There is a huge difference between addition and multiplication.  Adding followers to your cause is a good thing but multiplying leaders for your cause is so much better.  When you add followers, you simply grow in numbers.   When you multiply leaders, you grow in both capacity and consistency.  Getting bigger isn’t always better.  If your growth of followers outpaces your development of capable leadership, you will experience drift from your purpose and values.  Without the right leadership in place, fast growing organizations often face confusion and chaos.

By intentionally multiplying and developing leaders, you create capacity for healthy and sustainable growth.  Having good leaders in place is essential in order to maintain your culture and stay on course with your mission. Leaders working together toward a common purpose and guided by core values bring stability to an organization that is foundational for sustained growth.  Growing by just adding to your numbers can only result in local and limited growth.  Preparing for sustainable growth by multiplying capable leaders opens the potential for unlimited growth.  Multiplying leaders will move from “local and limited” to “global and generational” in your capacity.  The early church made multiplying leaders their priority.

I left you on the island of Crete so you could complete our work there and appoint elders in each town as I instructed you. (Titus 1:5 NLT)

Every organization needs three things in order to be successful: the right people, the right resources and the leadership capacity to grow.  Every time a group of new believers emerged during the missionary journeys of Paul and his team, they would appoint capable leaders in that town.  The early church leaders knew that they needed leaders of character aligned in their values and beliefs in order to sustain healthy growth and build capacity.  These leaders laid the groundwork for cause of Christ to become a global and generational movement.  Take time today to evaluate the leadership development strategy of your organization.  Are you multiplying leaders?

“The single biggest way to impact an organization is to focus on leadership development. There is almost no limit to the potential of an organization that recruits good people, raises them up as leaders and continually develops them.” ~ John C Maxwell