Transitioning to Multiplication

Turning the tide from Mainline Decline to a Multiplication Movement isn’t an overnight sensation. And it’s not a task for the timid. To change today’s Mainline churches demands leaders who are as strong as elephants, have the hide of crocodiles, and in the words of Jesus, have the cunning of serpents (Mt 10:16).

We used the metaphor of a pebble cast into a still pond to describe the process of transitioning a church from addition or decline into a multiplication movement. The ripples closest to the center have the greatest impact and move out from there.

The first point is this: Multiplication is over your head. You can’t make it happen by force of will. It’s truly a God-thing that requires prayer, faith, more prayer, and even more faith. But if you leave it at that, nothing good will happen. I know of pastors who have been praying for change to come to the their church for years and nothing’s happening. Just as Jesus left his global plan in the hands of eleven faithful apostles, he’s depending on you. Remember … he’s the one who mentioned “gentle as doves, sly as serpents.”

And so, with prayer as your constant companion, you’ll need to build alliances. You’ll need to help your key leaders understand that change is not the enemy … in fact, just the opposite. Without change, the church will continue it’s lemming walk over the edge of destruction.

You can’t create a new culture on your own. You can be the model, but if no one follows, your movement will be dead in the water.

This vintage video is an example of what you must do as a leader to have an impact on your leaders, your church, and ultimately your community.

Did you watch it? If not, really … stop reading and invest 3 minutes of your life to learn a valuable multiplication movement lesson. THEN scroll down for the rest of the post.

Everything else is about changing the culture of your congregation. From shifting your personal focus to changing your congregation’s definition of success, the ten transitions to multiplication are all about embracing change at the heart of your congregation.

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