A THEOLOGYOF CHURCHMULTIPLICATION

A S O J O U R N N E T W O R K P A P E R

By Jamin Stinziano

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INTRODUCTION

Sojourn Network exists to help pastors plant, grow, and multiply healthy churches. The proper undertaking of any task, it seems, must start with an understanding of the purpose behind it. What are the foundational reasons that undergird the activity? Why is it important? What is neces-sary for its accomplishment? Who or what is best suited for the work?

The aim of this document is to answer these questions as it pertains to one aspect of Sojourn Network’s mission—inten-tionally living into the Father’s mandate to multiply churches. In looking at these answers, we will also consider what it looks like practically for churches to embrace their responsibility in the redemptive and reproductive mission of multiplication.

THE REDEMPTIVE MISSION OF THE CHURCH

In church planting circles, it’s easy to distort the mission God has given his people by seeing it primarily as a charge to plant more churches. Though seeing more churches planted would be a good thing, it is not the ultimate outcome. The biblical vision for God’s people, rather, is gospel saturation.

In Genesis, we read that God made humanity in his image to represent him and carry out his desires on earth. Later on, God told Abraham, “I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing . . . and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed” (Gen. 12:2-3). In Exodus, God told his people that they would be to him “a kingdom of priests and a holy nation” (Ex. 19:6). And all of this was in concert with his purposes so that “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab. 2:14).

Knowing this, Jesus told his followers, “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations” (Mt. 28:19). He told them they would receive the promised Holy Spirit (Luke 24:48), breathed on them in anticipation of it, and sent them out (John 20:21-22). He spoke of the power they would

have—God’s own power—saying they would be “witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth (Acts 1:8). Paul told the church in Corinth, “We are ambassadors for Christ, God making his appeal through us” (2 Corinthians 5:20). Having seen Christ’s Church take shape, Peter wrote, “But you are a chosen race, a royal priest-hood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light” (1 Peter 2:9).

The biblical vision is and always has been complete global saturation through the scattering of God’s people, giving every man, woman, and child repeated opportunities to hear, see, and respond to the gospel. Being the chosen instrument, vehicle, and method the Father has purposed to get after what he wants, the church is of vital importance. Though it is not the end, it is the primary means.

This is why we plant churches and why the multiplication of the right type of churches is so significant. We multiply churches because we understand redemptive history and our God-given place within it. We multiply churches because as Steve Timmis says, “Planting churches is a great means to a glorious end, that many may know Christ.”1

THE REPRODUCTIVE MISSION OF THE CHURCH

Multiplying churches for the purpose of gospel saturation locates us in the mission God has for his church. In the beginning, God’s directive for mankind was to “be fruitful and multiply” (Gen 1:22-28). Being written into the fabric of our existence, multiplication gives us God’s vision for what it means to image him in the world he has created for his glory. Though it is not the only motif, reproduction sets the stage for the biblical imagery of multiplication. After the great flood, God perpetuated this imagery when he commanded Noah’s family, “Be fruitful and multiply and fill the earth…increase greatly on the earth and multiply in it” (Gen 9:1-7). This multiplication would not be without difficulty, though. In fact, God told Eve that as a result of her sinful choice, her pain would multiply through reproduction (Gen 3:16).

1. Steve Timmis, http://www.acts29.com/evening-worship-session/

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It would be painful, but the Lord showed his favor through multiplication. As was promised to Abraham, God multi-plied his covenant people (Gen 17; 22; 26; 28; 35; 48), so much so that they became a threat to the nations around them. Through a variety of seasons and circumstances God multiplied his children in Egypt, in the wilderness, in the Promised Land, and in exile (Ex 1:7-20; Deut 1:10; 7; 8; 30; Jer 29:6).

In the Old Testament we also see that the wonders of God multiplied (Ex 7; 11; Ps 40:5). In essence, it was God saying “I’m going to put my works on display, and they are going to be multiplied in your midst.” The sin, wickedness, and sorrows of humanity multiplied, as well (Job 29; 35; Ps 16:4; Lam 2:5; Is 59; Ez 16; 35; Hos 8). And finally, in speaking of the rejected warnings of the prophets of old, God told his covenant people, “It was I who multiplied visions” (Hos 12:10).

In the New Testament, the blessings of God are reiterated when we read of the Lord’s multiplication of his covenant people (Acts 7:17; Heb 6:14). In the book of Acts we read about the emergence of the church and what it looks like when God multiplies his wonders in and through his re-deemed covenant community. We see that “the word of God increased and multiplied” (Acts 12:24), and “the disciples multiplied greatly” (Acts 6:7). And we see the results of God’s multiplying activity on the establishment and advancement of the church: “So the church…had peace and was being built up. And walking in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it multiplied” (Acts 9:31). Finally, through the letters to the early church, Paul wrote of God’s provision for his people being multiplied (2 Cor 9:10), and Peter and Jude wrote to their respective communities of the grace, mer-cy, and peace of the Lord being multiplied to them.

In looking at the biblical understanding of multiplication, there is a resounding theme: Where there is life and blessing, there is multiplication. Multiplication takes place, new life emerges, and the blessings of God are multiplied. God says it over and over again, “Here is what I will do. I will show you in the midst of life and experiencing my blessings, multiplica-tion taking place all around you.”

FAITH TO MULTIPLY

So why would we not have a faith for this in our church-

es? Why would we not cry out for God to do what he has promised? Why would we not give our efforts to a missional tenacity that reflects the heart of God for the world he creat-ed? I want to propose 3 reasons why we should have a faith to multiply our churches.

