Reproduction and Multiplication

If you are a friend of mine, and you are struggling deeply with something in your life, you have probably heard me say “let me help you with that!” Not “I can help you with that,” but “LET me help you with that.” There is a difference. 

I am compelled by God’s grace in my own life to share hope with you and others. This is why I do what I do as a Biblical Counselor. I love to counsel people who come to me for help from various places in my community. Often we begin as strangers and end our season of counseling as friends. Sometimes we already know each other and may even be friends already. I have had the privilege of giving Biblical counsel to many of my closest friends through the years. What a privilege that they have LET me help them! When I serve them, it blesses me, too.

It’s not because I have arrived somewhere greater than you. It is not because I am smarter or wiser than you. It is not because I am one bit capable on my own. It is because of God’s Holy Spirit working between us as the real counselor. (Throw in whatever giftedness God has granted me by His grace, too.)

I’ll let you in on a little secret of the trade. I am not really the counselor in my counseling sessions. I am an instrument. Counseling someone with situational struggles in their life is a fearsome responsibility. I would never do it if I thought that it depended on me. But because I can depend on God, I am willing to counsel those He places in front of me. I am more than willing, I am burdened to help. 

Why am I burdened? Because I want you and I to live in freedom that the Gospel affords us. There is more work to be done than I, as one woman counselor, can do in my local area and beyond. This, too, burdens me.

I am working towards providing Biblical Counseling training in my local area within the next year. There is much ministry to be done, and so few workers. I also provide Biblical Mentor training for women who wish to help others but do not want to take a more rigorous counseling course. I do this so that more people can be helped with the concepts, philosophies, and tools of Biblical Counseling. As I gained experience over the past decade, I began to realize that the best way to help more people is to train others to do the work of the ministry, coming alongside them as they gain their experience. Biblical Counselors not only counsel, they equip others to counsel. Ministry should multiply. 

Leaders MUST reproduce themselves.

Consider these 12 multiplication examples from Scripture, and you will see that there is a Biblical basis for the phrase “ministry should multiply.”

Genesis 1:28 (NRSV): "God blessed them, and God said to them, 'Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion…’"

It was on God’s heart from the beginning that human beings would be created for relationship all over the planet earth. Multiplication.

Genesis 17:2 (NIV): "I will confirm my covenant between me and you and will greatly increase your numbers.”

When God redeemed a family and nation, His intention for it was that it would grow to be large. Multiplication.

Exodus 1:12-13 (NIV): "But the more they were oppressed, the more they multiplied and spread; so the Egyptians came to dread the Israelites and worked them ruthlessly.”

Even in slavery and facing a barrage of evil, the people grew strong and overcame. God’s plan always prevails and bring multiplication.

Matthew 13:23 (NIV): "But the one who received the seed that fell on good soil is the man who hears the word and understands it. He produces a crop, yielding a hundred, sixty or thirty times what was sown.”

The Good News always produces fruit. Multiplication.

Matthew 13:33 (NIV): "He told them still another parable: 'The kingdom of heaven is like yeast that a woman took and mixed into a large amount of flour until it worked all through the dough.’"

Spreading Good News brings growth. Multiplication.

Matthew 14:19 (NIV): "[Jesus] gave thanks and broke the loaves. Then he gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the people.”

When we spread the Good News, God brings the growth. Multiplication.

Matthew 25:20 (NIV): "The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master', he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.’"

Jesus blesses faithfulness with growth. Multiplication.

Matthew 9:37-38 (NIV): "Then he said to his disciples, 'The harvest is plentiful but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field.’”

Jesus reproduced Himself in His disciples. Multiplication.

Acts 2:47 (NIV): "And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved.”

The Kingdom expands rapidly. Multiplication.

Ephesians 4:11-12 (NIV): "It was he [the ascended Jesus] who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may be built up.”

Jesus intent is to “fill the whole universe” though His church all over the world. Multiplication.

2 Timothy 2:2 (NIV): "And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable men who will also be qualified to teach others.”

Generations branch out and pass along the Truth from one leader to the next. Multiplication.

Revelation 7:9 (NIV): "After this I looked and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and in front of the Lamb. They were wearing white robes…”

A great multitude comes out of the generations who have lived on planet earth. Multiplication.

If you are not purposing to reproduce yourself in your ministry, and if you do not see your ministry multiplying, it is time to take a look at how you can do so. You need more help. And, it’s Biblical.

For more information about what The Lord is doing on California’s Central Coast with Biblical Counseling, please visit:

www. wordofhopeministries.com and

www.biblicalmentor.com