and alarms. Redux also shares data with church management platforms like Rock CMS and Church Community Builder.

We’re finding that church leaders are not the only people who are excited about the potential of Redux. Parents are also using Redux to be more intentional about their primary discipleship responsibility: their children. Using Redux gives them a deliberate guide to communicate with their kids and helps them know what their next step toward faith might be. Through Redux, parents can create reminders to pray and read the Bible with their kids. Resources are available for communicating with children about baptism or starting a conversation with your teens about peer pressure. Whether you’re leading a church, a small group, or a family, Redux offers a unique set of tools and resources that empower Users to share the gospel more effectively than ever before. By simplifying the process and providing clear objectives to guide the relationships, we hope to give Followers the confidence and resources they need to embrace the Great Commission with fresh zeal.

Redux is an app that makes discipleship tangible for every Christian and provides tools in the palm of our hand that will empower us to take the gospel to our communities.
Matthew Johnson, Owner/Software Engineer at Midwestern Interactive, Joplin, MO

Redux has the potential to bring discipleship to the 21st century and beyond, by allowing discipleship to happen in tandem with accountability and technology!
Lito Solorio, Lead Pastor of Countryside Christian Church, Wichita, KS

Every mature Christian, I know, has a sincere desire to share their faith with others. What keeps them from doing it is the confidence of knowing how. Redux is the resource to equip everyday followers of Jesus with the ability to evangelize that matches their motivation to evangelize.
Sy Huffer, Lead Pastor of College Heights Christian Church, Joplin, MO

Come Visit
Our Booth
at ICOM!

Ready to learn more about Redux? Find us at Booth 434 at the International Conference on Missions, happening November 14-17 in Kansas City, MO. You can ask questions, give feedback, and let us know which features your church or small group would like to see in the future. We’ll also have a few devices equipped with a cloud version of Redux, so conference-goers will get to experience Redux in person. We can’t wait to show you everything Redux has to offer and to hear your thoughts about how we can make this tool useful for you!