The Seduction of Addition
Multiplication may slower than addition in the initial stages, but in the long run, it is the only way to fulfill the Great Commission in our generation. The population of the world is rapidly multiplying. If all we do is add disciples and churches we will not even scratch the surface of what we have been commanded to do. Nor can we simply add multiplication to our current addition strategies, because each one has completely different requirements. We must stop adding if we want to start multiplying. Could it be that our commitment to strategies that cannot multiply is in fact what is keeping us from seeing a movement here in the West?
Because addition is faster in the beginning and multiplication takes time, often we are content with growth through addition. We are easily seduced by the more immediate success and instant gratification of addition instead of waiting for the momentum that can build with multiplying. As I said in my book, Search & Rescue, “Don’t be content with addition! Stop applauding the pathetic success we see in addition and start longing again for the incredible power of multiplication.”
In our current context, however, the success promised by addition is hard to turn down. It is so rare to have a church ministry grow at all that one that grows fast with addition is very desirable. The glamor of potentially being labeled “the fastest growing church” is hard to turn a way from. It is difficult for leaders to turn away from the crowds and invest in the few, but that is exactly what Jesus did Himself.
Jesus knew the power of multiplication, and He was willing to wait for it. He rejected the pressure of the crowds and chose instead to spend His life with the few that would multiply. We need leaders who are willing to do the same.
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
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1 comments:
It seems to me that, in many cases, it's not so much the seduction of addition that leads us to implement these methods -- but the fact that multiplication would require all of us to be active in sharing our faith. It's so much easier inviting someone to an event so that another individual can do the sharing.
When I was planting churches in China, I introduced this idea of multiplication to a group of disciples studying in my apartment. It came up because, for safety reasons, we couldn't add people to that particular study group, and they were asking if we could start a group on another night in order for their friends to come. We did. But I explained that I only have a limited number of nights in my week. And that adding students to the studies I was teaching was not the best method for sharing the good news they were hearing with others.
After that night we began to be more intentional about getting them comfortable sharing their faith and teaching, on their own -- and the principles of multiplication.
Our "professional religionist" mindset will have to go, before we ever truly implement multiplication ministries...
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