With all this talk about disciple-making in Crossworld’s vision, you might be wondering what has happened to the church. Am I suggesting we abandon church planting in favor of disciple-making? Let me be absolutely clear on this. Christ loves the church and gave Himself up for it. We can do no less. We are fully committed to the establishment of new churches — disciple-making communities that are committed to extending Christ’s kingdom.

But it seems to me that an unhealthy dichotomy has crept into the church: the distinction between disciple-making and church planting. Disciple-making is to church planting what cell multiplication is to the development of a new living being. Disciple-making and church planting are meant to be part of a seamless process — a continuum — that ultimately results in the birth of a living being made up of living cells. The church is the living being. Disciples are the living cells. These are not separate processes; they are one.

The reason Jesus told us to “go and make disciples” promising “I will build My church” rather than explicitly telling us to “make disciples and plant the church,” is because the one assumes the other. Reproductive disciple-making (or spiritual multiplication) is the key to establishing healthy churches. The body is only as good as its cells and the church is only as good as its disciples.

At Crossworld, we have chosen to focus on the mandate Jesus gave us to make disciples who make disciples. We have chosen to do so out of love for Christ and His church. And we believe that if we focus on this mission, communities of disciples will begin to develop, individual members and roles will become progressively evident and healthy “bodies” (churches) will be born.