Author: Chuck & Deb

I read a great book call “Switch, How to Change Things When Change is Hard” by Chip and Dan Heath. The authors use an illustration of a rider, an elephant, and a path. The rider represents the intellect. He’s the little guy riding on the neck of the elephant with a stick. The elephant represents the emotions. This huge animal will obey the little man with the stick most of the time under normal circumstances. And the path represents the direction the rider wants to go. But what happens when a tiger jumps in the middle of the path? I’m sorry, no matter how much the little guy pokes that elephant with that stick, that terrified pachyderm is going where ever he wants! So good luck with that. The same goes for emotions. If emotions are significantly aroused, it will be heart over the head every time. Many times disciple-makers are aiming at the head, the intellect. That’s good. Disciples need knowledge. But if you go after both the heart (emotions) and the head, you’ll see greater commitment. Jesus went after the head and the heart. He demonstrates this in many ways. “Out of the heart, the mouth speaks…Unless you hate your mother and father…Unless you forgive from the heart…”, etc…. Even the crucifixion speaks more to the heart than to the head. Jesus died for me! More head or heart? Heart hands down! This is why when I’m leading biblical discussions I use the Head, Heart, and Hands format. I am amazed at how often disciples (and I) get significant motivation and application when we ask the question; “How does this make you feel?” I rarely find a 4th Soil person who isn’t significantly invested emotionally and as they are intellectual. 4th Soil has their head and their heart is in the game as well.

Are you aiming for the heart, the emotions? How are you hitting the heart of the people you are discipling?

Movements are as easy as punching the numbers in a calculator, right? No way! Some of you have fallen out of your chairs with laughter because you know where I’m coming from. And yet people still approach this holy work of God as though it were a numbers game. We think if I just do such and such and pray a little bit, presto! And out comes a movement. Nope, and we have Scripture to prove it. Movements (multiplication) are nothing short of a miracle from God. We are living in a microwave, easy-bake, 5G society and we want it now and I mean right now. Even if we do the right things in the right way with the right people, there is no guarantee that we will see multiplication. (We are, however, pretty much guaranteed not to see multiplication if we don’t.) But make no mistake about it, the blessing of multiplication is just that, “a blessing.” It comes as a gift from the Almighty. He is the Great Multiplier.

The LORD appeared to him the same night and said, “I am the God of your father Abraham; Do not fear, for I am with you. I will bless you, and multiply your descendants, For the sake of My servant Abraham.” (Gen 26:24

May God Almighty bless you and make you fruitful and multiply you, that you may become a company of peoples. (Gen 28:3 NASB)

Even Jesus saw His men as a gift from the Father;

“I have manifested Your name to the men whom You gave Me out of the world; they were Yours and You gave them to Me, and they have kept Your word. (John 17.6)

So let’s be clear, although we are commanded to multiply, it is nothing short of a miracle when it actually happens. So at the end of the day, even when we are being the right kind of person, know the right answers, and do the right kind of things, it is still God’s prerogative and gift to multiply. The key is that we posture ourselves in such a way as to acknowledge it. We trust, we pray, and we get our reps in (do the right things), and then we wait with perseverance. 

Have we postured ourselves before God as the One who gives the gift of multiplication? Are we praying in such a way that we are declaring our utter dependence on Him for multiplication? Are we training others to have the same kind of attitude? When we do see multiplication are we giving the credit to the Great Gift Giver?

