Multiplying

Highly engaged in the Great Commission, making new disciples who make disciples.

"My goal is to become more like Christ and help others become more like Christ (and come to know Christ if they don't already)."

People in the Multiplying stage think Christian maturity includes a wide range of disciplines and so regularly participate and lead in a variety of spiritual activities. With a desire to be used by God to reach their community and church, they regularly share their faith in different settings. This happens relationally and also directly. They want to help their disciples have a better life, and they often train them to disciple others.

What people in Multiplying say

“If we are not making disciples, then can we really call ourselves Christ followers?”

“Everyone has cancer, and I have the only cure. It would be incredibly selfish of me not to get the word out.”

“I also encourage [young men in my small group] to share their faith with Christians, but I tell them if they meet someone who is not a believer, try to make them think and discover God.”

“Sharing Christ with others and seeing them touched by the gospel and the love of God has deeply blessed me. I always thought that going for mission trip is about being a blessing to others but without fail, I [have] always felt more blessed when I came back.”

At-a-glance

People move to the Multiplying stage when they know that at least one of their disciples has discipled someone else.
Are regularly involved in a variety of spiritual activities, both as leaders and participants.

Insights & attributes

Spiritual Maturity

Believe Christian maturity includes a wide range of disciplines. They are actively involved personally, as participants, and as leaders, in a variety of spiritual activities.

Motivation

Desire to be used by God in their church and community. Also motivated to help their disciples experience a better life.

Evangelism

Actively share their faith in a variety of settings, both relationally and directly with people they don't know.

Where and why people move

Movement to Grounded

May move to Grounded if they stop doing evangelism and discipleship for whatever reason. Multiplying is not necessarily an end-state. Just because someone is in the Multiplying stage does not mean they will stay there forever.

Ongoing Evangelism & Discipleship

A person needs to continue doing evangelism and discipleship to stay in the Multiplying stage.

Pray for these people by name - they are specific targets of spiritual warfare. Also, thank God for them and pray for perseverance.
Some of the reasons why people in this stage move back to Grounded is because of life circumstances. Pray that multiplying disciples will grow depth in their relationship with Jesus that will help them withstand trials and difficulties in life.
Rather than feeling like failures when they are not able to dedicate as much time to ministry activities, pray that they will continue to make the most of every opportunity to share how Jesus is meeting them in their circumstances.

One big challenge for people in this stage is doing the same thing for a long time - is there a way to introduce variance (e.g., challenging them for international missions) that could give them a new way of seeing God work in and through them?
Help people in this stage to consider their circles of influence and ways that they could intentionally expand that so as to continue to multiplying.
Think of ways you can put them and their stories in front of others. Nothing is more encouraging than seeing someone embody the Great Commission in today’s context.
Sometimes these people can be silos - is there a way to link them to others like them? Are there partnership opportunities that they can lead/be part of? Can you expose them to other parts of the ministry to give them new experiences and opportunities to take steps of faith?
It is likely that a person in Multiplying is not being actively discipled themselves. This could be a ministry opportunity or an opportunity to provide encouragement.

There can be a tendency for multiplying disciples to judge others who are not multiplying. How can you avoid reinforcing this misconception and help them see others with compassion and empathy rather than judgement?
Once people arrive at this stage, our ministry metrics measure activities rather than personal, spiritual growth it will take intentionality on your part to emphasize the importance and celebrate with them things that we do not measure with numbers. Engage them on the depth of their intimacy with Jesus. Make this a priority in your conversations with them. Introduce them to spiritual practices and encourage them to make heart-surrender and spiritual depth a priority.
Some cultures may have a value for smaller, deeper relational circles. Multiplying disciples may have shared their faith with everyone in the natural circles. How can you encourage them to take steps beyond their natural relational networks and engage people in missional gaps beyond their normal reach?

Experiments, Tactics & Studies

Solutions and resources that have been created or used to understand better or reach this audience.
Add your own item below by submitting a proposal