Multiplication: You Focus on What? Why?

Modern-day discipleship tends to believe lies that attending, connecting, and serving lead people to go make disciples. However, the counterintuitive strategy of Jesus is to focus on a few.

“The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.” 2 Timothy 2:2

How many generations do you see in this verse? Four, right?

First there is Paul; then there is Paul’s  “son” in the faith, Timothy. Third, there are the faithful men Timothy will teach, and then there are others to whom these truths will be passed on.

Four generations. Paul near the end of his ministry is emphasizing the necessity of being generational. Paul has invested much time and energy in discipling young Timothy, among many others.

Now he is clarifying the ultimate objective of disciplemaking; insuring continued transmission of the essential truths to others. Paul gives Timothy criteria for selecting His disciples–1^st they must be trustworthy, faithful.

You cannot know a person is trustworthy until you know them well, until you’ve had adequate time to observe. 2^nd they need to have the ability to pass these essential truths on to others. This is a learned skill which most people can acquire.

Making disciples is walking along side other people, as you and they grow to maturity. You help them grow to the point that they can ultimately parent others.

Jesus said in Matthew 7:21

“Not everyone who calls out to me, ‘Lord! Lord!’ will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of my Father in heaven will enter.”

Jesus was not saying that we work our way to heaven. Rather, authentic faith, true believers who yield to the direction of the Holy Spirit, will eventually begin to make disciples, just like He did.

This was not just instruction for Jesus’ or Paul’s first disciples, but a commission for every follower of Christ. We are all expected to share the wealth, to leave a legacy by passing onto others the things we have learned, what we have inherited. Discipleship is generational.

Disciplemaking is not a program. It is a lifestyle. It is Jesus’ invitation–come and live the abundant life. Come and participate with him in his mission to redeem people of this world, and help populate heaven.

These two funnels represent two kinds of churches. The one on the left represents most churches in America. The second funnel represents your Church (I hope).

In the first funnel we begin by getting as many we can to attend. Then we try to get them connected in some way to others in the church (this is the best way to insure they will continue to come). From the second group we recruit volunteers – those willing to serve in the church. And maybe, some will ultimately chose to go into the world.

From the second funnel we see a different strategy, the one Jesus used. First there is one–Jesus. Then his quad, Peter, James and John. Then 12 – the disciples. Then in Luke 10:1 he chose 72, and in 1 Cor. 15:6 there are more than 500 who are going out into the world.

We must change the church model of baby birds in a nest, expecting someone else to come and feed them, so they can go home feeling good, because their tummy is comfortably full. As mature adult believers we must learn to feed themselves, and then we go out into the world and feed others.