As you look at Jesus’ strategic plan, it is simple. Engage spiritual explorers with the gospel. Connect believers in biblical community and service. Grow disciples by training them to grow in Christ and multiply. And multiply disciple-making leaders who will fuel and exponentially grow the movement—no matter the cost. This simple plan has been the nucleus of every Christian movement on earth. So do you follow it?
Someone once asked the great evangelist Billy Graham if he were the pastor of a church in a large city, then what would be his plan of action. Dr. Graham replied:
“I think one of the first things I would do would be to get a small group of eight or ten or twelve men around me who would meet a few hours a week and pay the price! It would cost them something in time and effort. I would share with them everything I have, over a period of years. Then I would actually have twelve ministers among the laypeople who in turn could take eight or ten or twelve more and teach them. I know one or two churches that are doing that, and it is revolutionizing the church. Christ, I think, set the pattern. He spent most of his time with twelve men. He didn’t spend it with a great crowd. In fact, every time he had a great crowd, it seems to me there weren’t too many results. The great results, it seems to me, came in this personal interview and in the time he spent with his twelve.”
Jesus wants us to follow His plan.
Billy Graham was right. Jesus had a plan, and now he wants us to follow it. Take a long look at your ministry. Put it up against the model of Jesus. How well is your ministry engaging spiritual explorers? How well are you bringing in new believers and connecting them to the church and to the ministry? Are you growing up disciples and training them to walk with God? And to what degree are you multiplying leaders who will fuel the movement? What areas are strong? What needs to change?
This blog features an excerpt from one of our books, The Disciple-Making Leader.