So now as I shined my flashlight in the water I could see the four bumps, that was a frog. I had identified my target. But as I would thrust my gig at the frog, it would jump away so fast the only thing I was hitting was water and a bruised ego. My friend came over once again and asked what was wrong. I told him, “These frogs are smart, they jump out of the way every time.” “Oh,” he said “You’ve got to aim the gig right in front of them. If you lead them, they will jump right into the gig and you’ll stick ‘em every time.” So I took the advice of my expert frog gigging disciple-maker and wah-lah, I got my first frog! And then another one and another one. I was pulling frogs out of the water like no body’s business. The same goes for the disciple-maker that can accurately identify the 4th soil person but then you have to gig ‘em. Well, that sounds a little violent so let’s say, you have to “win ‘em” That’s what you are trying to do, win their hearts. Let’s go back to Jesus. He demonstrated a keen sense of the Father’s will, He was supernaturally astute, He displayed supernatural abilities, loved people extravagantly, He was a master of the Word of God and a man of prayer, and these are just a few of His qualities. In other words, Jesus was a 4th Soil man and attracted 4 Soil people. Now that’s a pretty high bar but we can start by looking at Jesus and trying to become like Him. As we mature, people notice. If you want to win the hearts of the 4th Soil person you must be 4th Soil yourself (or at least one step ahead of the prospective disciple you wish to train). When 4th Soil people see a person walking with Jesus consistently and effectively, they are naturally drawn to you because they want what you got. Are you getting it, Jesus I mean?

Is this a fad? Everyone is talking about multiplication. Multiplying disciples, multiplying churches, and multiplying movements is kind of a buzz among missional Christians nowadays. I’m super excited about that but I’ve found if we don’t have a reason “why” we are doing something, it’s usually a fad we pass through on our way to the next good idea. So what the big deal? Why should we be multiplying? What does the Bible say about multiplication? And if you’re like me and hate math and still don’t even have your times’ table memorized, just stick with me to the end. (And please don’t rat me out with my grandkids)

It all begins with the beginning. One of the purposes God created the living creatures and man himself was to multiply and fill the earth. (Gen 1.22,28) It’s literally a command. “Be fruitful and multiply.” In the Hebrew, the word means; “be or become great, be or become many, be or become much, be or become numerous.” (Strong’s H7235) So the word “multiply” in Hebrew doesn’t necessarily mean multiply in a purely mathematical sense of the word. But one thing is for sure, that “mathematical multiplication” is certainly the fastest way to accomplish the growth God commanded. The Father wants His creation to grow and cover the whole earth. 

Here’s a classic story of multiplication. The servant who invented the game of chess brought the new game to his king. The ruler was so impressed he offered to grant any reward the servant desired. The servant is very wise and asked that one grain of wheat be placed on the first square on the chessboard and then two on the next square. He requested that the grains be doubled for each of the squares on the board. If you know the story you know the power of multiplication. By the time the wheat would be placed on the last square, the whole of India would be covered in wheat over 50 ft. deep.

See the video: https://youtu.be/t3d0Y-JpRRg

Now before we run off and start “multiplying” let me give you a warning. Efficiency is not the main reason we approach ministry with a multiplying method. No, the main reason we approach ministry with a multiplication mindset is that God commanded us to multiply. And here’s why this is so important to get a handle on. You’re all hot to trot and you get your first person who wants to make disciples and you’re started. Now one becomes two and two become four and four become eight and etc… Then you notice some of the people you started with aren’t so excited about following Jesus anymore and they drop off. Oh no! That just completely messed up my beautiful pyramid scheme! Yes, this is the cold hard reality of multiplication in the kingdom. It’s messy math, not clean math. So there will be huge holes in our “progress chart” but you know what? The kingdom grows and multiplies despite the mess. So I’m not applying a multiplication method because it works. I’m not primarily aiming at the results. And now instead of deep disillusionment in ministry, because I’m not seeing the numbers I expected, I continue to march because this is what my King commanded me to do. I’m primarily doing this because I’m doing the right thing. I’m obeying God. 

I love the end of Jesus’ Parable of the Sower; 

 And those are the ones on whom seed was sown on the good soil; and they hear the word and accept it and bear fruit, thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold.” (Mark 4:20)

Now there’s some messy math for you! We are all slinging seed (sharing the gospel) but the sowers may experience different results. Thirty, sixty, and a hundredfold. I’m am so glad Jesus put that part in His story! I think He knew we all like to play the comparison game and look over the fence at our brother or sister’s fruit. I may start to feel a little down on myself because my brother has sixtyfold and I only have thirty (or maybe three!) and I say to myself, “What a loser I am because I didn’t produce more.” Oh, stop that! You’re not a loser! You’re an obedient servant of the Most High God! Or, on the other hand, maybe someone is saying, “Well I have a hundredfold and my poor pitiful brother only has sixty. What a loser!” Oh, stop that! Because you know what’s coming next, right?

