Crossbridge desires to be a reproducing Church. Let’s reproduce together . . . and when I say reproducing, I don’t mean having more kids. We want to be a church that is reproducing at every level . . . we want to reproduce campuses and churches . . . and we want to reproduce groups and leaders. Being a reproducing church starts with leaders at every level (kids teachers, sound techs, group leaders, greeters, worship leaders, etc) reproducing him/herself.
Reproducing is easier than it sounds. Reproducing is teaching someone to do what you do. Jesus did it. While Jesus’ life was brief, his ministry continues today because Jesus taught people to do what he did. Throughout his life, Jesus invested in people who would carry out his ministry.
If we-individually and as a church–want to make a lasting impact, we have to teach people to do what we do. We have to reproduce ourselves. The easiest way to reproduce at every level is to have an apprentice.
This is why I believe reproducing through apprenticeship is important:
- Reproducing allows our impact to continue without us
- Reproducing expands our capacity to do ministry
- Ministry is more fun when we do it together
- We are called to make disciples. Reproducing yourself, reproduces disciples
- When we reproduce, our church is able to help MORE disconnected people connect to God
- Investing in people matters
Reproducing yourself is easier than it sounds.
In their book Exponential, Dave Ferguson and Jon Ferguson outline a simple method for developing an apprentice—for reproducing yourself. It goes something like this:
I do, you watch, we talk
I do, you help, we talk
You do, I help, we talk
You do, I watch, we talk
You do, someone else watches
This is how that might look:
If you are a leader (let’s use a group leader as an example), invite someone to be your apprentice. Let your apprentice watch you lead a group. Talk about what happens. Learn from each other. Let your apprentice help you lead a group . . . perhaps this means leading a portion of your group (maybe the discussion . . . maybe the prayer time . . . maybe something else). Talk about what happens. Learn from each other. Your apprentice takes ownership of making the group happen. You help your apprentice. You talk about what happens. Learn from each other. Your apprentice leads the group without your help. You watch. You talk about what happens. Learn from each other. Your apprentice leads a group and invites someone else to be his/her apprentice.
Maybe you are not a group leader. Maybe you are a kid’s teacher, sound tech, greeter, or ministry team leader. The same pattern works for all of us. Becoming a reproducing church starts with leaders at every level teaching someone else to do what you do.
REPRODUCE YOURSELF!