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As I continue to write my dissertation, I’ve been curious why ther
e aren’t any church multiplication movements in the US. I recently asked this question to Dr. Paul Kaak, Assistant Professor of Organizational Leadership; Assistant Director of the Noel Academy for Strengths Based Leadership and Education (Azusa Pacific University).
He suggested two main reasons:
1. Churches are more concerned about the church than the kingdom of God.
Pastors are by nature “ecclo-centric.” Their primary focus is on their own church and its growth and development. They view the church as the kingdom. This distorted view of the kingdom is seen in churches that focus on their own growth, rather than on extending the kingdom of God.
2. Churches don’t understand the Gospel.
It’s not the Gospel of getting to heaven – it’s the Gospel of the kingdom. If a person comes to faith in Christ as King (not just as Savior), there is a greater understanding and commitment to announcing the kingdom and extending the kingdom.
The church is never the end. The church is pointing beyond itself to the kingdom of God.
A shift in how one views the local church and the kingdom is necessary before we will see any church multiplication movements in the United States.