 You younger men, likewise, be subject to your elders; and all of you, clothe yourselves with humility toward one another, for GOD IS OPPOSED TO THE PROUD, BUT GIVES GRACE TO THE HUMBLE. Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time. (1 Peter 5.5-6)

So be careful with your math. It’s going to be messy math for you and everyone else. The key is that we are doing it! We are making disciples in such a way that the kingdom of God is increasing. We are not getting in the way of His plan by doing anything in any way that would be a bottleneck to growth. We are obeying the King and He is using us to grow His kingdom. 

Have you started multiplying by sharing the gospel? Have you taught someone else to share the gospel? Are you making disciples that primarily want to obey God not just see results? Are you playing the comparison game? Are you multiplying in the Biblical sense of the word (doing messy math)? 

If you would like to join me in my study of multiplication, click on the link below;

Multiplication Bible Study

When I was a boy a neighbor friend of mine asked me if I wanted to go “frog gigging.” I know, right? Sounds strange but hey, I’m a boy and anything having to do with frogs sounds fun to me. His dad drove us to the lake that night and I was handed a flashlight and a long pole with a trident on the end of it. My friend told me to shine the light on the frogs and stick as many as I could. These were to be de-legged later and then eaten. Yummy!? (I’ve haven’t eaten frog legs since) So I went beside the water looking for frogs and for the life of me I could not see them. My friend came over after a while and noticed I hadn’t gigged one frog. “What’s wrong?” he asked. “I can’t even see a frog, let alone gig ’em,” I said. He laughed, “Oh, you look for four bumps sticking out of the water. The two small ones up front is the frog’s snout and the two larger ones behind are his eyes.” He showed me with his flashlight shining on the edge of the water and low and behold, I could see them! I now knew what I was looking for. Many disciple-makers don’t have 4th Soil people because they don’t know what they’re looking for. The disciple-maker needs a trained eye. Jesus actually shows us what 4th soil looks like. He describes their attributes in the Parable of the Sower. In Luke’s rendition, Jesus says, 4th Soil people “are ones who have heard the word in an honest and good heart, and hold it fast, and bear fruit with perseverance. (Luke 8:15) Write those qualities down and continue to study the closest disciples to Jesus and you’ll get an even clearer picture of 4th Soil. This is what you are looking for.

But what if you are having trouble finding 4th Soil people? Uh, yup, that’s a big problem! It’s really like trying to find a needle in a haystack! But how did Jesus find 4th Soil? He gives us the answer in His parable. What farmer intentionally throws seed on a path, rocks, and thorns? None of the smart ones I know. But I think Jesus is making a point here on the aggressive and indiscriminate way the farmer is sowing. He’s just slinging it! And we need to do the same. And do you know why? Because we don’t know the condition of the soil (heart) until the seed (Word) hits it. So this is an important lesson on finding 4th soil men and women is aggressive, indiscriminate, abundant seed sowing. Are we sowing the Word the way Jesus describes the farmer in His parable? Are you looking for people who sow the seed this way? Let the gospel be the filter; the person of peace receives it and the disciple shares it.

Not finding 4th soil should bother us as if we were a barren would be parent. Consider the attitudes of Abraham, Rachel, Hannah, and Elizabeth (Gen 15.2-3, 30.1-2, 1 Sam 1.3-16, Lk 1.24-25). They were intensely troubled by the fact that they didn’t have children. That desperation should not drive us to despair but to prayer. Notice Jesus prays all night before He chooses the 12 (Lk 3.12-16) And then just before the cross, Jesus acknowledges that the men were given to Him by the Father (Jn 17.6). 4th soil people are a gift from God so I need to be asking the gift giver for the gift.  First, am I praying that the Holy Spirit would create 4th soil attributes in the existing believers I’m helping? Am I praying that God would help me find 4th soil people in the harvest? The bottom-line question is; “Are we fervently praying that the Father would give us 4th soil people?”

