Written by David Hulme
In his book, Spiritual Multiplication in the Real World, Bob McNabb says, “From Genesis to Revelation, the Bible is a book about God’s desire and plan to spread the glory of his own image by multiplying a people for himself.”
God’s plan started in Genesis when he told Adam to “be fruitful and multiply,” continued throughout the Old and New Testaments, and will be accomplished in Revelation with “a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne.” Even though we’ve tried to throw a few wrenches in that plan throughout history, the plan remains the multiplication of a people for himself. God never developed a plan B.
So, what is our role as West Virginia Baptists in this unchanging plan? Well, Jesus told us what to do in Matthew 28 and, on their first missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas modeled it. “When they had preached the gospel to that city and had made many disciples, they returned to Lystra and to Iconium and to Antioch, strengthening the souls of the disciples, encouraging them to continue in the faith …” Acts 14:21-22a (ESV)
Not only did Paul and Barnabas multiply by planting churches, they returned to churches they had planted to strengthen and encourage them. That is the two-pronged model I believe God is calling us to follow:
- Multiply by making the planting of new churches a priority.
- Return to revitalize and possibly restart struggling churches so they can get back in the multiplication business.
Neither prong is easy …
- Planting calls for disciples to step out on a “missionary journey” to parts of our state and to segments of our society that need to hear the gospel and be challenged to make a decision for Christ … followed by lovingly nurturing new believers as they grow in their faith.
- Revitalization calls for those in struggling churches not to just realize their condition, but to be willing to follow the prescription to get them back to health.
Be prayerful concerning how God might use you and your church in the multiplication process in 2020.