Every Disciple A Multiplier

So who needs to multiply? Every disciple needs to multiply.

The U.S. Marine Corps has a motto: Every marine a rifleman. Now what does that mean. That seems kind of self-evident. Don’t we want every soldier to be a rifleman. Well, what they mean by that is that every Marine needs to keep their fighting skills sharp.

In every branch of the military, people have to demonstrate basic skills at the beginning of their service. Right, that’s what basic training is about. But with Marines they have to regularly pass muster in basic fighting skills. Now others need to do that if they have a combat role, but if they have some other role, you know they’re a cook, or a lawyer, or a file clerk, or something like that. They don’t have to necessarily continually demonstrate expertise in these fighting skills … but Marines do … no matter what their assignment is. Disciples need to be like that with disciple-making, with multiplying disciples.

Why do I say that? Well, in the Great Commission when Jesus says make disciples of all nations, he’s talking to every disciple. How do I know this; it’s because the command is coextensive with the promise. So when Jesus promises I will be with you always to the very end of the age, I think pretty much everyone would acknowledge that that promise is given to every believer.

If that promise is to every believer, then the command is also to every believer.

This concept corresponds to “Simple Definition of Disciple and Church” in session 1 of the Zúme Training

Jesus is saying to all of his followers, go make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey all I have commanded you. Then he’s promising all his followers I will be with you always to the very end of the age.

More Multiplication Concepts

This concept is part of the “Multiplication Concepts” series by Curtis Sergeant. Consider working through the entire series and challenging someone you know to do it with you. See an entire list of the concepts in the article titled “Multiplication Concepts”.

This same concept is taught in the Zúme Training course using video animation and is translated into 40 languages. Explore the article “Simple Definition of Disciple and Church“.

Zúme Training is an on-line and in-life learning experience designed for small groups who follow Jesus to learn how to obey His Great Commission and make disciples who multiply.