Multiplication (n). The process of increasing or causing to increase greatly in number or quantity; to increase in number or quantity by reproducing
East-West’s vision is to glorify God by multiplying followers of Jesus in the spiritually darkest areas of the world.
We pursue this vision because throughout His Word, we see that God’s heart has always been for multiplying His people. In fact, God commands, promises, acts, and manifests multiplication in pursuit of the lost.
Multiplication in Scripture
Here are a few examples in the Bible of God’s heart for multiplication.
He commands multiplication
God’s first command to mankind was to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 1:26-28). Some of Jesus’ last words to His disciples were to “‘make disciples of all nations … (Matthew 28:19).’”
His commands are birthed out of His love to see representatives of Himself all over the Earth.
He promises multiplication
God promised Abraham that his offspring will multiply “‘as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore (Genesis 22:17).’” And He reminded Israel consistently of His promised multiplication and blessings for them (Deuteronomy 6:3).
His sovereignty ensures a pattern of multiplication in His plan for the world.
He acts in multiplication
God delivered the Israelites out of slavery because they were His treasured possession to be multiplied greatly for His glory (Deuteronomy 7:6–13).
Jesus acted with a multiplication mindset by investing His life in a few disciples, entrusting them to share the good news with others (Matthew 10, Luke 10).
He is manifested in multiplication
The early church multiplied rapidly as disciples made disciples and healthy churches planted more churches (Acts 9:31). The Body of Christ glorified the Father as each person worked together to further Jesus’ work on Earth.
Even today, His glory is still manifested through the unified multiplication efforts of His Church.
The Church’s Role in Multiplication
God’s heart is still for multiplication today because He still pursues the lost.
If the Father’s heart is for the lost to know Him and worship Him, then multiplication is an absolute among His people today. God’s people should strive alongside Him in a passionate pursuit of those who do not know Him.
The multiplication of the Kingdom of God is crucial because it aligns with the urgency of God’s mission for the world. About 8 billion people live in the world today, and more than 3 billion of those people are considered unreached. It’s also estimated that the global population increases by 80 million people each year.
The Power of Multiplication vs. Addition
In order for the Church to keep pace with the growth of the global population and reach every nation with the gospel, it must multiply believers.
Multiplication produces exponential growth. Addition, on the other hand, only produces a slower, more incremental growth.
Having a gospel urgency means seeking gospel multiplication.
The Need for Discipleship in Multiplying Movements
But for multiplication to be healthy, it must be rooted in God-dependent discipleship. In 2 Timothy 2:2, Paul tells Timothy to entrust his spiritual wisdom to faithful ones who will also teach others. Paul models a pattern of discipleship that embodies generational multiplication.
Faithful followers of Jesus who are abiding in Him, fervent in prayer, and dying to themselves daily are the ones that God will use to continue His act of multiplication today.
It’s true that multiplication starts slower than addition at first, yet it’s the groundwork in the beginning—the process of God-glorifying discipleship—that will cause an unleashing of the Holy Spirit because of the simple obedience of a few faithful disciples.
Jesus invested His last three years on Earth in a select few people in the slow process of discipleship. These disciples of Jesus were then used in a great movement of God where thousands more came to worship Him in one day. The process was slow at first, yet when it gained momentum, multiplication was impossible to stop.
Our Role in Multiplying God’s People
The reality for God’s people is simple. Scripture reveals that God’s heart has always been for multiplying His people. He goes so far as to command, promise, act, and manifest multiplication in pursuit of the lost. This is why the Great Commission requires believers to multiply disciples and churches around the world.
In light of this, the question we must ask ourselves is this: Are we faithful, available, teachable, and reproducing as disciples of Jesus?
Multiply
East-West’s three-year strategic focus, Multiply, is about intentional strategy, discipleship, and partnership so the unreached are reached with the gospel. Billions are waiting for the light. Will you help us take the gospel to the nations?