Have you ever noticed how often Jesus got into a boat with His disciples? As intentional as Jesus was, I find it hard to believe that it was just a convenient mode of transportation (sometimes it was downright inconvenient!). We can probably come up with many observations on the “Boat Time” Jesus spent with His disciples but I want to zero in on one; Capacity. We know that Jesus didn’t tap into His deity but operated as a man. He was fully human. He had the limitations of time, space, and energy. This is crystal clear when we read Mark 3.7-10. We see a great mass of people crushing in on Jesus and He tells His disciples “that a boat should stand ready for Him because of the crowd, so that they would not crowd Him.” Pure Genius! Jesus uses the water and a boat as a natural boundary between Him and the people so they wouldn’t overwhelm Him. In the same way, He used the water and boat to get exclusive time with His 12. With the constant needs of the masses, Jesus breaks away to teach, debrief and even try to get a nap on one occasion. Think of all the private lessons the 12 got from the Master! And the genius of it all? You can only fit 13 in the boat! This provided the environment for focused attention on the 12. Sometimes Jesus would go up a mountain, or on a long walk, use a rock for a pillow, hang out in places where people wanted to kill Him. All of these situations helped Jesus to zero in on a few. So do you recognize that you too have a limited capacity? Do we get young disciples away from the din of the world in order to give them strategic attention? And do we recognize our capacity is so limited, we probably need to fill our boat with the most committed people we can find? What is your “Boat” and who’s in it

A lot of disciple-makers have so much 3rd Soil in their boat, they don’t have room for 4th

Jesus preached the parable of the sower as instruction to those who would begin sowing the Word of God to be aware of 4 responses represented by 4 types of soil that the seed lands on (Matthew 13.1-23, Mark 4.1-20, Luke 8.4-15). Jesus was looking for 4th soil, those who would bear fruit as the seed took hold in their lives and the would multiply, some 30, 60, 100 times. They were interested, they weren’t a flash in the pan, they weren’t distracted by the things of the world. One of the first tests to find this kind of soil was to tell parables and wait for a response. Some people thought it was nothing more than a 3rd-grade science lesson and paid little attention. But those who were spiritually hungry had the gumption to ask questions; “Jesus, what in the world are you talking about?” (Mark 4.10-12) Jesus made people itch and when they cared enough about their own spiritual condition to get it scratched, He knew they were close to the Kingdom of God! Jesus was telling his guys, (in so many words) “Follow my example. Look for the 4th soil. They will care enough to do whatever it takes to understand and follow Me.” He raised the bar in discipleship and expected His men to do the same. Are you raising the bar in discipleship? Are you asking people the tough questions? Are you using loving accountability to spur people on to love and good deeds? Believe it or not, the three thirds format will do the heavy lifting for you and help you find 4th Soil men and women if you stick to the script. And just so I’m not misunderstood by the shepherd or the prophet; Yes, it does take time for people to grow. And No, you should not vote people off the island because they don’t jump through your hoops. But hear this, if you spend all your time with people that are not serious about following Jesus as their King, you are in for a very disappointing ministry. More later on the boat :)

Introduction

One of the things I love to do to stay connected with my adult sons is to read the books that they are reading. It gives us a great platform for our discussions when we get together. My oldest son, Chuck, is a consultant with Bain and Company. For professional development he was reading a book called “The Founder’s Mentality” by Chris Zook and James Allen. You can see a title like that would be sure to peak my interest. The premise of the book is that successful companies that begin to wain or even fail have usually left the core principles and practices of their founder. Now that insight alone is worth a million bucks! So I asked myself, “What are the core principles I have learned from our Founder (the Lord Jesus Christ) and how am I doing at practicing them?” I narrowed them down to six. Three of the titles I stole from Troy Cooper. He distilled our mission into the Big Three (in italics) and the rest I added after some thought and prayer. Here’s what I came up with;

1. Supreme Allegiance to the King
2. Big Vision
3. Clear Path
4. Simple Tools
5. Both/And Mentality
6. You Can Do It! (The Priesthood of the Believer) 

Enjoy and be challenged!