In May, the Global NDI Council gathered in Kansas City, Missouri, for its annual meeting with three purposes: to tour General Assembly venues, to hear reports from each world region and celebrate what God is doing through the global church, and to dream together about a global discipleship movement in the Church of the Nazarene.

The first two have happened before. The third is historic—and bold.

NDI is convinced that making Christlike disciples is not only the heart of the Nazarene mission but also the priority of Jesus himself. Some of his first and last words on earth framed a life devoted to including others in the journey of grace. That conviction has shaped NDI's essential definition of discipleship: following Jesus and making disciples by including others in our journey of grace.

NDI believes this definition should serve as a point of agreement for Nazarenes everywhere. Programs may vary from region to region and church to church, but the essence must remain the same. Whatever we do in the name of discipleship should help people follow Jesus and include others in the journey of grace. NDI hopes all Nazarenes will share this common "discipleship DNA," regardless of geography, culture, or ministry emphasis.

This clarity has produced a God-sized vision. Dr. Sam Barber, global NDI director, challenged the council to prayerfully identify 120 discipleship catalysts: 20 from each of the church's six world regions. The number draws from two sources of inspiration: the 120 believers in the upper room who received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, and the fact that 2027 will mark 120 years since the first Nazarene General Assembly.

These catalysts will be selected from leaders whose lives already demonstrate a commitment to disciple-making—people of spiritual credibility, doctrinal soundness, missional passion, and proven influence. The goal is not to create another leadership network but to nurture disciple-makers who can shape a culture of discipleship throughout the global church.

Beginning in January 2027, these leaders will participate in training designed to instill a reproducible discipleship DNA. Most of the training will take place electronically, with occasional in-person gatherings at regional and denominational events.

The council also dreamed of gathering these catalysts at the Global NDI Convention in June 2027, commissioning and releasing them to reproduce 20 more catalysts in their own regions. In a relatively short time, that number could grow to 2,400, with 400 in each world region. Imagine local churches around the world populated with leaders who share a common vision of following Jesus and including others in the journey of grace.

Dr. Barber closed his presentation with reflections from Numbers 11. Moses and the Israelites are frustrated in the wilderness when God instructs Moses to gather seventy elders so he can pour out his Spirit on them. At the appointed time, God is faithful, but two elders, Eldad and Medad, never came to the tent of meeting. Miraculously, the Spirit falls on them too. When Joshua objects, Moses replies: "I wish that all the Lord's people were prophets and that the Lord would put his Spirit on them!" (Numbers 11:29b).

Dr. Barber reminded the council that no discipleship movement can be sustained apart from the Holy Spirit and prayed, along with Moses, that God would pour out his Spirit on all his people.

The next morning, the council unanimously agreed to set a daily alarm for 11:29. Whenever it sounds, they stop and pray for an outpouring of God's Spirit to ignite a global discipleship movement. The idea has spread, and believers around the world now pause each day at 11:29 to pray.

Will you join us?

These are exciting days for Global NDI. The journey of grace reminds us that God has gone to extraordinary lengths to draw us, save us, and sanctify us. What is our response to such amazing grace? Let the people called Nazarenes follow Jesus and include others in the journey of grace.

Sam Barber is director of Nazarene Discipleship International.