Ministry Math: How Adding Leaders Multiplies Believers

One of the reasons developing leaders is so critical for a church is the multiplying result. As leaders are developed, the influence of the ministry is exponentially expanded. Ministry is greatly multiplied when leaders are developed and deployed. As the scope of leadership broadens, so does the scope of ministry. When you add a developed leader to the team, you are multiplying ministry. The Book of Acts recounts the glorious story of God birthing and multiplying His church. At first the growth of the church was by addition: “The Lord added to them those who were being saved” (Acts 2:47). But as the church continued her faithful witness, the growth of the church moved from addition to multiplication. The gospel was spreading rapidly as the disciples were filled with boldness to declare continually the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. “In those days, as the number of the disciples was multiplying …” (Acts 6:1). At this point, the growth of the church presented new sets of challenges. The growth of a church always presents a new set of challenges. To solve the problem of some widows being underserved while also remaining focused on preaching the Word and prayer, the apostles asked the church to select seven men, men of character and filled with the Spirit, who would serve the body. The proposal pleased the gathering of believers; they chose seven, and notice the results: “So the preaching about God flourished, the number of the disciples in Jerusalem multiplied greatly, and a large group of priests became obedient to the faith” (Acts 6:7). Preaching flourished. Priests were being converted. And the number of disciples multiplied greatly. In the early church, the result of adding leaders was greater multiplication. The early church moved from addition to multiplication to rapid multiplication as ministry responsibilities were expanded from the apostles to others. To multiply ministry, develop leaders—leaders who are “of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom” (Acts 6:3).