Thursday, November 16, 2006
Church Multiplication - The Tithe of Movement
This week, I spoke to a few thousand pastors in North Carolina on church planting. It is as if the church is arthritic in this regard. For now, it’s the work of a few highly committed churches across the U.S. that are discovering what it means to mother churches--the most neglected and, perhaps, second most important aspect of multiplying churches, after discipleship. Churches always agree they should start more churches. Everyone is always "about to do it" when we finish this building, this program, another thousand, . . .
We have no control over movement--that’s all in the hands of the Holy Spirit. But, we have massive control over multiplication. Multiplication is the obedient response of the church to start other churches. Movements emerge from small trickles of multiplication that begin to merge over time into a single stream. I may pray for a movement, want a movement, but the reality is I have no control over that. It’s in God’s hand. However, I’ve got a lot of control over multiplication. Trying to help pastors understand this isn’t always easy. Too often, the interest of the church is tied to the interest and priorities of her leaders. That being the case, what does that say?
I tried a different tactic with these pastors. I asked them, "What if a church member came up to you and said, "Things are tight and I’m not going to tithe, pastor. I want to. I’m planning to. Down the line I will. God has laid it on my heart. It’s the thing to do. But right now, I just can’t. Pray for me that God will provide the funds for me to tithe and when the time is right, I will." How many pastors would say, "No problem, I understand. The Lord bless you and we’ll pray real hard for that to happen!" NO WAY IN GOD’S GREEN EARTH!
The pastor would say, "Obedience is obedience. When God commands us to do something, we have to do it no matter how hard it is. It’s in God’s Word. We can’t expect God to bless our finances if we aren’t obedient to follow Him. You don’t wait to get a lot of money to tithe. You tithe when you don’t have a lot and God will provide for your needs. The principle of stewardship is when you’re faithful over a little you become a vessel for more to be faithful over."
Church multiplication is the tithe of the church that has the potential to lead to movement. You multiply because you should. You multiply because you’re alive. You multiply because the kingdom of God is bigger than you. We pray for revival, another Great Awakenning, movements--we’re not even obedient in multiplication. Why should we expect God to reach down and "zap" us with some mighty blessing when we aren’t even obeying Him in the small things? It’s absurd.
We have no control over movement--that’s all in the hands of the Holy Spirit. But, we have massive control over multiplication. Multiplication is the obedient response of the church to start other churches. Movements emerge from small trickles of multiplication that begin to merge over time into a single stream. I may pray for a movement, want a movement, but the reality is I have no control over that. It’s in God’s hand. However, I’ve got a lot of control over multiplication. Trying to help pastors understand this isn’t always easy. Too often, the interest of the church is tied to the interest and priorities of her leaders. That being the case, what does that say?
I tried a different tactic with these pastors. I asked them, "What if a church member came up to you and said, "Things are tight and I’m not going to tithe, pastor. I want to. I’m planning to. Down the line I will. God has laid it on my heart. It’s the thing to do. But right now, I just can’t. Pray for me that God will provide the funds for me to tithe and when the time is right, I will." How many pastors would say, "No problem, I understand. The Lord bless you and we’ll pray real hard for that to happen!" NO WAY IN GOD’S GREEN EARTH!
The pastor would say, "Obedience is obedience. When God commands us to do something, we have to do it no matter how hard it is. It’s in God’s Word. We can’t expect God to bless our finances if we aren’t obedient to follow Him. You don’t wait to get a lot of money to tithe. You tithe when you don’t have a lot and God will provide for your needs. The principle of stewardship is when you’re faithful over a little you become a vessel for more to be faithful over."
Church multiplication is the tithe of the church that has the potential to lead to movement. You multiply because you should. You multiply because you’re alive. You multiply because the kingdom of God is bigger than you. We pray for revival, another Great Awakenning, movements--we’re not even obedient in multiplication. Why should we expect God to reach down and "zap" us with some mighty blessing when we aren’t even obeying Him in the small things? It’s absurd.
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