Multiply Disciples Making Disciples

â€Å"Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples† is a book that is jointly authored by Francis Chan and Mark Beuving. The book calls upon all Christians to maintain the momentum that was characteristic of the early missionaries. The main idea in â€Å"Multiply† is based on the Gospel agenda that is outlined in Matthew Chapter 28, verse 19, where Jesus commissions his disciples to go out and spread the Christian Gospel thereby converting new believers into disciples.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More The authors of this book lament that the job of spreading the gospel has been mistakenly left upon Pastors alone. Consequently, the authors set out to prove that it is the job of all Christians to spread the Gospel of Christ with vigor. The authors have also laced with online videos that cement the theme of every section in the book. Th is paper offers an overview of â€Å"Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples† and an accompanying critique of Chan and Bueving’s work. Francis Chan, one of the authors of this book is a renowned Christian-author who has written various books, some of which have become bestsellers. Consequently, Beuving is somehow assigned the role of a supporting author in this book. The book begins with a statement reminding Christians that they were made to make disciples. Consequently, the commission to ‘go and make disciples of all nations’ applies to Christians from all walks of life. According to the authors â€Å"Christians today are not known for making disciples†¦we have developed a culture where ministers minister and the rest of us sit back and ‘enjoy’ the church from a distance†¦every Christian is called by God to minister†¦to make disciples†1. The rest of the book continues to equip readers with the tools that would take them ba ck to the duty of ministering and making more disciples. The authors hope that their book will give readers the confidence and faith that would enable them to step into the arena of God’s wide ministry. In the book’s forward, the authors had cautioned readers that the book and its other resources including online videos are not meant to be read in isolation but they should be shared widely within the realms of Christian believers. The book is divided in sections that bear the theme of discipleship and the Christian conduct. The first section is titled â€Å"Living as a Disciple Maker†. This section contains three chapters and it is an introduction into the concept of discipleship and its relevance in the modern times. In this first section, the authors explain what it means to be a disciple in the modern context.Advertising Looking for book review on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More This first section is then accompanied by another section that seeks to explore Jesus’ command to disciples to make more disciples. These first two chapters are weaved together in the realization that all Christians are natural disciples who should be actively involved in the quest to spread the gospel. In the final chapter of this first section, the authors explain to the readers how the heart of a dedicated ‘disciple maker’ should be modeled. The authors proceed to another section about how Christians should live not as segregated units but as a Church. Furthermore, the authors set out to contextualize disciple making in a modern church. For instance, the book notes that the importance of Christian fellowship and community has been greatly ignored in the modern contexts. On the other hand, the context of ‘mighty churches/ministers’ has been mixed with unnecessary hype thereby neglecting to take note of the duty of the individual. The book’s sect ion of church is broken down in a manner that helps individuals realize that they are part of the small fellowships just as they are part of the global church. Another section is dedicated on ‘understanding the old testament’, where authors offer a lengthy explorations of the Old Testament right from the time of creation until the period of prophecies about the coming of the Messiah. The authors conclude this section by noting that Christianity is the ‘Kingdom of God’ The last section in Chan and Beuving’s book outlines the Christian doctrines that are contained in the New Testament. In this section, the authors track the genesis of Christianity from the birth of Christ until his expected return. The objective of Jesus the Messiah and his great commission is explored in the context of discipleship. Furthermore, this section reminds Christian readers that they are in the last leg of their journey. The division of the book in sections serves the author ’s purpose of having a believer lead a non-believer through it with the view of making the latter into a disciple. The last two chapters are particularly laden with materials that can be of great benefit to both Christians and non-Christians. One main objection that I have towards â€Å"Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples† is the blanket notion that modern Christians are not involves in discipleship. According to the authors, â€Å"if you were to ask individual Christians today what it means to make disciples, you would likely get jumbled thoughts, ambiguous answers, and probably even blank stares†¦we are ignoring the commission of Christ†2. However, discipleship as it applies to the modern society does not involve going out and shouting to non-believers and others about the Gospel. In the modern society, the fundamental teachings of Christianity are known by almost all people across the world. Consequently, the principle of discipleship has changed from t he need to preach the gospel to the objective of representing its practicality.Advertising We will write a custom book review sample on Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Most of the people who are opposed to the beliefs of Christianity today do so in the premise that they are ‘impractical’. This notion is also supported by the fact that some individuals who are proclaim to be ministers of the gospel are unable to represent it in a positive light. Consequently, the true disciples today are not the people who proclaim the teachings of Jesus, but those who practice them, thereby acting as light in the middle of darkness. For example, a practicing Christian who is known to conduct only honest business in the midst of modern greed and exploitation can ‘make disciples’. On the other hand, a Christian youth who abstains from all immoral associations on the account of his fait h has the potential to make disciples. In modern times, there have been so many fake disciples who ‘preach water and take wine’. Therefore, the strength of Christianity relies on those whose actions preach more than their words. Throughout the book, the authors take a one-sided look into discipleship thereby ignoring those whose actions (and not necessarily words) are ‘making disciples’. The book also ignores the institution of the body of Christ where different individuals bring different abilities to the church. For instance, some are called to minister, care for others, praise the lord, heal the sick, and some offer financial momentum to the Great Commission of Christ. However, in ‘Multiply† the authors appear to ‘dictate’ the form of discipleship that individuals should engage in. Upon becoming disciples, individuals are bestowed with various gifts of the Holy Spirit and these unique abilities spell out their missions as Christi ans. Therefore, it is important for the authors to take these factors into consideration when they are outlining the lacking aspects of discipleship. Nevertheless, the book provides an interesting flow and it is a joy to read from section to section. The authors also take advantage of modern technology and upload an online video for each section in the book. Basically, the authors provide a Bible experience that moves the readers from the Book of Genesis up to Revelation. It is often hard for anyone to read the Bible from start to finish but this book mirrors the joy of such an experience. Furthermore, the authors stick to the objective of Christian Ministry through the manner in which they reiterate on the usage of Bible passages. The book cultivates a sense of purpose among both new and old Christians. It is possible for an individual to become a Christian and then proceed to lose a sense of purpose as time goes by. Chan and Beuving assist individuals to retrace their steps and be come workers for Christ and his Gospel.Advertising Looking for book review on religion theology? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Overall, â€Å"Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples† is a good read that calls Christians to action and reinstates their purpose at the same time. The authors deliver an easily flowing book that could be beneficial to both Christians and non-Christians. The contextualization of the Church also serves a great purpose along the way. I would recommend this book to anyone who might have even the slightest interest in Christian doctrine. Bibliography Chan, Francis, and Mark Beuving. Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples. Colorado Springs: David Cook, 2012. Footnotes 1 Francis Chan and Mark Beuving, Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples (Colorado Springs: David Cook, 2012), 9. 2 Francis Chan and Mark Beuving, Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples (Colorado Springs: David Cook, 2012), 7. This book review on Multiply: Disciples Making Disciples was written and submitted by user Bennett Carver to help you with your own studies. You are free to use it for research and reference purposes in order to write your own paper; however, you must cite it accordingly. You can donate your paper here.