Jesus has given us a great commission,

Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”  (Matthew 28:19-20)

Are you being obedient to His commission?  Francis Chan and Mark Beuving’s book, Multiply, observe that too many churches are failing to carry out His great commission, “We view evangelism as a dreaded topic, we reduce discipleship to a canned program, and so many in the church end up sidelined in a spectator mentality that delegates disciple making to pastors and professionals, ministers and missionaries” (pp. 7-8).

The authors have generously made their resources available at http://multiplymovement.com/.  They provide these guidelines for using their material:

1. Teach what you learn. This material is not meant to be read, but to be taught. There are plenty of other Bible studies you can do if you just want to absorb more information. The emphasis of Multiply is to get you in the habit of passing on the knowledge you gain.

2. Share life, not just information. The Multiply process is meant to be highly relational. True discipleship involves deep relationships. Jesus didn’t simply lead a weekly Bible study.  He lived life with His disciples and taught through actions as well as words. While this requires a much deeper commitment, it is the only way to truly make disciples. (p. 10)

The book is divided into five sections, the first section describes a disciple and defines a disciple as someone who makes disciples (p. 31).  The next section emphasizes the primacy of the church in making disciples.  The third section is a primer of Bible study principles.  Sections four and five provide a panoramic view of the Old and New Testaments.  Throughout the book the authors provide application questions to reflect upon the content.  This book, along with the plentiful resources on the course website, will be a helpful tool in the process of making disciples.  Be encouraged by the Apostle Paul’s words in 2 Timothy 2:2,

The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.

Dr. Rick Higgins

Professor of Discipleship, Columbia International University