The Multiplier’s Mindset

Thinking Differently About Discipleship

Are you focused on following Jesus? If you are a disciple maker and haven’t heard of this book yet, I’m sure you will soon!

I was recently introduced through some fellow missionaries to a pioneer in the field of discipleship. Cynthia Anderson has released a new book on the true process of discipleship that takes a unique look at something so important to the entire discipleship journey – shifting our mindset. The very thing Jesus started with when he started by saying, “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 4) The foundation of Jesus’ message was for us to change the way we think. Think about what? God’s plan for humanity!

Cynthia has been involved in full time missions and on the front line of disciple making movements for many years. She has served in multiple countries. The Dare To Multiply Podcast is an intriguing show she hosts weekly that serves communities that have a multiplier’s mindsets on practical steps of disciple making, and powerful-intimate interviews with pioneers of the field.

My intent for recommending this book was not simply because the call on my life is to make disciples that make disciples. It was not because I would place it in the top five practical application books I have read on the subject of discipleship and disciple making movements. Who knows, I might eventually do other reviews on those. The reasons I chose this book are simple:

1. A woman wrote it. Hear me out! My wife and I were super excited when our friend John announced the release of Cynthia’s book, because there are few women who have written on the subject.
2. She is a pioneer in the field with years of experience and many examples of obedience based discipleship multiplication.
3. Finally, Cynthia is currently in the field doing what her book presents to the readers. She not only believes what she wrote, but continues doing the daily, relational, obedient work, in a different country.
4. I believe in her message and method as it aligns with ours.

The things that stood out in this book for me are also things I desire to grow and mature in. It’s not an exclusive list but will get you started.

Shifting Thinking

This first one may seem so evident, but I would challenge us that if that were true then more of us would be making disciple makers. I loved what Cynthia writes in her introduction, “For many of us, traditional mindsets can be confused with Biblical Principles, and they are not always the same thing. I have made this mistake in the past! But if our Christian traditions do not match the principles of disciple-making in the New Testament we may be unintentionally hindering the multiplication of disciples.”

A shift in mindset and heart is what originally brought my family out to the mission field, and I am fully aware that staying in that posture like Jesus said of focusing on the Kingdom of Heaven being at hand and living in repentance is the only way to see the fruit of our labor and the Great Commission completed.

Her team has created a free multiplier’s mindset quiz that can help you decide what areas of the book to particularly focus on. The link is here https://www.dmmsfrontiermissions.com/multipliers-quiz/

Change

This one is near and dear to my heart because it’s so similar to what God did in our lives when we began the disciple making journey. Cynthia shares about a husband and wife that had a discussion about church planting. The wife asks him why he hasn’t read the book of Acts, as it’s all about church planting. Then she writes how the husband responded to it, “The light bulbs turned on, so to speak. ‘On the day of Pentecost, I saw three thousand baptisms. That was how the church had started. And they multiplied so rapidly. They had no buildings, they had no pastors, and they had no musical instruments. They had no pulpits and no pews. They had no tithing system. They had no political power. But they had the Holy Spirit.’

She actually includes an interview with the man who is quoted here. His name is Victor and you can listen to that here www.dmmsfrontiermissions.com/interviews

Being willing to change or live flexible when the Holy Spirit moves is so crucial in the discipleship process. Our family has found it to be a key to the Kingdom of God advancing. It can be uncomfortable for sure, but your obedience in the change will lead to fruit that remains.

Baptisms

Finally, the topic of baptisms is something I want to commend her on for tackling. Let me start by saying you need to just read all of this chapter for yourself as I may not be the best person to listen to on it. Why? Cause I am already sold! I mean my family did something radical and dug a baptismal whole in our front yard and have seen dozens of men, women, and children not only baptized but baptize others.

Let me have you read for yourself a bit of her powerful perspective! This is the very first paragraph of her chapter on the topic. She writes, “Let’s dive deeper into the importance of embracing the priesthood of all believers in practical, real ways. To use a cliched phrase, this is where the rubber meets the road. And this is often where the sparks begin to fly-on the issue of who can baptize new disciples. This issue, and a change of mindset regarding it, is perhaps the most important, difficult, and often the most costly change of mindset and practice for those wanting to see the release of radical disciple multiplication. It is necessary, though, if the movement is to spread rapidly.

What a challenge! Total honesty on what she has seen and experienced as a female disciple maker over the past two decades. You should read this book for that paragraph alone.

Conclusion

If you are a disciple maker, work with a team of disciple makers, and want to fulfill the Great Commission than this book is not just good, but stands as a resource.

I want to wrap up with an amazing quote from part two of her book on perspective.

She writes, “If we limit beliefs about who can make disciples, it will keep the church busy making attendees rather than disciples.”

To which I would shout Amen! My family is witnessing out here in the middle of somewhere in Africa an unprecedented move of disciple multiplication among a people who can not read and write and live off of a couple dollars a day. I believe the reason why is because we have chosen to live into the words in that quote. And you can too! That is Cynthia’s point of this book. Read her book then go out and obey Jesus in all He said to do!

Don’t take my word only on this wonderful book.

There are a lot of great reviews on this book. Here are a few things people are saying in reviews.