It needs to be made sure that
everybody in the church is “on the same page”. This is the value of everybody
using the same system with the same guidelines. That way, somebody is not
out in left field doing or teaching some “off the wall stuff”.
When everybody has the same
information, then everybody can be more in unity of mind. There is a unity
of spirit and a unity of mind that we need to cultivate. Most questions
that come up can be answered by simply referring to the guidelines. Everybody
is to have this whole program with all the guidelines in possession in
a loose leaf notebook. When a new guideline is introduced, it can be given
out to all and easily added to the existing.
The system is easily duplicated by
each person simply following the guidelines according to the outreach vision.
A new person can take home and study the guidelines and gain an understanding
of the vision and immediately begin operating in unity with the whole church,
even immediately starting a new team in their own home. This speeds up
the process for doing effective outreach more quickly.
Jesus told us to go and teach
all nations, teaching them to observe all things that He commanded us (Mt.28.19,20).
This is duplication.
The early church started out
on the day of Pentecost with about 120 who were baptized in the Holy Spirit,
speaking of the wonderful works of God, and with Peter teaching the Word
and preaching the resurrected Lord Jesus Christ. Three thousand people
got saved and were encouraged to “Save yourselves from this untoward [wicked
and perverse] generation” (Acts 2.40). These “continued steadfastly in
the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in
prayers…in the temple…house to house…with gladness and singleness of heart…and
the Lord added to the church daily such as should be saved” (Acts 2.42-47).
This is duplication.
Saul wreaked havock of the church,
going into the houses, apprehending believers and committing them to prison.
“Therefore they that were scattered abroad went every where preaching the
word” (Acts 8.3,4). This is duplication—everybody preaching the word everywhere
they went.
Paul wrote letters for guidelines
to the churches so they could follow him as he followed Christ (1Cor.11.1).
This is duplication.
Paul explained to the Ephesians how
the ministry gifts of apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers
were given to mature and build up the saints for the work of the ministry,
until the very stature of the fulness of Christ is being manifest in the
Body of Christ (Eph.4.11-16). The ministry gifts are given to train the
Body to do effective ministry. This is duplication.
Paul told Timothy, “And the things
that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to
faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also” (2Tim.2.2). This
is duplication.
Paul, again to the Corinthians, “Wherefore
I beseech you, be ye followers of me. For this cause have I sent unto you
Timotheus, who is my beloved son, and faithful in the Lord, who shall bring
you into remembrance of my ways which be in Christ, as I teach everywhere
in every church” (1Cor.4.16,17). Paul taught the same thing everywhere
he went, and he trained others to duplicate the same thing that he taught
in every place.
Paul reminded the Thessalonians that
they brought “our gospel” to them not “in word only, but also in power,
and in the Holy Ghost, and in much assurance; as ye know what manner of
men we were among you for your sake. And ye became followers of us, and
of the Lord, having received the word in much affliction, with joy of the
Holy Ghost: so that ye were ensamples to all that believe in Macedonia
and Achaia. For from you sounded out the word of the Lord not only in Macedonia
and Achaia, but also in every place your faith to God-ward is spread abroad;
so that we need not to speak any thing” (1Thes.1.5-8). This is an example
of the exponential growth that occurs through duplication.
Everything we do is geared to
be duplicated, teaching others to teach others to duplicate it, on and
on. This is how the kingdom of God is effectively spread on the earth.
We are to have an intense duplication mentality. We see this in Jesus.
We see it in the early church. We see it in Paul. We are to follow the
way it is done in the Word.
All of this just plugs in to
the established operation of and meeting times of the Church functions,
training classes, and special meetings that are designed to introduce,
establish, and train people in their life in Christ.
It is sheep begetting sheep.
This is the only way the job will get done that really
needs to be done.
This is the basic Bible way.
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