You’ve got a good thing going. God has blessed you indeed. And you are blessed to be a blessing. It’s time to start thinking about reproducing the good things that God has done in you and through you. Multiplying groups, ministries, and churches is how we ensure the gospel reaches our family, neighbors, and the ends of the earth for generations to come.
This series of blog entries covers the ten essential dynamics that allow a church to grow in ways that are healthy, effective, and multiplying. Last week, I talked about developing organic structures that work. This week, I am looking at the 10th and final dynamic for healthy church growth—Multiplying Groups, Ministries, and Churches.
Multiplying Groups, Ministries, and Churches
Multiplying groups, ministries, and churches: Planning for and expecting that all aspects of ministry will continue reproducing themselves to expand the work of the Kingdom across cultures and generations
Think Bigger
One result of having healthy and functioning structures in place is not only having ministry happen, but having ministry multiply. A healthy, growing church has benefits not only for itself but for all the world. Just as a healthy disciple produces more disciples, and a healthy group produces more groups, a healthy church will produce more churches. The focus of the Kingdom of God is always outward. It’s the light that shines out in the darkness, the mustard seed that grows into a giant tree, the yeast that works its way through a whole patch of dough. The Kingdom of God spreads. That is its nature.
Plan for More
Our work is to plan for this outcome. We are to be intentional, sowing the seeds of new disciples, new leaders, new ministries, and new churches into everything we do. We are to cast vision that this is the purpose and nature of the church: to multiply outward. That the way the Kingdom of God grows: not inward keeping all resources to itself, but outward.
God has designed churches as living organisms that are involved in the process of creating new churches in order to be healthy, reach out, and accomplish the Great Commission.
7 Things You Can Do to Multiply Groups, Ministries, and Churches
- Teach and cast vision for the biblical nature of multiplication
- Foster a spirit of generosity rather than an “us vs. them” mentality
- Assess each level of multiplication and how well it is working in your church: disciples, leaders, groups, ministries, and churches
- Analyze your church from the viewpoint of a church planter: What do you see that could be helpful to you?
- Allocate your finances in alignment with your values for ministry multiplication
- Release your people for church planting endeavors
- Bless and support new ministries and churches
Listen to the Holy Spirit and take some time to assess how your church is currently doing in this area. Then identify some customized action steps you could take to strengthen this dynamic.
Resources
The Church Planting Journey: This comprehensive book is filled with simple, practical, reproducible processes that can be translated into any church context. A must have for every church planter!
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