In the beginning God told man to go forth and multiply. While the statement at that time meant to populate the world, Jesus then tells his disciples to go into all nations creating more disciples. If we were commissioned to go forth and multiply by population and assimilation, then it is vital to consider multiplication as a benchmark for a healthy church. Throughout the next few posts we will identify five principles of a healthy, multiplying church.
God has established five as a number of a complete foundation. We see God sharing the ten commandments with his people. However, these ten commandments are split into two groups of five. Five commandments are based on our relationship with God. The following five are based on our relationship with others. The Pentateuch is the first five books of the Bible and set the foundation for His word. The tabernacle, a type of the church, had its pillars and curtains in groups of five. These principles will come from 1 Timothy. However, each principle is found throughout the rest of scripture as well. The principles in the following posts all start with the letter “S” to allow all people to easily remember them.
Here are the five “S’s” for a healthy, multiplying church: Scriptural Foundation, Strategic Leadership, Serving Others, Systematic Discipleship, and Spiritual Renewal. By exploring these principles, a church planter and other church leaders will be able to easily assess whether they have a healthy, multiplying church.
Scriptural Foundation
The first and most important principle is scriptural foundation. 1 Timothy 4:13 states, “Till I come, give attendance to reading, to exhortation, to doctrine.” Paul is encouraging Timothy to hold true to the scriptures. Belleville says, “Literally, ‘the reading.’ In ancient times, reading was normally done aloud and involved training in vocalization. In this context, Paul was calling on Timothy to read the Scriptures out loud to the church congregation.”[1] Oral tradition was significant in the days of the disciples. Many did not know how to read or write. It was up to those that led to relay the scriptures to the people. Paul was wanting Timothy to continually read aloud the scriptures to establish a foundation of truth and give the people of God a reminder of what they needed to follow. Paul also told Timothy to exhort them and give attention to the doctrine. It is vital for a church to constantly remind their congregations about apostolic doctrine. Guthrie echoes this by saying, “The public reading of Scripture was important because it was the means of a large number of people being able to hear the text, whereas only a few would have had personal access to the text, or have been able to read it. For a considerable time to come the scarcity of manuscripts would make the public reading of Scripture essential to the life of the church.”[2]
Kruse writes this comment based on John17:17, “The disciples were distinguished from the world by their acceptance of God’s word (14). Stated negatively, God’s word separated them from the world. Stated positively it set them apart for God.”[3] While Kruse states being separated from the world is a negative statement. Paul encourages believers to separate themselves. 2 Corinthians 6:17 says, “Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you.” In summary John 17:17 says God’s word is true and it separates us from the world. It is vital for church planters to understand that God’s words, the doctrines of the church, and the apostles teaching and preaching did not take the world’s beliefs and Christian’s belief and make a melting pot religion. The world's beliefs were also not ignored. Instead, the apostles boldly pointed out what was wrong and used scripture to point them in the right direction. Craig Ott writes, “Evangelism that addresses worldview is essential to building a solid foundation of faith and obedience by helping the listener receive God’s truth, confront cultural distortions, and build a new and lasting conceptual framework.”[4] The church must have its foundations rooted in scripture. So rooted that those who attend have one of two transformations. Congregants will either have a reinforcement of their scriptural foundation or they will experience a demolition of a false foundation with a quick replacement of a stronger and more stable foundation.
The Gospel, otherwise known as the good news, plays an important role in scriptural foundation. 1 Timothy 2:5-6 states, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus; Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” Jesus Christ came as a sacrifice for us all. “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.” (Matt 16:18) This is what Jesus says after Peter recognizes Him as the Messiah. Jesus here acknowledges the pivotal role Peter will play in the foundation of the church. This foundation is manifested in Acts 2 when Peter preaches on the day of Pentecost. Turner commentates, “Jesus played on the name of Peter in order to speak of him (as spokesman for the disciples) as the foundation of the nascent church.”[5] In Acts 2, we see Peter preaching Jesus’ death, burial, and resurrection. In verse 38, Peter tells us how we obey the gospel ourselves to be saved. Thus, every church should be proclaiming the Gospel of Christ as it’s foundational message. According to Paul, repetition of this doctrine and gospel is important. A healthy, multiplying church will preach and teach the gospel with every chance it gets. In every service. In every conversation.
[1] Linda Belleville, “Commentary on 1 Timothy” in 1 & 2 Timothy, Titus, and Hebrews, vol. 17,Cornerstone Biblical Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2009), 1787, Logos.
[2] Donald Guthrie, Pastoral Epistles: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 14, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 1990), 111, Logos.
[3] Colin G. Kruse, John: An Introduction and Commentary, vol. 4, Tyndale New Testament Commentaries (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2003), 339, Logos.
[4] Craig Ott and Gene Wilson, Global Church Planting: Biblical Principles and Best Practices for Multiplication (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2011), 219, Logos.
[5] David Turner and Darrell L. Bock, Matthew and Mark, vol. 11, Cornerstone Biblical Commentary (Carol Stream, IL: Tyndale House Publishers, 2005), 220, Logos.
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