Spiritual Multiplication and Stages of Discipleship

Connect

Share about a person who helped you reach a goal. How did they help you?

Cultivate

Summary: The health and exponential growth of the body of Christ is only possible through spiritual multiplication. Understanding the four stages of disciple-making can help us evaluate how we are currently involved in making disciples and which stage of discipleship we want to pursue.

Read 2 Timothy 2:1-10 and ask the following questions:

1. What do you like about this passage?

2. What do you find uncomfortable or difficult to understand in this passage?

3. What appears to be the main idea emphasized in this passage? (Look for repeated words or ideas.)

Consider how the following passages increase our understanding of this topic:

Re-read 2 Timothy 2:2.

• What is spiritual multiplication and how do you see it illustrated in this verse?
• What are the requirements for a believer in Christ to be discipled?
• What are the requirements for a believer in Christ to disciple others?

Read Matthew 25:14-29.

• How might discipling those who can disciple others be a good way to steward the time and energy God has given us?

4. What are the beliefs and values promoted in these passages?

5. Besides efficiency and rapid growth of the body of Christ, what other advantages does spiritual multiplication have?

6. How are these beliefs and values similar or different from those that have influenced you? (such as your family, culture, peers, church, etc.)

7. How might our faith increase and our lives change as we embrace what is true and important?

Read the Four Stages of Disciple Making and answer the questions that follow.

The Follower: The Follower is a Christian who is growing in a knowledge and love for God and love for others. Though a Follower may be having a significant impact in the lives of fellow believers and upon the lost and the forgotten, they are not actively engaged in personal disciple-making.

The Discipler: The Discipler is a Follower who is qualified and motivated to disciple at least two others. Though having one disciple is great, having two disciples is significant because exponential growth is only possible if each Discipler has at least two disciples.

The Multiplier: The Multiplier is a Discipler who builds into at least two reliable disciples so that each of these disciples have also become Disciplers or Multipliers. The Discipler is influencing at least two others personally. The Multiplier is influencing at least six others: two personally and four through the disciple-making of his or her disciples.

The Ambassador: The Ambassador is a Multiplier who is actively making disciples where no spiritual movements exist, or they are actively sending Multipliers to start spiritual movements among people groups or places where none currently exist.

• In which stage of disciple-making are you currently engaged?
• In which stage do you want to be engaged?
• What do you need in order to get to that stage?

Pray: In light of what we’ve discussed, how can we pray for each other right now?

Care

Since we last met, what happened as a result of expressing Christ’s love to others?

How can you, or we, express Christ’s love to others this week?

Here are a few ideas:

• Pray God would meet their deepest needs.
• Help meet a felt need they have.
• Encourage them with a text, note or verbally.
• Give them a thoughtful gift or buy them coffee.
• Invite them to do something fun or meaningful.
• Listen to their story.
• Explore their thoughts on the gospel.