Multiply

August 11 we (www.libertybaptistchurch.ws) will begin using a valuable resource from author Francis Chan entitled Multiply.  The reason I like this book is because it is solid, simple, and short!

As a pastor you are always looking for ways to get your people grounded in the Word quickly and to bring them to a place of Spiritual health where they are bearing fruit and bringing other people to Christ.  As simple as this may sound, this is not an easy task.  

The Bible is a HUGE book.  It is not only huge, but it is old and difficult for most people to understand.  As a pastor, I need something that can help people grab on to the story quickly.  You may not understand everything you read in the Bible, but if you can grasp the basic concepts and the premise of the story you are at least heading in the right direction.  Multiply spends a great deal of time helping its readers become well acquainted with the Biblical story and its redemptive theme in Christ.  

Life is crazy.  Most of us generally use the same adjectives to describe existence; hectic, busy, demanding.  We don’t have time for a virtual, mini-seminary class at church.  Crazy life fosters short attention spans.  If you’re discipleship material is just as huge as the Bible, most people will begin with good intentions, but crash and burn quickly.  As a pastor I need something I can give my people that offers the most critical information in the shortest possible segments.  I don’t need a book that reads like molasses, I need a book full of gun powder.  Six to eight pages a week of BOOM!  In Multiply Francis Chan has not sacrificed what is necessary for the sake of brevity.  The reader will leave the book with the solid doctrinal foundation he or she needs to understand salvation, the church, and how to walk for a lifetime with Christ.

Evangelism is scary.  Years ago we turned evangelism into a propositional presentation.  Bringing people to Christ meant memorize and regurgitate.  To me it felt more like selling knives than bringing people to Christ (and, yes, I have sold knives).  As a pastor I need something that will help my people have long term conversations, make disciples, not simply win converts.  Multiply is not designed for one to simply read.  It is designed to be a conversation between people who want to follow Christ.  Most books simply pass along information.  Multiply becomes an experience between brothers and sisters in Christ; and ultimately it leads one to continue bringing others into the conversation.  

Francis Chan’s Multiply is helping me as a pastor lead my people to fulfill our call, be disciple makers.  If you haven’t picked up a copy of this book, I highly recommend it.  As you read it, you will immediately begin thinking of people to whom you would like to give a copy.  I started reading it and bought ten more to give away within a few weeks.  The great news is, if you don’t desire to purchase the book, the material is offered free online at http://www.multiplymovement.com.  The website also offers videos and other resources that will help your journey through Multiply be the most effective experience possible.  I highly recommend Multiply to every pastor, leader, and follower of Christ who wants to be and make disciples.

For those of you who will be going through Multiply with us at Liberty.  I recommend that you begin downloading the material now and go through one unit per week as a family.  I would love for us to get to Aug. 11 with several people already "down the road" in the journey.  This will be the most effective platform for leading others to Multiply.