The first pilot taught us. The second one listened.
One pastor per district across a state, a team of three at the center, and two simple questions after a discipleship seminar in Madurai.
“That entire network is managed by a team of three.”
CMI’s network spans at least one pastor from each district in a very large state. Staying in touch by hand was never possible, so the impact of each seminar went unmeasured.
For the Madurai seminar, CMI wanted to know two things: what actually landed with the pastors, and what they would carry back to their churches.
What we changed between them.
135 pastors, messaged cold.
From a number they didn’t know, late in the week. WhatsApp flagged the number partway through. Most stayed silent.
53 pastors, and they wrote back.
- A number pastors already knew
- Told at the seminar to expect a message
- Paced sending, early in the week
- A second question, one week later
Day 1, Day 8, in Tamil.
Each pastor heard from Rhea’s assistant, approved by Rhea, on WhatsApp. Many answered by voice note. Kinari transcribed and translated every one, and sorted what it heard.
“That same Sunday, I told my congregation to write down twelve families.”
Thank you for attending the Vision Seminar, Pastor. What touched your heart the most?
The Holy Spirit moved me to wake up at 3 AM to pray. Some days I cannot wake up and guilt comes.
Day 8Is there one question about making disciples that has been on your mind?
In my villages, hardly anyone comes seeking salvation. They need healing, blessings, relief from debt. So what are we supposed to show them?
The real follow-up, translated from Tamil. Shared with CMI’s permission; name withheld.
What the pastors said back.
“Paul’s ministry was a ministry of sending. Today’s ministry is a ministry of storing.”
“We talk about ministry, ministry, but we forget to seek God.”
“That same Sunday, I told my congregation to write down twelve families.”
What landed, where pastors are stuck, and who is ready to lead.
In one report, the same month. The vision landed. What pastors needed next was tools to act on it.
Two touches weren’t enough.
Most pastors went quiet after the second question. Follow-up now runs as a longer rhythm, not a one-off.
Four things any network can copy.
Who sends it matters most.
A known name and a heads-up at the event turned a cold message into a conversation.
Pace like a person.
Messages go out paced and early in the week, the way a person would send them.
The second question is where the truth is.
The first touch builds trust. The second is where people name what they’re wrestling with.
Meet people on their channel.
WhatsApp and voice notes in their own language reached pastors that email never would.