1. Multiplication is in the Father’s heart God chose to make humanity. He made a conscious

decision that is seen when, amongst the Godhead, he said, “Let us make man in our own image…” (Gen 1:28). God’s creative intention reflects a heart that desires for multiplication to take place through the people he has created and the churches he has purposed.

2. Multiplication is in the Father’s design From the moment God created man and woman in his

own image, he set his representatives on a course toward multiplication. He put it in the biological realm as well as the spiritual realm. When he told Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, he did it because their reproductive mission reflected the redemptive mission he had for his people.

3. Multiplication is in the Father’s hands Multiplication is not something we have the responsi-

bility for. Certainly, in both the physical and spiritual realms, there are intentional steps that must be taken, but the results are up to him. No parent will have a child without the Lord making it so, and no church will birth another Christ-exalting church outside of the watchful and directing care of the Creator.

So why would we have the faith to multiply? Because the Father cares about it, because the Father has intended for it to happen, and because the Father is the only one with the power and wisdom to actually bring it about in a faithful way.

A VISION TO MULTIPLY

The biblical vision for the fulfillment of God’s mission in the world is the multiplication of his church. Vance Havener once said, “The vision must be followed by the venture. It is not enough to stare up the steps – we must step up the stairs.” So what does it look like to start walking up the stairs?

In Acts 13 we see a picture of what it looks like when the peo-ple of God see the vision and start moving deeper into it.

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Now there were in the church at Antioch prophets and teachers, Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a lifelong friend of Herod the tetrarch, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barn-abas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. So, being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia…. (Acts 13:1-4)

It’s safe to say that the church in Antioch was the most signif-icant church in the Gentile world. New believers were being added, and there was a plurality of leaders with a diversity of gifting. The church in Antioch was flourishing, and it saw its place in the grand scope of God’s purposes. Let’s consider some of the characteristics and behaviors that formed the Antioch community, allowing them to take steps forward in the vision to multiply for the glory of God.

DEVOTION TO AND DEPENDENCE UPON THE LORD

A church that gives itself to multiplication does so first and foremost out of devotion and dependency. This seems ele-mentary, but without it there is no way forward. We see in the early church an utter dependence upon the Lord. Being a new movement, the early church was vulnerable and helpless without the Lord’s protection. They needed him desperately and it was reflected in their pursuit of him and his desires.

POSTURED TO HEAR FROM AND RESPOND TO THE SPIRIT

The church in Antioch was fasting and praying for a reason. They wanted to hear from God. It’s as if they were saying, “God, what do you have for us as a church? What do you desire for the church in Antioch? We know you care about it. We know you’ve designed something for it. We know it’s in your hands, so what does it look like for us to move forward?”

EMBRACING THE MISSION AND THE WORK AHEAD

Multiplying churches posture themselves to hear from God because they want what God wants for them, for their geog-raphy, and for the world they are a part of. Stepping forward in faith and doing what the Spirit says is oftentimes hard work. And taking the next step up the stairs of the vision can be wrought with difficulty and uncertainty, but faithfulness demands it.

IMPARTATION OF DNA

A sending mindset was clearly part of the church in Antioch, and it would be an essential component of the churches that were multiplied as a result. The church in Antioch commis-sioned the two by formally placing their hands on them, an activity that was reflective of what had taken place informal-ly over the years. Of this type of impartation, missiologist Dwight Smith writes:

Every new church must be impregnated with a vision to multiply itself. Given the human tendency to self-pre-occupation and self-preservation, this is something that churches must look at on a consistent basis. If it is not a part of the very DNA of the church at the beginning, it will be hard to protect and much harder to change.2

Saul and Barnabas were “impregnated with a vision to mul-tiply.” Everywhere they went, the mission and vision of the Antioch Church was reproduced. Churches that multiply know the tendency to “self-preoccupation” and “self-preser-vation,” and they battle it by raising up and sending out the best of the best for the glory of God and the good of targeted geographies.

SACRIFICIAL OBEDIENCE

Finally, churches committed to multiplication must obey im-mediately, completely, and even sacrificially. In Antioch, there was no questioning of the Spirit. There was no debate. There was no postponement. They heard what the Spirit said and they obeyed. Was it the best time for the church to send Saul and Barnabas out? We don’t know. Were there others that

2. Dwight Smith, http://scpglobal.org/articles/planting-churches-is-it-really-as-hard-as-it-looks

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they would have rather sent? Probably. Was there a possibil-ity this could negatively impact the church? Absolutely. But they “sent them off.” And so must we.

In a culture where delayed, impartial, and cost-effective obedience is celebrated, churches that want what God wants and who are committed to their redemptive and reproductive purposes must step out in faith. There is almost never a good time and there will probably never be enough, but when the Spirit speaks, the time is now and the treasures are immeasur-able.

MOVING FORWARD

God has a mission for his church, and he has promised the results. As Jesus declared, “the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matt 16:18). And because God has a mission for his church, he has a purpose for Sojourn Network in it. Networks do not plant churches, but they can and do play an important role.

So are we willing to listen to the Spirit and respond? Are we willing to see what God has done, to remember his faithful-ness, and to believe him for what he has promised? Are we willing to consider those things and embrace, both individu-ally and collectively, the responsibilities we have been charged with? Let’s do it. Let’s do it together. Let’s go after these things. Let’s be a network that is known for our fidelity to Scripture, our devotion to the Lord, our prayerful posture, our missional convictions, and our willingness to move forward in faith. If we do, by God’s grace, we will see him put his wonders on display. We will see him do it in Sojourn Network churches and through Sojourn Network churches. We will see our geographies saturated, and we will see the fruit of being a network that truly does exist to help pastors plant, grow, and multiply healthy churches.

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