Dear Rich,

Greetings, dear brother! Our church sends their greetings to you. We always remember you in our prayers.

A while back you mentioned that multiplication was not a core value in all that we do. Would you, please, expand upon that thought for us in Ukraine?

I sense that there are many brothers who want multiplication or reproduction, but believe it is just an impossible dream. Perhaps it is happening in China, but “this is Ukraine”.

Love in Christ,
Nicolay

P.S. Based on your last email, I would agree that we do not have a movement here. Many people are doing good things, but many of those things promote addition and not reproduction.

I am looking forward to returning to Kiev in Spring. I love the flowers on the chestnut trees and the smell of spring. I am not fond of all the holidays, but I always get a chuckle from seeing the old soldiers and communists with all of their war ribbons on their chests – they always seem to be living in the past – not unlike much of the church.

You asked about the keys to reproduction – there are many, but here are a few:

• Most importantly, we need to understand and be able to measure the making of reproducing disciples as the first and most important mission of the church. This is a simple process, but absent from many churches.
• Simplicity must be applied to all that we do – for example – let us consider learning, education or teaching.
  • Is it participatory so students and teachers have active engagement with ideas and concepts?
  • Is it passable or transferable? Is it simple enough to be easily passed on with understanding?
  • Is there a partnership of learning and the actual doing? Or are we educating beyond obedience?
  • Is there purpose to the learning which leads to ministry and mission?
• Simplicity requires that whatever we do – worship, learning, missions, ministry – that it be done in a way in which it can be easily copied by others. You see, Nicolay, complexity in church activities and church education (e.g. seminaries) hurts reproduction. Complexity does not reproduce or multiply easily.
• Simplicity would require us to realize we must be bi-vocational Christian workers – not professional, paid workers.

There is more to this subject, but we should be examining all of our work and asking – is this simple enough to be easily copied?

Christ is all,
Rich Correll

Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)