Multiplication is one of the most amazing and often neglected biblical principles. Think of the human body, made up of more than a trillion cells, yet it started from one cell that split in two, then into four, then into eight, then into sixteen, and so forth. It is a remarkably powerful concept. Let’s see how we can apply it to us.
The early Church spread through the process of multiplication:
Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists, because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution.
Acts 6:1
God supplies the seed, we sow it, and he multiplies it:
Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness, while you are enriched in everything for all liberality, which causes thanksgiving through us to God.
2 Corinthians 9:10-11 (NKJV)
God supplies each of us with the seed. That of course could be talents, time or treasures and so our responsibility is to sow with whatever he has given us. God then multiplies with it. We may never know how, why or the true impact of what God sows through us, but the end goal is clear – thanksgiving to God!
Our lives can produce a massive harvest for the Kingdom of God:
Again Jesus began to teach by the lake. The crowd that gathered around him was so large that he got into a boat and sat in it out on the lake, while all the people were along the shore at the water’s edge. He taught them many things by parables, and in his teaching said: “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where it did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly, because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no root. Other seed fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants, so that they did not bear grain. Still other seed fell on good soil. It came up, grew and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”
Mark 4:1-8
What crop will your life produce for the Lord?
How can we multiply in our lives?
Our Churches – multiply our impact, souls saved, our communities. What strategies can be employed to multiply the outreach of your Church?
Our Ministries – strategies to multiply disciples. The common quote: ‘Disciples making more disciples’.
Eliminate Poverty – helping others up and out of poverty and then to extend that to others.
Our Giving – we may never no the true extent of the impact of our giving, but when we give God can cause it to have a multiply effect through the body of Christ. I am sure that eternity you will meet people who benefited from your generosity who you never met in this life.
Our Businesses – don’t just grow your business, but multiply it for God. Businesses can employ a variety of multiplication business models including franchising, licensing, social media, cross-selling, word of mouth and more!
It can apply to all areas of our Life.
Example: Multiplication to Eliminate Poverty
Our world suffers from an enormous amount of poverty. Hundreds of millions of people are trapped in it. There are hundreds of verses in the Bible that remind us of our Christian responsibility to help those in need. I believe firmly that we can have a tremendous impact in reducing poverty by applying the principles of multiplication. Every Business should have an active focus on reducing poverty. One of the greatest ways a business can eliminate poverty is through employment.
In this example below I want to give an arguably over-simplistic model on how we could make a substantial dent in poverty. It involves each Christian taking personal responsibility for helping just six people out of poverty. The objective is that not only do you help six people out of poverty, but you also train and empower them so that they can also lift just six more out of poverty each. Watch what happens when we follow this pattern:
• You help 6 people out of Poverty. 1 x 6 = 6
• Those 6 each help 6 new people out of Poverty. 6 x 6 + 6 = 42
• Those 36 each help 6 new people out of Poverty. 36 x 6 + 42 = 258
• Those 216 each help 6 new people out of Poverty. 216 x 6 + 258 = 1,554
• Those 1,296 each help 6 new people out of Poverty. 1,296 x 6 + 1,554 = 9,330
• Those 7,776 each help 6 new people out of Poverty. 7,776 x 6 + 9,330 = 55,986
• Those 46,656 each help 6 new people out of Poverty. 46,656 x 6 + 55,986 = 335,922
• Those 279,936 each help 6 new people out of Poverty. 279,936 x 6 + 335,922 = 2,015,538
• Those 1,679,616 each help 6 new people out of Poverty. 1,679,616 x 6 + 2,015,538 = 12,093,234
• Those 10,077,696 each help 6 new people out of Poverty. 10,077,696 x 6 + 12,093,234 = 72,559,410
That is 72,559,410 people lifted out of poverty and all any one person has had to do is help six people and train them to do the same. If you work on the assumption that each step above takes one year, that is your lifting of six people out of poverty then within 10 years a phenomenal number of people have been helped.
Ignore the numbers and focus on the model:
➢ Each believer is engaged to help more than one person. For it to multiply you need to help at least two people.
➢ Not only do you meet the needs of the people, you train and empower them to replicate what you have done, enabling them to do the same for others
➢ The process repeats over and over, thus multiplying!
In case you are wondering whether or not this is realistic, can I recommend you examine the business models of micro-finance providers such as Opportunity International who have seen this degree of success.
Multiplication of Souls for Jesus
This same principle can be applied to other aspects of life and especially to the great commission. Think of it this way:
➢ You train just a handful of people at your Church to “win people for Jesus”. You not only teach them the ‘how to’ but you show them and train them in how they are to teach others. I am not ignoring the fact that this is ultimately a heart issue and that the Holy Spirit convicts, but merely concentrating on the model.
➢ Those same people set out to win just a handful of people for Jesus and then show those people how to do the same.
➢ The process repeats over and over.