The Expectation of Multiplication
by John Kimball, CCCC Director of Church Development
Healthy organisms reproduce. God designed life systems into His creation to work that way. Everything in creation reproduces after its kind, and He even commanded man to “be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth….” When one considers all the biotic references regarding the Church in the New Testament, it becomes clear that this characteristic of creation also extends to the Bride of Christ. Sheep produce sheep. Disciples produce disciples. Leaders produce leaders. Churches produce churches.
There are several expected outcomes from employing biblical church development principles. Most of these fall right in line with the reproductive traits built into creation. The Great Commission calls us to reproduce — disciples of Christ (whether first century or twenty-first century) make disciples. The New Testament gives us great principles for leader development — particularly the Apostle Paul as he writes his letters to Timothy and Titus. And the reproduction of the Church of Jesus Christ is not limited to the Book of Acts. Healthy churches — obedient, faithful congregations — reproduce.
When an organism does not reproduce, it is a sign that something is wrong. It’s the same with Jesus’ Church. The fact that so many congregations in America are not multiplying is significant — and we must pay attention. There is a biblical expectation that we will multiply. This is why the CCCC Church Development process has multiplication built into it. Some have commented that church planting is the task of Church Multiplication, not Church Development (or revitalization). But these are in no way mutually exclusive! In fact, historically, one can see the direct relationship between these two: in movements where church multiplication is pursued, the existing churches in that movement become vibrant and fruitful; in movements where revitalization is effective, church planting (multiplication) is always an outcome.
One of our CCCC Seven Guiding Values is “Healthy Church Multiplication.” And one of the primary expectations of our CCCC Church Development Process is the outcome of multiplying disciples, leaders and congregations. It is to be the norm, not an exception. Whether a church lives out the role as a singular “mother church” or is part of a cluster of congregations pooling their resources together, the planting of new congregations is one of the chief signs of church health and is a primary expectation.
Would you like to know more? Why not call the CCCC Office at (651) 739-1474 and ask how the CCCC Church Development Process can help your congregation move toward multiplication? We’d love to talk with you.
