A Multiplying Mindset
I came across a quote from a pastor named J.D. Greear recently that powerfully gripped me: “Those who care about the future of the Great Commission will devote themselves to multiplying and sending, not gathering and counting.”
At first blush, this sounds like some new vision for the church. But in fact, it’s not a new vision at all. Rather, it’s an old vision that got lost along the way.
When you stop to think about it, Jesus gave us some pretty specific marching orders:
“All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age.”
Matthew 28:18-20
Jesus’ vision for completing the Great Commission wasn’t about gathering – it was about going. It was never about raising up a handful of hyper- anointed preachers to pack an auditorium with their electrifying sermons while accompanied by world-class musicians.
It was ever and always about engaging a few garden variety believers, teaching them to live in the way of Jesus, and then challenging them to go make more disciples who would then make more disciples.
Jesus’ vision for completing the Great Commission wasn’t about gathering. It was about going.
Addition or Multiplication?
In short, Jesus bet the farm on the concept of multiplication. While He did in fact address the crowds on occasion, He recognized that the key to launching a movement was to invest in a few who would then invest in others.
Sadly, most of the leaders I know are satisfied with addition. They measure success by the numbers who gather and sit rather than the numbers who go and make.
The good news is that we’re not alone in facing this challenge. Jesus promised that the Holy Spirit is ready, willing, and able to lead us in this. But if we want His power, we have to do it His way.
All of Jesus’ promises about the greatness of the church are tied with going and making disciples not gathering and counting saints. It’s having a multiplying mindset.
Here’s what I’ve come to see. Multiplying will not happen naturally. If we aren’t choosing to make it happen, it’s probably not happening.
I remember being challenged by the words of the late Dallas Willard regarding this. Willard asked pastors two questions:
1. What is your plan for making and multiplying disciples?
2. How is that plan working for you?
Greater Works?
One of the greatest promises the Savior made is recorded in John 14:12 where He said that His disciples would do greater works than He. That promise staggers the imagination. “Greater works?!?” What could He have possibly meant by that?
He didn’t mean that we would preach greater sermons than He did…or pray greater prayers than He did…or do greater miracles than He did. It’s not a qualitative greater that He has in mind here.
Rather, it’s a quantitative greater. Greater as seen in the extent and impact of our works as we see the Spirit multiplied in us and through us as we make disciples who make disciples who make disciples.
The Great Omission?
This was what Jesus modeled and it was central to His mandate. Sadly this Great Commission, more times than not, is the Great Omission. And the implications of that are seen in the stagnation of all too many churches.
Most of the pastors I’m dealing with don’t lack for a great vision. They truly want their churches to prevail.
Yet the fact is that when it comes to accomplishing great visions, it’s never a function of the daring dreams you have – it’s a function of the daily decisions you make.
When it comes to accomplishing great visions, it’s never a function of the daring dreams you have. It’s a function of the daily decisions you make.
And one of the most important it is to embrace a multiplying mindset and engage in making disciples.
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