Book Review: The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting New Churches

Book Review: The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting New Churches

Roberts, Bob. 2008. The Multiplying Church: The New Math for Starting       New Churches. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan.

Bob Roberts Jr. maps out the new math for church planting with the emphasis on missional churches being incarnational, indigenous and intentional.  Roberts explains the risks and discipline it takes to move from just starting a new church to multiplying churches.  A paradigm shift from planter to new church to disciple to mother church to planter to new church needs to happen (p. 17). 

Chapter 1

Crucial question to ask is why we are starting new churches. North Americans want to see a church planting movement (CPM) like what is happening in the east. It’s not a CPM, it’s a Jesus movement that is highly relational, personal and societal.  The Christian philosophy of life is attractive to others so it becomes viral. Jesus movements take time in order to gain momentum.  It is important to understand the history and those who have gone before us and planted seeds. This movement is lead by the lowest common denominator, the disciple.  One national Jesus movement per nation is what has been recorded with sub movements following. This movement is fueled by the youth, therefore making youth ministry a critical focus for the churches in the west.  Partnership within denominations, networks, organizations and individuals globally is also vital for this movement.  The key component is Holy Spirit led.  As Roberts says, “Grabbing what is in front of your face, seeing what the Spirit is up to and living faith in the moment (p. 38). As a global Jesus movement spreads, that is when a global church planting movement begins.

Chapter 2

There is a need to clarify definition of the church before a church planting movement starts. Alan Hirsch defines church as a covenanted community centered around Jesus with three components: worship, discipleship and mission (p. 41-42). David Garrison defines a CPM as a “rapid multiplication of indigenous churches planting churches that sweeps through a people group or population segment (p.45)”.  A global CPM makes sense in light of the global emerging church but will only happen when we agree that there is one church not many.

Chapter 3

God has specifically called and empowered the local church to plant churches and without this taking place, a global CPM will not occur.  The parable of the talents is the example Roberts uses to emphasis that as local churches apply the concept that God with multiply as the church is faithful to use what has already been given to produce more.  This means being a sending church that is healthy and reproducing.  The church lives longer, passes on it’s DNA not just systems and creates unique churches that are effective and relevant to its community.  Churches begin to measure outside their walls by the multiplication happening from within but going out. 

Chapter 4

Must ask “Why do we start churches?”  Everything from the Great Commission to evangelism to relevance is reason, but not good enough.  The main reason needs to be transformation.  We must dream outside the walls of the church first and into the world about how God could use this church as a vehicle of transformation.  This requires sacrifice in every sphere of life, both public and private.  Missional defined as the kingdom flowing out of us wherever we are, living beyond ourselves and beyond what we can control, serving unexpectedly in places and spheres we never imagined, not relying on self and human strategy, and driven by God who opens doors we could never open (p. 74).  Kingdom churches (missional, incarnational, organic, contextual, glocal and evolving) are the only kind of churches to start (p. 81). 

Chapter 5

Apostolic fathers, who have been broken, are missional, generous and see the big picture start kingdom churches.  Theses pastors need to mentor younger leaders by being authentic in every day life, teach from experience, invite others to hang with them, practice accountability, empower and equip. 

Chapter 6

Church planters have these characteristics: entrepreneurial, evangelistic, equipping, mystics and creative, quick thinking designers (p. 96). The leaders in these church plants are encouragers and mobilizers and connect people to opportunities to engage in society as a conduit of Jesus’ love.  Church planters are born daredevils. 

Chapter 7

A pastor that practices church multiplication makes heroes out of everyday people who follow Jesus (p. 107).  Pastors’ jobs are to prepare God’s people for works of service and release them to serve.  This requires personal transformation in the lives of the people.  A multiplying church must focus on discipleship and the kinds of disciples it produces. We need wild spirits who want to do more than Sunday service. Every person should have a ministry outside of the church.  We must mobilize the entire body if we want to see our communities and the world transformed. A disciple needs to be risk taking, radical, all-inclusive walk with God, vocational, intimately connect to Jesus, servant, trailblazer, generous, and willing to give it all.  The lowest common denominator is all of church planting is the disciple (p. 115).

Chapter 8

Church planters should think like a community developer and start with the society not the church.  The church should be a connection center with the body engaging in every dominion of the community. 

Chapter 9

The local church is not just for the local community but also for the world.  A global church is missional with each member being a missionary.  This requires a long-term commitment to a specific place in the world until that place becomes a sending church.  Roberts believes that a global church planting movement will come from the East and will emerge from cyberspace, international churches, cities, airports, humanitarian global needs, global destinations and multiethnic churches and ministries.  We must remember that we are planting churches not just for our local comminutes for the world.

Chapter 10

To start a church-planting center within your church you need to recruit people who will want to sign on to your vision.  Then you need to access them to determine if this is a good fit.  Training and equipping coupled with coaching is crucial.  Roberts uses seven processes to evaluate those being trained:  1. determining a person’s call 2. Personal values that drive the person (A value is a conviction regarding truth that determines behavior p. 144) 3. What is my purpose? 4. Determine the vision. 5. Action plan 6. Who is going to lead? 7. Continual evaluation.  Roberts encourages to always risk.  The joy of victory is proportionate to the amount of risk involved. Risk puts us at God’s disposal and keeps our faith vibrant (p. 149).

Chapter 11

Money is one of the chief discipleship factors for the church and individuals. Church planters need to educate their members about money but also be able to act in faith with full dependence upon God.  Remembering that each church budget is unique and will change over time, their must still be a plan and room for risk.  Roberts explains this math as M (miracles) + E (educate) + P (plan) > $ (more than enough money p.158).

Chapter 12

One of the greatest challenges of a church planter is what it means to be a missional family.  Secure marriages and prioritizing family time and focus is key.  Roberts’s metaphor of the teapot with dealing with the stresses of church planting illustrates the dangers that rise when the stress level increases: character flaws, spiritual immaturity and past hurts.  How we handle these prepares us for new levels of leadership and personal growth.  Ultimately each person must decide how he or she is to live the gospel incarnationally in every context: family, church, neighborhood, community and the world.  Families must set their priorities and schedule and confront issues if necessary for success (p. 171).