5 Ways A Movement Multiplies
As the early followers lived an uncommon life, the early Church grew with surprising speed as the spread of the good news from person to person helped bring the Gospel to all. This is the life God invites his people to - becoming a movement of disciples who make disciples who make disciples. Acts 1:8 says, "But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere - in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth." The same Gospel that started with the early church people would spread to all of these places as people heard, believed, and shared. This is multiplication, as people took what they received and passed it on.
For multiplication to happen, there needs to be a disciple, or a person following Jesus by discovering what Jesus says, doing what Jesus says, and sharing what Jesus says. And for multiplication to become a movement, disciples make disciples by showing up in others' lives to invite and support them to discover, do, and share life with Jesus. When disciples make disciples, who then make disciples who make disciples, a movement begins. Here’s a quick video of Michele and the movement of disciple-making she’s experiencing:
2 Timothy 1:5-6 is a story of how Paul, Lois, Eunice, and others share the Gospel with a young man named Timothy, who then becomes a disciple who makes disciples who makes disciples. Here are 5 ways that this story teaches about how a movement multiplies:
Movement is in partnership with the Holy Spirit.
Movement happens person to person.
Movement is a team sport, not a solo thing.
Movement is generational.
Movement is transformational for everyone.
How does this become real for you? This week, take some time to reflect in gratitude for the people who shared the good news with you and are influential in your discipleship of Jesus. Then, think of the people close to you but far from God. What do you have that you can hand them? This kind of relational, generational sharing is how Jesus calls all to life!