Look, I get it. When you hear “church multiplication,” your eyes might start to glaze over. Sounds like another church growth strategy, right? WRONG! Stick with me here, because what I’m about to share could literally change how you think about growing God’s Kingdom forever.
Here’s the Raw Truth About Multiplication
Are you ready for this? Church multiplication isn’t about building your own little empire. (Ouch, did that sting a little? It got me too!) It’s about something WAY bigger. Jesus didn’t tell his disciples to “go build a mega-church” – He said “go make disciples of all nations.” Mind. Blown.
Why Most Churches Stay Stuck in Addition Mode
Let’s get real for a second:
- We love our people (maybe a little too much?)
- We’re scared of losing our “best” leaders
- We’re comfortable with how things are
- We’re worried about the budget (come on, you know it’s true!)
But here’s the thing: Addition thinking keeps us from having a multiplication impact. And honestly? That’s not okay.
The Secret Sauce of Multiplication
Want to know what makes multiplication actually work?
It’s not:
- A giant building
- A killer worship team
- A massive budget
- Your awesome fog machine
It’s Actually These Simple Things:
- Keep It Simple, Saints (KISS)
- If your system needs a PhD to understand, it won’t multiply
- If your band needs 47 people to function, it won’t multiply
- If your budget needs six zeros, it won’t multiply
- Let Your People Go! (Moses Style)
- Stop hoarding your leaders (yes, I’m talking to you!)
- Start celebrating when people leave to plant churches
- Create a pipeline that constantly produces new leaders
- Light a Fire Under It
- Jesus is alive – that’s kind of a big deal!
- People need this news NOW
- Stop waiting for the “perfect time” (spoiler alert: it doesn’t exist)
Real Talk: Are You Playing Nice with Others?
Here’s something that might hurt a little: Your church isn’t the only show in town. gasp
Know what’s cooler than your church doing great things? A whole bunch of churches doing great things TOGETHER!
- Share your resources (yes, even the good ones)
- Celebrate when other churches win
- Stop acting like you’ve got it all figured out
- Partner up and watch what God does
This Sounds Great, But How Do I Actually Do It?
- Start Small, Dream Big
- Begin with one leader you can pour into
- Create simple systems anyone can copy
- Trust God with the results (He’s pretty good at this stuff)
- Build Your Multiplication Muscles
- Train leaders like it’s your job (because it is!)
- Look for opportunities to send people out
- Celebrate every small win along the way
Reality Check
If you’re still reading this, one of two things is happening:
- The Holy Spirit is nudging you (that’s what that feeling is!)
- You’re procrastinating on your sermon prep (no judgment; we’ve all been there)
Either way, here’s your next step: DO SOMETHING.
- Start training that potential leader.
- Have that conversation about planting
- Reach out to other churches in your area
- Just take ONE step forward
The Bottom Line (Because Every Church Blog Needs One)
Multiplication isn’t rocket science. It’s just being faithful with what God’s given you and being willing to give it away. That’s it. That’s the tweet.
Church multiplication isn't rocket science. It's just being faithful with what God's given you and being willing to give it away. Click To Tweet
Your Move…
What’s your next step? Need help figuring this out? Let us know.
P.S. If this post helped you, share it! (Because multiplication, duh!)
#ChurchMultiplication #ChurchPlanting
Church Planting Resources by Jeff Hoglen
